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John Deakin |
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| About the Author ... |
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John Deakin is a 35,000-hour pilot who worked his way up the aviation food chain
via charter, corporate, and cargo flying; spent five years in Southeast Asia
with Air America; 33 years with Japan Airlines, mostly as a 747 captain; and
now flies the Gulfstream IV for a West Coast operator.
He also flies his own
V35 Bonanza (N1BE) and is very active in the warbird and vintage aircraft
scene, flying the C-46, M-404, DC-3, F8F Bearcat, Constellation, B-29, and
others. He is also a National Designated Pilot Examiner (NDPER), able to give
type ratings and check rides on 43 different aircraft types.
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We're talking of course, about the North American T-28 "Bearcat." This time, AVweb's resident warbird maven invites you along as he qualifies for his FAA Letter of Authorization in the T-28. Although the Trojan has only about half the horsepower of the Bearcat, it's a considerably more complex airplane. Why, even learning to operate the (hydraulically-actuated) canopy requires a groundschool session. Deak takes you through the highlights of his 14 ground and ten flight sessions with T-28 owner Mark Matye.
On
Sunday, September 24, 1972, a major disaster killed a bunch of kids, and just
about killed the warbird movement, too. An inexperienced pilot attempted to
fly a civilian-owned, surplus North American F-86 "Sabrejet" (N275X)
without proper training or briefing. The pilot was not aware of (or forgot)
the peculiar characteristics of such aircraft, one of which is that if the
nose is pulled up too early in the takeoff roll, so much drag is created that
the aircraft cannot accelerate very well. This greatly lengthens the takeoff
roll, and in extreme cases, may prevent takeoff completely, no matter how much
runway is available.
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F-86 Sabrejet.
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On takeoff from Sacramento Executive Airport, the pilot tried to "pull
it off green," didn't make it out of ground effect, overran the end of
the runway, bounced up over a levee, plowed across Freeport Boulevard, and
crashed into a crowded Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, exploding on impact and
killing 22 people 12 children and 10 adults, including two persons in a
parked car. Another 25 persons were injured in the catastrophe. One
eight-year-old survivor lost nine members of his family both parents, two
brothers, a sister, two grandparents and two cousins. The 36-year-old pilot
survived the crash with a broken arm and facial cuts. It was the worst
on-ground death toll in California aviation history, and has been known ever
since as the "Sacramento Ice Cream Parlor Crash. "
Fearful that the FAA might take Draconian action, the EAA, through its
Warbirds section, got a small working group together in an attempt to solve
the problem without grounding all such aircraft. That group hammered out a new
"system," a sort of parallel to the normal FAA pilot certification
process. This consisted of "Letters of Authority," (LOA) and
"Letters of Operational Authority," (LOOA). The LOA is very similar
to a type rating, and the LOOA is somewhat analogous to having a CFI
certificate with authority to instruct and recommend people for the LOA.
The FAA and the group recognized that the problem was not the pilots who
were already experienced in a number of such aircraft; their primary concern
was the fellow with more money than brains, who was able to go buy any toy he
wanted, and either go fly it himself without training, or allow some
"good old boy" to do so.
Provision was made for those with experience, and initially, any pilot who
qualified for five such LOAs could apply for an "Unlimited" LOA.
("Unlimited" does not appear in the regulations; it is an LOA that
