I never knew....

[Fezz CB]

...that the T-Birds wore G-suits. How UGLY is that?! I was told the Blues don't wear the G-suit for the public image. It makes them look more "hardcore." Can someone verify this so I dont look like an a$$?



vs.

 

[HighDimension]

...that the T-Birds wore G-suits. How UGLY is that?! I was told the Blues don't wear the G-suit for the public image. It makes them look more "hardcore." Can someone verify this so I dont look like an a$$?

I thought it was because the inflation of the G-Suit would move the stick slightly and make their formation flight unsafe.

 

[MasterBates]

And in the F16, with the sidestick, inflating G-suits will not move your stick hand.

 

[TheBubba]

Blues don't wear G-Suits b/c the inflating/deflating would cause issues with control inputs.

From what I understand, the position of the stick on the -16 negates that issue.

*edit* MB & HD beat me to it... 3 in agreement... is this a first?

 

[IAV8]

roger that... i've been watching the military channel for the past 2 days and they had some pretty awesome programs on the blues. something about the spring in the stick makes it extremely sensative to the gsuites.

 

[Brett327]

You'd think the T-birds could find some cash to at least get appropriately colored G-suits though. That does look like crap.

Brett

 

[Gatordev]

You'd think the T-birds could find some cash to at least get appropriately colored G-suits though. That does look like crap.

Brett

Their money is ear-marked to fix the smashed up jets they keep breaking.

 

[gregsivers]

You'd think the T-birds could find some cash to at least get appropriately colored G-suits though. That does look like crap.

Brett

Especially since they think $25 million for a music/video system for the airshows is necessary.

 

[Lonestar155]

Just curious to know, would many of you prefer the stick of the f-16 configuration or most traditional navy fighter sticks? It seems harder to pull back on the stick with the -16 configuration because you are losing leverage especially in high G turns. I may be totally wrong.

 

[Gatordev]

Just curious to know, would many of you prefer the stick of the f-16 configuration or most traditional navy fighter sticks? It seems harder to pull back on the stick with the -16 configuration because you are losing leverage especially in high G turns. I may be totally wrong.

Something to keep in mind is that the stick barely moves. They had to make the stick artifically move when they first built the jet because the pilots complained about overcontrolling the airplane.

 

[MasterBates]

Stick in an F-16 is not actually connected to anything other than the computer and feedback system. I don't think leverage would be a real issue like it would be with a straight up mechanical flight control system (T-34, 57 with HYD OFF, etc)

 

[squeeze]

Just curious to know, would many of you prefer the stick of the f-16 configuration or most traditional navy fighter sticks? It seems harder to pull back on the stick with the -16 configuration because you are losing leverage especially in high G turns. I may be totally wrong.

The F-16 is fly-by-wire. Any feel in the stick is artificial to begin with, so it can be programmed to be as little or as much as the designers feel like. If memory serves, the stick barely moves at all even with full deflection. More of a pressure-sensing stick or somesuch.

 

[Lonestar155]

Honestly I am shocked I did not know that! I should have known this

 

[DanMa1156]

Something to keep in mind is that the stick barely moves. They had to make the stick artifically move when they first built the jet because the pilots complained about overcontrolling the airplane.

A CDR I know, a former Hornet driver who got a couple chances to fly F-16's (missions delivering them to Israel) had a hard time landing them the first couple times because the stick input was so minimal compared to that of an -18. His first couple times the real -16 pilot had to take the stick.

 

[A4sForever]

The F-16 is fly-by-wire. Any feel in the stick is artificial .....

True story ... and the early Lawn Darts (I understand the subsequent mods corrected the software) were a "special favorite" of mine to ACM against --- Nellis, Luke, Tyndall, Red Flag .... as they failed to "respect" the A-4 (old design, stupid Navy Reserve pilots, subsonic, etc.,etc. ) and they would invariably get into a slow speed horizontal -- or rolling --- sicissors with us .... and we could fly slower ... better.

"... Tracking ... tracking .... tracking .... GUNS KILL!!! Bye, bye ... F-16 !!!! "

It made for GREAT debriefs and even better times @ the O' Club bar afterwards ....