Enjoy The Story & Photo

[Waynem]

NASA Shuttle Piggyback - A pilots perspective.

And a NASA article

Edited: You can search on many different key words, but you may wish to search on this:
"NASA pilot Nickel tells what it's like to fly a 747 with Atlantis on it's back" without the quotes.

Jack "Triple" Nickel is a research/test pilot for NASA based out of Johnson Space Center

Also, Columbus AFB, MS was a refueling stop.

Here are some more words and pictures:

Shuttleferry A NASA Official BLOG site.

I am not disputing anything that anyone has posted. However, let me ask this question. Isn't every flight possibly a little different depending on conditions?

Happy trails.

[Bill-N-Donna]

Very good article, and very descriptive!

[et2]

quote:Originally posted by Waynem

NASA Shuttle Piggyback - A pilots perspective.

And a NASA article

Sorry the first post there is to much baloney. No pilot would pull up before rotation speed with that weight,or reduce flaps that low & heavy just after liftoff climbing at 100' per minute.It would have stalled IMHO.

They would have most likely not have carried that much fuel to go burning it off cruising 1000' above the water/land. That is just crazy. Most certainly they would not be doing a low pass above the runway at 300' rocking the wings.

As a pilot ... I don't buy it.

[Waynem]

ET2,
If you read the comments on the first article you can see where someone took some liberties with the story, but if you read the second article, it is from a NASA. Having retired from NASA in 2007, if you wish, I can give you Brian Dunbar, or any other NASA official's phone number for verification on the second article.

But it was a good read!!!

[et2]

quote:Originally posted by Waynem

ET2,
If you read the comments on the first article you can see where someone took some liberties with the story, but if you read the second article, it is from a NASA. Having retired from NASA in 2007, if you wish, I can give you Brian Dunbar, or any other NASA official's phone number for verification on the second article.

But it was a good read!!!

Thanks Waynem. I just failed to see the purpose of the first article. It probably could fool a lot of people. I have no doubt flying the 747 with the shuttle strapped to it's back poses some serious flight considerations and issues beyond normal flight characteristics.

It's fun to fantasize sometimes I suppose. I'm just not wired that way.

[Art-n-Marge]

We read the first article and even DW recognized this was probably fiction. Nice bit of imagination, though.

[richfaa]

Rich & Helen retired FAA....I don't think so......

[Waynem]

Edited my original post.