First Canadian Commander Heads for ISS

Although this site is mainly concerned with aircraft and aviation, space activities are sometimes brought into the spotlight.  Today, at 0712 EST, a multinational crew of astronauts departed Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan atop a Russian Soyuz FG rocket.  The crew – Roman Romanenko (Russia), Chris Hadfield (Canada) and Tom Marshburn (USA) – are headed to the International Space Station where a crew of three is currently at work.

The lone Canadian, Colonel (Ret’d) Chris Hadfield, former Canadian Forces fighter pilot and test pilot, is on his third excursion in space.  He flew on two NASA space shuttles – Atlantis in 1995 and Endeavour in 2001 – and in March 2013 is slated to become the first Canadian to command the ISS.

While this is a story in itself, it also provides an excuse to post a couple of relevant images since Col. Hadfield has been active over the past several years on the warbird circuit.  Indeed, he has logged considerable time at the controls of the Canadair Sabre Mk. 5 operated by Vintage Wings of Canada at air shows across the nation.

For an official NASA bio, click here: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/hadfield.html

(above)  Colonel (Ret’d) Chris Hadfield – among many things a former CF-18 driver and graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School – makes a point concerning the joy, and privilege, of flying the F-86 Sabre at a media session prior to the 2009 Canadian International Air Show.

(above)  Col. Hadfield, having rolled the canopy back, brings Vintage Wings of Canada's Golden Hawks Sabre Mk. 5 C-GSBR in for a landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport on a hot and hazy morning before the air show.  The gold and red paint scheme was worn by the pre-eminent Royal Canadian Air Force aerobatic team of the 1950s and 1960s and remains spectacular even today.  Lasting only from 1959 to 1964, The Golden Hawks was the last official aerobatic team in Canada to fly frontline fighters.

The Last of the Legacy Airline Mergers?

Two weeks ago American Airlines and US Airways entered into discussions revolving around a potential merger of the two big carriers.  American is the last of the ‘legacy’ airlines to pursue such talks in the most recent era (2001-present) of major airline consolidation in the United States.

Indeed, it was American Airlines that started it all with the acquisition of Trans World Airlines in 2001.  Since then, America West Airlines bought US Airways (2005), Delta Air Lines merged with Northwest Airlines (2008) and Continental Airlines merged with United Airlines (2010).  The younger Republic Airways purchased Shuttle America (2005) as well as Midwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines (2009) and Southwest Airlines acquired AirTran (2010).

An American Airlines-US Airways combination would have an extensive domestic and international route network.  While justification for a merger can be found in the argument that the two carriers will be able to compete more effectively with the other mega-carriers if combined, aircraft photographers and aviation enthusiasts will, no doubt, lament the disappearance of yet another airline livery from the skies.

If the two airlines combine, the resulting fleet and any rationalization would be interesting indeed.  The Boeing 737 will eventually dominate American’s fleet while US Airways, which also flies older versions of the 737, operates mostly Airbus products.

Don’t expect to hear much in the near future since the agreement to discuss apparently includes a non-disclosure clause.

(above) US Airways A319-132 N839AW, itself formerly flown by America West, was caught landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in June 2008.  Initial reports have it that current US Airways aircraft will be painted in American Airlines markings if the two airlines are combined.

Sign of the Times

Well, the Canadian International Air Show wrapped up on Monday and some things were noted.  First, the hole left by the elimination of the USAF’s Air Combat Command demonstration teams is noticeable and did not go unreported by media organizations in the Toronto area.  The scheduling of two F-16s to put in an appearance definitely offset the loss but in the end they didn’t materialize and the only ‘afterburner’ effect was provided by the Canadian Forces CF-18 Demonstration Team.  Although aviation enthusiasts and those who like to watch current frontline combat aircraft in their element were somewhat disappointed, there was probably some satisfaction among the very few left wing (socialist), anti-military, anti-American, pro-Occupy Movement types who every year seem intent on pushing for an end to the CIAS which been associated with the Canadian National Exhibition since 1949.

Of special significance was the sharing of acts between the CIAS and the Cleveland National Air Show in Ohio.  Will this be commonplace between geographically close venues in the future as military assets dwindle?

A few images from the 2012 Canadian International Air Show are presented here.

As usual, special thanks go to Ms. Colleen Swider, Manager of Public Affairs and Media Relations, CIAS and all of the media escorts for putting up with us and accommodating our requests.

(above) New to the CIAS this year was a unique duo from California.  Melissa and Rex Pemberton, she in her Edge 540 and he in a wing suit, carry out an interactive display of free-fall parachuting followed by an aerobatic display.  Melissa’s Edge 540, N540SG, was caught as the sun was rising at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

(above) This year was truly ‘The Year of the Harvard’ with no less than seven aircraft in attendance.  Four, including Harvard Mk. II C-FRWN seen here at Billy Bishop Airport with the landmark CN Tower beyond, were from the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association at Tillsonburg, Ontario.  The other three Harvards were flown by the associated Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team.

