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Post by milspecsim on Apr 14, 2015 19:47:23 GMT -5
No more are going to vote??
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Post by thomas on May 1, 2015 3:49:03 GMT -5
Hi I wouldn't mind some more such tales. The writing's good so it doesn't matter what aircraft is in use.
regards Thomas
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Post by Erik on May 4, 2015 20:16:08 GMT -5
Let's have a CONVAIR then, as you were on the list. Thanks for the excitement! Erik
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Post by milspecsim on Jul 8, 2015 23:15:09 GMT -5
Just a quick update, I am still working on the stories but I need a little research help. Is there anywhere I can get an airways map from the 50's? I want to make them more technically accurate. A friend of mine showed me the Amazon publishing site and after I get enough of these gems, I'm gonna put em on Kindle. Dont worry they will get published here first for yall to make fun of and point out stupidity.
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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jul 9, 2015 9:38:42 GMT -5
I have airways maps in my misc. album in my charts album collection, check out the sticky thread in the Discussion forum.
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Post by Defender on Jul 9, 2015 14:15:19 GMT -5
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Post by milspecsim on Jul 12, 2015 13:00:17 GMT -5
Oohh thanks!
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Post by milspecsim on Sept 30, 2016 12:03:22 GMT -5
Just an update, life kinda took me away from this fun. I have three stories I'm working on, one is about the Convaliner, another is an 880. Third one is still in the early stages, may be a 707 or a DC-8. I will try to have a new one up by the end of October!
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Post by Erik on Sept 30, 2016 19:33:14 GMT -5
Great, thanks for the update and take your time!
Erik
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Post by milspecsim on Feb 15, 2017 1:57:31 GMT -5
After the movie script was circular filed I decided to get back in the not so friendly skies. I got an interview with Western, and landed a job a few days later. They decided to put me in the Electra, and I was lost in Lockheed once again. It was a normal flight, but I was deadheading to SLC to bring a dog back to LAX. Departure was normal, but over LAS it went to hell. I had noticed from the cabin seat I was in the aircraft seemed to hunt for an altitude. It felt like the trim was malfunctioning. suddenly as I was looking at the Strip the nose of the aircraft jumped then went up, doing a really great impression of the Vomit Comet. It then dropped like a boulder off the rim of the Grand Canyon, then suddenly up again. Everyone pulled a T-33 GIB maneuver and kissed the floor! The g-forces let off so suddenly I almost felt weightless. The aircraft was now nearly level, and seemed stable. I quickly moved tot he cockpit door that was now open, and saw both pilots slumped over. There was a lot of blood, and dents where they hit the panels. obviously they were knocked out.
The A/P was off and I flipped it on to wing level. it leveled the wings and then began the search. the trim was continuously hunting for a setting. I quickly flipped it off and trimmed it manually. The stewardess helped me get the captain onto the jumpseat, as I took over. I declared an emergency and began a rather steep spiral to loose altitude. Lead FA told me we had some severe injuries, so I told ATC to get as many ambulances they could. I was making a near fighter like maneuver to get lower when No 4 prop ran away. I cut the fuel and feathered the prop and eased up on the crazy maneuvers As we were dropping like a rock The FO came to and screamed in pain, scaring at least ten years off my life! I got her down to the final discovering the gear wont budge. Everything looks right, but the gear just wouldnt move. I notified ATC about this and hit the fuel dumps. Turns out this was Big Mistake Number One. As the plane got lighter the forces let off the wheel. The rudder was really hard to use, and felt like the cables were dragging. ON short final I killed the other engines and decided to but her down in the dirt. Big Mistake Number Two. While the 7 or 1049 glide pretty good this pig just sunk like the Lusitania. The belly hit the overrun, skidded to the right and continued DOWN THE CONCRETE!!!
Yeah, there was a big boom from the right side of the aircraft as the remaining fuel and fumes in the tank torched off.The force of the explosion kicked the aircraft to the left and off the runway, crunching the left wing just inboard of the engines. When the plane finally stopped, I got out of the seat, opened the door and stopped. Half of the aircraft was on the runway, smoldering. Bodies scattered all over the place.
Then I woke up... Screaming. I gotta stop eating Chinese so late...
