The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II belonging to the Collings Foundation take off with afterburners. You could be in the Backseat! Read about the F-4 Flight Training Program below.
The F-4 was used extensively by these three U.S. services during the Vietnam War, serving as the principal air superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, as well as being important in the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles by the close of U.S. involvement in the war.[2] The Phantom has the distinction of being the last U.S. fighter flown to attain ace status in the 20th century. During the Vietnam War, the USAF had one pilot and two WSOs,[5] and the US Navy one pilot and one RIO, become aces in air-to-air combat.
In air combat, the Phantom's greatest advantage was its thrust, which permitted a skilled pilot to engage and disengage from the fight at will. The massive aircraft, designed to fire radar-guided missiles from beyond visual range, lacked the agility of its Soviet opponents and was subject to adverse yaw during hard maneuvering. Although thus subject to irrecoverable spins during aileron rolls, pilots reported the aircraft to be very communicative and easy to fly on the edge of its performance envelope. In 1972, the F-4E model was upgraded with leading edge slats on the wing, greatly improving high angle of attack maneuverability at the expense of top speed.
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The Collings Foundation announces that, for the first time ever, flight programs are now available to members of the public in a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. This once in a lifetime opportunity allows both pilots and non-pilots to experience the most important jet fighter of the Vietnam/Cold War era. Just imagine what 35,000 lbs of thrust feels like!
The F-4 FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM takes place at the Collings Foundation’s Houston, Texas facility. Each participant will take part in academic sessions on the aircraft, which will include presentation safety procedures, ejection seat training and cockpit orientation, before donning a Nomex flight-suit and strapping into one of the most powerful civilian operated fighters in the world. Flights will be personally tailored to each student’s interests and capabilities.
Read more (and watch the Video) about Phantom Flight Training -->