states "All types and makes of high-performance single- or multiengine
piston-powered airplanes." There is no "unlimited" LOA for
jets.) Later, the requirement was dropped to three, where it remains today.
As usual, solving one problem created at least one more, and it became
obvious that there needed to be some system for getting an LOA in the first
place. Yet another sub-group was set up, those with experience in one or more
warbirds could get an "LOOA" which allowed them to train and
recommend others for the LOA. Only the FAA issues the actual letters, and
there are no temporary certificates.
In the end, any experimental aircraft with more than 800 HP or a Vne of
more than 250 knots requires that the pilot have an LOA, and an LOOA holder
must do the paperwork, the instruction, and the signoff. The guidance for this
is found in FAA Order 8700.1 General Aviation Operations Inspector's
Handbook, Chapter 32.
Having the "Unlimited" isn't a license to steal, however. It is
still necessary to get a thorough briefing from someone who has an LOOA in the
specific airplane, or one of the very rare "Unlimited" LOOAs, and
get a logbook endorsement to that effect. This puts the LOOA holder on the
spot if something goes wrong, so this is a real requirement.
Here are most of the types covered (the FAA is not good at keeping data
like this up-to-date):
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- Aero L-29 Delfin
- BAC Jet Provost
- BAC Lightning
- Casa HA-200 Saeta
- deHavilland Vampire (DH-115)*
- deHavilland Venom (DH-119)
- Douglas A-4 Skyhawk*
- Fouga Magister
- Gnat T-1
- Grumman F9F Panther
- Hawker Hunter*
- Lockheed F-104*
- Lockheed T-33
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- Marchetti 211
- MiG-15*
- MiG-17
- MiG-21
- North American F-86 Sabre*
- North American F-100
- Northrup F-5 Tiger*
- Northrup T-38 Talon
- Saab J-35*
- Soko Galeb G2*
- Temco TT-1
- Vought F-8 Crusader
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* Denotes that a two-seat
version may be available.
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- Bell P-39 Aircobra
- Bell P-63 King Cobra
- Boeing B-17 Fortress
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress
- Corsair
- Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk
- Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
- deHavilland Mosquito
- Focke-Wulf 190
- Goodyear/Vought FG/F4U
- Grumman F4F Wildcat
- Grumman F6F Hellcat
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- Grumman F7F Tigercat
- Grumman F8F Bearcat
- Hawker FB-11 Seafury
- Junkers JU-52
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning
- Messerschmitt BF-109
- North American F-82
- North American P51H Mustang
- North American P-64
- Republic P47 Thunderbolt
- Vickers Spitfire
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In a previous column, I bragged shamelessly about checking out in the Grumman
Bearcat, and in another column a couple of years ago, about flying the Lockheed
EC-121 "Warning Star."
That gave me two LOAs, and I began to have visions of getting the
"Unlimited" LOA. So, I cast about, looking for an easy way (and
cheap, after all, I AM still an airline pilot) to get just one additional LOA.
There was also some time pressure, as the FAA is thinking about doing away
with the "Unlimited." I mean, after all, if a system works, we might
as well break it, right?
Enter Mark Matye, a local businessman and a private pilot with only about
1,200 hours in his logbook. Mark does have a lot of time in some
"interesting" aircraft, including the single-seat Pitts Special,
which he flew to and in air shows for years. He owns a gorgeous T-28C that he
flies a lot, and in which he often gives instruction, mostly to friends. The
FAA thought so highly of him, that they issued him an LOOA for the airplane,
and he may be the only private pilot in history to hold one!
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(Click photos for larger images.)

