TheaterFire

What are some of the most niche experiences you have had in aviation?

Posted by LemonAny6444@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 188 comments

Reply to Post

188 Comments

Cessnateur@reddit

- Landed on and took off from an aircraft carrier (as a passenger) - Landed my plane on a frozen lake - Landed off-airport - Made espresso at my campsite beneath my wing - Landed on a taxiway (with ATC's permission) - Landed at Meigs Field - Taxied a 172 beneath the wing of a 747 - Performed a 360 at pattern altitude directly above the president's VC-25 while he was inbound in his motorcade about 2 miles away - Legally jumpseated in an airliner on a revenue flight in the US, post-9/11, as a private pilot, without being employed by the FAA or as a dispatcher
View on Reddit #81868732

KeyOfGSharp@reddit

Campsite beneath the wing sounds like heaven
View on Reddit #81874131

Cessnateur@reddit

It is! https://i.imgur.com/c8IMhZo.jpeg
View on Reddit #81876370

gromm93@reddit

What kind of espresso maker? Electric or manual?
View on Reddit #81882091

Cessnateur@reddit

For camping, I use a 9Barista with a Jetboil: https://i.imgur.com/4KHfM11.jpeg
View on Reddit #81883617

Your-Friendly-AAI@reddit

Im finding your camp this summer, I’ll bring beans.
View on Reddit #82062411

Cessnateur@reddit

Deal!
View on Reddit #82087303

mikeh0677@reddit

Oshkosh?
View on Reddit #81898623

Cessnateur@reddit

Affirm!
View on Reddit #81970011

Flyboy2020@reddit

Huh, that last one sounds interesting..how?
View on Reddit #81874385

Cessnateur@reddit

It was during an internship at Southwest in Flight Ops. My second day of work there was 9/11. I had a very fat folder of high-level authorizations and paperwork to make it happen a couple of months later.
View on Reddit #81883769

latedescent@reddit

Huh. I knew a guy who was an intern at Southwest around 9/11 as well. Initials JR
View on Reddit #81884955

Cessnateur@reddit

I worked with a J and I think his last name was O. From MKE.
View on Reddit #81885331

latedescent@reddit

Not the same one then, but cool nonetheless!
View on Reddit #81931287

China_bot42069@reddit

Yes I want to know how he did that 
View on Reddit #81878286

Bunslow@reddit

> Landed at Meigs Field an increasingly rare accolade... damn you Daley.
View on Reddit #81875089

rckid13@reddit

The very first entry in my paper logbook is PWK-CGX-PWK. I need to make sure I don't lose that one. My intro flight was a touch and go at Meigs in 2002 less than a month before it was destroyed.
View on Reddit #81881896

chuckop@reddit

Started with flying out of Meigs Field using subLOGIC’s Flight Sim in 1980 or so on a TRS-80. 15 years later, got to fly out of the real airport and zoom around Chicago for a hour or so and came back to land. Then 7 years later in 2002 planning to fly in again on a cross country trip, but the timing didn’t work out. Next year the airport was demolished.
View on Reddit #81877855

Cessnateur@reddit

A true human shitstain.
View on Reddit #81876410

LemonAny6444@reddit (OP)

How did you come to taxi a 172 below a 747 that sounds so cool
View on Reddit #81869165

Cessnateur@reddit

The normal path to my school’s main hangar was blocked, so I taxied between the two empty engine pylons to get to it: https://i.imgur.com/gOfeLsr.jpeg
View on Reddit #81870086

tempskawt@reddit

Flew backseat in an F-16D Pulled 9Gs in it Flew a MAI890 solo (well only one seat so it's always solo) Did some light aero in a Pitts Formed up on [this monster](https://preview.redd.it/tuesday-just-got-less-boring-another-blimp-is-approaching-v0-t7irbvrpg2rg1.jpeg?width=1705&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4833dc1f5f193c425b3c6d78a50240f302a6fb0e) Landed at every airport in Wisconsin. Actually landed at more than there currently are, 2 or 3 closed/went private afterwards.
View on Reddit #81869879

Double-Ad9382@reddit

I forget the identifier, but did you make it to the grass strip in Verona? It closed just before I could get there.
View on Reddit #81885234

tempskawt@reddit

Yes but also no. I got my stamp as part of the Wisconsin Airport passport program, but I was not confident with my short/soft field landings at the time, so I just drove there because it was like five minutes from my apartment. Part of me wants to go back up there and get permission to actually land from the private owner just so I feel better about it. I did the same thing at Blackhawk… The asphalt conditions sketched me out. Other than those two, I actually landed at the rest of them. If I get permission and you are in the Madison area, I’ll try and reach out to you so we can tag team that Airport.
View on Reddit #81888664

delhibuoy@reddit

Crazy to see another pilot from MSN in this thread
View on Reddit #81925887

Double-Ad9382@reddit

I’m from the area and have yet to actually fly into the MSN airspace. I was flying a plane that didn’t have ADSB-out/mode c
View on Reddit #82032977

dbhyslop@reddit

There’s two more of us here, too.
View on Reddit #81963064

tempskawt@reddit

Only there occasionally now, moved to Nashville. I’m still in a flying club on the south ramp though haha
View on Reddit #81926635

delhibuoy@reddit

Same. Which one?
View on Reddit #81926891

tempskawt@reddit

Badgerland
View on Reddit #81929089

Double-Ad9382@reddit

I’m not sure if you could land there anymore. The land is for sale and doesn’t look to be mowed or maintained in any way. It also hasn’t been listed on the charts for a couple of years.
View on Reddit #81993120

tempskawt@reddit

You’re right, now I remember seeing an article about that. Maybe I’ll land at WS62 instead and pretend they’re the same.
View on Reddit #81998615

cirroc0@reddit

Received the following radio call in the circuit: "Archer GABC, you're number 2 behind the Flying Fortress on final. Caution: wake turbulence". Twice. On different days, in different years. :)
View on Reddit #81974916

