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Star Wars Canyon in an RV-7

cool

I did an off road trip in death valley a long time ago and never could figure out where it was exactly. Now I know. Gotta put on my list of places to fly, but I wont be going that low.
 
Nice!

My first-ever F-4 Phantom ride as a 2Lt at George AFB was into Panamint East and West in 1988. We flew supersonic up the length of the valley, screamed down the eastern slope of Telescope Peak, roared up Star Wars canyon, and kicked up supersonic rooster trails below sea level along the valley floors. An unforgettably exceptional introduction to the jet in which I'd ultimately log 2069 hours in peace and combat. Every subsequent trip down the canyon (there were many) was just as special as the first.

Having said all that, I'd LOVE to fly that canyon in KELLI GIRL. That'd be one special sort of awesome. Imagine: ROARING down Star Wars Canyon at mach 0.22 in the aircraft I built...DUDE! :cool:
 
My first-ever F-4 Phantom ride as a 2Lt at George AFB was into Panamint East and West in 1988. We flew supersonic up the length of the valley, screamed down the eastern slope of Telescope Peak, roared up Star Wars canyon, and kicked up supersonic rooster trails below sea level along the valley floors. An unforgettably exceptional introduction to the jet in which I'd ultimately log 2069 hours in peace and combat. Every subsequent trip down the canyon (there were many) was just as special as the first.

Having said all that, I'd LOVE to fly that canyon in KELLI GIRL. That'd be one special sort of awesome. Imagine: ROARING down Star Wars Canyon at mach 0.22 in the aircraft I built...DUDE! :cool:


Scroll,

Mach 0.22 at 20 feet might be as interesting as 650KIAS at 250'....

Then again, when I converted USAF helo pilots to fixed wing at Sheppard in the T-38, we had lots of Army intra-service transfers...who said at 100KIAS and 6 feet it "began to get hairy". :eek:

Aggie
 
Nicely done Rick! It's still on my bucket list. In the meantime I am enjoying my mini canyon. It's only 1700' deep and 4000' wide :D

my_Star_Wars_canyon_1.jpg
 
I've flown Star Wars Canyon a few times in the RV...if anything, it's safer now as there is a 1500' AGL restriction on military traffic there after the 2019 crash.

What struck me was that at RV speeds I had more time to notice the complete lack of engine out options in the canyon, than I had at 450kts in the Rhino! That was enough to convince me to find other places for RV low level!
 
Great video

Really enjoyed your video..really cool photography....was that a GoPro__ and where was it mounted?
 
Chicken Strip Close Encounter

About three years ago, I turned a long final for the Chicken Strip in Saline Valley. It is not long, and it is soft and narrow. I make my finals there pretty long since I want to be wheels down in the first couple of hundred feet. It was lumpy mid afternoon air. I talked to Josh Approach from up towards Mammoth and until I turned final, so they watched me into the valley and on to final. Maybe a mile out, two jets came out of my 1:30 to 2:00 fast and low directly at me and then over me, close. Not a word from Josh App.
I was focused on the strip, and I figured they had to maintain separation with Josh, their on board radar and eyeballs cuz I was low, slow, and had no where to go. They were twin tails, so either 18s or 15s. I pay lots in taxes, and these guys were just screwing around on my dime. Very **** poor conduct. And dangerous. Be careful out there.
 
About three years ago, I turned a long final for the Chicken Strip in Saline Valley. It is not long, and it is soft and narrow. I make my finals there pretty long since I want to be wheels down in the first couple of hundred feet. It was lumpy mid afternoon air. I talked to Josh Approach from up towards Mammoth and until I turned final, so they watched me into the valley and on to final. Maybe a mile out, two jets came out of my 1:30 to 2:00 fast and low directly at me and then over me, close. Not a word from Josh App.
I was focused on the strip, and I figured they had to maintain separation with Josh, their on board radar and eyeballs cuz I was low, slow, and had no where to go. They were twin tails, so either 18s or 15s. I pay lots in taxes, and these guys were just screwing around on my dime. Very **** poor conduct. And dangerous. Be careful out there.

