Blue Angels Pay Visit to Nellis

Discussions about the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron
Post Reply
Rhino
Posts: 746
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:40 am
Location: KDVN
Contact:

Blue Angels Pay Visit to Nellis

Post by Rhino » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:14 am

Apparently the 1, 4, and 7 jets made a visit to Nellis to go flying with the T-Birds.

Some pics I've found online...

Someone getting a ride in #4.
Image

"Walleye" (BA #5) flys with "Face".
Image
Image
Phantoms Phorever!
User avatar
Ray
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 728
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:21 am
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Post by Ray » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:17 am

Very cool! That must be neat experience to fly a different aircraft and talk shop with another formation demo team.

I wonder what the Blue's think of the force sensor stick base in the F-16?
Rhino
Posts: 746
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:40 am
Location: KDVN
Contact:

Post by Rhino » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:20 am

Ray wrote: I wonder what the Blue's think of the force sensor stick base in the F-16?
More like "Where's the stick?"
Image
Phantoms Phorever!
User avatar
STRIKER
Virtual Thunderbird Alumnus
Posts: 826
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 2:02 am
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by STRIKER » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:13 pm

More like "What's this oxygen mask thingy again?"
Image
Grab
Posts: 167
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:26 pm
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Contact:

Post by Grab » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:14 pm

You want me to wear what when I fly?
User avatar
Lawndart
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 9290
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:36 am
Location: Mooresville, NC

Post by Lawndart » Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:59 pm

takeone
Posts: 101
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:49 am

Post by takeone » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:47 pm

Well... I guess this is as good a time as any to ask a dumb question.

I've always wondered why the Blues DON'T wear O2 masks?

Great photos... cool seeing the gold helmet and mirrored visor in the back seat!
User avatar
Gunner
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 1190
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:01 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Post by Gunner » Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:04 pm

takeone wrote:Well... I guess this is as good a time as any to ask a dumb question.

I've always wondered why the Blues DON'T wear O2 masks?
Not a dumb question!:wink:

The Thunderbirds wear O2 masks during demonstrations (when they wouldn't be flying at altitudes requiring O2) because the F-16 is equipped with an emergency power unit (EPU) that in the event of engine failure is powered by hydrazine.

Hydrazine, or H-70, is fine for powering EPUs, but it's toxic, nasty stuff, and the masks protect the T-birds (and any other Viper pilot) from breathing it in case of engine power loss. Not sure what the F-18 uses, but I read somewhere that the F-16 is the only fighter that uses H-70.
Rhino
Posts: 746
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:40 am
Location: KDVN
Contact:

Post by Rhino » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:04 pm

takeone wrote:Well... I guess this is as good a time as any to ask a dumb question.

I've always wondered why the Blues DON'T wear O2 masks?

Great photos... cool seeing the gold helmet and mirrored visor in the back seat!
They DO wear O2 masks, just not during the demo. :lol: NATOPS requires masks when aerial refueling. I've been told, that under a load of G's a mask will make it harder to breathe out. Having worn a SCBA fire mask/bottle/pack I can tell you it's easier to catch your breath without the darn thing on (I can guarantee Redeye has more experience at this than I do, maybe he can chime in here). I can imagine it's the same flying a jet.
Image
Phantoms Phorever!
User avatar
Lawndart
Virtual Thunderbird
Posts: 9290
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:36 am
Location: Mooresville, NC

Post by Lawndart » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:51 pm

It's generally harder to exhale than it is to inhale wearing an oxygen mask, but it also depends on the type of system used. While my memory is sketchy from back when I did my smoke dives during my training as firefighter in the Swedish Air Force, IIRC the equipment worked much like the pressure-demand system found in most high-altitude airplanes.

In a pressure-demand system, oxygen in the mask is above ambient pressure, permitting breathing above 30K feet. Because the pressure inside the mask is greater than the pressure around the body, inhalation is easy, but exhalation requires more effort. Pilots are trained in pressure-demand breathing in altitude chambers.

I recall one of the former Blue Angel pilots answer the question about using only helmets and microphones a few seasons ago when someone asked, why they fly without O2 masks, the pilot replied without hesitation:
"Because we can". :wink:
Post Reply