Lormar@reddit

Dogfighting in a Sopwith Camel Vs. a Fokker Triplane
View on Reddit #81869197

Cass256@reddit

Was that the planes for the Great Waldo Pepper end scene?
View on Reddit #81886912

Lormar@reddit

Yes exactly! One of my favorite movies, for obvious reasons.
View on Reddit #81894424

Cass256@reddit

Man, that was an absolutely incredible scene! I remember thinking I envied those pilots while watching the movie. I’d love to meet you & hear the story if it ever works out :) I’m based at KFSO, north VT so not super far from NY94. Stop by if you’re ever in the area!
View on Reddit #81963830

Whole-Hat-2213@reddit

Snoopy? Is that you?
View on Reddit #81894083

Go_Loud762@reddit

Now that's cool.
View on Reddit #81884076

Ok-Platypus666@reddit

Had the flap cable snap on short final in a 172 in my check ride!!!
View on Reddit #81938993

AWACS_Bandog@reddit

Shared a Class E CTAF with a 747 that was doing Pattern Work. Annoyed a Tower with a Technically/Legally correct, but Practically incorrect Callsign.... Not my fault they never looked at my Groundspeed.
View on Reddit #81890668

randombrain@reddit

"Skyhawk" in an A4? Or the other direction?
View on Reddit #81929687

AWACS_Bandog@reddit

*Gulfsteam* AA5A. I lucked out my plane is one of... I think around 100 that Gulf made before killing the Cheetah and Tiger prod line. as far as the FAA's Concerned, im a Gulf and not a Grumman.   The reasoning is just I worked at a place right across the street from a busy airport with Controllers who were... less than cordial to GA when ever they had an Airliner push. I in my infinite wisdom decided to go flying before work and would just land and go into work from Transient Parking... Unlucky for me, ATC was denying every Piper and Cessna calling in for landing but if you were a Citation they let you in. So I just decided to not quite tell them I was a little plane. I think they caught on when I was in the downwind.
View on Reddit #81936541

BimmerJeff@reddit

I’ve had quite a bit in the last 4 years of flying. Engine out forced landing at 100 hours, won a J3 Cub two weeks later and logged right seat TriMotor time that same day, flew said J3 from ND back to PA, got to do some epic formation flying with the Cub guys around here amongst all the other cool things pilots do.
View on Reddit #81868734

throfak@reddit

How'd you win a cub?
View on Reddit #81932086

BimmerJeff@reddit

Bought a few raffle tickets from a Museum raffling one off. Got lucky enough to win it.
View on Reddit #81934478

Bunslow@reddit

flair checks out
View on Reddit #81875248

poser765@reddit

About six years ago I flew with an FO that was 25 years old and not only held an FE certificate but actually worked as one for a bit.
View on Reddit #81870091

throfak@reddit

What's an fe certificate
View on Reddit #81932006

poser765@reddit

Flight engineer.
View on Reddit #81933271

Longjumping_Panda531@reddit

Flying the Star Wars canyon Flying a 4-ship of A-10s at Oshkosh  Delivering a jet to the boneyard 
View on Reddit #81870712

capnd4@reddit

Where's the star wars canyon?
View on Reddit #81929911

3Green1974@reddit

I got to fly a Ford Tri-Motor last year. It was in the hangar by itself and I asked the FBO about it. I showed up the next day and the guy flying it was my multi and commercial instructor. It cost a little bit more, but I paid and got to ride in the right seat. He let me fly from just after takeoff until just before landing. After the flight he filled out a souvenir card with his endorsement for .5 hours dual given. It’s one of the oddest things I have in my logbook. The crazy thing was, it was not a 12,500 pound airplane. They have 2 and the other one is. So I thought that was pretty neat. Years ago I took a C-150 up for some night flight. The winds were really strong at 3000 feet so I did some slow flight and “flew backwards”. I always thought that was a fun experience. I did animal rescue for a couple years when I owned a Cherokee. Those were always fun and interesting flights.
View on Reddit #81877656

adventuresofh@reddit

The Trimotor is a really fun experience! I got to sit right seat when we hosted! I still stay in touch with the crew
View on Reddit #81884631

3Green1974@reddit

They’re a good group, that’s for sure. It was a pretty unique experience. Glad you got to do it too.
View on Reddit #81928934

BackgroundConfident7@reddit

I got called off reserve to fly the “Medal of Honor Flight” from JFK to DCA in 2018. I showed up to a marching band, national news, and over 30 living Medal of Honor recipients. They gave every crew member a book with every Medal of Honor recipient’s story and signed their page, hats, and coins. It was quite the surprise.
View on Reddit #81868195

UnhingedCorgi@reddit

That’s probably why you got assigned the flight 
View on Reddit #81871222

Exact-Display5905@reddit

Did I miss something? Why do you think he was assigned to the flight?
View on Reddit #81912849

10FourGudBuddy@reddit

I think he meant to reply to the other guy mentioning his grandfather serving the same campaign as a MOH.
View on Reddit #81916119

