Space Shuttle Commander student and Insurance Premiums

[Buda6868]

Tom Hendricks is getting his tail dragger endorsement at our school.

He was a tester on the Shuttle, then the pilot, then the Commander. You can goggle him and see all the info. I do believe he was on 3-5 missions.

He bought a Stearman and the insurance requirments are 25 hours tail time. So he came to us to get them.

We have a good time joking with him. Hey, you're to fast on final, this is not the Shuttle! etc. etc.

Nice down to earth guy (parden the pun). Last guy you would look at and think he was a Space Shuttle Commander.

Talk about celebrity pilots.

I will get his autograph to put beside my Buzz Aldrin business card.

I feel I got it pretty good, first Mike Haynes from Oral Prep then Tom Hendricks.

 

[Buda6868]

By the way, insurance premiums apply to eveyone, even a Space Shuttle Commander. F-em!

 

[Buda6868]

I mean the insurance companies!

 

[UnstableAviator]

Chuck Yeager would probably require 25 hours with a qualified check pilot to fly a Baron. Insurance.......gotta have it.

 

[unreal]

Didn't Yeager stuff a Bonanza into a ditch recently?

 

[John2375]

Tom Henricks was Pilot of STS-44 and STS-55
and Commander of STS-70 and STS-78.. I'd always heard he was one of the really nice guys to meet - must be fun to fly with him!
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/henricks.html That's his bio page, and http://www.starstruck.org is his and his wife's page..

 

[9GClub]

I just misplaced my student pilot certificate..... which is signed by Yeager.

Doh.

 

[John2375]

I just misplaced my student pilot certificate..... which is signed by Yeager.

Doh.

you might want to find that!

 

[USMCmech]

Didn't Yeager stuff a Bonanza into a ditch recently?

It was an AT-6 Texan, and he groundlooped it durring a landing about 2 years ago.

 

[John2375]

It was an AT-6 Texan, and he groundlooped it durring a landing about 2 years ago.

Where was that? any video of it? I saw Chuck fly in Oct. 2002 @ Edwards - the last time he flew military aircraft..55 years after 1st breaking the sound barrer -
pretty impressive seeing someone a couple months away from turning 80 years old flying an F-15..he even did a couple low-maneuvers pulling 9-G's and all..

 

[ultrarunner]

I saw Chuck fly in Oct. 2002 @ Edwards - the last time he flew military aircraft..55 years after 1st breaking the sound barrer -
pretty impressive seeing someone a couple months away from turning 80 years old flying an F-15..he even did a couple low-maneuvers pulling 9-G's and all..

Wow. Did they let him loose solo in it?

 

[John2375]

Wow. Did they let him loose solo in it?

Yeah - up until then, Chuck had been a "special consultant" to the USAF for the whopping salary of $1/year. He had the #1 parking spot there (base commander had #2!) and frequently came down to evaluate aircraft being used - I guess the F-15 was his favorite for flexing his muscles - even had his own painted w/ "Glammorous Glennis" painted on the nose - really awesome day - glad I was there to see him.

 

[gkrangers]

Anyone know what Shuttle pilots make? Does ALPA represent them? How many days off a month?

 

[hindsight2020]

bullsh$t, they didn't let granps solo on it, he had an AD test pilot on the back, LTC Troy Fontaine....kinda reminds me of the S-3 George Bush "flight" actually.

Here's the news archive posting: http://www.edwards.af.mil/archive/2002/2002-archive-2002_open_house.html

I'm not a big Yeager fan, but I'm not gonna lie, getting F-15 rides at 80 years of age is a pretty nice perk...luck and timing

 

[John2375]

bullsh$t, they didn't let granps solo on it, he had an AD test pilot on the back, LTC Troy Fontaine....kinda reminds me of the S-3 George Bush "flight" actually.

Here's the news archive posting: http://www.edwards.af.mil/archive/2002/2002-archive-2002_open_house.html

I'm not a big Yeager fan, but I'm not gonna lie, getting F-15 rides at 80 years of age is a pretty nice perk...luck and timing

I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but although LTC Fontaine was riding backseat, he was not FLYING the aircraft and whether he was there by Yeager's invite, military policy or anything, Yeager was flying. He wasn't sitting there telling LTC Fontaine, " OK now fly to Mach 1.1" "OK now pull us into a 9G turn" "OK now land this damn thing will you? I'm shaking too much"
Please - dont be a Yeager fan if you don't want, that's your choice. He didn't get a "niceperk" ride at 80 years old; up until then he was regularly flying various aircraft at Edwards and consulting with the USAF and working with the younger test pilots at Edwards.

Oh and that groundloop? Until I see an article on it or video footage, that might as well be some urban legend created by people like you - if you don't like him so much, find some info on that.