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Wayne Smith and his instructor, Larry Salganek, take off from the Jet Warbird Training Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Smith piloted the jet much of the way, including performing aerobatics, to mark his milestone birthday.
Continued from the previous page I did some steep turns, several aileron and lined up with the runway. At about
rolls and then a couple of barrel rolls. I 1,000 feet, I lowered the landing gear and
takeoff. Since the altitude at Santa Fe is did a high-altitude pitch out and landing set the wing flaps for landing. I followed
6,300 feet and the runway is only 8,600 pattern simulation and some high-speed the runway lights until about a half mile
feet long, it seemed to take a long time to flight at about 370 knots. Then I tried from the runway. Salganek then took the
get airborne. At about 200 feet, Salganek a loop at 350 knots and 4.5 Gs. I was a controls and landed the plane.
gave me the controls. After raising the little surprised that I was able to keep
gear and flaps, I headed to the local the wings level throughout the loop, When we taxied up to the ramp, the family
practice area and 14,500 feet. even upside down. Salganek said that was waiting with cameras in hand. It had
I did it well. However, I found out one been a wonderful way to spend my 80th
At first, I had a little trouble with over important thing that I hadn’t anticipated: birthday. After Salganek gave me a post-
controlling the hydraulically boosted experiencing 4.5 Gs is a lot more fun at flight briefing (he was kind), he endorsed
ailerons. But in a very short time, the feel 25 years old than it is when you’re 80. my log book and gave me a MiG-15 T-shirt
came back, and it began to seem like the I decided to skip the Immelmann turn (he was out of T-33 shirts in my size).
years had never passed. I felt completely and Split S. After a few more pictures, the family and
at home very quickly. I guess it is really I left to go to Tomasito’s restaurant and a
true that it’s just like riding a bicycle; During these maneuvers, the leading celebratory lunch. Interestingly enough,
you never forget. edge fuel tanks ran dry, so I turned on at the restaurant we met three Air Force
the main wing tanks. I did a little more instructor pilots who were in Santa Fe on
Once in the practice area, I flew a flight sightseeing and some more maneuvers, a training flight from Reese Air Force
profile that was very similar to the ones I enjoying the opportunity to fly this Base. Air Force flight suits generate an
used to fly while I was teaching at Craig magnificent airplane again. Then much immediate fraternity.
Air Force Base in the 1960s. Since the too soon we were down to 200 gallons of
T-33 is somewhat restricted in maneuvers fuel; it was time to start heading back Since I had been anticipating this flight
while there is fuel in the tip tanks, we did to the field. I turned us back toward for the better part of 10 years, I can
some turns, climbs, descents, slow flight the northeast while Salganek called for truthfully say that it completely measured
and stalls. I also did a couple of chandelles landing instructions. We were given a up to all my expectations. I’ve tentatively
and a few lazy eights. straight in approach to Runway 02. I scheduled another flight with Salganek
reduced power, lowered the speed brakes for my 90th birthday, and he promised
Once the tips were dry, we proceeded on to be there for the occasion.
to some more adventurous maneuvers.
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74 | SUNRAYS AUGUST 2015