Respectfully, you were approaching an uncharted strip that is in the vicinity of multiple low level Military Training Routes. Both you and the fast movers were likely below Joshua's radar coverage. Tactical jet radars are not necessarily optimized for low and slow targets. See and avoid is everyone's responsibility, and I would bet you had the advantage that day, vice the pilots at low level and 480 knots working against an RV sized target.

Given the fiscal culture of military flying, I am confident they were not just screwing around. But I am sure they were having fun!
 
I talked to Josh Approach from up towards Mammoth and until I turned final, so they watched me into the valley and on to final. Maybe a mile out, two jets came out of my 1:30 to 2:00 fast and low directly at me and then over me, close.

We have a lot of MTR's in the SE too. Last time our EAA group visited the local ATC facility (MGM), the chief told us their radar cannot see a high percentage of the low level military routes. The jets go down and in, then pop up later at the other end.

Back when MGM based RF-4's, it wasn't unusual to see one really down in the weeds. And I recall the Air Force once calling our FBO at 08A, asking if we were missing an ultralight, apparently following a merge with an F-16.
 
Really enjoyed your video..really cool photography....was that a GoPro__ and where was it mounted?

The mount was a NFLIGHTCAM EXTERIOR BALL-HEAD MOUNT FOR GOPRO. It is attached by screwing the base anywhere a screw goes in the airframe. In my case, one of the fuel tank screws.

The camera is an SJCAM SJ5000X. Basically a less expensive but still pretty good go-pro alternative.
 
these guys were just screwing around on my dime. Very **** poor conduct. And dangerous.

You were operating in a MOA. And in the vicinity of a training route. Would you rather that airspace be Restricted and that way non of us can fly in there?

You are 50% of the see and avoid. If you dont want to mix it up with military aircraft training in a designated area, dont go in there.
 
You were operating in a MOA. And in the vicinity of a training route. Would you rather that airspace be Restricted and that way non of us can fly in there?

You are 50% of the see and avoid. If you dont want to mix it up with military aircraft training in a designated area, dont go in there.

He was talking constantly to the controlling agency - Joshua Approach...:)
 
Joshua's low altitude radar and radio capabilities are lacking especially in the valleys. Military airplanes are on UHF low altitude frequency and not talking to Joshua, so expecting Johnny on the spot traffic calls at low altitude under R2508 is a big gamble..
 
Joshua's low altitude radar and radio capabilities are lacking especially in the valleys. Military airplanes are on UHF low altitude frequency and not talking to Joshua, so expecting Johnny on the spot traffic calls at low altitude under R2508 is a big gamble..

MOA was cold, no mil training going on at all according to Josh Approach. Restricted areas were cold also and I was cleared through the Edwards restricted areas both North and Southbound.
 
When we flew MTR's out of Pensacola in the 80's in the mighty T-47 Platypus, we cancelled IFR, dropped to 500' AGL, and squawked 1200. We talked to nobody until we popped back up at the end of the route, and contacted Center/Approach to pick up a return flight plan.
 
Yep, knowing what I know now I'd avoid low level mil training routes. As a student with around 100 hours total time flying 400 kts with no radar and an ip in the back without the best visibility I probably would miss an RV. I almost got ran over by a prowler once, and they probably had three sets of eyeballs looking out. We scheduled routes, but that involved a phone call to another human, between the two of us a day or time could be off; also there where a time or two when we would be making calls in the blind getting on the route; so approach might have not heard us. Just stay below 50', unless of course there are some Brits around, and you'll be safe.
 
Be aware

Back in the 90's, an intruder took down a crop duster working "under" a VR route in Eastern Wa, destroying the AG Cat and killing the pilot when they collided as he pulled up on his turn for another pass. The Intruder wing sliced the duster in half and came home to fight another day.

I've flown under civil aircraft on low levels, and many others operating in the corridor we didn't see until they flashed by in our peripheral vision.

At 480 + kts and 150' a pilot's vision becomes a cone, with the pilot concentrating on the immediate threat right off the nose (rocks) ... there is precious little time to scan the horizon for small targets.

Coordinating with the controlling agency is one of the ways to help ensure that the airspace is not being used. But the contract you have with the controller is like any other contract... it may or may not be water tight. Enjoy responsibly like the ad says, and be aware that there are no guarantees.
 
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