Why warbird pilots don't wear real warbird flight gear 2

[retroaviation]

Doug, silly question here, but I couldn't help but notice the left side of your helmet appears to be burnt worse than the right side. Now, the pictures of the airplane shown on this thread are only showing the right side of the airplane, which is obviously burned pretty badly. Was the left side as bad or worse than the pictures shown? Or was it just the airflow with the open canopy that caused the burns on the left side of the helmet?

Just curious and trying to learn more if (heaven forbid) this should happen to me sometime.

Gary

[Django]

Glad you are here to tell the tale Doug!

Is that '47 any closer to being put back together? I think the last update was about a year ago?

[FG1D Pilot]

That picture was taken by someone in the fire dept. He gave me his card, but I've lost it through time.

[Bill Greenwood]

I am pretty sure Howard now wears a Nomex flight suit. I have called him on riding that Harley without a helment; however Howard is an independant oil producer ( emphasis on independant) and a Marine, so it is kind of hard to tell him anything. He also smokes cigars; it might be easier to list bad habits that he does not have. Despite all this he's a top pilot and a good guy, even skis ok, for a guy from West Texas.If you see him flying a Warbird without the gear, tell him he's got to set an example for the guys coming up. One of our best restorers was flying in a T-shirt, I politely mentioned it to him, but got nowhere.

[EDowning]

I wear a helmet, flightsuit and parachute on any flight in any of my warbirds. I also wear a pair of black "Pyrotec" nomex racing shoes (they are like high top tennis shoes in comfort, very durable, and about $120). I wear all of these for the same protective reasons that were hammered into me in my military flying days...for the most part.
There are some other reasons behind some of it, the helmet is completely rebuilt and has ANR and O2 receivers. I NEED the ANR protection on EVERY flight, as a I have left a good portion of my high frequency hearing in an attack helicopter in the past.

Even in the Yale and T6 I want to take advantage of the noise attenuation but I think both of these airplanes are much more likely to experience some type of HEAD BANGING accident (read minor ground loop) than in the Skyraider. My biggest fear in the Skyraider is carbon monoxide, hence the O2 available for both front seaters for take off and landing.

Parachutes- I have 8 Strong parachutes that I go to the trouble to keep packed and current, so I have one for each of the six seats of the Skyraider and 2 that I move back and forth between the Yale and T6. I don't give anyone a ride in any of the aircraft, without a thourogh briefing of how and when the chute can be utilized and proper egress procedure.

I don't give any rides to chilren or small adults that don't fit properly in the parachute or the seatbelt and shoulder harness for that matter. More than once this policy has P.O.ed, friends and airshow promoters.

I really think it's important to get kids involved in aviation, but I would much rather take them for a flight in the Bonanza or Cub, than put them in a situation where they haven't got a chance in an emergency.

I am really surprised that the insurance companies haven't gotten involved in trying to regulate this. As far as I'm concerned I hope I never need any of it, but I can't imagine being in a situation where my life depended on it and sitting there and wishing I had it on.

I love warbirds, but once they stop making noise they belong to the insurance company, and it might be time to depart.
_________________
Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

[Tom Crawford]

I plead total egnorance...when did the P-47 crash landing happen????
It could not have been recent. I guess I'm not savy to the history of the Cavanaugh P-47.

Tom, and as Mudge says...in the dark.....Sorry Mudge....

[FG1D Pilot]

4 years ago, I think. The P47N belongs to the CAF. I along with Jim Cavanaugh and a few other CAF members sponsor it. It is maintained @ Cavanaugh Flight Museum. I had a engine failure on approach to ABQ and when the engine was rebuilt, It caught fire on the initial take off. I was able to slip it back to a crash on the runway. I had to slip it to keep the fire off of me.

This is a picture taken of me and the P47 on the way to ABQ. The engine failed at the end of this flight.

[FG1D Pilot]

but I couldn't help but notice the left side of your helmet appears to be burnt worse than the right side. Now, the pictures of the airplane shown on this thread are only showing the right side of the airplane, which is obviously burned pretty badly. Was the left side as bad or worse than the pictures shown? Or was it just the airflow with the open canopy that caused the burns on the left side of the helmet?

Gary, The initial fire came in through the left side. I slipped it, left wing down, hard right rudder and that put the fire on the right side. When I hit, the right wing failed and caused the plane to swerve to the right, as can be seen in the runway picture. I didn't get a chance to turn off the master, ( didn't have time to run the shut down checklist) and since the fuel line burst, fuel kept pumping out and burning. I guess since the plane was at an angle, the wind, coming down the runway, pushed the fire to the right side. The bad thing about it was everyone was on the right side of the plane and no one saw me get out. I collapsed in the desert with my tan flight suit and was hard to see. The fire rescue was trying to rescue me from the plane. Luckily, Air Force personnel came to me from that side as that was toward the Air Force side of the airport. They waved the rescue guys over to me. As for the canopy being open, it was completely melted and I don't think I could have gotten out had it been closed. I would guess it would have been coved with oil and smoke and hard to see out of also.

[Jase]

The way the canopy looks in the pics, it's blackened and sooted, so I agree that seeing out of it would have been problematic at best.

Others have said it, as have I but it bears repeating: DANGED glad you were able to get yourself back on the ground and survive. I've had very recent experience with a crashed and burning aircraft and it's not an experience I ever want to see again.

[retroaviation]

Thanks for the info, Doug. One last question though.....Do you take off and land with the canopy open when flying Warbirds now? I know I do in the T-6, but didn't when getting my checkout in the Sea Fury. It's just something I hadn't really thought about much until your harrowing experience with the Jug.

Gary

[FG1D Pilot]

I was taught to always take off and land with the canopy open. I have been criticized for doing it. On my first flight in the P47, I almost lost the canopy. The canopy is electric and the switch is mounted on the left side near the canopy. When I went to close the canopy, the left side jettison lever, that actually moves the pins, went into the strap on my flight suit that covers the pencil and pen holders on the left sleeve. As the lever stopped on my shoulder the forward canopy pins pulled. The canopy was only held on by the rear pin, which was partially pulled. Glad I was wearing a helmet, as the canopy started banging around side to side until I got it back on the ground. Everyone said I should take off and land with the canopy closed after that. I just cut the strap off of my flight suit, and went up again with the canopy open. I would also lower my shoulder a little when closing the canopy. Most of my early warbird training was done my ex military guys who were very methodical in the training.

[Fouga23]

WOW! That is one messed up bird! What happened to the wreck? under rebuild or scrap?

[FG1D Pilot]

WOW! That is one messed up bird! What happened to the wreck? under rebuild or scrap?

I need to get some updated pics, but here's some from a year ago.

[Fouga23]

WOW! Amazing what they can do these days.

[Randy Haskin]

the strap on my flight suit that covers the pencil and pen holders on the left sleeve.

USAF fighter guys always remove that pen flap, as it serves no purpose outside of being a pain in the tushy.