Our squadron had proficiency flights the pilots took for flight time. We had a great commander that just about never let a T-33 back seat go empty. Maintenance folks usually filled the back co-pilot seats. This is just one story out of my book (copyright 2009) I decided to share. Hope this gets some action in the thread. If you would like a copy of my e-mail book just message me. Sorry, but all the pictures don't copy & paste.
T-33 Proficiency Flight
On September 10, 1976 a crisp morning at McChord Air Force Base, WA while I was
assigned to the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron I got the opportunity to go up on a
pilot‟s proficiency flight. This happened fairly often as pilots needed a regular amount of
flight hours per month with a required number of landings. These flights usually lasted 3
hours and the flight time would allow two aircraft technicians to fly for about 1½ hours
each.
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The flight required the pilot to land and switch out the technician in the back co-pilots
seat and take off again. On this particular day I flew on the 2nd part of the flight.
I'd checked out flight gear and had been fitted for an oxygen mask. I waited in the jet
engine dispatch shop for my turn to go up. Our shop was in the hanger very close to
where the T-33‟s taxied and parked. I also knew the exact time I was scheduled to meet
the aircraft.
I'd gotten my camera and film out of my vehicle. Within ten minutes of my flight time I
went out to the aircraft parking area and waited for the T-33 to land and taxi into its
parking spot.
The jet landed exactly as planned and was marshaled into its parking slot by the
maintenance crew-chief and the pilot shut down the jet engine. The crew-chief then
installed the landing gear safety pins and chocked the wheels.
As the other technician climb down out of the cockpit I asked him how it was. He said,
“It was fantastic and I even got to fly it.” I knew this was going to be a flight to
remember.
The other technician climbed out of the ejection seat after he installed the ejection seat
safety pins. The crew chief then checked the seat for the proper installation of the safety
pins before I climbed into the co-pilots ejection seat. The pilot installed his seat safety
pins and had gotten out also, to stretch his legs. Ejection seats are extremely dangerous
and have a history of killed careless people. The seat safety pins when installed prevent
the initiators from blowing the canopy and firing the ejection seat. All aircraft safety pins
and covers have a red streamer attached that state, “REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT.”
He and I then went over the emergency procedures, what to say and do if the need to
eject out of the jet arose. He also instructed me to keep the parachute zero delay lanyard
hooked up, as we would be flying around Mount Rainer (14, 410 feet elevation) an the
Cascade Mountains. This zero delay automatically opened the parachute as soon as the
seat snap strap popped you out of the ejection seat preventing you from free falling onto a
mountain top.
The pilot then got into the front pilots seat. The crew-chief helped us both strap in and
then we started the jet engine. With engine running the crew-chief pulled the wheel
chocks and landing safety pins. We then had to pull the ejection seat safety pins and hold
them up so the crew-chief could see them. If the crew-chief did not witness the safety
pins pulled then he/she would not give the OK to taxi out for take off. This safety routine
was done with every takeoff and landing. It was required, became habit, and was routine
operation that could safe your life.
Myself Ready for flight. Photos taken by crew-Chief
We taxied out quickly and had to hold short of the active end of the runway for a C-141
Starlifter cargo jet to land. After that we pulled out onto the runway and lined up for take
off. The pilot asked if I was ready and I answered, “Yes sir”.
The throttle was increased to full power and the jet started its roll down the runway.
About half way down the runway as we passed the hangers and tower we lifted off and
passed over the far end of the runway. Passing over interstate-5 the pilot pulled up and
into a left bank toward the west and over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
We continued to climb and then banked again left which put us heading east until we
reached 12,000 feet and leveled off. We were heading toward Mount Rainer, which
towered 14,410 feet high. It's capped all year with snow and glaciers.
It was a perfect day to fly; clear sky with unlimited visibility for picture taking. I felt very
lucky to be picked to fly on such a great day in a U.S. Air Force Jet.
