Re: Gathering of Mustangs
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Don't ask me about the times we played "spaceman" between refuelings over the Turkey/Iraq border.
[/ QUOTE ] Spill it or BAN.
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Go far away from the flight corridor so as to not be seen by other jets and to avoid possible collision.
Put away anything that might fly around inside the airplane, such as flight gear, navigator's gear, cans of pop, etc.
Aircraft Commander (me) remains strapped firmly in seat, everyone else heads to the back of the plane which is as empty as a bowling lane.
Lower the nose and accelerate to 300-plus knots airspeed.
Gradually raise nose until about 40-60 degrees nose high, full power.
As speed comes down through about 280, slowly push yoke forward until you feel the G go to zero--G-meter confirms zero G. Whoops and hollers eminate from crew.
Maintain weightless condition (zero G) by holding yoke forward and very gradually adjusting so as to keep G-meter pegged at zero. Any sudden moves of the yoke and someone--someone floating in zero G in back--could get slammed onto the cargo deck. Whoops and hollers continue.
As nose goes through the horizon and aircraft enters dive, slowly reduce throttles to idle while maintaining zero G with very, very gentle yoke movements. (Jet makes a big upside-down U in the sky.)
Squint eyes as the decades of dirt and dust are rise off of the floor of the jet. Yes, all the dirt comes out of every crack and crevice in the 40-year old airplane's cockpit and heads for the pilot's eyes. Tastes like dirt too. Whoops and hollers continue.
As nose reaches about 20-30 degrees nose-low and speed begins to build back up, ease the yoke back so as to gently 'set' crew back on cargo floor without drawing any blood. Whoops and hollers from floating crew die down.
Repeat by popular demand.
Total time of complete weightlessness was about 45 seconds if done right, just like the NASA KC-135 zero-G trainer known as the "vomit comet." No one ever barfed when I did it.
(Note: Best to run one (of four) refueling pump and open the refueling manifold valve during maneuver so as to maintain positive fuel pressure and not cavitate any fuel lines or starve an engine. Hydraulic system low-pressure lights will blink from momentary cavitation but can be ignored in this case.)
That is all, over and out.
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