Aviation_0910_2017

Josh^ realized^ he^ neededEventually,to^ get^ a^ "real^ job."

He^ was^ disqualified^ from becoming^ a^ U.S.^ military^

Sodue^ to^ poor^ eyesight.^ pilot^ in^2001 he^ started^ his

careerpilot.^ as^ a^ commercial^ But^ once^ LASIK^ vision

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surgery^ was^ acceptedcorrectionin^ the^ military,^ Josh

jumped^ at^ the^ opportunity^ to fulfill^ his^ dream^ of^ be

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wasa^ military^ aviator.^ He^ coming^ one^ of^ the^ first^ pilots

toand^ have^ LASIK^ surgery^ joined^ the^ Air^ National^

Guard.^ I^ was^ curious^ what^ it^ is^ like^ to^ go^ from^ flying^ a^ large^ commercial

planemilitary^ to^ a^ powerhouse^ plane^ to^ a^75

‐saysold^ war^ bird.^ Josh^ year^ an^ Airbus^ has^ computer^ logic

to^ make^ it^ easier^ to^ fly and^ has^ its^ limits.^ "It^ won't^

thatyou^ roll^ it^ over ‐ not^ let^ you^ ever^ would ‐ but^ it^

modernstop^ you."^ With^ will^ planes,^ Josh^ says,^ you're

of^ a^ manager^ withmoreall^ the^ automation.^ You^ must

beyou^ very^ computer^ savvy ‐  are^ responsible^ for^ pro

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"the^ box."^ "Itsgrammingvery^ regimented,"^ Josh^ says.

I^ was^ surprised^ by^ Josh's^ comment that^ an^ F‐^22 is^ easy

whatfly.^ "It's^ remarkable^ to^ that^ airplane^ does."^ While

theresponsible^ pilot^ is^ still^ for^ raising^ and^ lowering^

gear,^ the^ F‐^22 trimstheitself^ and^ its^ flaps^ are^ automatic.

"You^ just^ point^ it^ where^ you want^ it^ to^ go^ and^ it^

out^ how^ it's^ goingfiguresto^ get^ there,"^ Josh^ explained.

the^ a^ war^ bird,^ on^ opposite,"^ other^ hand,^ is^ "totally^ Flying

Josh^ says.^ There^ is^ no computer^ to^ fly ‐ you^ need^

yourfly^ the^ plane.^ "If^ you^ take^ to^ eyes^ off^ of^ it^ for^ a^

youit^ can^ get^ away^ from^ second^.^ You've^ got^ to^ be^ on

ball^ all^ the^ time."^ Joshthehas^ trained^ to^ fly^ a^ dozen

differentone^ warbirds^ with^ each^ a^ bit^ different^ and

in^ their^ own^ way.complicatedHe^ explained^ that^ just^ because

you^ have^ experience^ flying one^ does^ not^ mean^

can^ jump^ into^ another^ andyoube^ ready^ to^ fly.^ A^ few

weeksstudy^ of^ training,^ self‐ and^ supervision^ was^ re‐

Joshfor^ each^ warbird.^ quired^ enjoys^ the^ freedom^ that

flying^ gives^ him^ and^ says^ that he^ has^ never^ had^ a^ bad

flying.^ He^ enjoys^ not^ onlydayflying^ the^ war^ birds^ but^

a^ real^ appreciation^ forhastalking^ with^ those^ who^

flown^ these^ planes^ in^ war.haveAnd^ when^ he^ is^ up^ in

a^ war^ bird^ he^ imagines^ being a^ pilot^ in^ war^ in^ those

 ‐ theremarking^ that^ in^ war^ days^ planes^ would^ fly^ so^

that^ you^ could^ seecloseyour^ enemy's^ scarf^ blowing^ in

wind.^ Josh^ knows^ he's^ athelucky^ guy^ and^ told^ me^ that

he^ is^ "very,^ very^ humbled^ to be^ out^ here^ and^ to^ have

this^ opportunity."^

Hanover,Jackie^ Dankos,^ from^ Mr.^ Virginia,^ was^ at^ the
show^ flying^ a^ North^ American AT‐6D^ Texan^ owned^ by
Justin^ Knight.^ Jackie^ startedMr.flying^ in^1974 after^ being

