Pilot: Flying Bush was 'just awesome'

usatoday.com ^ | 2/05/03

[Jakarta ex-pat]

Navy pilot John "Skip" Lussier has made hundreds of aircraft carrier landings but none like his pressure-filled touchdown on the USS Abraham Lincoln with President Bush in the cockpit.

"The pressure was ratcheted up just a little bit, but I tried not to think about it," Lussier said Friday on ABC's Good Morning America. "I just wanted to focus on it as a mission and make sure I got the president aboard safely."

[ewing]

[BluH2o]

Bush, a former National Guard pilot, took the controls and flew about a third of the flight from San Diego to the carrier, about 30 miles off the California coast.

The carrier wasn't 30 miles off the coast ... otherwise they would have made port yesterday PM. Further, if the carrier was only 30 miles out a helicopter could have easily covered the distance. 300 miles is much more likely ... the flight time of the Viking was expected to me about 45 or 50 minutes. Sloppy proof reading by the print media ...

[ewing]

[big time major leaguer]

If this had been clinton, he would probably have puked his head off in the first 5 minutes after takeoff.

Can you imagine Clinton trying to get into a flight suit? GWB still runs 7 minute miles, which amazes me ... I'm younger and wish I could do that.

[Coop]

Fly an approach at full power and the LSO will wave you off.

If he's not too busy diving for cover! :-)

[Otta B Sleepin]

Nice to see he got some stick time.

I'd been hoping to see this confirmed. While watching the FNC coverage of the landing yesterday, I thought I heard the President say excitedly to several crew members, "I flew it! I flew it!" It was shortly after the landing - he was so pumped up - if the cameras had shown his feet, I'm sure we'd have seen that he was walking on air!

[ewing]

[Conservative4Ever]

1,2,3,or 4. A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is one that you'll be able to use the plane again. OK?

LOLOLOL.....AMEN

Red

[ewing]

[NCC-1701]

".... IIRC, he also got to..."

This is a bit off-topic but please inform me as to what IIRC means. I've seen that a lot but can't find the meaning anywhere. Thanks beforehand.

[El Gato]

The video I watched, looked like he caught the 4th wire. If they are numbered from aft to forward, then he caught the #4. I felt bad for him, because he's bound to catch "stuff" from other pilots for not catching the 3 wire. However I think he just missed it. Besides, any landing you walk away from, especially if it doesn't break the airplane, is a good landing. A bolter would have been more than just a little embarassing, wouldn't it? :)

[csvset]

When POTUS comes on board a Navy ship, Does he have to say, "Permission to come aboard sir" to the captain?

No, he doesn't have to request permission to come aboard. I'd imagine that they "piped" him aboard as "Commander in Chief, arriving".

The Stained One paid the USS Eisenhower a visit while I was assigned to the Ike. Willy awarded a medal to a rather attractive blonde Radioman First Class, the only medal awarded by the Bent one that day.

[ewing]

Navy One, you have the ball!(LOL)

[Coop]

Where else would a TAILHOOK be?

San Diego?

[freedomlover]

Ok who cares? The point of the story is VICTORY - the whole thread has been taken over by people debating which wire the plane caught. Geesh

You're right. We should get back on point.

What's the best handgun to buy?

[dvwjr]

I, like others am just DYING to know what you mean. Please explain.


dvwjr

[RedBloodedAmerican]

They may have meant they power up after hooking the cable, which is what they do. And yes, the two wire is preferred. You also made some errors on a thread yesterday, but I didn't point it out then.

[ewing]

[Gritty]

IIRC = "If I Recall Correctly"

Cheers!

[Coop]

please inform me as to what IIRC means

If I Recall Correctly.