What a/c did Bush fly to the Lincoln on?

[F/O]

I'm guessing an S-3, does anyone know for sure??

Does the president have specially qualified navy pilots for these rare situations?

And does anyone know where the boat is right now??

Thx

 

[chawbein]

You are correct. It was an S-3.

 

[JCJ]

Navy 1 callsign

Yes it did - in fact they painted NAVY 1 on the fuselage - and they painted George W Bush, Commander in Chief on the nose

A retired vice admiral naval aviator pundit on Fox graded the trap as "O.K. 3" although it looked like to me on the replay of the video that they hooked the # 4 wire

Later they interviewed the pilot that flew him out there - he said he offered and Dubya took the controls pretty quickly after takeoff, wheels up, etc

 

[JCJ]

Of course Fox also said that the crew of the Lincoln put on a great display of their F-18's for the president - while they were showing a picture of an F-14 being launched

Then they talked about how impressive the flyover of F-18's that was done for the president was. They showed the video of the nine aircraft flying over the carrier in a diamond formation

but unless there is a new "swing-wing" Hornet, they were actually F-14's (characteristic delta-wing appearance of wings swept fully aft)

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

I about fell out of my chair when the Fox guy said this morning that Dubya was "of course a fighter pilot in the Coast Guard Reserve"

 

[Nikes]

Do S-3's have HUD's? I would think that, trapping aboard a carrier without a HUD is a little more difficult than with one…..

Nikes

 

[vschip]

no hud, just steam gauges, round dials and tapes. i guess it is more difficult, but you get used to it. on my last cruise, whenever a hornet came aboard at night, it was considered a emergency

 

[Chunk]

The Pilot

The pilot was CDR John "Skip' Lussier, CO VS-35.

 

[Goose17]

If I were that pilot...

If I were the dude selected to fly the CnC and land him on the carrier, just before impact, at the top of my lungs, I would have yelled: "DEAR GOD-NOOOOOO!"

I think W would have remembered that for the rest of his life. Lets hope his ticker is strong.



Goose17

 

[Chunk]

I was thinking about changing it....but you talked me into keeping it for a few more days!

 

[DaveGriffin]

Re: If I were that pilot...

If I were the dude selected to fly the CnC and land him on the carrier, just before impact, at the top of my lungs, I would have yelled: "DEAR GOD-NOOOOOO!"

I think W would have remembered that for the rest of his life. Lets hope his ticker is strong.



Goose17

Don't worry Goose. No way you would have been selected to be the President's pilot.

 

[Goose17]

Thanks Dave

What a guy!

Goose17