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Thoughts on the T-34
- Thread starter Longhorn
- Start date
Harrier Dude
Living the dream
Judging from his username, he must be talking about sheep (just like OUSooner.......coincidence??).
Seriously though, I'm 6'4" and the T-34 felt "small" but not too bad. You only fly it for a little while (if at all) so it's no big deal.
Not nearly as bad as the Lanceair I flew in this weekend. I had to take off my shoes and tilt my head to the left just to close the canopy.
I come from an instructor point of view. The T-34C is like a go-cart, nimble, can pretty much point it in any direction and go. Easy to fly, very basic. The bad IMO, it's slow (not bad from a stud perspective, I just get bored quickly); canopy's are crap, specifically at night, the front cockpit is cramped (I'm 6'); the seats are shit (half the time, won't move up but certainly will fall down); the fact that I have to look around the student to watch him land is insane. Time to move on to something new. I'm sure the Yellow Pearl was a great airplane in its time but at some point, have to move on with the new.
Bad news...T-6 has the same problem. You don't sit high enough to see much over the front seat, so IP's land with a combination of leaning over to the left with a sprinkle of black magic IP voodoo.
Most of the important stuff has already been said, just one other quick thing from a formers stud perspective.
I didn't appreciate it at the time, but in retrospect, especially as a Maritime draftee, the Tormentor was cool because you legitimately put on the airplane, vice just sitting in it. Sometimes later in the syllabus I would catch myself straining against the harness trying to "body english" the airplane through a barrell roll or short break. Lots of fun.
<<Dons flamesuit for impending TACAIR weps release...
>>
I didn't appreciate it at the time, but in retrospect, especially as a Maritime draftee, the Tormentor was cool because you legitimately put on the airplane, vice just sitting in it. Sometimes later in the syllabus I would catch myself straining against the harness trying to "body english" the airplane through a barrell roll or short break. Lots of fun.
<<Dons flamesuit for impending TACAIR weps release...
>>
Not what I hear from those who fly the T-6. The simple fact that it's more than the T-34C is good enough for me.
It's not cramped like the -34, but there's definitely still a studs head right in front of you, and the blind spot from the long nose is even worse from the back. Also, at night the glare on the canopy in the backseat is pretty blinding.
the plane is still a hummingbird's wet dream though.
the plane is still a hummingbird's wet dream though.
T-34 is an awesome airplane, I don't care what any T-6 studs out there say about it 
Like Bunk22 said, from a stud's perspective (mine vice his) it is pretty quick, has more than enough power to do what you want to do, and is simple enough in operation to help you get the basics down. I love the stick, so much better than a yoke, and you can't argue w/ the smell of jet exhaust as you are taxiing around on the ramp or waving off
Like Bunk22 said, from a stud's perspective (mine vice his) it is pretty quick, has more than enough power to do what you want to do, and is simple enough in operation to help you get the basics down. I love the stick, so much better than a yoke, and you can't argue w/ the smell of jet exhaust as you are taxiing around on the ramp or waving off
IP's feel the same? The guys I know only spend a few flights in the back. Believe me, any step up from the T-34 is a good one. What glare would there be at night? Kind of like when I see a studs cockpit instruments on full blast at night? The glare is pretty bad back there as well.
That makes me think, the other day we were talking about how good a deal an IP tour w/ VT-4 or VT-10 would probably be, now that they are flying the T-6. Anyone on here care to comment? It seems like it would be obviously mostly front seat time (save the couple fam flights the FO studs do up front), and of course I would imagine the T-6 is definitely a go-getter as far as training aircraft go, and the x-countries would be fun. Not to mention anything has to be a step up from the seats in the T-34
Is being an IP for SNFOs seen as a bad thing, or is it viewed in the same light as being a Primary IP?
I enjoyed the hell outta flying it. The plane isn't the Corvette of the sky but it's pretty capable and a lot more capable than I think most studs realize and are able to put the plane through. It's a shame we don't do more aerobatics in it.
My only beef is like what's been said. I'm 6'3" so my knees were only an inch or two from the panel. That said, I stayed fairly comfortable in it, even on the 2.5-3.0 cross country legs I had.
My only beef is like what's been said. I'm 6'3" so my knees were only an inch or two from the panel. That said, I stayed fairly comfortable in it, even on the 2.5-3.0 cross country legs I had.