Cool pic of breaking the sound barrier
 

Saw a really cool picture of an F-22 breaking the sound barrier.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20090629/...RQ73hfglefHQ--

I know we have a pilot on the forum who flies f-18's. That's really cool! Do we have any F-22 pilots here?

What does it feel like when you break the sound barrier?

Thats an Awesome pic! Thanks for sharing.

Hey there guys!

Remember when I said I was in Alaska for the last month doing an 'exercise'? Well these Raptors were part of it. It was called Northern Edge and is (I think) the largest exercise US forces conduct from the perspective of air combat. Also, the USS Stennis was out there (I have landed on that boat several times... GREAT Philly Cheesteaks!)

As far as breaking the sound barrier: You would think it would be awesome and cool and (as a pilot) you would hear the boom, etc. Fact is, you don't hear a damned thing. You have to be really light on the controls as you pass through the Mach number, though, because there is transonic pitch-up (which means that if you move the stick around too much when you are breaking the barrier, you could overstress the wings, etc)

So, in short, (too late): your mach airspeed just ends up being a number in the HUD that you are watching as it increases... nothing cosmic that you hear or see. But it IS cool to know that you have been traveling faster than 99.9% of all people, ever.

BTW, those Raptors are pretty damned cool. It is really a shame the funding is getting cut. I am on the block for the JSF (F-35) transition in the next several years. Now THAT will be cool! :happydance:

r/
Brian

ps. back in Japan now... patiently waiting. patiently. waiting. p a t i e n t l y. (wanna see my car)

F-22's are the s**t... Was there an F-22 Decepticon in T2??

yes

Hey now, T2 will always be Terminator 2, not Transformers 2 ;)

Aren't those like totally different planes? F-22 is an air superiority fighter, F-35 JSF is a fighter / bomber? I'd expect the best performance out of the F-22...or am I just wrong?

That STOVL version looks incredible, though!

Will paypal for ride.

That is a cool pic, I see the Raptors flying sometimes. Theyre waaaay more annoying than the Hornets if thats even possible. I did Northern Edge back in 03 and froze my *** off in Valdez for a month.

will beat this guy's offer for ride

Annoying? I love the sound of freedom! :icon18:

Ha, Theyre cool the first few times you hear them. But I live in the flight path for NAS Oceana and it got old a long time ago. The only thing keeping me where Im at is the fact Im 2 blocks from the beach!

You're right, they are different planes, and yes, they will have different roles. However, they are both 5th generation fighter aircraft with hella great capabilities. Each one carries a ton of missiles (or bombs, or combination). Imagine also, how awesome it is in the F-35 that you can look down at your feet or behind your seat and you see the ground! Yes, you see THROUGH the aircraft because of multiple sensors and cameras throughout the airframe! I am going to get that for my Z. Should fix the blind spots!


For visual comparison:

F-22:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...artin_F-22.jpg

F-35:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ghtning_II.jpg

What it brings to the fight:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ctolstores.jpg

r/
Brian

Tail markings of the First Fighter Wing....Langley AFB.....the only base I ever stationed at while I was active duty. No, I didn't have a cool job like flying planes.....I sat behind a desk assisting in the pickup and delivery of household goods.

pilot doesn't hear the boom because he is traveling faster than speed of sound..so never gets to him.

Hey BrianUSMC! Are you out testing the F-22??? That's so cool!

The F-35 imho is even cooler with vertical take off and landing. That was an F-35 in Die Hard 4 right?

neat.

super hornet

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...undbarrier.jpg

space ship

http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/od...sonic_boom.jpg

Very sweet pics. We had F-15's here out of Lambert, but with base moves the last two flew out of here a couple of sundays ago. They were going to Montana or Hawaii.

Hey man,

No, I don't fly the F-22 (wish), just F/A-18s. We did get to fight some F-22s out of Langley a while back, though (we are stationed in Beaufort). It was pretty fun. When we transition from the F/A-18 (someday), it will be to the STOVL version F-35B.

r/
Brian

F-15 FTW!!!!! :tup: ....dislikes the F-22 as it replaced the F-15 :icon17:

Brian any experiences w/an F-15?

Bat,

Yeah, fought some F-15s back a few months ago in Thailand. The F-15, F-16 (large mouth and small), F-22, F-5, and even other airframes like helos, etc each have their own capabilities both offensive and defensive that are good to learn from. Every day you get to fight against a dissimilar airframe is a day you learn something new!

FWIW, that radio call at the end of your video is how we talk to airborne controllers. He is asking for a declaration of a 'group' he is picking up on his radar. Should sound something like this, "Ghost, Colt-45, declare group, Ranch 180/45/15,000", and they will answer with something like, "Colt-45, group, Ranch 180/45/FIFTEEN THOUSAND (emphasis), HOSTILE."

I love this ****. Makes my trigger finger itch!
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...am-dvic409.jpg

r/

Brian

Hey Brian! Your job is soooo cool... You are living my dream! Always wanted to be a fighter pilot when I was a kid...I was always watching flicks like Top Gun, Iron Eagle etc...but sometimes what you want to be as a kid is not what you really end up doing. :(

Anyway...about the F-22's...they have stealth right? do they show up on your radar when dog fighting? Also, do they have like crazy maneuverability because of their thrust vectoring? Are the F-18's at a big disadvantage?

Apologies for the 20 questions! :) I just find your job super interesting! :)

Hey man,

Thanks for the flattery, but remember, anyone who wants to focus on a certain career path can do the job I do... even go further than me (easily). Just takes determination is all.

As for the questions on maneuverability, thrust vectoring, stealth, radar cross section, etc... 1. fighter type aircraft are designed to be maneuverable, and thrust vectoring, by definition, would aid that; and 2: i dunno.

r/
Brian

I grew up right by Langley in Hampton and now having moved I miss seeing these machines play.

I know this won't break the sound barrier but this is my all time fav..Attachment 2949
I would die for a ride in this bad boy, Cadillac of the sky.

In honor of the 4th of July, Im fairly sure this one fits the bill.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._11_launch.jpg

Go baby, go.