Evening star., 1948-07-26
Reporter Flies New Jet Trainer at 500 MPH,
Puts 1t Easily Through Slow Rolls at 400
Air Force Shows Off
Latest PIone in Quick
Trips Over Maryland
By Chorles J. Yorbrouqh

"Tomorrow-high, at l o'clock"
When you're Sitting a cloud
laced Maryland sky at 800 miles
an hour, the pilots Air Force jargon
meaning tomorrow has been sighted
high and slightly to the right seems
no more surprising than Il he had
said there went Delaware"
To give newspaper, magazine and
radio writer's an opportunity to
know they've been there when they
talk of near-sonic speeds, the Air
Force and Lockheed turned the new,
jet-propelled TF-80C into an aerial
taxi at Andrews Air Force base last
week.
The rides didn't last long, but they
covered more of Maryland than the
income tax laws and travelled con-
siderably faster than rumor.
Dual Controls Provided.
| The palsied hands that write this
are operated by a man who fancies
himself something of Junior bird
boy whose experience in aircraft
has been limited to 170-mile-an-
hour Immelman turns and 100-mile-
an-hour rolls.
Rear seat dual controls and Test
Pilot Tony LEVERS willingness to
let other hands try the rocket-like
plane removed that limitation.
With almost 200 hours of flying
light planes and Army trainers, 1
flew the jet at 500 miles an hour in
straight fight, put it through sew
eral stalls at 100 and two slow rolls
at 400. Conclusion I: Private flying
will never be the same again.
At 400 miles an hour, the jets
slow roll, a maneuver which turns
the plane on its side, then upside
down and back up the other side,
is anything but slow. In the Army's
low wing Fairchild trainer, the
halfway mark in a slow roll leaves
you upside down and hanging only
by the safety belt: The jet version
/ is a strictly in-the-seat perform
ance; as smooth and as fast as the
trainers snap roll.
Little Sensation at Top Speed. /,
The only discomfort, save that
cramming, pushed-down feeling you
develop when a sharp pull-up regis
ters 4Gs four times the force of
gravity is having to get out of the
plane after the ride is over.
Conclusion II: It's crying shame
jet aircraft such as the TF-80C
cost $l60,0O0 and over S35 an hour
in fuel costs.
At near maximum speed, there
is little sensation of the tremendous
rush through the air at 1000 feet
The only noise is the well-muffled
hum of the turbine in the fuselage
behind your rear seat and the hiss
of Refrigeration unit which keeps
the plexiglass-inclosed cockpits at
comfortable TO degrees.
The only time the realization of
the extreme speed comes is when
you're flying at less than 1000 feet.
Pilot LeVier, a 35-year-old ex-
pert who has been flying since he
was Is, took the silver plane off
at little over 100 miles an hour
and went into steep climbing turn
to reach 1000 feet before you could
squirm into comfort, in the para
chute harness. shoulder straps and
crash helmet.
Climb Takes 80 Seconds.
l. The zoom to 10000 feet took less
ftffHh 90 seconds and had tfg6 StfiN-
tive altimeter needle whirling like
a crazy sweep-second hand.
At 10000 you level off for your
first good breath since the zoom
started and some explanation from
Pilot LeVier on what he's going
to door what would you like
to do?" Below are the fringes of
Chesapeake Bay. The runway at
Andrews is 10000 feet down, some