[flyXwire]

Did some searching on "Google Earth" aviation pics and found these.

U-2 taking off from Beale AF base (I'm about 2.5hours away from it)

Lancaster flying over a suburb in England.

[mustangdriver]

Cool stuff. THere is going to be a U-2 at oshkosh this year.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by mustangdriver

Cool stuff. THere is going to be a U-2 at oshkosh this year.

That's cool! I haven't seen the U-2 live since my days at NASA Ames, California.

[Black 6]

Okay, this might be like giving away the ending to a movie you haven't seen. So if you do not want to know the easy way to locate planes in flight on Google Earth READ NO FURTHER!

So. Has everyone left the room? Right! Let's get on with it.

If searching on your own doesn't appeal to you as much then you may want to go where this link takes you:

Google Earth Community: All Aircraft In Flight

When you get to the page there is a link to download a database file into your copy of Google Earth (the particulars about the file, etc., are all on the page). Do that and it will install a section into your Google Earth the lists all aircraft found in flight by members of the community. You can filter between civilian and military, airplanes and helos. It is an EXCELLENT addition to the program and is updated weekly. Give it a look, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

I hope this makes up for my belated post on the CW A-6 models posted earlier in the week.

[PappyB]

Originally Posted by flyXwire

That's cool! I haven't seen the U-2 live since my days at NASA Ames, California.

You should come up to the Beale air show this summer Fly -- saw a U-2 "demo" there last year... amazing how fast it gets to altitude!

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by PappyB

You should come up to the Beale air show this summer Fly -- saw a U-2 "demo" there last year... amazing how fast it gets to altitude!

U-2 pilots have my respect more than any other. When the U-2 was built it failed 14 of 15 critical design parameters, but was so mission critical that it was allowed to proceed. What this means is that unlike other aircraft, exceeding a design limit speed even slightly is more often than not likely to result in an immediate critical structural failure. These guys (or gals) fly almost continually at "coffin corner" (intersection of stall speed and mach compressibility at altitude) where a variation of a knot or two can be fatal. Turbulence (even moderate) can be fatal to the airframe, and because of its fragility, a successful ejection is by no means guaranteed. Then there's the whole issue of hoping your pressure suit stays intact at altitudes where your blood will boil if its compromised. It may not be the most glamorous aircraft, but the U-2 pilots must have bigger cajones than anyone else in the biz.

[FormerViperDriver]

Hoverbug'

Yeah, maybe... But the only U-2 accidents in the past 20 years (very, very few) are all in the landing pattern/approach phase, which is pretty tricky as well.

That autopilot takes care of the majority of the workload (flying right on the edge of stall/max Mach) once at cruise altitude. Personally, I think the U-2 pilot's job is more boring than anything, but you've got to give them credit; it is indeed not the easiest plane to fly.

FVD

[chiefs70]

Originally Posted by Black 6

Okay, this might be like giving away the ending to a movie you haven't seen. So if you do not want to know the easy way to locate planes in flight on Google Earth READ NO FURTHER!

So. Has everyone left the room? Right! Let's get on with it.

If searching on your own doesn't appeal to you as much then you may want to go where this link takes you:

Google Earth Community: All Aircraft In Flight

When you get to the page there is a link to download a database file into your copy of Google Earth (the particulars about the file, etc., are all on the page). Do that and it will install a section into your Google Earth the lists all aircraft found in flight by members of the community. You can filter between civilian and military, airplanes and helos. It is an EXCELLENT addition to the program and is updated weekly. Give it a look, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

I hope this makes up for my belated post on the CW A-6 models posted earlier in the week.

Excellent info, Black 6. Thanks for the heads up.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by PappyB

You should come up to the Beale air show this summer Fly -- saw a U-2 "demo" there last year... amazing how fast it gets to altitude!

Oh man, seeing them take off like that going into the vertical must be a 'rush' like no other for those guys. It's so amazing to watch!

[pulqui]

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

, but the U-2 pilots must have bigger cajones than anyone else in the biz.

What do they need cajones (drawers or large wooden, or otherwise, boxes) for? Maybe cojones?