Mark's heaven.

Front view.

Rear quarter view.

Cockpit view.

Canopy control.

Speed brake.

Throttle.

Gear selector.

Main gear.

Electrical panel..

Right switch panel.

Sump tank..

Hydraulic hand pump..

Flap external control.

Steps with cans.

External canopy handle.

Canopy emergency release.

Belly hatch.

Radio panel.

Exhaust stacks.

Trim controls.
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Since Mark would be the PIC for my training, I needed no "Training
LOA," just the dual, and eventually his signoff and recommendation.
At first, frankly, I didn't have a lot of desire to fly the T-28. It's a
big, expensive airplane, and while it's very good at converting money into
that lovely radial noise, somehow it doesn't have the sex appeal of the
Mustangs or the Bearcats. I don't quite know why that is, but I shared the
general feeling about the airplane, and smiled at (and used) some of the names
like "Toadstool," "Milkstool," "Washing
Machine," "Kelvinator Mustang," etc. (Randy Sohn jokes about
how he wears a gorilla mask whenever he gets roped into flying one, although
gosh, I don't see how that would make any difference.)
At any rate, after talking with Mark, it appeared that this was my best bet
to get the third LOA, and then the "unlimited," so we agreed to
proceed. It's nice to have friends. He did explain to me, several times, that
this would be no "pencil-whip" that his program had been approved
by the FAA, and he fully intended to stick to it. He explained that his
program is designed for the average Comanche pilot who wants to buy a T-28 and
fly it safely, and he was not about to jeopardize his LOOA by short-cutting
the training, either in time flown, or dropping any maneuvers.
This was a little tough to swallow, for I had just finished the program in
the Bearcat, and no dual is possible in that single-seat airplane. I felt
that, and the T-6 training leading up to it, was more than sufficient
preparation for the T-28, and that an hour or two of dual in the milks... er,
the T-28 should suffice for a signoff. After all, I didn't intend to solo the
airplane, just get the LOA.
Mark was adamant, we were going to do it his way, full shot, or not at all.
One of his requirements is that he wants his trainees to be fully qualified to
go get his airplane, if he should leave it somewhere and then break a leg or
something.
Since it is his LOOA and his airplane, how could I argue? So I grinned and
made the best of it and I'm glad I did, because I ended up learning a lot,
in spite of myself. I was also impressed that Mark was not intimidated by my
time or experience, and maintained an excellent instructor/trainee
relationship at all times. He did not assume that I knew the manual or had
studied, and always covered everything in the preflight and postflight
briefings. On the other hand, he never treated me like a moron (even if I did
deserve such treatment a few times).
The first order of business with any new airplane is always the flight
manual, and Mark gave me a reprint of the NATOPS (Naval Air Training and
Operating Procedures Standardization Program) manual for the airplane. This
was a bit of a surprise, for it is a more complicated airplane than I thought,
much more so than the Bearcat, Mustang or T-6. North American apparently
intended this to be the primary trainer for the military, a replacement for
the North American AT-6 (SNJ to you Navy guys) from which trainees would
graduate to the North American F-86, then the top-of-the-line fighter. The
"feel" when sitting in the cockpit is very similar, as are many of
the systems. Then again, perhaps that's just the North American "company
culture."
I should not have been surprised at the complexity or the modernity, for
the last Mustang was built in 1946, the Bearcat first flew in 1944, and the
first flight of the T-28 was in 1949. The T-28 is indeed a more modern
aircraft.
The engine is the much-maligned Wright R-1820, rated at 1,425 HP. It is a
single-row radial with only nine cylinders, so more power is extracted from
less displacement than many other radials. Some feel this also extracts a
price in maintenance and reliability, and Mark shares this feeling. Of course,
he pays the bills, so he should know!
Incidentally, the first T-28s ( T-28A) were somewhat underpowered, with
only 800 HP, but they do have the advantage today of not requiring an LOA to
fly them!
I was surprised to find the huge sliding canopy is hydraulically actuated.
The lever for that is a real mousetrap for the unwary or careless, and Mark is
very, very careful to block the beginner from moving it without a careful
briefing, a demonstration, and another briefing, followed by another
demonstration. Then I was allowed to move it, with Mark leaning into the
cockpit, blocking me from disaster. I can see why the lever (duplicated in
both cockpits) has no less than five detents, just to open and close
the canopy! The center detent is "Off," or "Neutral," and
