56
votes
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Who has final authority over Air Force One?
The pilot in command has final authority over Air Force One
Air Force Instruction 11-202, Volume 3 says the following in Chapter 1, part 1.1.1 (as in, the very first thing in the document):
1.1.1. ...
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55
votes
Accepted
Why do Air Force planes regularly fly in circles?
Generally speaking, Air Force (and military in general), aircraft will "orbit" (fly in circles around a given point) when the mission calls for them to be "on station" (nearby and ...
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48
votes
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What is this on top of the Air Force One?
The aircraft is the Boeing E-4B Advanced Airborne Command Post 'Nightwatch', which serves as the survivable mobile command post for the US National Command Authority. The aircraft are based on the ...
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46
votes
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On the F15-E, can the WSO take over if the pilot is incapacitated?
Short answer, yes. However, it is important to note that the WSO is not a pilot. The WSO is trained to operate the weapons systems, not fly the aircraft, but does have basic flight controls ...
- 576
40
votes
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What is this old US Air Force plane?
Based on the unique 6x pusher-prop configuration, this looks like a derivative of the Convair B-36 Peacemaker. Looking up the Wikipedia article for the B-36 and scrolling down to the variants section, ...
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40
votes
Does the Air Force (United States) help design their own planes?
While the Air Force (or other military unit) does not design their own jets, they do release specifications and have contests (e.g. the ATF that selected the F-22). This is basically the way it works (...
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30
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On the F15-E, can the WSO take over if the pilot is incapacitated?
Yes. They can fly the aircraft if required. The F-15E is developed from F-15D , which is used for aircrew training, with the instructing pilot in the rear seat.
There is atleast one documented case ...
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30
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Has this USAF flight violated russian airspace?
Given the scale, that is far outside the 12 mile limit.
What mission? RC-135W Rivet Joint is for monitoring electronic traffic.
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104608/rc-135vw-...
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30
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Has this USAF flight violated russian airspace?
Are you possibly thinking that the landmass that the aircraft is flying over is Russian territory? It is actually flying over Norway. In the image below I colored in green the border between Russia ...
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27
votes
Can you identify this airplane?
It's most likely a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. It was a strategic bomber used by the US in the Pacific theater of World War II. The lower row of four windows and then another further aft matches ...
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27
votes
Why do Air Force planes regularly fly in circles?
That is a tanker. Flying gas station. It will orbit for several hours, specified time and track. Various other aircraft (fighters, AWACS, JSTARS) will come up and refuel as needed.
While you see the ...
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25
votes
Accepted
Why is a Lockheed MC-130J Commando II creating such a loud droning sound?
There are two factors reducing the volume of a sound when travelling through the air:
The pressure wave expands as the surface of a sphere, which will reduce pressure as a function of distance $r$:
$...
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24
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Where does Air Force One refuel?
I can't confirm whether either VC-25 has refueled in flight while acting as AF1 but the aircraft is so equipped for the job.
I do know refueling on the ground depends on where the jet is and the ...
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22
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What is this USAF transport aircraft from possibly the 50-60s?
It is indeed a C-130A. The large tail numbers indicate it's from the late 50's or early 60's. In the late 60's, the USAF went with smaller numbers forward of the passenger door. Here's a similar a/c ...
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21
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On the F15-E, can the WSO take over if the pilot is incapacitated?
The WSO can do everything from the back seat, but there is one thing he cannot do. He can lower the landing gear, but he cannot raise it.
As far as ejecting, the WSO has the option of ejecting ...
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19
votes
Does the Air Force (United States) help design their own planes?
The answer to your question largely depends on your definition of "design", as well as the specifics of the procurement program.
In general, the Department of Defense (DOD) does not have ...
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17
votes
Could the V-22 Osprey be used as a close air support platform?
Can it be? Sure.
Let's take a look at what it would be replacing.
The A-10 was designed from the ground up to be a platform for moving the GAU-8 into range of the target.
It has good low speed ...
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17
votes
Accepted
What is the maximum height of USAF fighter pilot?
To become an Air Force pilot, you have to be a commissioned officer, there are few ways you can do that. First you can go through the Air Force Academy, which is probably the most common. Another way ...
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17
votes
Why would the USAF have no support for autolanding?
I was a Flight Test Engineer on DC-10-10 Ship 2 which was the Avionics Test airplane during initial certification. The DC-10 airplane was certified to CAT III Approach and Landing. The KC-10A was ...
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17
votes
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How do fighter jets pre-flight so quickly?
(Source - My many years on fighter jet flightlines. F-111E, F-106, F-15, F-16)
Peacetime alert
The designated jets are fully preflighted. Munitions fully loaded. INS aligned, IFF code laid in, most ...
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15
votes
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Why was the F-117 retired so quickly?
Several reasons can be found for its early retirement:
the aircraft was instantly obsolete after one was shot down over Yugoslavia by a 30 year old SAM system
Maintenance was pretty expensive and ...
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15
votes
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Aside from simulated dogfights, do F-22 Raptors actively participate in live fire/target practice using live munitions?
Plenty of times. There are multiple missile shoots annually out of Tyndall Air Force Base, where F-22s or other active duty and reserve Air Force units fire live ammunition at target drones over the ...
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14
votes
What is this on top of the Air Force One?
That is not simply an E4, but a "B" variant.
The hump houses a SHF antenna. (Source)
December 1979 a fourth aircraft (75-0125) was added. This aircraft was fitted with the distinctive “Hump” on the ...
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14
votes
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What are the white tubes underneath the Canopy of the F-22 Raptor?
Those are Cartridge Actuation Devices (CADs) - pyrotechnic charges used during canopy separation for canopy jettison or ejection. Note the nozzles at the outboard ends and the ignition wires inboard.
...
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13
votes
Accepted
Has the United States Air Force used Contra-rotating Propeller Aircraft?
In short, the US didn't need one.
The main reason for the development of Tu-95 was the rather unique situation existing after WWII, when the Soviet Union needed a heavy bomber to carry the (then ...
- 100k
13
votes
Accepted
How did this air force plane likely get into the eye of Hurricane Florence?
They fly straight through, as part of their mission to collect meteorological data about the storm, used for forecasting (NOAA's G-IV fleet flies the periphery of storms to collect data used to help ...
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12
votes
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Does a pilot of Air Force One receive any special privileges?
First off the pilot of Air Force One may or may not not be a commercial pilot (in the FAA sense) on account of the plane is operated by the military. For example the previous pilot of AFO Colonel Mark ...
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12
votes
Identify an USAF transport aircraft in Greenland around 1960
That is the Douglas DC-6 / C-118/R6D Liftmaster.
This specific plane was built in June 1947 with modifications for presidential use. It is well known for flying US President Truman. It was the first ...
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