Posted on 05/28/2016 10:25:52 PM PDT by smokingfrog
The P-47 Thunderbolt crashed Friday during a promotion for the American Airpower Museum, which is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the P-47 this weekend.
Scuba divers recovered the body of the pilot, 56-year-old William Gordon, of Key West, Florida, about three hours after the crash.
Gordon was a veteran air show pilot with more than 25 years of experience, according to promotional material for a Key West air show last month. The website for the April 2-3 air show says Gordon was an "aerobatic competency evaluator" who certified performers to perform low-level aerobatics.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.csmonitor.com ...
RIP
RIP
The Thunderbolt was a beast of an aircraft.
25 years experience. Yet, anytime a plane leaves the ground, there is danger. Yes, a lower level of danger than driving in a car, but, the risk is still there. At least he went doing something he loved. Most pilots I know absolutely love it up there. For some, flying a private plane is even better than golfing.
Today they had a photo of the plane being lifted out of the water tail first. It didn't look like it was badly damaged, but I didn't read the article.
Jones Beach Air Show Pays Tribute To Beloved Pilot Killed In Hudson River Crash
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/05/28/airshow-tribute-hudson-crash/
My husband flies a P51 Thunder Mustang aka Blue Nosed Bastard.
He can be a golfaholic but I’d say you’re right - he would choose flying over golf.
We also have a turbo Bonanza (which is his other car) and he flies corporate jets as well...a die hard pilot.
A flying tank!
Thanks
“For some, flying a private plane is even better than golfing.”
With both costing about the same, in the end.
For most of us, the choice is easy. Soaring with eagles beats hitting little balls with expensive sticks, anytime...
It’s like Eddie Rickenbacker said: “If it moves, it’s dangerous.”
“My husband flies a P51 Thunder Mustang aka Blue Nosed Bastard.”
I imagine you know Jack, then.
He’s had his hands in most of those, at one time or another...
I should have added, “See ya’ at Airventure!”
We really should have a Freep lunch or something up there...
LOLROFLMAO!
Someone actually compared flying an airplane to golfing?
I only wish I had the money to fly.
And, as “Unknown” famously quipped: “If it floats, flies, or F***S, It’s cheaper to rent it.”
Cars dont fall out of the sky when they crash. Not usually.
This is true. Certain cars, such as the Delorean or Gull-Winged cars may have been meant to bridge that “adventure gap” between cars and planes. The Delorean could make you feel as though you had boarded a large bird set to fly.
And, as a little background, I worked with some friends who owned and operated a private jet charter company out of Charlevoix, Mi., in Northern Michigan. We had a Cessna CJ-2, and I was the hangar manager. I frequently was allowed the supreme pleasure of flying Right-Seat, and it was the greatest thrill I’ve ever had . 350+ knots (with a tail-wind), back to Charlevoix, from Dupage County Airport, north along the eastern shore of Wisconsin, then, a short leg East, over Lake Michigan, landing in Charlevoix,(CVX), as the sun was setting. Golf was never the same, after that.
The greatest ace in the European Theater of WW2 flew a P-47
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