Exact-Display5905@reddit

I did miss something. Doh.
View on Reddit #81926092

donveyy@reddit

Your profile pic’s effect is fucking sick
View on Reddit #81889076

t3hwookie90@reddit

That's one hell of a reserve assignment!
View on Reddit #81875698

Zapatos-Grande@reddit

Flew the family of a posthumous MOH recipient into the small town that was naming a VA clinic after him. They got a water cannon salute as we taxied in. It was pretty neat as I was reading a book at the time about the campaign he served in and my grandfather served in the same campaign.
View on Reddit #81871077

LilJimmster@reddit

Got to go glider flying in the swiss alps! That was quite the experience
View on Reddit #81924031

elkab0ng@reddit

Having ATC tell a C5 to hold short for me (in a Cherokee)
View on Reddit #81867776

Whitejesus0420@reddit

Flying into KCHS in my schools 172, ATC had a C-17 hold short for me and on my way out they gave me a traffic warning for an incoming dreamlifter.
View on Reddit #81922603

dromzugg@reddit

I had a 777 hold short for me in a C182. There is a certain amount of power in balance when you pass eye to eye with a 777 pilot who is holding short for you and your still in the descent. Haven't even started to flair.
View on Reddit #81869545

OperationAccurate154@reddit

They’re wishing they were flying a 182 again.
View on Reddit #81869888

hoges@reddit

There is an element of truth to this but also the who airline flying is sooo boring thing is massively overplayed I have just as much fun flying a jet than I did in almost any GA job, it's a different type of fun but it's also a more satisfying type of fun
View on Reddit #81896191

dromzugg@reddit

Not in a 777, but flying for the airlines now. Couldn't agree more.
View on Reddit #81870017

LeopardFew3579@reddit

You get bored ?
View on Reddit #81870089

dromzugg@reddit

I miss having no autopilot and no GPS and just flying planes. Also miss when my average trip leg was about 25 minutes.
View on Reddit #81870698

Mundane-Reality-7770@reddit

Go rent a bugsmasher and make flying fun again
View on Reddit #81872964

dromzugg@reddit

Although I agree with you, I also much prefer when someone is paying me to fly vs me paying. Also kids make it way harder to carve out time for your own hobbies.
View on Reddit #81876088

Mundane-Reality-7770@reddit

Bring em with?
View on Reddit #81878135

aypho@reddit

777 guy here. I would be very jealous that you’re out there enjoying pure aviation while I’m sitting there for the next 8-16 hours with someone I probably have very little in common with outside of work.
View on Reddit #81870369

Verliererkolben@reddit

We did a DME arc approach and there was a C-17 doing touch and goes. When we did our touch and go they were orbiting east of the field while we did our stuff! Sorry tax dollars haha
View on Reddit #81886605

threeleafcloverspy@reddit

I had a 737 cut me (in a 172) at a local airport. I think they were so use to just landing and taxing that they didn’t register the controller telling them to hold short. It was kind of fun listening to the controller berate them while they were taxing by me.
View on Reddit #81883622

T-1A_pilot@reddit

Had the Blue Angels holding short for me. Also, on other occasions, taxied out behind the blues and watched them take off from the hold short line.
View on Reddit #81882259

Bunslow@reddit

A couple months ago an Atlas Dreamlifter had to take a longer approach (they requested a base turn, were denied) because I was flying my two seat trainer across their approach corridor
View on Reddit #81874978

makgross@reddit

I’ve had ATC restrict an A380 below me while flying a 172 through Class B. Passengers loved it.
View on Reddit #81870209

cvanwort89@reddit

Was based at JB Andrews, MD flying the UH-1N with the USAF. One night, DCA was quiet: Me: National, MUSEL (whatever), any chsnce we could join for vectors for the COPTER ILS 1?  Tower: No problem, [vector], contact Potomac.. -- fast forward, get vectored around to final for the ILS 1 -- Tower: American 1234, traffic ahead of you is a Huey established on the ILS, make minimum speed (or whatever phraseology) -- MUSEL XX, make best speed please American behind you, #2. Me: Pushing it up to my paultry 120KT, (I'm givin' it all shes got Capt!) Tower: Yeaaaa MUSEL XX, ill need you to break off the approach at the missed, make left turn Zone 5 Me: Yep, figured! Loved flying around DC at night
View on Reddit #81921931

Hour-Caregiver-335@reddit

Shortly after getting my pilot’s license, my wife and I flew to Put-in-Bay island in Lake Erie for Memorial Day weekend. We stepped off the plane, hopped in a golf cart right on the field, and were on our way— no ferry lines, no schlepping luggage. On the way home, we made a quick detour to North Bass Island, a mostly uninhabited state park that’s not exactly easy to reach without a boat or plane. We stumbled upon a group of ornithologists who had boated over to capture and band birds, and they invited us to watch up close. After that, my wife and I found a quiet spot on the lake for a picnic before flying back to Cleveland. One of the coolest weekends I’ve had.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
View on Reddit #81919850

LRJetCowboy@reddit

I dropped a starter for a fishing boat’s diesel engine from a Super Cub 200 miles offshore.
View on Reddit #81870093

pooserboy@reddit

This sounds like it would be a mission in FSX 😂
View on Reddit #81919529

Exact-Display5905@reddit

Alaska?
View on Reddit #81913093

LRJetCowboy@reddit

No, lower 48.
View on Reddit #81915218

Mizzle6@reddit

HF flour bag in a field was too easy? 😅
View on Reddit #81877111

sgund008@reddit

What
View on Reddit #81871210

Cessnateur@reddit

This is my favorite one.
View on Reddit #81870196

studpilot69@reddit

One time, I flew for 42 hours over a 4-day weekend. It was only 2 flights.
View on Reddit #81918757