(above) ‘The Year of the Harvard’ continues with this Beechcraft T-6C.  Although it is known as the T-6 Texan II in the US Air Force, the type is flown by the Canadian Forces as the CT-156 Harvard II so it fits the theme.  This example, N3000B, is used by Beechcraft as a demonstrator during marketing tours around the world.

(above) New to the CIAS was this CC-130H(T) Hercules from 435 Transport Squadron at 17 Wing CFB Winnipeg, Manitoba.  The squadron is tasked with airlift and air-to-air refuelling missions and this ‘Herk’ is seen in this flypast with the air refuelling hoses extended.  Trailing is the Canadian Forces CF-18 Demonstration Team aircraft.  Having just finished his display, Captain Patrick “Paco” Gobeil and the CC-130 headed west to perform at the Cleveland National Air Show.  An actual air refuelling was carried out along the way to top up the CF-18's tanks.

CIAS - A Sure Sign That Vacations Are Soon Over

As the Labour (Labor) Day long weekend approaches, it’s once again time for the Canadian International Air Show.  The decision by the USAF to save its pennies through the elimination of the nearly all of the Air Combat Command Demonstration Teams has no doubt effected air shows across North America.  The CIAS has a very long history of close ties with the US armed services – especially the USAF – and the organizers have had to fill the gap with suitable aerial entertainment.

And it would appear that they have.  The lineup for the 2012 show includes the Canadian Forces CF-18 Demonstration Team and the Snowbirds – perennial favourites – plus demos by a restored former CF Canadair CT-133 (T-33 ‘T-bird’ to those outside of Canada), the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team and a CF CP-140 Aurora (looks like a US Navy P-3 Orion).  From my point of view, flypasts by (hopefully) multiple F-16s as only F-16s can do should make up for the missing ACC display and a Canadian Forces CC-130 Hercules/CF-18 air refuelling demo will be most welcome indeed.

Enough of my commentary.  You can check out the full list yourself at the following link:

http://www.cias.org/content/view/37/52/

(above) There’s usually something new or unique at the Canadian International Air Show and the star of last year’s show was this US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey from VMM-365 at MCAS New River, North Carolina.  The unconventional bird was captured here by Krista Swan during a flypast with the rear loading ramp partially down.

First Man On The Moon Passes Away

Neil Armstrong
5 August 1930 – 25 August 2012

After a long hiatus, we’re back, spurred on in part by the death on Saturday of a legendary astronaut due to complications following cardiovascular surgery earlier in the month.  While hopefully most of today’s aviation enthusiasts or space aficionados may be familiar with the name, those of us who remember that day – 20 July 1969 when a human being set foot on a surface other than the Earth’s for the first time – will always link Neil Armstrong with what remains, arguably, humankind’s greatest technical achievement.

Hooked on airplanes and flying from an early age, he already had his private pilot’s licence and was studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University when he was called for US Navy flight training in 1949.  As a Naval Aviator, he was assigned to fly Grumman F9F Panther fighters with VF-51 and went to war in the skies above Korea.  He survived 78 aircraft carrier-based combat missions – some barely – and returned home in early 1952.  Joining NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics which paved the way for today’s NASA, he became a test pilot and was, like all of those fortunate enough to be involved in that elite activity, at the leading edge of advances in aerospace technologies during the golden age of test flying.

Born at a time when small, monoplane racers and high-performance military biplane fighters captured the public’s imagination, he ended up in the space business. He commanded the Gemini VIII mission which launched aboard a Titan rocket on 16 March 1966 and ran into dangerous, uncontrolled rolling problems while in orbit. Solving that issue and returning to an emergency ‘splash down’, he was later chosen to lead the Apollo 11 team to the Moon.  The astronauts – Neil Armstrong, Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin and the oft forgotten but ever-essential Michael Collins – launched atop a Saturn V rocket on 16 July 1969.  With Collins in obit aboard Columbia, Armstrong and Aldrin in Eagle – the lunar module – headed towards a landing on the Moon which was certainly not without its share of problems.  The rest, as they say, is history.

 Following Apollo 11, he remained with NASA for a few years.  Born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, he returned to that state to become a Professor of Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati.  Over the years he kept a relatively low profile but did, on occasion, appear for public speaking engagements.  Although apparently not bombastic by nature, a contributing factor in remaining out of the public spotlight must surely have been the continual harassment since the 1970s by folks in the conspiracy theory community.

Neil Armstrong was 82 years old.

(above)  For those interested in exploring Apollo 11 history in person, there are two places that should not be missed.  This banner, portraying the Apollo 11 insignia design, hangs at the Apollo / Saturn V Center at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.  The immense building, open to the public, houses items of interest including all Apollo mission insignia, a lunar module and an actual Saturn V rocket.

(above)  As the official repository for NASA-related historical items, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Washington, DC displays many items of significance to space flight.  Among the Apollo artifacts displayed is this lunar module.  LM-2 was the second one built but in the end was not required for a test flight.  It was, instead, used for ground training by NASA.  As an aside, if you are in the area and can make the short trip, the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington-Dulles International Airport is a must-see air museum.

For those interested in further reading, here are two links of interest.

 http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/armstrong/index.html

 http://www.squidoo.com/neil-a-armstrong