shuts off hydraulics to the canopy. One detent forward closes it, one detent
back opens it. Simple enough, even I got the picture on that. There is also a
button on the handle that must be depressed to turn on the hydraulics when
canopy movement is desired.
Two detents forward of neutral (the position shown here) unlocks the
mechanism entirely, and allows the pilots to slide the canopy in either
direction by hand. It's a big, heavy sucker, so I can see why North American
chose to power it.
That's four detents. The fifth two detents to the rear of neutral
blows the canopy violently open with compressed air. There's no interlock or
safety of any kind, so it would be very easy to carelessly yank that lever
back to open the canopy normally, and go just a wee bit too far into the
second detent, and "Thar she blows!" Some maintenance is required to
return the system to normal, and Mark threatened to make me do it if I goofed,
so I was always a bit wary about opening that canopy! There is also an
external canopy handle that will actuate the mechanism by the air bottle, so
it is advisable to read the placards, and then read them again.
The T-28 canopy provides a perfect opportunity to embarrass yourself by
taxiing in and shutting down without first opening it. The prop stops, the mag
switch is turned off, and you reach for the canopy handle, only to discover
that without hydraulics, it's not going anywhere. Whenever that happened to
me, I manfully resisted the temptation to just blow it open.
There is a hydraulic speed brake. This is a large barn-door type
arrangement on the belly, a big slab with holes in it that drops down into the
slipstream for drag. At normal speeds below 200 knots, it's noticeable if you
pay attention, but not nearly as draggy as I expected from the size. There are
very serious warnings against deploying it above 250 knots, as it will cause a
violent pitch up. I didn't try that "feature."
The thumb switch to actuate the speed brake is located on top of the
throttle, and the installation is most unfortunate, because in spite of Mark's
warnings, I found myself constantly bumping it while moving about the cockpit
doing other things. It's not that it's especially touchy, it's just
unfortunately positioned and very easy to bump without realizing it.
More than once, I found myself with the speed brake where I didn't want it,
usually deployed. That switch really needs to be modified, perhaps with some
sort of guard.
The gear and flaps are also hydraulic, as is the retraction for the
tailhook, which works on this airplane. Pretty normal, except for one thing
that made me burst out laughing. Apparently, with the landing gear handle in
the UP position, sometimes the handle gets "locked" there by trapped
hydraulic pressure. Now THAT is interesting in the Chinese sense! But even
more interesting is the solution. One places the CANOPY handle in the neutral
position, and pushes the button on the end of it! Apparently that electrically
opens the valve that pressurizes the hydraulic system, which startles the
landing gear handle enough to "unlock" it. I suppose the same effect
could be had by turning off all electrical power, but neither is very
intuitive!
Hydraulics are tied in with electrics, giving rise to some unusual
procedures. With all units in the "inflight" position, the hydraulic
system is shut down, and fluid just cycles between the reservoir and the
engine-driven pump. With any of the components in any other position, the
hydraulic system is pressurized by an electrically-actuated valve. (Electrical
failure leaves that valve in the "pressurized" position.)
Brakes are a little unusual, in that they take their fluid from a standpipe
in the main hydraulic reservoir but they are not power brakes, just the
usual master/slave cylinder arrangement common to general aviation airplanes.
The electrical system is more complex than the usual single-engine warbird,
with a "monitored" bus that will automatically kick off-line if the
generator fails. It is also made more complicated by a system of switches that
transfers control of almost all electrical controls between the cockpits.
This transfer switch isn't obvious, but does it ever have a lot of
consequences! Most of the WWII-era aircraft had the primary controls in the
front cockpit, with just the essentials in the back (and some, like the TBM,
not even that!) The T-28 has almost everything in back as well as up front, so
North American had to install an elaborate control system that will transfer
control to either seat. Perhaps this is where Airbus got the idea for the
control switch for the sidestick controllers?
The fuel system is blessedly simple just four bladders, two in each
wing, with gravity feed through one-way check valves to a sump tank with a
boost pump.
Fuel is either ON or OFF. Now there's a system I can handle! Well, there is
one minor complicating factor the electric boost pump is always on, unless