Over the City of Tacoma, WA Heading toward the Narrow Bridge
T-33 Pilot Mt. Rainer at 30 miles Photos: G. Price
As we approached Mount Rainer I could hear the pilot talking with Air Traffic Control
(ATC) about clearance time for flying around the mountain. Lots of aircraft often circled
Mount Rainer from small private aircraft, corporate jets, and news helicopters. Airliners
sometimes flew close to it on their way in and out of Seattle/Tacoma International
Airport. We did not want to meet another aircraft flying around the Mountain in the
opposite direction.
We made a pass around the mountain and the pilot asked me, “Would you like to fly it.”
He did not need to ask me twice. He instructed me to take hold of the flight control stick
and continue to circle the mountain. After about two trips around he told me to turn the
jet around and circle it in the opposite direction, which I did. After another few complete
trips around the pilot took the control stick back and said, “It's time for some fun, rock &
roll type!”
Mount Rainer, 14,410 feet T-33 wing tank & Mt. Rainer Photos: G.H. Price
The wind was out of the north and we flew south away from the mountain. We then
turned and flew directly toward the mountain at about 12,500 foot. As we closed on the
mountain top the pilot pull back on the stick and said over the intercom, “Watch what
happens when we clear the mountain top.” The pilot increased the throttle as we climbed
up the south face of the mountain, as we crested over the top, a blast of wind caught our
jet, pushing our craft swiftly up several thousand feet. Then the pilot caught me by
surprise when he rolled the jet into a barrow roll and as we passed up side down he said,
“That will make a nice picture for you,” but I had my camera secured and we continued
the roll until we leveled off.
I was not prepared for the barrel roll and quick snap of acceleration up several thousand
feet. That unexpected barrow roll over the top, put my stomach on notice. I'd gotten my
stomach shaken up. I was a bit nauseated and felt the need to loosen my ejection seat lap
belt a little. So I did, but only and inch or two.
The pilot then advised ATC that we were departing the mountain area to the west. He
then said, “Lets do some rock & roll,” to which I replied, something like “Great!” With in
a few moments the pilot snapped our jet into a nice smooth barrel roll and we drifted up
and then inverted. The few inches of slack in my ejection seat harness became a problem.
I felt the sensation of my butt cheeks leaving the security of the ejection seat cushion and
I quickly reached for the seat armrests for security. My brain quickly said, “Don‟t touch
them, they are the ejection handles!” So I hung upside down maybe a quarter inch
between my butt cheeks and the ejection seat cushion for a few seconds until we
transcended out of the inverted attitude to level flight. These few seconds of excitement
took my nausea completely away and I synched my lap belt back snug.
The pilot instructed me to put the palm of my hand on the top of the flight control stick
and follow him through a barrel roll. The stick moved back toward my waist and the nose
of the jet rose up, then it moved to the right and the aircraft rolled to the right and then we
were up side down. The jet continued the roll and as the wing started to come level the
pilot centered the control stick. It was very smooth and easy. Then he said, "It's your turn,
do just what I did, and feel the barrel roll.” So, I pulled the stick back slightly and the
nose rose upward, then I pushed the stick to the right and the jet rolled right, and flipped
over, as the wings started to become level flight I centered the control stick. We had
flight time left so he let me do several more rolls. Such fun it was!
We changed direction toward the air base and called for landing. We went in on approach
and just before we touched down the pilot raised the landing gear and increased throttle
and airspeed. Once again we passed over the interstate highway and the pilot pulled the
jet up into a steep climb but this time turned right. Next approach was a full stop and we
taxied back into the park slot, and engine shutdown.
The maintenance crew-chief went through the same drill he did with the pre-flight.
Landing gear pins installed, looked at us holding up the ejection seat pins, when he gave
the thumb up we installed our seat pins. He then hung the cockpit ladder and climbed up
and looked to ensure the pins were installed, and then he helped us un strap. He climbed
back down and then we got out. I thanked the pilot for the flight and the flying lesson. I
also remembered to thank the crew chief. We maintenance technicians usually never hear
thank you for our efforts.
This was just one of many flights I took in T-33‟s out of McChord Air Force Base.
But those flights are different stories.
Just 2 of the many flight pictures.
