RIP Chuck Yeager

[deaneb]

RIP Chuck Yeager. 97 years old. A life well lived. He certainly had the right stuff

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chuck-yeager-u-s-air-force-officer-who-broke-speed-n1250322?fbclid=IwAR252X-wnJiidQB7bSh9YaXg8QVbXIy6GDFqlfGQ4CUoEZZJIEOJKGgqxd4

[Naki]

Agreed. Had a full aviation career. Read his book many years ago

[cowpatz]

Yes an amazing career. Back in my GA days the company that I then worked for, Motor Holdings Ltd, invited him to NZ to do a number of speaking events and promotions. I was lucky enough to attend one.
Apart from an incredible career what also struck me was his incredible arrogance. Of interest is that he was not the original test pilot chosen to do the X1 test program. It was his close friend, and fellow test pilot, Bob Hoover.
However returning from a sortie one day, and in true Top Gun style, Hoover beat up a control tower and lost the X1 role as punishment ( I wonder if that is where they got idea from in the movie "Top Gun". He did, however, fly as the spotter/wingman in an F5.

[Splitpin]

" what also struck me was his incredible arrogance" CP, I've heard the same thing. He was a guest at warbirds show at Wanaka I think, many years ago, and from all accounts a bit of a handful.
But, a pretty impressive career.

[jpreou]

I loved Chuck Yeager's Advanced Flight Trainer on the C64 I think it was, back in the day.
I have it now on a PC Emulator, but I don't know any of the controls!

[SUBS17]

There were many pranks pulled on Chuck, that is what some of those unusual test aircraft were such as the flying flap jack and the flying saucer(that is 2 out of 9). Chuck's P51 Mustang is his 2nd favorite aircraft, his favorite is the SR71. Blackbird.