Unique, Exciting Warbird Experience
We ran into one of our good friends, Bruce Moore, from North
American Top Gun the other day while refueling our Cirrus G3 Turbo
at Palatka, FL, (possibly the cheapest 100LL in the state, BTW --
and a VERY cool little airport) and got updated on the latest and
greatest in the NATG universe. NATG offers one of the most exciting
of the "Air Combat" programs available these days in that they
conduct their program in real live Texans of the SNJ/At-6
persuasion.
Tell me you haven't wondered what it was like to be a fighter
pilot during the romantic days of World War Two? Or what it felt
like to do a loop or roll, or to engage in a high "G" combat
maneuvers? We can tell you, personally, that the North American Top
Gun program is one of the best we've flown and that it comes with
our most sincere recommendation.
Well, NATG makes it possible to find out... and while sitting
behind one of the most extraordinary radial engines ever built.
Over the last seventeen years North American TopGun has put over
47,000 people in the cockpits of their high performance military
Warbirds and given them the experience of a lifetime. With a
skilled instructor pilot to show you the way, you can take the
controls of a World War II Texan and fly like the aces of
yesteryear. You can get an introductory flight lesson, indulge in
graceful Warbird aerobatics or just bask in nostalgia on a
leisurely sightseeing trip. The choices are all yours. TopGun
operates the Navy SNJ and Air Force AT-6. For five months of the
year these authentic World War II planes are on tour.
NATG notes that, "Sixty-five years ago these airplanes were
equipped with machine guns, bomb racks and tail-hooks. