NASA to contract with F-104's!
Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:31 am
Exciting news. Starfighters, the company that flies F-104's in their formation airshow routine, has contracted with NASA to do aerospace work utilizing the aircraft.
A blurb from the article:
"As part of the new agreement, Starfighters will operate its fleet of Lockheed F-104 Starfighters at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Currently the company has four vehicles in the fleet, but anticipates adding five more in the coming months. The vehicles can simulate suborbital vehicle trajectories and provide both training and technology development for the reusable launch vehicle industry. "
Wow, a total of 9 F-104's all flying on the civilian register! Exciting times!
http://aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentB ... 8428e9561&
A blurb from the article:
"As part of the new agreement, Starfighters will operate its fleet of Lockheed F-104 Starfighters at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Currently the company has four vehicles in the fleet, but anticipates adding five more in the coming months. The vehicles can simulate suborbital vehicle trajectories and provide both training and technology development for the reusable launch vehicle industry. "
Wow, a total of 9 F-104's all flying on the civilian register! Exciting times!
http://aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentB ... 8428e9561&
Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:08 am
That is my favorite jet aircraft. I would love to fly one.
Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:10 am
that is cool / interesting news, but a sad commentary to nasa's budget woes for an agency of their magnitude to have to out source aircraft for testing. i'll bet steve ritchie is chomping at the bit to get started!! this will be 1 to follow!! 
Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:41 am
They have been doing flights for NASA for some time, the added birds in the barn is news to me though! It IS good news in that income for warbird operators is coming in, additional JETS are being released to a civilian operator, and being that their homebase, St Pete/Clearwater, is only 6 miles north of me I will get to see more of them ROCKET overhead! The usual problem is that by the time I hear them, they are over the treeline! They Scoot!!! I wonder about that "Part of the agreement is that they operate out of Kennedy, does that mean "ONLY" and if they try to leave they get cut up into little pieces?
Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:57 am
The only downside is that because of the contract they will not be on the airshow circuit in 2010. This according to a report on Airshowbuzz. I really want to see them!
Pete
Pete
Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:09 pm
They've been based at the SLF at KSC for sometime now. They flew the KSC air show last November right from their home field and they based all the other military performers on the SLF too.
Jerry
Jerry
Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:21 pm
I was wondering why I hadn't heard one in a while, they moved across the state! Got to see 3 of them them at MacDill Airfest last year.