Briefly breaking the surly bonds in the Wright B Flyer

Plane: Wright Model B Flyer
Route: MGY, Runway 02
Weather: Overcast, 66 degrees, wind 030 degrees at 10 knots

This has been a couple years in the making, solely due to my own scheduling procrastination. A couple Christmases ago my in-laws gifted me an orientation ride on the Wright B Flyer. In case you're curious, you can do the same with a $100 donation/membership to the organization.

Video from both inside (if you can call it that) and outside the cockpit!

The in-laws decided to come down to visit this weekend and Gina - compensating for my scheduling laziness - scheduled flights for both myself and Gerry, her dad. We headed over to Wright Brothers around 9:45 to fill out the requisite liability forms before our flights.

I should note that I offered to sign my life away if they would take me for a flight out of the pattern but alas, it's not that easy. The orientation rides are simply a takeoff, level-off, and landing - all over the mile of runway at KMGY.

I went first.

Getting strapped in for my orientation ride

All buckled up and ready to go

They fired the plane up and ran through a full set of checks before one of the volunteers helped me up the ladder and strapped on my goggles and headset. Then the pilot, a very nice guy whose name escapes me Rich Stepler (thanks for pointing his name out, Chris!), gave me the standard safety briefing. It could best be summarized as, "don't touch anything!" Understandable.

We chatted a little bit as we taxied to the runway and I obviously told him that I flew and we chatted a little about flight training and instruction. I forget Rich's exact background but he's a former commercial pilot and CFI with way more hours than I think my logbook will ever see. Holding short of the runway, he did a standard runup and things got louder.

Old and new

Rolling onto Runway 02 for takeoff

We rolled onto the runway after a Cirrus departed, got lined up, sat for a minute, and then the pilot pushed in the throttle. It's hard to exactly describe the sensation but it was definitely noisy (the O-360 has a tad more pep than the original engine did driving dual 97" props) as we started moving. The bird actually accelerated quite quickly; one abrupt and firm yank back on the yoke and we were climbing.

Gina was on the ground with her mom, Linda, and dad in a golf cart during my flight; they took the photos and video. The whole experience doesn't last more than a minute but it was still an awesome site both from the ground and obviously from my perspective. Wind in your face, nothing but a few tubes and cables and fabric, just pure vintage aviation at its best.

Airborne in the Wright B

Passing midfield at 50-100 feet AGL

Crossing in front of the chase golf cart at Taxiway B

Power reduced, quickly descending 

Just beginning to flare

Landing on Runway 02 with me onboard

Perhaps what most blew me away was the quick descent and landing. It almost felt like we were going to run past the end of the runway, but as soon the nose was lowered and power was reduced we were on the ground and stopped in no more than 500 feet. Cub-like, almost. Soon after we rolled onto the taxiway at the end of the runway at a walking pace and taxied back to the tarmac in front of the museum.

I was quickly helped down from the right seat and Gerry soon was climbing up the ladder for his turn. They run an efficient operation - the engines remain on, safely since they're behind the wings, and passengers swap places. Within minutes, he was taxiing for his ride and I was now in the golf cart, camera in hand.

Back on the tarmac after my flight

Climbing down requires some Cub-like contortions

Quite focused on the soon-to-be-worn goggles

Probably being told that it's bad to put your feet on the pedals

Taxiing away from the ramp for the second flight of the day

Lifting off from Runway 02

Climbing in the uniquely noisy Wright B fashion

Gerry was waving to us onlookers below

Crossing in front of us while 50-100 feet in the air

Still level, prior to descent

Power reduced and descending quickly once again

Flaring for landing

Touchdown back on Runway 02

Gerry taxiing back in after his orientation ride

Having a nice chat with the ride coordinator after our flights

Me, our pilot, and Gerry after our flights

You can see why every passenger receives a toothpick upon landing

It's a rather interesting combination of old and new up front

I've flown the Wright B Flyer simulators before (there are a few in the Dayton area, including at the Wright B Flyer museum and the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park sites) and I have to say that I'm impressed by how accurate they appear to be. While I was only right-seating without touching the controls, the actual plane behaved strikingly similar to how I recall the sims flying. Basically, full power, yank back, barely climb, and only reduce power when you're ready to immediately descend and land. If you want to read more, Rich has a nice write-up from the pilot's perspective on the Wright B Flyer site.

We probably spent a couple hours total at the airport this morning but it was a great time, not just for me and Gerry, but Gina and Linda also enjoyed watching things from the ground. It's hard to describe every sensation I experienced but there were certainly similarities to other open-cockpit planes like the Stearman. That said, the Wright B Flyer is a rather unique aircraft with some very distinct flying characteristics. The whole experience was really cool.

My official proof of today's short aerial adventure 

If you're ever in the Dayton area and love aviation you should definitely consider your own orientation ride. While it is quite short it's an awesome historic experience and the money certainly goes to a good cause. Also, if you live in Ohio, consider one of our aviation heritage vanity plates - proceeds go to the Wright B Flyer organization.

Visiting the Titan Missile Museum

A few months ago, I attended a great presentation about the Titan II missile program at the USAF Museum. It was part of their excellent guest lecture series. At the end of the lecture, the presenter - David Stumpf, who literally wrote the book on the Titan II - gave out his email address and told everyone we were welcome to get in touch if we ever made it out to Tucson.

Now, I had never been to Arizona. It wasn't even on my radar. But, a month or two later, I found out I'd be in Phoenix for a conference in early December. You can probably imagine how quickly I dug out that address and sent David an email.