SavingsPirate4495@reddit

I was at Continental Express in my “young days”. We were doing an early morning flight up the eastern seaboard…maybe something like RDU-EWR. We were cruising at about FL250…it was clear and smooth. I looked out my window and below us at FL230 was a KC-135 with four F-22’s in tow! They were too close to us for the FO to see them out my window and this was WELL before cell phone cameras. Another was a flight down to Florida…think it was EWR-PBI (no…I was not EWR-based! 😝). Nice clear day…maybe few to scattered. We were approaching JAX and saw the Space Shuttle launch…picked it up probably 10-15 seconds after launch! It was waaaaaaay out there…just a bright glow…but it was HAULING A**!!! 😳 You don’t comprehend the speed on TV…gotta see it in real life! There are many more, but those stand out. 😊😊
View on Reddit #81912505

Thomas-Ligotti97@reddit

Probably when I did first solo. It’s pretty rare for pilots
View on Reddit #81866974

phliar@reddit

I've heard that most pilots have only done it one time!
View on Reddit #81869195

HurlingFruit@reddit

I've done it twice. Once with and engine and once without.
View on Reddit #81909798

JSTootell@reddit

Almost as rare as a discovery flight. 
View on Reddit #81867101

Elvin-Taveras@reddit

got called off reserve to fly an empty airplane just for traffic pattern work for a maintenance flight, never thought ill do that at an Airline.
View on Reddit #81908618

anonymeplatypus@reddit

Land on a gravel runway with a 737 as a jumpseater
View on Reddit #81904224

keenly_disinterested@reddit

I flew into Meigs before it was closed.
View on Reddit #81904148

CavalierRigg@reddit

I’ve flown in 4 states over 20 seconds (Did a modified steep turn over 4-corners monument)
View on Reddit #81867156

Murphysburger@reddit

Me too!
View on Reddit #81903579

EnthusiasmHuman6413@reddit

Well I just hope you entered in the downwind and took the maneuver seriously or whatever /s. That’s awesome.
View on Reddit #81885033

Double-Ad9382@reddit

I’m adding this to my flying bucket list!
View on Reddit #81884929

xplanephil@reddit

haha, same!
View on Reddit #81870833

TheCattyWompus@reddit

Did a weekend trip to an airshow on my time off and the medevac Lear I fly landed there in the middle of the STOL competition (not part of the show, they were on a medevac flight). Hung out with my coworkers while they waited for the med crew to return with the patient and had them haul home some caribou antlers I acquired on that same trip. Made for some fun footage for the holiday party last year with the announcer commentating on their takeoff and the crowd watching.
View on Reddit #81903338

Perfect_Big_5907@reddit

While patrolling near Iceland in the artic circle in a P3 we spotted a blue whale and dropped sonobuoys near it to listen to it's song.
View on Reddit #81903125

vagasportauthority@reddit

Landed at an airport with an actual 50ft obstacle at the end of the runway flying charter into a private airport. Landed at an airport that wasn’t in the GPS database flying for the same charter company.
View on Reddit #81899067

Being_a_Mitch@reddit

Most people are just saying their cool things, but I'll go for actually niche, which I have quite a few of from all my helicopter flying! I think the most niche thing I've done was fly bat researchers in an R-44. They'd go hike in the woods the night before and catch bats with nets, then attach tiny transmitters to them. The next evening, we'd go up in a helicopter and there'd be one guy hanging out the side with a big antenna, and another guy listening with a headset shouting "To the Left/Right/etc". Very fun and weird flying.
View on Reddit #81896853

rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity: --- Edit: These stories are so fun to read, thank you to everyone who commented🙂 --- Please downvote this comment until it collapses. Questions about this comment? [Please see this wiki post before contacting the mods](https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/wiki/index/rflyingtower/). --- I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. If you have any questions, please [contact the mods of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/flying).
View on Reddit #81891409

mctomtom@reddit

Had the blue angels taxiing behind me and hold short behind me while I was in a Cessna 172 at Boeing Field
View on Reddit #81889344

adventuresofh@reddit

Flew as a passenger in a PBY escorting the Philippine Mars down the Oregon coast on her way to Pima. Flew my Stinson up to Victoria to watch the Hawaii Mars be escorted in by the Snowbirds - I will never forget that sound (also got weathered out of my customs airport coming home and had to explain to my boss that my coworker and I would be late to work the next day because we were stuck in another country 😅) I volunteer as a pylon judge at the Air Races and let me tell you, there’s nothing like a P-51 or Dreadnought sailing by at 400+ mph 50’ above your head. Two of my work airplanes have taken Best Military Transport and a Silver Wrench award at Oshkosh Did an air to air photoshoot out of an Albatross with a flight of DC-3s at Oshkosh I volunteer as ground crew (and hopefully soon as a pilot) with a group that gives free rides to veterans in a fleet of Boeing Stearman. I’ve flown all over the PNW and parts of the Midwest in the Stearman and have met some of the most amazing people. In 2021 we gave rides to almost 900 WWII veterans with 5 airplanes over a 2 month period. One of the most memorable flights was taking the guy who gave me my first flying lesson for his last general aviation flight. He had his very first airplane ride in a 1947 Stinson 108 when he was 12. He had his very last airplane ride in my 1947 Stinson 108 in his mid 80s. My dad taught me to fly and in 2021 we flew our Stinson out to Oshkosh for the 100 year anniversary of Stinson Aircraft Company. It was a really special thing to get to do with my dad. Hoping to have the airplane back out there this year for the 80 year celebration for the 108 series 🤞🏻
View on Reddit #81885428

finallygotmeone@reddit

A-10 did a practice run on me off my right wing. 90 degree intercept and dove below me. He was having fun. I was, too, once I figured out I was still alive and not in an active TFR that I just busted into. He pulled along side us, gave us a thumbs up, and then punched it and disappeared. Extreme pucker factor there for a minute, but definitely a unique experience.
View on Reddit #81868721