deliberately switched off for testing the engine-driven pump. That's a little
odd.
Mark's T-28 course consists of 14 ground-training sessions and ten flight
sessions. They are, ah, "thorough." Early on, I realized that most
things are covered twice, and some three times or more, and this was after I
thought I had studied the manual thoroughly!
Mercifully, there are no hours specified for each session, but the material
to be covered is spelled out in great detail. We were able to do the first two
ground sessions in one long sitting, another the following night, and two more
the following day, for a total of five ground training sessions. We didn't
move until Mark was sure I had the picture.
Then we did an afternoon flight. FINALLY, we got to the airplane!
Preflight is just like any airplane, but as usual, there are a couple of
"special features." For one thing, the top of the wing is nearly six
feet up, making mounting the aircraft a difficult chore if the flaps are still
up. For this reason, the flaps are always left extended for parking, but for
the same turkey who left the canopy closed and shut the airplane down, there
is an external flap handle.
Pulling it vents the lines so that the flaps can be pushed down by hand (or
by standing on them, from above), creating a ladder of sorts, with two kick-in
panels for steps.
It's still a good stretch from the ground to that first step, so Mark
thoughtfully provides a small stool for us elderly types. One giant step to
the first kick-in step in the flap, then two more to the wing, and one more to
climb into the cockpit, which sets high above the wing. This is a TALL
airplane.
There is, in addition to the external flap control, an external canopy
control. If the canopy is closed before the preflight, the unwary will be
severely tempted to power it back with the handle marked for that purpose.
Uhhh, nooooo dummy, that handle is for EMERGENCY opening of the canopy, by
means of the air bottle!
To open the canopy, one folds out a small, unmarked handhold, and pulls the
whole works back. I have not yet blown the canopy, but it would be easy.
I usually go straight to the cockpit, do a setup and check of everything
there while standing on the wing leaning in, and I see no reason to do it
differently on the T-28. Mags off, trim tabs centered, power on for a light
check, chip-detector light test, battery voltage, fuel quantity, controls
unlocked, etc., and power off again.
Then walk out on the wing to nearly the tip, and check the fuel quantity
visually, secure the fuel cap and cover, and do a quick check of a couple
inspection holes on top of the wing. I like to took at the tops and bottoms of
wings for wrinkles, and that's a really good idea on this airplane, because to
my shocked surprise, it is NOT a high-G airplane, being limited to only 4.0G.
One possible reason for this is the large "notch" cut into the
belly for the access hatch. That has to take away a lot of structural strength
that would be present with longitudinal members there instead. I looked for
wrinkles in the fuselage around the notch, too!
All radials tend to accumulate oil in the bottom of the case, and many
operators install separate electrically-powered scavenging systems to suck all
the oil out, sometime after shutdown. Mark has this system, and also has a
"pre-oiler," which will pressurize the engine oil system before
starting, assuring early lubrication to critical parts. I know of no real data
to support the efficacy of this, but it sure seems like a good idea.
It's a big, roomy cockpit, so I didn't have any trouble strapping in and
getting organized, unlike the tiny Bearcat. This is a MAN'S airplane, not
built around a runt!
Startup is conventional for the big radials, boost pump on, mixture
"Idle Cutoff," shoot the fuel in with the primer to the blower area,
and control the air with the throttle. By far the best way to start, with this
type of primer. Once the engine is running smoothly on prime alone, oil
pressure up, the mixture is placed in "Rich" ("Auto-Rich,"
or "Normal" in some), and when the engine floods from too much fuel,
the primer is released. The short stacks do their job of converting gas to
noise very effectively, even at idle.
It came time to move out, so I listened to the ATIS, promptly forgot the
code letter (I'm bad about that, should write it down), and just before keying
the mike, asked, "Hey Mark, did you catch the ATIS code?"
"Yes."
(Silence)
"Uhhh, are you going to tell me?"
"No."
For a split second, I'm sure the steam started coming out of my ears, but
then I busted out laughing, retuned the stupid ATIS, got the code, and this
time managed to remember it long enough to tell ground control. Good lesson,
and y'know what? I haven't done that since. We were both laughing all the way
to the runway, that day. In fact, we laughed a lot through the whole training
program, there's no FAA prohibition that one can't enjoy this sort of thing -