He responded and we communicated back and forth. Within a few weeks, he had - incredibly kindly, to say the least - set me up with a personal tour of the silo. When I arrived at the Titan Missile Museum on December 6th, I met David and a former Missile combat crew officer. Over the course of a few awesome hours, I got to climb up, through, down, and around the complex with two personal tour guides. It was an incredible experience, a wonderful history lesson, and an amazing illustration of just how differently we operated during the Cold War.

Follow along below for photos from my tour of the museum.

Topside of the missile complex from outside the security fence.

Elevator from the topside to the access portal adjacent to the Blast Lock Area.

Stairway from the topside to the Blast Lock Area - crews had to pick up phones and verify secret codes at 4 or 5 different doors before they ultimately gained access to the complex.

Exterior blast door at the entrance to the Blast Lock Area, built to withstand 1000 psi.

Control Center - note one of the massive springs that supports this floor of the complex across the room.

Control Center - the cabinets on the right were originally full of guidance computers; they were replaced by a single guidance computer during an upgrade in the 1970s - technology improves quickly!

Control Center - note the slack in every cable; the entire complex is suspended by springs that hold it 12" away from the outer concrete shell to survive the shock of a nearby nuclear blast.

Control Center - the two officers on duty each had their own padlock (they purchased it on their own and only they knew the combination) so both people were required to open the safe to access the secret codes in the event of a launch command.

Control Center - this is the launch control board that displayed the stages of the launch sequence.

Sleeping Quarters - pretty spartan! Crews rotated on 24 hour alerts the entire time the complex was active. This and the kitchen were the only places they were permitted to be alone.

Sleeping Quarters - you can see the 12" gap between the floor and the outer concrete shell, along with a copper grounding strap.

Cableway connecting the Control Center and Silo - fully suspended and isolated from the outer concrete shell by massive hydraulic pistons.

One of the many massive shock absorbers in the cableway that connects the Control Center and Silo.

Level 2 of the Silo - this is what you see immediately after crossing the Cableway from the Control Center.

 T'was a festive season to visit a former nuclear missile silo!

Looking down at the retractable work platforms and Titan II from Level 2 of the Silo.

Look closely and you'll get a good idea of when this complex was decommissioned.

Like every critical component in the complex, the lights were supported by long springs to cushion against the shock of a nearby nuclear blast.

Significant slack was left in all wiring and hydraulic lines to withstand the shock of a nearby nuclear blast.

The collection of air tanks that supplied pneumatic power to the complex on Level 7 of the Silo.

Manual shutoff valve that allowed the crews to run launch sequence drills without actually flooding the silo with thousands of gallons of water.

Base of the Titan II missile on the hardstand (engines removed) - the entire 135 ton missile rested on 4 small explosive bolts that detonated at launch.

Looking up from Level 7 of the Silo.

Looking down into the flame deflector; at launch, thousands of gallons of water were released, which instantly turned into steam to help reduce shockwaves within the complex.

The hardstand (that the missile rested on) was attached to and supported by these massive spring mounts, which were secured to the silo at the missile's center of gravity to increase overall stability and withstand attack.

Looking up from Level 7 of the Silo.

One of the water injection nozzles below the missile; at launch, thousands of gallons of water were released,which instantly turned into steam to help reduce shockwaves within the complex.

Looking up from the flame deflector; the work platforms on Level 7 are all extended above.

Note the areas with and without rivets - the missile structure was reinforced around the fuel and oxidizer tanks.

The hardstand (that the missile rested on) was attached to and supported by these massive spring mounts, which were secured to the silo at the missile's center of gravity to increase overall stability and withstand attack.

View of the missile from Level 5 of the Silo.

The hardstand (that the missile rested on) was attached to and supported by these massive spring mounts, which were secured to the silo at the missile's center of gravity to increase overall stability and withstand attack.

Backup diesel generator on Level 3 of the Silo. In the event of an attack, the entire complex was sealed from the outside - so the generator would only be able to run on (and exhaust into) whatever air was trapped in the silo.

View into the missile - you can see the forward dome of the oxidizer tank at the top of Stage I.

View into the missile at Level 3 of the Silo - you can see the forward dome of the oxidizer tank at the top of Stage I.

The chilled water system, which cooled the entire complex, located on Level 2 of the SIlo.

One of the primary communication antennas and a hardened backup antenna that would have remained underground unless the primary was destroyed by a nearby nuclear blast.

Lights and a claxon atop poles on the topside that would have warned of an impending launch.

Topside of the Titan II launch site. You can see the rails that the silo door rode on in the background.

These radar surveillance security systems formed a ring around the silo topside and were the primary form of security at all missile installations. Extremely sensitive, they would sound a loud alarm in the control center if anything crossed their invisible beams. Then, security forces from nearby Davis-Monthan AFB would be dispatched to investigate. Given the secure nature of the missile complex, crew members would never go outside themselves.

If anything triggered the radar surveillance security system (usually coyotes) MPs from Davis-Monthan AFB would be dispatched to the site in a Jeep like this to investigate.

Looking down into the silo from the topside; the closure door is now permanently fixed in a partially open position.

The silo door has been partially cut away - you can see the 3" thick steel. Below that was more steel and concrete. All told, the original door weighed 743 tons, rode on rails, and could be opened in 20 seconds.

Stage I engine assembly.

Stage II engine assembly.

As I hope you have seen, it is a spectacular museum and very worthy of your visit. I'm grateful I was able to take advantage of such a great opportunity. Let me once again thank David for his generosity and hospitality. If you're ever in the Dayton area again, David, there is certainly a Cub ride with your name on it!