Double-Ad9382@reddit

I’ve been hoping for something like that since I started flying!
View on Reddit #81885187

DirtyHandsCleanMuny@reddit

Shooting phase 2 fast rope approaches (fly directly at about 2/3rds height of the building, then flare to drop airspeed and climb to your target fast rope point on the roof), to the top of 100 story skyscrapers in LA, dropping pax and nosing it over to fly between the other buildings. All at night. Most fun I've had flying.
View on Reddit #81885016

NeedMEI@reddit

Delivering horse blood via flying dump truck.
View on Reddit #81885005

thingswentsideways@reddit

Flying near Whiteman AFB and talking to the Whiteman approach controller, we were head to head with a B-2 and the controller asked the B-2 to give way to us (in a single engine piston). The controller called our traffic, and we saw him before he turned to give way, but then we lost sight. I told the controller we had lost visual on the B-2, and the controller said “well, it is a *stealth* bomber” ..
View on Reddit #81874496

Murphysburger@reddit

I have flown over Whitman several times. It always weird just being over a few thousand feet up, especially when B-2s are on the ramp.
View on Reddit #81884400

thingswentsideways@reddit

Yeah - I fly regularly through the MOA just south of Whiteman, and it’s a little bit unusual to see a B-2 on the ramp, but pretty common to have one doing airwork in the area.
View on Reddit #81884543

fishmousse@reddit

I flew into Canada from the US without contacting Canadian ATC
View on Reddit #81870995

kivathewolf@reddit

Niagara Falls Vfr corridor?
View on Reddit #81872973

fishmousse@reddit

Some of the airspace above window is controlled by DTW
View on Reddit #81884446

ordo259@reddit

Same of the IFR procedures for border airports cross the border without contacting the other country
View on Reddit #81873506

Murphysburger@reddit

Flown into the big show at Oshkosh more than 25 times.
View on Reddit #81884311

1039198468@reddit

Flying an airshow at Duxford in 2014.....
View on Reddit #81867318

Go_Loud762@reddit

Hey! I flew in an airshow. In Brownsville, TX. In a Tomahawk. Ok, not quite the same.
View on Reddit #81884042

Murphysburger@reddit

The only multi-engine time I have in my logbook is an hour in Fifi, the B-29.
View on Reddit #81883965

poisonandtheremedy@reddit

Couple years ago for my birthday my wife and I landed our Cherokee at Roy’s on Route 66 in Amboy CA. It is an unkept BLM land dirt strip that not a lot of nosewheel pilots go to. In general not a lot of planes land there, one every once in a while. The random tourists passing thru in their cars treated us like celebrities. Cameras everywhere, asking questions, just blown away we landed an airplane at this middle of nowhere Americana relic on Rt 66. So that was fun.
View on Reddit #81883756

SpaceDave83@reddit

I got ten minutes of stick time in a B-17G. It’s not that unique of an experience, EAA used to send Aluminum Overcast all over the US, and members could buy rides for a fairly large sum ($500-ish back in the late 90’s. While in the cockpit, I asked one of the pilots if the plane had a lot of adverse yaw. He said “See for yourself” so I did a bunch of S turns with varying degrees of rudder. Turned out that there was a LOT of adverse yaw. What surprised me was that even without any hydraulics in the controls, the rudders didn’t need much force. Ailerons were very different. Flying a B-17 was quite the upper body workout
View on Reddit #81883737