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Post by Pixel Pilot on Feb 15, 2017 10:57:27 GMT -5
Who needs the real thing with nightmares like that. I'll stay at the computer where the escape buttons always handy.
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Post by thomas on Feb 23, 2017 7:57:54 GMT -5
Good one, Milspec. Seems like you've been around! Who needs the real thing with nightmares like that. I'll stay at the computer where the escape buttons always handy.
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Post by milspecsim on Jun 22, 2017 18:15:15 GMT -5
Blowjobs. That is what the old guys are calling them. Boeing has finally lost their marbles, a passenger plane with NO PROPELLERS? Now I hear Douglas is building one.I was not looking forward to this. The systems course alone on the 707 nearly crushed my brain into a wet noodle! The things are fantastic! My first flight went higher than I had ever been before, up there in the thin air. Western sent me here for a type rating and to deliver a brand new 707-139 back to LA. We took delivery, did a very in-depth inspection, filed the plan and took off. Seattle is a dreary rainy place as times and I had not seen the sun in three weeks. Level at FL380 in cruise we were truing out to about 550mph! With the tailwind our GS was just over 600! Holy speeding ticket Batman! None of us were ahead of the plane and this was the first link in the chain.
The FE was still trying to get used to the fuel systems, the number of tanks and valves has my head swimming. As we wing over central Oregon the second link shows up as No.2 rolls back. As the guessing game begins, one of the AC systems fails. Half of the hydraulics fail and that old feeling begins to set in. This time we are higher and faster than at any other time. I suddenly feel cold. The FE was loosing his grip on reality it seemed, as No.4 choked. I began a decent as the FO got us clearance to SFO. The FE could not figure out why 2 and 4 shutdown, and as we passed FL200 he started the APU. This is what saved us and an expensive airplane! As we passed 14000 the pressurization system failed, and we quickly discovered the emergency O2 system was also inoperable. Well not inoperable, but the air had a nasty smell and metallic taste that made the FO shoot his lunch all over the panel. With lungs burning, eyes watering and ears popping we turned onto a long final to 19R, only to find out the GS has gone buggo. That turned out to be an issue on the ground so we sidestepped to 19L. We went to lower the gear, and it got about halfway and stopped.
BANG!!!! 6600 ft and a flock of Canadian geese or pelicans bumbled right in out path and no 1 ate one... unsuccessfully. 5000 feet one operating engine 2 dead and one ON FIRE!!! Oh yeah, no gear either! The FE got the gear down, but we had no idea if they were locked. I had a flashback to an unplanned arrival in Nashville a few years back. We were high, fast and only had flaps to about 25. I tossed the book, yanked the spoilers, chopped the throttle, and aimed that nose at the end of the runway. No going around here, this will either be a success we are about to find out what is really on the other side.
Speed bleeds off slowly, altitude drops quickly and I try to feel my way to the runway. As I flare the aircraft, WHAM!!!! we are down skidding along the runway slightly sideways! As I get her straight, nail the brakes though the floor and cut the fuel switches No. 1 falls off the wing! The brakes BARELY work feeling like a truck with no pads. The aircraft finally stopped about 200 feet from the bay.
The inspection revealed that screen place in the fuel lines froze up and caused the 2/4 failures. 1 ate a bird and blew up, taking out two hydraulic lines lowering the pressure to the brakes. Boeing pilots were astonished we actually landed. The FO got over it and returned to the fleet, but the FE was traumatized and sued Boeing. I got a firm handshake and a hot cup of coffee from the CEO, then sent to Douglas to look at the DC-8.
Starting to think I'm a magnet for disaster... It's almost like someone is scripting all this.
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Post by milspecsim on Jun 22, 2017 19:28:55 GMT -5
ITS A TWOFER!!!!
