RIP Chuck Yeager

[Bama fan]

American air force veteran who first broke the sound barrier has died, He was described as our greatest test pilot. A truly brave and daring guy who did it all!

 

[Scud49]

Can't agree more - one of our greatest hero's - he did it all. His cracking the sound barrier was re-told so well in the excellent movie "The Right Stuff"

 

[SVCBeercats]

American air force veteran who first broke the sound barrier has died, He was described as our greatest test pilot. A truly brave and daring guy who did it all!

Test pilots are a competitive lot. They all want to be the first to set some sort of aviation record and those of Yeager's ilk liked to remind other test piots. Scott Crossfield another "best ever" test pilot once while landing a test plane lost hyraulic pressure and wrecked into a hanger wall. Forevermore Yeager would say "The sonic wall was mine; the hanger wall was Scott's!" Test pilots are born, not made. While at McDonald Douglas I played in company golf league with a fellow who was an excellent golfer. During a round he hit a rare out of bounds shot he quietly uttered "Oh darn." Then he made a 40 foot putt and quietly said "Oh good." His emotional response was almost flat line. I asked him what he did at McDD. He responded test pilot for the F15. Pilots are a different breed. See the video below for proof.
Separately from this video there was a combat example as well. While at MCDD working on a project for the VP Engineering I saw an Israeli newspaper clipping showing a F-15 with about 15-20% of it right wing intact. During the Israeli Syrian war this plane took a SAM in its right wing. Knowing most of his right wing was gone, he did not eject. He hit the afterburner, recovered control, and took the plane home. He even taxied into its hanger. Got out insisting no one could categorize his plane as being downed. How could anyone have the presence of mind and emotion to take the correct actions? Even taking their training into account, these folks are built differently. Competitive they are! Oh! And McDonnell Douglas' F-15 is one heck of fighter bomber!

 

[oldude]

Other than Charles Lindbergh, there was probably not another American aviator who epitomized the idea of “Pushing the Envelope” more than Chuck Yeager.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Other than Charles Lindbergh, there was probably not another American aviator who epitomized the idea of “Pushing the Envelope” more than Chuck Yeager.

I agree with the spirit of your statement. However, you may agree there are a few other, albeit very few, candidates for pushing the envelope.

10 All-Time Great Pilots

Machines alone could not have pushed the airplane forward

www.airspacemag.com

My personal favorite is Scott Crossfield, however, my view may be influenced because of his work with the X15. As a kid a large model of the X15 held a prominent position in my bedroom. In this article I think at least honorary mention should have been given to Bob Gilliland, test pilot for the SR71 Blackbird. The SR71 still looks futuristic to me even though its maiden flight was in 1964. Gilliland climbed into not just a new type of plane but a plane using just invented technologies, plural, throughout the plane, not to mention purposefully leaked fuel while on the ground. Not good for takeoffs.

 

[Monte]

He was an uncle of Steve Yeager, who was a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

[CL82]

Test pilots are a competitive lot. They all want to be the first to set some sort of aviation record and those of Yeager's ilk liked to remind other test piots. Scott Crossfield another "best ever" test pilot once while landing a test plane lost hyraulic pressure and wrecked into a hanger wall. Forevermore Yeager would say "The sonic wall was mine; the hanger wall was Scott's!" Test pilots are born, not made. While at McDonald Douglas I played in company golf league with a fellow who was an excellent golfer. During a round he hit a rare out of bounds shot he quietly uttered "Oh darn." Then he made a 40 foot putt and quietly said "Oh good." His emotional response was almost flat line. I asked him what he did at McDD. He responded test pilot for the F15. Pilots are a different breed. See the video below for proof.
Separately from this video there was a combat example as well. While at MCDD working on a project for the VP Engineering I saw an Israeli newspaper clipping showing a F-15 with about 15-20% of it right wing intact. During the Israeli Syrian war this plane took a SAM in its right wing. Knowing most of his right wing was gone he did not eject. He hit the afterburner, recovered control and took the plane home. He even taxied into its hanger. Got out insisting no one could categorize his plane as down. How could anyone have the presence of mind and emotion to take the correct actions? Even taking their training into account, these folks are built differently. Competitive they are! Oh! And McDonnell Douglas' F-15 is one heck of fighter bomber!

 

[Ozimoto]

He certainly was one of a kind. I think they broke the mold with him.

 

[JellyBean]

RIP, Chuck.

 

[donalddoowop]

Hey Bama fan, I did not want to start a new thread but my former favorite baseball player, Ritchie Dick Allen, died yesterday. I was a fanatical Phillie fan at the time and a big Allen fan. I lost interest in baseball after Philadelphia blew the pennant that year.

 

[Bigboote]

I’d love to have Chuck Yeager’s bravery. Any of the test pilots for that matter, or the barnstormers. But he was special.