TxAggieMike@reddit

Flying with YouTuber “JustPlaneSilly” ______ ***A write up from Bryan Turner, January 13, 2014*** Thought I would take a moment to brag on Michael Farlow, aka “Aggie Mike.” I had the privilege of flying with him yesterday. It turned out to be a very interesting flight and I learned quite a bit. I will do my best not to exaggerate so Mike, let me know if this all seems accurate. So there we were in Full IMC. We had just lost the left wing. I screamed "We're gonna die!" Mike rolled his eyes and said "I've got this!" He punched his fist through the window and held his left arm straight out. It took a couple seconds of playing with the angle of incidence but he got his hand angled just right and the plane started to level off. I couldn't believe it. I just looked at him in amazement and said "You know that window opens right?" He just asked if I was going to keep being a little girl. I stopped crying and said, "Ok, I trust you lets finish the flight" He stared ahead and said "Flight? This is nothing. I don't even log a flight unless I take a lightning strike." The winds were out of the north at 120 kts and out of the south at 80 kts. we were flying sideways with the nose pointed straight up between the battling winds. Then it happened. "THUNK!" Bird strike on the right wing. It knocked part of the flap loose and we started pulling to the right. The right flap was partially deployed and causing a lot of drag. I asked Mike "Is this a problem?" He responded "Let me show you a little trick I learned at the culinary academy." He pitched down toward the flock of birds (rare breed that only flies south through freakish storms) "What are you doing?" I screamed. He said "we have two choices. One is a tail-slide into the flock of birds hoping for a strike on the back side of the right wing which will reverse the damage. Or we can do this." We dove into the flock with his left wing er... um arm targeting the flock of birds. I closed my eyes. THUNK! I opened my eyes and saw he had grabbed one of the birds (a large duck) out of the flock. He said this would create an equal amount of drag on the left side so we can press on. We had a couple hours left to fly and doing this would make the trip more fuel efficient. … … It was quiet for awhile. Mike was flying, I was scared. The duck was pi$$ed. I was taking it all in and I just said "You are like the Chuck Norris of flying." Mike said: "Who?" "Nevermind." We had flight following and mike spent most of the flight letting the tower know about traffic advisories. We had the airport in sight and Mike asked for frequency change and the tower kept asking mike to stay on with them. Mike told the tower he couldn't and had the tower squawk VFR. We lined up for the only runway available, 39 and the wind was directly across the runway but it was mountain wave so for most pilots certain death. He lined up, and the plane started to tip right as we slowed down. I said "what is happening?" He said not to worry, that his arm has a lower stall speed then the wing. He added left aileron to create more drag on the right wing. Just then, the left wheel departed the aircraft. He was too focused to care. He talked me through the landing. "Okay, I am over the numbers" "Rounding out" "Just before we touch down, I will release the duck to increase drag on the right wing will allow us to land on the one good gear on the right." We flared, He let go of the duck. It flew off quacking loudly and sadly was immediately struck by lightening and killed. Rolling down the runway holding level with his hand and aileron deflection, slowing down, he kicked the door open and put his left foot down to prevent damage to the belly if the aircraft. I could smell the rubber burning off his shoe as it dragged along the pavement. Then I could hear his foot cutting a ridge in the runway after all of his shoe had burned off. The plane stopped and we taxied to parking. We grabbed lunch and headed back to the airport. The flight back was pretty uneventful. I think we both slept through most of it. At any rate, I thought I would share. _______ Ok, all B.S Aside, I did see the most intense crosswind landing yesterday. I think it was 22 gusting to close to 35 (feel free to correct those numbers mike). Mike will tell you I was pretty contorted, looking for things in the plane to hang onto while he was slipping it in. I was stressing out but he worked hard and did an amazing job of landing that plane without so much as a bump. Very good flight. Great learning experience. Thanks Mike.  
View on Reddit #81873767

gromm93@reddit

What the fuck did I just read?
View on Reddit #81883680

Dependent_Bit7825@reddit

I've spread cremains from a rental 172.
View on Reddit #81883293

Inevitable_Mix_455@reddit

My home airport is the oldest airport in the world.
View on Reddit #81883058

ScaratheBear@reddit

I've been onboard the presidential aircraft of 5 countries. (USA, South Korea, Norway, Netherlands, Poland). Got flown around by John Glenn in the Ford Tri-Motor.
View on Reddit #81882224

rckid13@reddit

Through an aviation group I was invited to a small tech company fly in where I got to meet someone famous enough in computer programming to have his own Wikipedia page. I didn't work for the company but I had aviation connections that got me there.
View on Reddit #81881389

ThatHellacopterGuy@reddit

JATO takeoff and full demonstration flight on *Fat Albert*, on the flight deck, on headset. Many dozens of NVG takeoffs and landings on various Navy ships, both big and small decks. 1hr ride in the B-25 *Pacific Prowler*, just behind the pilots in the radio operator position. Got to crawl through the tunnel in-flight to the bombardier position as well. Had a flight of six F-22s behind my KC-10, over the Nile River. It’s a great picture. Formation flight with another KC-10 over the Northern Territories, with the aurora borealis as the backdrop.
View on Reddit #81879680

Mizzle6@reddit

I was holding short on my first solo (attempt) when tower called and told me to taxi back to the ramp. Another aircraft in the pattern (on a multi-engine checkride!) needed to land with the nose gear up. Wasn’t a terrible omen. Successfully passed my ATP checkride 10 years later with no busts in between. PS the multi applicant passed his checkride.
View on Reddit #81879070

MacAttack0711@reddit

Acting as observer for a B17 checkride, when you get close to stall the buffet on that thing is insane. Steep turns are great too! Flying on a B17 with a WWII B17 veteran onboard was amazing too. Doing aerobatics in an extreme decathlon with a retired F16 pilot. Flying an open cockpit PT19 through the middle of nowhere at low altitude, just navigating by railroads and roads, with some 40s jazz banging in my Bluetooth headset.
View on Reddit #81878867

AccountantNo9690@reddit

4 A10s holding short for me to land doing pattern work in a 172 lol
View on Reddit #81878152

Hemmschwelle@reddit

Flying hand-propped antique taildraggers is legit niche, and lots of fun. The 1941 Taylorcraft B that I learned on started life as a seaplane flying submarine patrol of the coast of MA during WWII. After the war, they put wheels on it. Pilots were little back then. I was able to read the entire 4 page POH in five minutes.
View on Reddit #81878094

JerrytheK@reddit

P51 private air-show back seat ride and Pitts ride in Boulder, CO for my birthday. DEN - IAD runway to runway in sub two hours in a 727
View on Reddit #81877743

