Ron Dick flying his T-33 through the Grand Canyon

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:23 pm

http://www.airspacemag.com/multimedia/v ... anyon.html

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Holedigger · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:26 pm

Can one say INSANE! The question arises, how many AF aircraft had accidents in the Grand Canyon over the years. Thrilling ride, Yes. Very interesting ride for the RAF backseater with the camera. Could do without the "music" but, hey, that is what volume control is all about.

Lynn Allen · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:59 pm

Looked like fun.... :wink:

Lynn

gregv · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:57 pm

My that looks fun! The sound from outside must have been amazing...

Reminds me of that sequence from "Independence Day", except better. Also love the simplicity of the scheme on the T-33; bare metal, black, dayglo orange...perfect!

greg v.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2009 9:02 pm

Reminds me of the Pod-Racer sequence :shock:

Doing an aileron roll within the Canyon, turns going past 90 degrees....no reset button on that game folks. Guess the airliner crash there in 56 between the DC-7 and Connie brought a crackdown on low flying fun.

yakdriver · **Joined:** Mon May 17, 2004 11:58 am **Posts:** 127

Just a couple of miles upstream of Lake Mead there is a cable that goes accross the river. When yo look up on the cliff there is still pieces of wreckage from a F-86 that hit the cable in the late 50s. Don

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:32 am

Awesome!..but I sure hope the pilots knew every inch of that canyon. I can't help but think of the line from "Return Of The Jedi" as the rebel fighters fly into the bowels of the Death Star, and Wedge cautions the squadron "Stay alert, we could run out of space real fast!"

SN

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Sun Nov 22, 2009 5:10 am

Holy mackerel. Must have been some frightened hikers and rafters that day...

Quote:

Could do without the "music" but, hey, that is what volume control is all about.

Agreed - although my nephew is a big Satriani fan, I'd rather dub in Duane Eddy's "Rebel-Rouser" to be period correct.

Looks like the buzz number was TR-666; unfortunately there there were several that had that "last three" in the serial so it's hard to narrow down.

Kyleb · **Posted:** Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:00 am

Awesome video!

I've always thought about making that my last flight when it is time to give up my ticket.

Of course, by that time my skills will probably have degraded to the point where I'll end up splattered on a cliff face.

Then again, even at the peak of my skills, I might end up splattered against a cliff face. ;-)

6trn4brn · **Posted:** Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:43 am

WOW! Better than any ride at any amusement park :shock:

(by the way...Joe Satriani is a God of the guitar! Google him and find that he runs the gamut of music...not just a headbanger. A true genius if you listen to all of his stuff!)

Jack Frost · **Posted:** Sun Nov 22, 2009 4:22 pm

[quote=" Guess the airliner crash there in 56 between the DC-7 and Connie brought a crackdown on low flying fun.[/quote]

These aircraft were at 17000' + when they "bumped". One was on a IFR flight plan, the other operating VFR on top in a broken cloud deck. The main reason for the present restrictions was unrestricted (and unsafe) low flying by air-tour operators which riled the folks on the ground. I'm sure that the military buzz jobs didn't help either.

The airliner mid-air was the beginning of positive control above FL 180 and the start of the regulartory moves that resulted in 100% IFR air carrier operations.

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2009 2:44 pm

I was just sent this video by a friend of Ron Dick's. It's a film taken from the back seat of a T-33 which Air Vice Marshall Ron Dick flew through the Grand Canyon back in 1959..... it's a bit scratchy, but .... pheewww, what a crazy ride! Hope you enjoy it.

Cheers,
Richard

http://www.airspacemag.com/multimedia/videos/Jetting-Through-the-Grand-Canyon.html

Warhawk · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:00 pm

Sorry but you're number three with this one. Great video though.

T-33 fun in the Grand Canyon, 1959
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33165

T-33 Grand Canyon Flying Video, link from EAA story.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33254

RMAllnutt · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:07 pm

Warhawk wrote:

Sorry but you're number three with this one. Great video though.

T-33 fun in the Grand Canyon, 1959
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33165

T-33 Grand Canyon Flying Video, link from EAA story.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33254

Oooh boy! not sure how I missed those.... great to have it resurrected though, I suppose. Ron was a charming fellow, and I miss know he's out there in the world.

Cheers,
Richard

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:15 pm

Some time that I think was in the mid 80s, I was at a CAF airshow and was asked to take Ron Dick for a Spitfire flight and did so. I have not really heard from are much about him recently. . I don't think he had been in a Spitfire before.

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Ron Dick flying his T-33 through the Grand Canyon

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