I once went for a ride in an MC-130 once, during the invasion of Haiti. Here’s another pic.
And although I didn’t fly in it, I sat in the cockpit of a MIG-29.
I could swear I have a faint memory I was on a Tu-144 once as a kid. Problem is my folks can’t back it up and I have no friggen idea where it would have been. I was never in the USSR and my folks can’t remember any at an airshow. I still think I was though…
CH-53 (a helicopter for those of you who don’t recognize the designation) off the deck of the USS Tarawa - not much of a view from the nylon webbing “seat” I had, but a fun ride nonetheless.
C130 more than enough times for the novelty to wear off. And if you’ve ever flown in one before, once the novelty is gone, you don’t have much to enjoy.
In the fall of 1976 had the opportunity to fly from Norfolk to Scott AFB aboard a military Lear (sp?) jet - God only knows what nomenclature they dreamed up for these things. Only enough room on board for the pilot, co-pilot, and four passengers. I WANT ONE!
Have been to several airshows featuring the Blue Angels - THAT would be the ultimate ride (unless of course you have a rich uncle at NASA who could get you aboard a Blackbird or the “Vomit Comet”)…
I live close to Oshkosh wisconsin so I go to the air show. For my 16th birthday I got tickets to ride the concorde. If any of you were on that flight, the guy took use to mach 1.1 over lake superior. That was awesome. I agree though, its not a comfortable bird to be on. I would rather be on a 747 or 777 for transatlatic flights because it would be much more comfy even in 3rd class.
I sat on an A-10, but didn’t fly in it. Only planes I have actually ridden in were 727s and 737s.
Do “airships” count?
The GOODYEAR BLIMP, based over here in Carson, Calif. Too cool.
I’d LOVE to go for a ride in ANY Military Aircraft. Vintage, whatever?
Do “airships” count?
The GOODYEAR BLIMP, based over here in Carson, Calif. Too cool.
I’d LOVE to go for a ride in ANY Military Aircraft. Vintage, whatever?
When I was a kid I got to sit in a Huey Cobra.
I had a buddy that was getting his heli certification and needed hours, so he’d take me on rides whenever he went. He flew a R22 Beta and it was small! They didn’t let me ride with the door off because they didn’t want me puking on the console, they’d had a problem with that in the past. We flew arount the Space Needle a few times and flew over my house and waved at my dad mowing the lawn. It was rad. Not for the faint of heart.
i got to sit in a SR-71 once while it was parked in a hangar. it was property of the hutchison space center, which was building a new front section in which the blackbird would hang from wires so it looked like it was flying out of the entrance. they did a little thing to show off all of the neat junk they got a month before construction was finished, and i got to go.
as i remember, they also had a V-2 missle, a V-1 pulse jet rocket, one of the spare sputniks, some of those dog carrying rockets, an original mercury craft, a gemini capsule, a whole bunch of spacesuits (prototypes, used ones, russian and american both), and an unlaunched lunar lander. that is the best damn thing in the world to experience and see when you are eight…
Max-Air Drifter. Lots of people probably haven’t heard of that one. It’s an 18 foot pole with a wing, tail, engine, and (depending on model) one or two seats bolted to the front end. It’s like… like… well, like flying on a broomstick
Not for people afraid of hieghts, though.
I’ve been sitting in the cockpits of an F-16, an F-104 Starfighter (no room), a RF-35 Draken (absolutely no room whatsoever) and some of the more non-descript stuff.
I’ve been a passenger on a C-130 - the novelty wears off in 20 minutes, but damn if that wasn’t the coolest cockpit (well, I guess the word “flight deck” is more appropriate here) I’ve ever seen.
I have about 20 short hang-glider flights (winch starts to about 400 m of altitude - enough to make one or two maneuvers and then go in for landing) to my name - definitely NOT something for those scared of heights. But not, I guess, a particularly cool aircraft.
S. Norman
Not highly cool in comparison to what you guys have done, but I thought I’d mention it anyway.
On the island I come from (Barra, Outer Hebrides) the plane lands on the beach. Apparantly this is the only tidal airstrip in the world (alternative claims welcomed!) I think they do it that way just to frighten the tourists.
Picture at http://www.buyimage.fsnet.co.uk/barra/52.html if you’re interested.
Well, most of my “cool” planes thing was done in the military. When I was in Okinawa, I went on field maneouvers (sp??) with the CATLS team from the hospital. (Combat Advanced Trauma Life Support). Basically, it was teaching Navy docs and nurses how to work in field conditions. While I went rappelling with the Marine corpsmen, the officers got to work in the heat all day! 
Us corpsmen were there basically as field support (set up for the surgery areas, etc - I don’t actually remember doing any work! Just “camping”, :giggle:)
Anyway, the last day of the training had an actual “field situation”, bringing people in off a battle site to a field unit. We got to ride in those big double-rotored helicopters (Hueys??? Yah got me). D***, that was freakin’ incredible. A friend got a picture of me in my camis and one of those bubbly helmets while we were in it! Fun, fun, fun.
Rode in the passenger space for 36 freakin’ hours of a C-5, going home to the States from Oki for a visit. A 3 hour layover in a Korean airbase (whose name I forget), 12 hour layovers in Japan and Hawaii, and then a midnight arrival in San Francisco. “Zombie-like” is the term I’m looking for. The other plus? Ear plugs the entire time you’re on the plane! But, I must say, that plane is the epitomy of power, baby! Woof.
They had one (two?) stationed at Kadena AFB on Oki. Was sweet to see it taking off at night/evening, rocket flare burning out the back. Locals called it “The Habu” after the local poisonous snake.
After the Navy, the aeronautics has been all down hill after that. 
Navy? How does CH-46 Sea Knight sound?
No, they were Marine helicopters (joint operation with the local Marine command). I’m open to more suggestions!
Well, take a look at the CH-46 before you decide. It’s the only “dual-rotor” helo in service, IIRC. Maybe it was the CH-53?
(This, btw, is a Huey.)
The first one that comes to mind is a British Nimrod-lovely, sexy plane. When they come through my place of work every once in a while, they park right close to our ramp, so I got to go onboard one a while back. It was filled with lots of cool radar stuff and also quite a few young, fresh-faced British lads. 
They “sound” absolutely HORRIBLE, but are a hoot to ride!
Sorry for slipping out of thread for a second or two, but it’s part of every Marine’s job to thank the corpsmen for all they do. Thanx, BunnyGirl!
Hmmm…I’ve ridden *in[/] a C-130 and a Piper Archer (besides the small commercial airliners like 737’s and such that we all get to ride in at one time or another) and both of those rides were difinitely cool.
I’ve been on a former Air Force One (the one that Kennedy, LBJ, Nixon, etc. used) at the Boeing museum in Seattle, a C-5 Galaxy, an A-10 and an F-16 (got to try the cockpit on in the Falcon - very nice fit, IMHO).