JJohnston015@reddit

I was in the air between Bakersfield and Palo Alto on August 10, 1996, when the worst power outage in history hit the west coast. Utter blackness from Tijuana to British Columbia. I was monitoring Bay approach and was hearing talk like it was dark, but I still had no idea how total it was. I came into the bay area from the south, under the class B, as usual, and everything was as dark as the water usually was at night. Luckily, people still drive during a power outage, and I could see and follow the highways around to the west, as usual, so it wasn't super difficult. The runway edge lights were on battery backup, but they were dim, and so was the landing light, so I was extra focused, and I made one of the best landings I ever made.
View on Reddit #81876683

anon__a__mouse__@reddit

About 20 years ago, I worked as baggage handler for an airline that got new 777’s. Managed to score the jump seat when they flew one empty into a nearby airshow for static display. When we arrived, our parking spot wasn’t ready so we shut down and captain opened the overwing exit and 4 of us onboard walked out to take photos on the wing.
View on Reddit #81876363

Independent_Nose_949@reddit

Flying in 25 countries or so before even having an atp
View on Reddit #81876304

CapeGreg767@reddit

As a young KC-135 copilot my aircraft commander requested a flyby of the USS Saratoga down near Puerto Rico in late 1991. Flew past so low we were looking up at the deck. Unfortunately the Captain of the Saratoga called back to thank our squadron commander for the awesome flyby and got busted for doing something we weren't supposed to be doing! Got a great story out of it and an ass chewing!
View on Reddit #81875967

Fly_U2_the_sunset@reddit

Sitting in the cockpit of a Mk IX, 2 seat, 6 blade, Merlin Rolls Royce 12 cylinder supercharged aircraft, while it was still in a wooden shipping crate from Bombay India… And there was another one in a box behind the one I was in. Somewhere in KS. 70’s. Still remember the smell of aviation. The wings and other such appendages were in a third wooden shipping. Crate.
View on Reddit #81875875

Granite_burner@reddit

Shared the pattern with a bald eagle.
View on Reddit #81875846

makgross@reddit

I’ve been a practice intercept target. Very impressive watching an F15 slow down to 70 knots. Yes, they can do it.
View on Reddit #81870404

Bunslow@reddit

> Very impressive watching an F15 slow down to 70 knots. Yes, they can do it. Okay that's wild, what the heck is their normal takeoff speed??
View on Reddit #81875224

makgross@reddit

Don’t know, but it’s likely faster than that. Given enough thrust, you can fly a brick.
View on Reddit #81875466

Mother-General-2177@reddit

Spun twice on discovery flight, the second of which I recovered from.
View on Reddit #81875237

RogLatimer118@reddit

Dozing at an aisle seat in a 747 in flight, with my arm hanging in the aisle and felt something wake me up. Black cat strolling by had brushed my hand.
View on Reddit #81874808

helno@reddit

I completed an FAI Silver badge last year. Its basically baby's first cross country flight in a glider. But apparently I was one of eleven people in Canada to do that last year.
View on Reddit #81874806

mrinformal@reddit

Departed an airbase in a Black Hawk and had a U2 flying a few hundred feet over me, visible through the skylight. Dropped pax at the E4B. Landed at and entered Raven Rock. Had F15s doing circles around our flight when we had Patraeus on board.
View on Reddit #81874783

huertamatt@reddit

Flew as an FO, with my dad as the captain on about 10 trips, including his retirement flight.
View on Reddit #81874253

CorporalCrash@reddit

Seeing a glider in the circuit at the same time as an F-18
View on Reddit #81874244

TxAggieMike@reddit

Sharing the pattern at KAFW with a B-25, Pacific Prowler
View on Reddit #81873601

Raulboy@reddit

Flying the AH-64D in Afghanistan, my PC selected and fired high explosive rockets instead of illumination rockets during a joint SF air assault and we spent the rest of our station time trying to find where they hit instead of supporting the mission.
View on Reddit #81873533

AshleySchaeffer-BMW@reddit

Got to fly a civilian helicopter (Schweizer 300C) directly over the field and F-14 flight line at Oceana NAS in Virginia in 2002. t was the 4th of July and the airfield was closed so Oceana Approach vectored us directly over the field. We had a scheduled balloon drop nearby for a 4th of July event and had permission to be in the airspace. Cue Fortunate Son!
View on Reddit #81873531

CryOfTheWind@reddit

You're gonna have to elaborate a bit on what you mean. I guess landing in a swamp next to my sling load of pipeline lubricant that turned out to be leaking and struggling to get the barrels out of my net so I could leave before my skids sank so low into the swamp that my tail rotor would touch the muck. Seems pretty niche experince.
View on Reddit #81867136

GreenMonster34@reddit

Anyone looking looking for niche aviation stories should check out this guy's profile. He's done multiple long write-ups about his experiences flying helis. Solid dude and great pilot. Good to see you again, CotW!
View on Reddit #81873162

CryOfTheWind@reddit

Thanks, likewise! I have been slacking on writing. Meant to have another one out last December but keep getting distracted.
View on Reddit #81873277

CryOfTheWind@reddit

Oh another good niche one I remembered. Chasing young male black bears away from fire fighters on a very active wildfire. These little idiots must have been only recently separated from momma bear and like many young males of all species hadn't figured out the world yet and thought they were tough shit. Most black bears want little to do with humans. They are the bear that you make yourself look big and talk to calmly to convince them to go away. Normally they run off pretty quick. Not these two. They really wanted to play with the fire fighters and would not take the hint to leave. So I got called in to give a little more "incentive" to bugger off. Great fun doing some low passes and then after that didn't work I got right down low into the clearing and basically had a stand off with them. When I charged them they gave up and ran. Still came back a bit later and I didn't play around that time and immediately went low and aggressive at them. Seemed to work after that and we never saw them again. My wife always says it's not fair how my work stories go. "What did you do today honey?". "Oh nothing much, put some water on a fire and then chased some bears for a bit. Dinner was cold when I landed though so it was only an ok day."
View on Reddit #81871316

danielfisher92@reddit

I gave a flying lesson to the former president of Georgia (the country, not the state)
View on Reddit #81873191

