Quite a day.
Gentlemen,
Ray has quite a collection of high performance automobiles. He has now amassed an impressive collection of Warbirds as well. One minor tech difficulty, he's not a pilot....yet. But he is a very fast learner and has been training intensively with me in my Glasair III and with a couple other CFI's. He will solo soon and should have his private ticket in a couple months. In the 1990's I flew right wing on the Firebird's Aerobatic Team in Pitts Special aircraft and we flew formation shows all over the western U.S. When Ray asked me if I would pilot his T-34 in the CAF formation flights it sounded like a blast so I jumped in my plane and two hours later I was in Midland.
The CAF pilots are a fine lot and they take what they do quite seriously. As such, the beginning of my stint as a CAF formation member had quite a comedy start when they started asking questions to determine if it would be safe to let me fly 10 feet away from them in the formation. A mistake could have serious consequences. So here's how it went. They asked me.......
--Can we see your FAA Formation certification card?.......Ah, no, I don't have one as that did not exist when I was flying formation aerobatic shows.
--Oh, well, how much time do you have in this T-34?........None, the first time I ever laid eyes on it was 30 minutes ago. But I did sit in it for a few minutes to familiarize myself with it.
--Oh, OK. Well, how much time do you have in any T-34?.....I think about 2 hours. :facepalm:
--And you think you can just take off and safely fly in our formation?.....Yeah, I'm good to go. :biggrin
--:confused :confused :confused :confused
--Well, how much formation flying have you done in the last 5 years?......None. Haven't had the chance. But it's like riding a bike, you never forget. Let's roll.
--:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
--This is against all of the CAF rules and regs. If we're not comfortable up there with your flying you will have to leave the formation. Is that clear?......You bet! Let's go.
So we all strap in and they fire up. Ray is riding back seat in one of the T-6's. I find the battery master switch...on...I find the radio master....on....I find the fuel boost pump switch.....on....left fuel tank......on......NOW......where the hell is the magneto switch?? I scour the right, left, and center panels, and I can't find it. Christ....it's gotta be here!!!! Please God, don't tell me I'm gonna have to do this. But everybody is waiting so I have to key up the radio to call Ray and all the other pilots can hear me say, "Hey Ray, how do you start this thing?" :facepalm: Where the hell is the magneto switch?? Now everybody is looking at me with a jaundiced eye. Ray tells me, "You can't see it because it's hidden behind the throttle". And by God, there it is!! I fire up, taxi out, take off, and slide into my slot in the formation. It was like being back home. Great fun and the other pilots quickly got comfortable with my flying. Ray and I were asked to return the next day to perform at a different site right over downtown Midland where an outdoor concert was being held. We timed our passes to coordinate with the music. Ray rode back seat with me on the 2nd day and that's when he took the pictures posted here. Earlier in the day Ray went up with me for an hour and a half of aerobatic training, slips to land, and approach and departure stall recovery.
After the flights we toured the CAF hanger and then attended a huge 4th of July party that Ray and Janna were having at their beautiful home. My son Charley was there and it was a wonderful time.
Thanks a ton Ray, those two days were a blast!
Chip