yet.
Runup is at the usual 1700, a couple of prop cycles, then a power check at
field barometric manifold pressure, a mag check, flip the electric boost off
momentarily to check the engine-driven pump, back on, run the checklist, and
done.
With roughly the same weight and power of a Mustang, acceleration is very
quick, and acceleration to 150 knots is effortless, even with a hefty climb
angle. No, it's not a Learjet, but ever so much more satisfying, somehow.
It is very light on the controls, and has no unfriendly characteristics at
all. It does require more trimming and constant re-trimming in all three axes
than any other airplane I can remember, although the Mustang comes close. If
your left hand isn't doing something, it is usually resting on the three trim
wheels.
The heel of the hand can be used for roll trim, the fingers for the rudder,
and the thumb for pitch. It's almost like a helicopter, if anything changes at
all, all three trims change. I'm not much of a "fiddler" in any
cockpit, but the T-28 lets you know right away when it's not happy with the
trim setting. It's a good idea to preset about five units of right rudder trim
before takeoff, because that's just about what you'll want right after the
gear is up. I deliberately tried one takeoff with the rudder trim centered,
and didn't notice any difference on the takeoff, but sure enough, as we
stabilized in the climb, I had to reach over and crank in about five units.
The first "lesson" went well enough that Mark combined two in the
same flight, for three takeoffs and landings, numerous configuration changes,
slow flight, landing and go-around procedures, a total of 1.7 hours. We broke
for a bite, reviewed the ground training sessions, briefed for the next
flight, and launched late in the afternoon for another 1.6 hours.
And so it went, a ground training session and/or review, flight training,
debriefing, and very often a review of prior work. At five hours, we began
working on emergencies and abnormals, then recovery from unusual attitudes
(VERY unusual attitudes!), spins, and forced landings.
Some extra time was used in hopping over the hills to the area west of
Willy J. Fox Field (Lancaster), as Mark prefers the wide open spaces, flat
terrain, and numerous landing sites there, as well as separation from airways
for aerobatics. He's absolutely right, and I am ashamed to admit that I have
not always been so scrupulous in avoiding airways when belly up.
One of the areas where caution is needed with all these airplanes is speed
in the vertical descent. It builds at truly awesome rates, and can eat up many
thousands of feet of altitude in a hurry. Recovery can often mean pulling more
Gs than you might want with older airplanes, and that's even worse with older
pilots! There have been a number of fatal accidents at airshows from this in
recent years, it's a very easy thing to misjudge, and a very small difference
in entry altitude, speed, and "pull" can make a very large
difference in the altitude at recovery.
We were having fun with this at 12,000 feet, pulling up to the 45-degree
climb, rolling inverted, and pulling over the top, then right on through the
bottom of a loop, right up to the 45-degree climb again, letting the speed
bleed off, and repeating in rapid succession. We were experimenting with
various combinations of attitude and speed going "over the top,"
noting the speed gained, and altitude lost. It's an interesting maneuver,
throughout. At the top, below 100 knots, it's very easy to pull a wee bit too
hard, and get a positive-G stall, inverted. This can even be a less-than-1G
stall, if you get slow enough. Pulling too hard coming down vertically can
easily get into an accelerated, high-speed stall, recognizable by a harsh
shudder. Relaxing just the tiniest bit of back pressure solves that. But the
more you pull, the greater the G, and the more drag, which prevents excessive
speed. It's a lovely exercise in energy management with rapidly changing
parameters.
One thing you really don't want to do is pull much power off, because not
only is that very hard on any radial engine (prop driving the engine, a real
no-no), but in many airplanes, the prop disc can create so much turbulence
that it blanks out the tail, and reduces control effectiveness.
We did about six of these in rapid succession, and I had been tensing my
legs and gut before each one to resist the 4.0 Gs we were pulling. At about
number three, I got behind, didn't tense up properly or early enough, and
noticed the familiar "gray-out," normally not a problem. We pressed
on, and I can remember that on each successive one, I was a bit further behind
on tensing up my tummy and leg muscles, and each time things got a little
worse. Oddly enough, the worse it got, the less I seemed to care. On the final
one, I don't remember a thing after the vertical descent. Mark said it all
looked normal, and my control inputs were normal, and we ended up in the 45