DatabaseGangsta@reddit

I’m just a lowly CFII, who’s only been flying for 2 years, but I’ve flown around Devils Tower - that was fun. Flying the ILS 14 at KGLS, over Lake Pontchartrain, and over the beach near Pensacola were all cool too. I also had a 737 hold short for me to land at KICT on my way to my CFI ride.
View on Reddit #81872972

Any-Rhubarb2703@reddit

Flown a couple million in cash over jungles in Indonesia.
View on Reddit #81871268

LemonAny6444@reddit (OP)

I need more details
View on Reddit #81872352

Flat-Row7968@reddit

Landing while all 6 thunderbirds are holding short for me staring me down 😕 No pressure
View on Reddit #81872283

Outrageous-Many-2928@reddit

Diamond Badge 971 in soaring. Held four Indiana state records in soaring at one time. Am part of the state record in Kentucky the largest skydiving formation. Aviation has been good to me!
View on Reddit #81871582

ChopAndDrop27@reddit

Beale Approach instructed me to maintain 3,000’ or higher as there was a SR-71 in the pattern. We could see him shooting T&G’s as we flew by. This was in the 1980’s. Flew over the Golden Gate in a P-51.
View on Reddit #81871458

zk-cessnaguy@reddit

Flew with a helicopter deer recovery pilot. Spotting and following deer down the side of a mountain.
View on Reddit #81871413

aypho@reddit

-Flown a single engine airplane over open water to an island in the Bering Sea. -Have landed on the calendar day before when I took off (HNL-GUM)
View on Reddit #81870573

Cessnateur@reddit

> -Have landed on the calendar day before when I took off Do that often enough, and you'll have a negative-time engine that will never reach TBO!
View on Reddit #81870918

Suspicious_Clock2311@reddit

I've ridden jump seat in a aerial fighter doing training drops, Flown into and departed ATL in a single engine piston Flown the warbird arrival into Oshkosh. Idk how niche any of that is, but those are probably the most notable experiences I have
View on Reddit #81870693

No_Tailor_787@reddit

Number 3 in the pattern behind a pair of C-141s at an uncontrolled field. Flying south adjacent to an Air Force base, two F4's flying closed traffic dropped flaps and gear to slowly pass me from about a quarter mile to my left as I passed parallel to their runway. I was in contact with the tower, of course, and they called out "Traffic at your 7 o'clock, two F4s will be passing on your left." Got visited by DEA when a friend and I landed on a dry lake in the desert for a picnic with our girlfriends. They came by helicopter, chatted for a few minutes and decided that we weren't up to the sort of no-good that they're interested in.
View on Reddit #81870561

Novel-Transition2030@reddit

Visiting Hiroshima, Japan. Then, three months later riding as an observer in the flight deck of a Boeing B-29. Sobering experience to see history from two vantage points.
View on Reddit #81869777

FridayMcNight@reddit

I have a friend with a helo. LA by helicopter is pretty cool. Got a selfie in front of the Hollywood sign.
View on Reddit #81869517

AtariFerrariNH@reddit

Flew in an AN-2 over Berlin Germany Flew in a DHC-7 from JFK to BOS Flew in a Do228 a few times Drove the airstairs up to AF1 so George W Bush could disembark from the VC-25 Flew various celebrities over the years.
View on Reddit #81869416

Baguhdoughnuts@reddit

2 1/2 hour LAPD helicopter ride along
View on Reddit #81869348

Powerful_Beat2116@reddit

I just flew on the right seat of an Eclipse 500… Felt almost like my former PA-28 😂
View on Reddit #81869105

freedomflyer12@reddit

Flying GA out of a military airfield Flying over DC in GA
View on Reddit #81868929

Powerful_Fan1516@reddit

Got to take part of an international air show in Slovakia. We were parked next to a B-52. The local air force gave us tours of their MiG-29’s. Pretty neat.
View on Reddit #81868475

x4457@reddit

Most of mine are formation related. Did one of the first air to air shoots with the Blue Angels when they transitioned to the Rhino. Did some of the photo work for the last ever flight of the Philippine Mars. Did a shoot with the entire Blue Angels delta + 2 others. Did an air to air shoot in a Sovereign with a T6 as the photo ship. Can't imagine that combo has ever been done before.
View on Reddit #81868143

IceBlock12@reddit

Went on a medical mission trip as a volunteer pilot in Africa!
View on Reddit #81868002

EliteEthos@reddit

I fly a 150…
View on Reddit #81867955

PMMEYOURQUAKERPARROT@reddit

[I flew through the 2024 solar eclipse in a paramotor at 9k feet](https://youtu.be/tWSbW5VwjCw) I had the thought that everyone was going to be looking up, so I didn't need to worry about getting a photo; there would be plenty. I figured very few would be looking down, so I did that instead.
View on Reddit #81867767

Ornery-Ad-2248@reddit

The gateway shuffle at IWA
View on Reddit #81867555

CorporalCrash@reddit

What do you mean?
View on Reddit #81866957

LemonAny6444@reddit (OP)

Unique experience
View on Reddit #81867008