Author Archives: Ed

1942- The Year of the Aircraft Carrier; Part 12 – Guadalcanal, From the Start, A New and Different Context; First Day Overview (1/4)

RS Note: With the close of Chapter 2 of the Testimony of Pilot series, this posts continues with the 1942- The Year of the Aircraft Carrier series picking up with the story of the initial attack on Guadalcanal 7-8 August, 1942. Given the … Continue reading

Posted in Year of the Carrier | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on 1942- The Year of the Aircraft Carrier; Part 12 – Guadalcanal, From the Start, A New and Different Context; First Day Overview (1/4)

Testimony of Pilot (13): Chapter Two – Final Reflection on “harnessing the sky”

Testimony of Pilot# 13 This second chapter takes its characterization as “harnessing the sky.” Remembering the sky trajectories from Kill Devil Hill to Paris to the Battles of Britain and Midway, to transcontinental airlines and to the edge of the atmosphere and eventually … Continue reading

Posted in Harnessing the Sky, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Tagged | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (13): Chapter Two – Final Reflection on “harnessing the sky”

Testimony of Pilot (12): So, Where Does the Sky End?

Testimony of Pilot# 12 The whole history of the space program is part of moving on and making life better for people on Earth. I want to carry on their work on through the Shuttle, the Station, and the space … Continue reading

Posted in Harnessing the Sky, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (12): So, Where Does the Sky End?

Testimony of Pilot (11): Cockpits – Situational Awareness in the the Arena

Testimony of Pilot# 11 An airplane is just a bunch of sticks and wires and cloth, a tool for learning about the sky and about what kind of person I am, when I fly.  An airplane stands for freedom, for … Continue reading

Posted in Harnessing the Sky, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (11): Cockpits – Situational Awareness in the the Arena

Testimony of Pilot (10): Eileen Collins – Return to Flight

Testimony of Pilot# 10 In 1990, Eileen Collins was only the second woman to graduate as a test pilot and be selected as a NASA astronaut. She became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle mission during the Discovery’s … Continue reading

Posted in Harnessing the Sky, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (10): Eileen Collins – Return to Flight

Testimony of Pilot (9): Bob Hoover – the Best There Ever Was

Testimony of Pilot #9 the greatest pilot I ever saw.- Chuck Yeager Hoover’s “the finest acrobatic pilot we’ve seen in our lifetime”  -Astronaut Wally Schirra greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived – Jimmy Doolittle Diversity of experience over their careers is … Continue reading

Posted in Harnessing the Sky, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (9): Bob Hoover – the Best There Ever Was

Testimony of Pilot (8) Neil Armstrong – Research Pilot

Testimony of Pilot# 8 I thought the attractions of being an astronaut were actually, not so much the Moon, but flying in a completely new medium. The pictures above do not represent the common perspective  of Neil Armstrong the astronaut … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Harnessing the Sky, People, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (8) Neil Armstrong – Research Pilot

Testimony of Pilot (7): Frederick Trapnell – Test Pilot at War

Testimony of Pilot #7 Aeroplane testing . . . demands for satisfactory results the highest training. It occupies no special place by virtue of this—it merely comes into line with the rest of engineering. Now, one can learn to fly in a month . . . … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Harnessing the Sky, People, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Tagged , | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (7): Frederick Trapnell – Test Pilot at War

Testimony of Pilot (6): Charles Lindbergh – THE Flight

Testimony of Pilot #6 An experienced aviator through his own eyes seeing and telling another aviator’s story of a dark and stormy night over the ocean most certainly more than qualifies for a “this is no s…t” testimony. With more night flying and … Continue reading

Posted in Harnessing the Sky, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Tagged | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot (6): Charles Lindbergh – THE Flight

Testimony of Pilot: Chapter One – Of Dragons and Ghosts

Testimony of Pilot #5 And like no other sculpture in the history of art,  the dead engine and dead airframe come to life at the touch of a human hand,  and join their life with the pilot’s own. When you believe in something … Continue reading

Posted in Of Dragons and Ghosts, Testimony of Pilot - RS previously published, Testimony of Pilot -Series | Comments Off on Testimony of Pilot: Chapter One – Of Dragons and Ghosts