upline again, upright. I do remember just sort of drifting mentally,
daydreaming, thinking of something else entirely outside flying. Then it
seemed as if I was dreaming about flying "something," then it slowly
seemed as if I was dreaming about flying a T-28. I became aware of Mark saying
"Ok, get your nose down." "John, get your nose down." I
didn't seem to be able to figure it out, but I was able to say, "Mark,
take the airplane." He didn't get it the first time, perhaps I mumbled,
but I repeated, "Mark, take the airplane!" He did, then dropped the
nose to level, and within a few seconds I was back to fully normal, and took
the airplane back.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't know, I got really disoriented there, for the last half of
that."
Then I realized I'd just had my first case of "G-LOC," for
"G-induced Loss of Consciousness!" Pilots have long known about
"grey-out," and "blackout," from G loading
("Red-out" from inverted loads), but G-LOC has only become well
understood in recent years.
A glance at the recording G-meter told me that I had done so at under 4.0G!
I was mortified, had NEVER done that before, even at much higher loadings, in
much wilder aerobatics.
What really shamed me was the realization that Mark had not suffered at all
(or at least he said he didn't!)
In thinking it over, I came to a number of conclusions as to why this
happened, this time. Some will sound like excuses, so be it.
I'm 61, and Mark is about ten years younger. He appears to be pretty fit
and muscular, I'm 40 pounds overweight. I walk and run a lot, but the only
upper body work I get is typing, which doesn't help with resisting Gs.
Finally, I was not using oxygen at 12,000 feet, Mark was. I was not previously
aware that makes a difference, but the literature I've read since strongly
suggests that it does. I suppose I'm going to have to quit being a cheap
airline pilot, and go ahead and pop for a full-face mask. The rapid rate of
repetition, with no time in between for recovery, and my losing track of when
to tense up didn't help. What a lesson!
The
final session was a good review of everything, plus a landing after a
simulated engine failure, zero flap landings and other system failures, pretty
much a final check ride.
Mark wrote the letter recommending me for the T-28 LOA, and with that LOA
in hand, the Seattle FSDO was kind enough to issue the "Unlimited"
LOA.
Could this have been done in less time, for less money? Sure. I'm sure
there's someplace where I could have studied the manual, gotten a good solid
briefing, flown the airplane for an hour or three, and been signed off,
complying with the rules, satisfying the FAA, and ending up safe enough. Even
Mark admits that.
But Mark has a unique designation, and apparently the FAA has made it
abundantly clear to him to if he doesn't stick to his plan for everyone, that
designation can and will be taken away. I respect that, and I respect him for
playing it straight. He is also a superb flight instructor, one of the best
I've ever flown with, anywhere. His instructions are clear, correct and to the
point, and repeated just enough to get the point home. He stays off the
controls and out of the way in the air, and mostly keeps quiet until the
maneuver is done, then he might have a very few well-chosen words of help, but
most of the instruction will be done on the ground. Somewhere, he has learned
to teach in a most effective way. I hope he gets the CFI, this business can
use more like him.
There was a neat twist to the story. Mark was all set to take his
Commercial check ride in his T-28, with an FAA Inspector from the Van Nuys
FSDO, one Gary Hunt. Gary has extensive worldwide experience in many types of
"strange" aircraft, loves the old warbirds, and has been supportive
and helpful. But when the time came for Mark to take his check, Gary was out
of town for some indeterminate period of time, and no one knew when he'd
return. No other FAA types would touch the deal with a ten-foot pole, so Mark
was despondent, figuring he'd have to go rent a 182 or something, learn to fly
it, and then take the check in that. He'd found a young local CFI, Jeff
Caruana, who had flown with him a lot in the T-28, getting him ready for the
ride, and didn't want to have to start all over again.
Through the tender mercies of the Seattle FSDO and Inspector Dave Lehman
(my POI there) and the very nice cooperation of the Riverside FSDO, I was able
to get special permission to do his ride in the T-28, on a one-time basis.
Mark was as nervous as they get, for this was only the second check ride he's
ever had, and his private was in 1983. He was nearly a basket case when we sat
down to do the oral, which I began with, "Now, you remember when you
wouldn't tell me the ATIS code
"
He did an absolutely superb job, and now has the temporary in his pocket.
If you'd like to fly a T-28, I can't think of a better place.
Be careful up there!