inspiredan^ by^ his^ father,^ army^ soldier^ who^ fought^

the^ Korean^ War.^ He^ hasinbeen^ flying^ an^ SNJ^ since^1978

andlate^ partnered^ with^ the^ Jeff^ Ethel,^ an^ American^

author^ and^ pilot,^ whoaviationpassed^ on^ his^ piloting^ skills

tothe^ Jackie.^ Jackie^ had^ great^ opportunity^ to^ meet^

John^ Leland^ (Lee)^ AtwoodMr.in^ the^ late^ 1980's.^ For

those^ of^ you^ not^ familiar with^ Mr.^ Atwood,^ he^ was^

a^

theengineer^ in^ prominent^ aerospace^ industry^ working

for^ North^ American^ Aviation^ for over^35 years.^ He^ is

‐with^ developing^ the^ Pcredited^51 Mustang,^ the^ F‐^100

jet^ fighter,^ the^ X‐^15 rocket^ plane^ and^ oversaw^ the^

program.^ Jackie^ enjoys^ theApolloclassic^ look^ of^ the^

‐^ 6D^ and^ loves^ theATspecial^ sounds^ and^ rumbles^ that

it^

planeIt^ is^ a^ difficult^ makes.^ to^ fly,^ Jackie^ confessed^ to

me,and^ especially^ the^ landings^ dealing^ with^ the^ cross

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At^ air^ shows,winds.Jackie^ especially^ enjoys^ formation

flying^ with^ all^ his friends^ on^ the^ line.^

based^ Woods,^ an^ Atlanta‐time^ attorney^ and^ part‐Keith

judge,show^ was^ at^ the^ air^ flying^ a^ P‐^51 Mustang^

by^ the^ CommemorativeownedAir^ Force.^ Keith^ always

wanted^ to^ be^ pilot^ in^ the Air^ Force^ or^ Navy,^ but^ poor^

fromprevented^ him^ eyesight^ accomplishing^ that^ goal.

Instead,commercial^ he^ pursued^ a^ pilot's^ license^ on^ his

As^ a^ law^ enforcement^ officerown.he^ was^ able^ to^ get^

flying^ in^ on^ thesomecounty‐owned^ twin‐engine^ Beech

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lawBut^ life^ as^ a^ craft.^ enforcement^ officer^ left^ him^ without

the^ time^ or^ money^ needed to^ spend^ more^ time^ in^

flyingair.^ So^ his^ passion^ for^ the^ led^ Keith^ to^ obtain^ a^ law

degree.^ After^ accruing^200 hours in^ a^ T‐^6 Texan,^

bought^ a^ share^ of^ aKeithreplica^ of^ a^ Kate^ Torpedo^ Bomber

(also^ known^ as^ the Nakajima^ B5N),^ the^ standard^

Imperialbomber^ of^ the^ torpedo^ Japanese^ Navy^ for^ the

majority^ of^ WWII.^ Next,^ Keith learned^ to^ fly^ the^ Doug

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SBD^ Dauntless.^ The^ followinglasyear,^ Keith^ was,^ as^ he

told^ me,^ "at^ the^ right^ place at^ the^ right^ time"^ and^ was

the (^) opportunity to flythe P‐51.^ provided When I asked him what is it like to^ fly^ a^ P‐51,^ Keith^ describes
ithard^ as^ easy^ to^ fly^ but^ to^ land^ due^ to^ its^ limita‐
becausein^ view ‐ and^ tions^ it's^ "squirly."^ I'm^ assuming
thewill^ pilots^ reading^ this^ know^ exactly^ what^ "squirly"
Keith^ says^ it^ is^ historicallymeans."very^ cool"^ to^ fly^ a^ P
51.mix^ He^ especially^ enjoys^ to^ ‐^ with^ old^ P‐^51 pilots.^
Josh^ Wilson^
Keith^ Woods^