Sitting at the local airport, watching the pilots approach much too fast, I
can tell what their airspeed is by looking at their nose tire. If it's dug 'way
down - as is usual - they are approaching much too fast. They flare and
float halfway down the runway. Not sure why they are taught that.
PS Do they still let you fly into Old Rhinebeck?
My friend Billy used to be Chief Pilot / Chief Mechanic there. He could
fly or fix anything. It was funny - both of our grandfathers flew in War
One. His flew Dolphins - Sopwith.
Billy was one big, strong tough, mean-looking son of a bitch that you
did not fuck with, but he was actually a really nice guy - at least, to me.
One day, with no microphone, I took off on his wing - both of us in Pitts S-2C's -
and with no prior practice, we flew a very nice low altitude formation aerobatic
routine off Mallory Square as the sun was setting.
What an awesomely smooth pilot. He was that good. Just hold the sight picture
from takeoff to landing.
He's dead now, of course.
Here's me, Billy and Gary. Gary is the best airshow pilot that you've never heard of.
