Civilian Owned TA-4

[JollyGood]

Found this great mini documentary on the only civilian owned TA-4 in the world.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=701687399851478

The video includes footage of it flying out of KSNA (my home airport) which surprised me due to all the noise abatement for the departure from Runway 19.

Also, I think it is for sale (this might have been posted before): http://www.courtesyaircraft.com/Current Inventory/N518TA 1972 McDonnell Douglas TA-4 Skyhawk.htm

Any takers? It has just been reduced to the low low price of $US 3.5 mil!

 

[ssnspoon]

Not sure who flies that one still (maybe still the owner form the video), but one of the local guys in my EAA chapter flies one(single seat).

 

[BusyBee604]

The video includes footage of it flying out of KSNA (my home airport) which surprised me due to all the noise abatement for the departure from Runway 19.

Wow, wonder if they short load fuel for takeoff, as KSNA Runway 19 is the longest at 57oo ft. Would make for a hairy takeoff abort, or heavy weight landing without short or long field arresting gear. Back in the day, Navy A-4 NATOPS minimum runway length was 8,oo0 ft. for normal ops. Very conservative, may have changed later.
BzB

 

[MAKE VAPES]

No kidding... I made the mistake of taking a TA-4J with almost 20K of fuel off of runway 28 at KNMM (6400ft) on my first solo... the trees seemed VERY, VERY close to the wheels as they came up... live and learn... doh!

 

[nittany03]

Not too familiar, but it looks like they pulled the ejection seats as well. That in itself would change the whole calculus of the takeoff/abort scenario big time.

 

[BusyBee604]

No kidding... I made the mistake of taking a TA-4J with almost 20K of fuel off of runway 28 at KNMM (6400ft) on my first solo... the trees seemed VERY, VERY close to the wheels as they came up... live and learn... doh!

Did you mean A/C total gross weight 20K? TA-4J max fuel carriage internal = 8400#; 3 x 300 gal. drops = 6000#, for total fuel 14600#.

Not too familiar, but it looks like they pulled the ejection seats as well. That in itself would change the whole calculus of the takeoff/abort scenario big time.

I guess I'm a pussy, but 3 Marines couldn't get me into that Scooter w/o ejection seats. Changes MY calculus fer shure!
BzB

 

[zipmartin]

Not too familiar, but it looks like they pulled the ejection seats as well. That in itself would change the whole calculus of the takeoff/abort scenario big time.

Seats look like they're still there to me. But I only had 3000+ hours sitting in them....and it was a long time ago....so maybe my butt just doesn't remember. And I'm with BusyBee on this. Don't think I'd go without. And my landings even equal my TO's. So, unlike BusyBee, I never had the opportunity to try out the capabilities of the ESCAPAC seat.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Did you mean A/C total gross weight 20K? TA-4J max fuel carriage internal = 8400#; 3 x 300 gal. drops = 6000#, for total fuel 14600#.

I guess I'm a pussy, but 3 Marines couldn't get me into that Scooter w/o ejection seats. Changes MY calculus fer shure!
BzB

Was wondering the same. I remember the old guys in the sim building at Meridian (probably BZB's studs going through VA-122 ) complaining about how the Navy took away all our gas in the T-45, but I didn't imagine the difference was that staggering! (for reference the -45 had like a 3.0 of gas)

 

[nittany03]

Seats look like they're still there to me. But I only had 3000+ hours sitting in them....and it was a long time ago....so maybe my butt just doesn't remember. And I'm with BusyBee on this. Don't think I'd go without. And my landings even equal my TO's. So, unlike BusyBee, I never had the opportunity to try out the capabilities of the ESCAPAC seat.

Ah, ok. The headboxes looked odd, so I thought perhaps they put some seats in that didn't go "boom" to save $$$. Maybe I expected 'em to look more NACES/GRUEA-7ish.

Edit: sales website shows a yellow handle. You live, you learn.

 

[wink]

Wow, wonder if they short load fuel for takeoff, as KSNA Runway 19 is the longest at 57oo ft....
BzB

Why not? He just hits the civilian KA-6 mission tanker holding over SLI.

 

[brownshoe]

No kidding... I made the mistake of taking a TA-4J with almost 20K of fuel off of runway 28 at KNMM (6400ft) on my first solo... the trees seemed VERY, VERY close to the wheels as they came up... live and learn... doh!

Huh? I'da' hated to have been working the pits that day when you came for fuel.
(Lemme see that clipboard again.)


(Zip... any action yet?)

 

[MAKE VAPES]

Did you mean A/C total gross weight 20K? TA-4J max fuel carriage internal = 8400#; 3 x 300 gal. drops = 6000#, for total fuel 14600#.

I guess I'm a pussy, but 3 Marines couldn't get me into that Scooter w/o ejection seats. Changes MY calculus fer shure!
BzB

Yeah, that. 20K jet... getting my Tomcat numbers mixed up with my Scooter numbers! I never thought it would happen, guess I'm getting old too. A beer on me if we meet for the correction. Thanks!

 

[BusyBee604]

I never thought it would happen, guess I'm getting old too. A beer on me if we meet for the correction. Thanks!

Vapes, I'd be honored! BusyBee Jr. (AW maxsonic) & I, will be 'day-tripping' to NAF El Centro on Saturday, 15 March to take in the Blue Angels annual final practice, prior to departing for home at Sherman Field, and start of the 2014 show season. Open to active/retired military only, Any southwest area AWs for a meet 'n' greet muster? Show time TBA.
BzB