Here we go again! After the 707 debacle and the decision no to buy the DC-8, I requested a return to the 240's and I have been happily plying the western skies for the last 8 months. This was the final flight of the 240's on this route, DC-6's were due to take over the next day. So there was some nostalgia and melancholy on this flight. Just when I felt the black cloud had moved on, Murphy returned. I was flying the route from DEN to GTF, on one of the most perfectly clear days these eyes have ever seen. We arrived in Cheyenne, WY at 1040 a full ten minutes early. This was unusual as the winds make us late normally. Well I ain’t kicking that horse, but looking west and north it appeared our luck was up. The tops of the summer thunderbumpers were just peeking over the horizon. Talking to the guys at the MET office it looked grim. Convective SIGMETS West and North, and the area outlook to the south was bad. I was check pilot on this run, the pilot was a fresh captain all of 32. Still had baby fat and stubble. Man did he know how to fly though. I watched him bring a crippled Electra into SLC 3 months back. Just greased that landing! I had flown with him as FO before, now the roles were reversed. I listened to him as he chatted with the weather geek, and both of us concluded we could make CPR, the intermediate stop before the storms nailed us. We filed, did a quick walkaround and cleared the A/C for loading.
Start-up and taxi was routine; takeoff was a bit on the sluggish side. Felt a little heavy but this aircraft did this out of CYS every now and then. MX said it was a carb issue on No.2 nothing to worry about. We climbed out over the plains and began to settle in for the trip to Casper. The towering cumulus loomed ahead of us like the wall of death it was. At the halfway point I called to get a route WX update. The forecast was holding, it looked like the storms would slide in an hour or so after we landed. So pretty sure getting into Great Falls later than planned I reached for the clipboard when No.2 suddenly burped, and started chugging. First thing I looked at was the fuel gauge. It was showing nearly empty… Both of us started the EMERG checklist, and just as we began the fuel crossfeed, No.2 died. Let me be clear, it spit three jugs out of the cowling. One of them hit the fuse scaring hell of of the PAX. Quickly cutting fuel and feathering the prop, I was starting to wonder if Casper was gonna happen. Flying the 240 on one wheel at FL210 is almost impossible. We dropped down to 14000 and settled into figuring out what had just happened. Just after passing Garrett a pax window popped out ripping a 2 foot chunk out of the fuse. We dropped down to 10k really quick, looking for a place to land if needed. There aint NUTHIN out here though. I get on the radio and raise Casper. As I am telling them what is going on, No.1 starts acting up. I quickly realize that the xfeed from earlier was still on. As I reverse it the engine quits...
Im getting that old feeling...
As the fuel returns to the left tank, we get No.1 restarted and try to get back to 10k. Nope, this pregnant dog aint going up. So here we are toolin along at just about 1200 AGL... What could go wrong? After dodging a few mountains and radio towers, Casper is in sight. And so is the leading edge of a BIG Thunderstorm. And she is pissed! The leading shelf clould has CTG lightning all over the place, CTC is ripping all around this beast it's tops spiking FL600. Thanks to the now 4' hole in the fuse, we are hearing the thunder! Casper tower warns us of shifting and gusty winds, up to 50kts! Closest runway to the average wind is 25 so we set up for a REALLY FAST approach. Roaring over the western part of the city at LOW level, scaring hell out of cows, chickens, rocks, ducks, and geese we get lined up for the runway, drop the gear and start a game of chicken with a monster of a storm that has just caused a severe thunderstorm warning to be issued for the Caper area. Yeah, welcome to the zoo!
The winds are bucking the airplane harder than a champion bull at the national finals rodeo, both of us are getting slammed around in the cockpit. The mains touch, throttles close reverses engage, and the bottom drops out. Now HYDROPLANING down the runway we skid off, short of 36-18 and come to a stop with the tail pointing at the cross of the runways.
Shutting off the fuel and electrical switches the storm fully engulfs the plane. Passengers are scrambling to get away from the fuse hole, but no one wants off! We are in a unique situation. Just crashed, severe thunderstorm on us dropping enough rain to flood the Hoover dam, the most spectacular lightning show I have ever seen, and the book wants us to evac the aircraft! “Yeah that aint gonna happen!” I yell as the plane take a THIRD lightning strike.
20 minutes later the storm has moved on, dropping a huge wedge tornado southeast of Casper. Emergency crew finally get to the plane and no one is scratched. In the aftermath a DC-6 picked us all up the next day, and the crew got 2 weeks in Honolulu on the airlines dime.
I may never leave!
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Post by Tom/CalClassic on Jun 23, 2017 10:24:17 GMT -5
Nice the 707 got the treatment (DC-8s would never do that, right?). Poor little Convair, though. It was trying its best...
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