Vintage Aviation News

APRIL 21, 2025

Fuselage of Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver BuNo 19866 resting outside the USS Midway Museum’s restoration hangar (Hangar 805) at NAS North Island. About an hour into their flight, Frazar decided to practice his dive bombing on a target set up on the Lower Otay Reservoir, putting the Helldiver into a steep, controlled descent.

Hangar 105

Hangar Airplanes Pilot Descent 105

Fear of Landing

APRIL 19, 2024

At approximately 30-40 feet agl, the spinning stopped and the helicopter appeared to stabilize for a brief moment before continuing a nose-low, forward descent into the grass north of Runway 28. The operator had a surveillance camera inside the hangar to capture the work and the preflight inspections.

Torque 98

Torque Indicated Airspeed Tail Knot 98

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 11, 2024

Navy had equipped both the USS Akron and Macon airships with a hangar deck and trapezes to carry and launch Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk fighter planes. This operation was carried out routinely with the little fighters launching from the airship, flying their mission, and then hooking up on a trapeze that lifted them inside the hull.

Tail 85

Tail Jet Pilot Descent 85

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024

The J-4, also known as a Cub Coupe, had been dropped off in Kennett for annual in 2008 by its then-owner and ended up becoming a permanent resident when Hurricane Ike stretched inland all the way to the Missouri Bootheel, lifting it from the ground and depositing it on top of the FBO’s maintenance hangar.

Runway 98

Runway Crosswind Rudder Pilot 98

Photographic Logbook

JULY 11, 2024

Since we lost our LPV approaches due to obstructions along the final approach course, the downgraded LNAV minimum descent altitude for the approach to runway 28 was 558 feet above the ground. This meant that there would be no getting into Sodus unless the ceiling lifted. I normally do this upon hearing, "Cleared for the approach."

Ceiling 52

Ceiling Approach Weather Runway 52

ABEAM

AUGUST 26, 2023

And so we landed without any issue and taxied via Charlie to the Apron, arriving at the first location of the Blue Spruce Routes because we saw all the old WW2 hangars in various state of repair or disrepair … Wick is a classic stop-over for ferry pilots in both directions. We kept at FL090 so icing was above us.

Weather 52

Weather Clearance Knot Airplanes 52

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 29, 2024

Ramps need plowing, the T-hangar door is frozen closed, the fuel truck won’t start, and there is a waiting list for deicing. If the airplane is tied down outside, it’s important to get all of the ice and snow off the lifting and control surfaces. This is hard to do without deicing fluid.

Ceiling 105

Ceiling Airplanes Weather Density Altitude 105