Took a full scale ride today......

[Dan B]

IN A TP 51C MUSTANG!

This is the only 2 seat dual control Mustang flying today. It is operated by the Collins Foundation in conjunction with the B17, B25 & B24 that hop scotch the country selling rides every year. I finaly decided to fufill a life long dream and anty up for a 1 hour flight in the Mustang, the dream plane of my youth. The great thing about this is you get to FLY the plane, not just be a passenger.

We took off from Moffett Field Naval Air Station in Mtn. View, CA and headed north over San Francisco, out and over the Golden Gate Bridge and then headed south along the coast. I took the controls as soon as we cleared the bridge and flew the plane all the way down the coast, across the coastal mountain range and back to the field where the pilot took over and landed.

While out over the coast I did 3 rolls and he walked me through one long barrel roll. Also did some steep banks and turns and just played around! This is the 1st full scale I've ever flown and it was a gas! Surprisingly easy to fly. I think we hit 280 knots max, well below it's capability. Up in the air the speed just seems relative and you don't feel like you're doing anything special. Get close to the ground and you start to appreciate the speed.

After landing apparently an oil line or something let go as we taxied in and covered the front of the cowl with oil. Glad we were on the ground when that happened!

Of course I had to wear my FG hat for the occasion! Turns out the pilot also flys giant scale RC back in Alabama! His full time gig is a pilot for the Aero Shell T6 team. Great guy.

Here's are a few pics of the trip, hope you enjoy them.

Dan,
and still grinning!

[brandonduley]

man that would be an awesome ride, congrats. I am taking a Pitts biplane ride in a month or so, can't wait

[777drvr]

Congrats Dan !

That must have been a blast ! That's one of my dreams as well . I can imagine how sweet that Merlin sounded . I took a ride in an L-39 out of Chino last year . What a rush . It's time for another adventure . Can you send me a PM with info so I can fly that aircraft as well ?

Marc

[bubbagates]

Now that had to been a blast. Nothing like the sound of a Merlin doing it's thing. I hope he explained that if you went to full throttle suddenly, to plant right rudder, lest you roll over quite quickly to the left because of the 4-blade sharp spinning thingy out front

I got the privilege of going to Fighter Combat school for a birthday some years back http://www.fightercombat.com/ and got to fly a couple of hours of basic to advanced aerobatics in an Extra over the course of two days and what a blast. It's not too bad price wise and well worth the experience. They even video it for you from all sorts of angles

[Remsberg]

Dan....very cool. I did the same thing at Sun N Fun in Lakeland, FL last month. Two seat P51-D with dual controls. The experience of a lifetime! It was only 30 minutes but the memory will last forever. I was amazed at how light on the controls it was. Maybe it was the worlds only fly-by-wire Mustang!

Mike

[~SnApRoLl]

Dan,
Congrats on the Mustang ride!!!
My first full scale ride was in an Otter up to about 10K feet so I could jump out of it! Well when I saw how small everything looked on the ground I jumped.................. back in my seat that is LOL. I was lucky enough to get a refund from the sky dive center and decided that I would rather fly'em them jump out of 'em so I took lessons in a Cessna 172 for a few months till I had to stop due to expenses.
Even though a ride in a Cessna in no way compares to your ride in a Mustang, I thought I'd share my first full scale flight experience.

Shawn

[ferocious frankie]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Dan B
	IN A TP 51C MUSTANG! This is the only 2 seat dual control Mustang flying today. It is operated by the Collins Foundation in conjunction with the B17, B25 & B24 that hop scotch the country selling rides every year. I finaly decided to fufill a life long dream and anty up for a 1 hour flight in the Mustang, the dream plane of my youth. The great thing about this is you get to FLY the plane, not just be a passenger. We took off from Moffett Field Naval Air Station in Mtn. View, CA and headed north over San Francisco, out and over the Golden Gate Bridge and then headed south along the coast. I took the controls as soon as we cleared the bridge and flew the plane all the way down the coast, across the coastal mountain range and back to the field where the pilot took over and landed. While out over the coast I did 3 rolls and he walked me through one long barrel roll. Also did some steep banks and turns and just played around! This is the 1st full scale I've ever flown and it was a gas! Surprisingly easy to fly. I think we hit 280 knots max, well below it's capability. Up in the air the speed just seems relative and you don't feel like you're doing anything special. Get close to the ground and you start to appreciate the speed. After landing apparently an oil line or something let go as we taxied in and covered the front of the cowl with oil. Glad we were on the ground when that happened! Of course I had to wear my FG hat for the occasion! Turns out the pilot also flys giant scale RC back in Alabama! His full time gig is a pilot for the Aero Shell T6 team. Great guy. Here's are a few pics of the trip, hope you enjoy them. Dan, and still grinning!

That's awesome Dan! Must have been the flight of a lifetime. I was planning on going to Moffett over the weekend to see the bombers and the P-51. The B-24 flew over my house a couple of days ago and it was awesome. Can't imagine how you felt actually flying the P-51. I bet now, Todd wants a ride in an Extra.

[rc4flying]

I had my chance to fly in my dream plane also. It lasted 1 hour.
In April 2004 I took a ride that I will always remember, in the dual controlled P-51 called "Crazy Horse" based at Stallion 51 in Kissimmie, Fl. This plane was a true beauty of a flying machine. I too was surprised how effortless the controls felt in flight. The maneuvers that Lee Lauderbach talked me through were fun. What a big model I was flying. That is what I felt like I was doing, flying a big model. Lee was surprised how well my experience flying my models helped me do the flight.
The experience was long lasting and one never to be forgotten. A must do for any modeler to aim for. As you can see from the smile on my face......I was about to enjoy the best thing I have had the opportuinty to do.
By the way.....I won my ride in a raffle held at Joe Nall in 2003 that Matt Chapman was doing to help raise money for the Youth Masters, I think. Best $20 I ever spent. I don't think I would ever had the chance otherwise. The only thing that I would not do again is to turn my head while doing a tight 3G turn being not use to G's. I won't tell what happened , but it was just before landing, so the rest of the flight was the best.

[gmilo]

Dan. are you nuts! You could have gotten killed!!!! Just kidding buddy. I had the chance to go up in an Extra 330L a few weekends ago for some aerobatic fun, but promised my significant others that I'd say "no" when the opportunity arose. I've been up in a Pitts S2 years ago and got it out of my system! But, Zak had a great time . Zak, r u going for the full size ticket?

Greg

[Dan B]

	Quote: Originally Posted by gmilo
	Dan. are you nuts! You could have gotten killed!!!! Just kidding buddy. I had the chance to go up in an Extra 330L a few weekends ago for some aerobatic fun, but promised my significant others that I'd say "no" when the opportunity arose. I've been up in a Pitts S2 years ago and got it out of my system! But, Zak had a great time . Zak, r u going for the full size ticket? Greg

Greg,

Just got home from the Bakersfielld IMAC. We got rained out for the Sunday rounds.

My wife was the one who talked me into taking the ride! She said if it's a life long dream then I gotta do it. But she did mention something about my life insurance being all paid up!

Talked to Zak yesterday about his Extra ride and he was still stoked about it!

Let's go fly soon.
Dan

[JohnVH]

Nice pics, what do they charge for that ride?

[Dan B]

	Quote: Originally Posted by JohnVH
	Nice pics, what do they charge for that ride?

Here is the link to the schedule & prices.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_schedules.htm

The Mustang ride is not cheap but it's a once in a lifetime adventure!

Dan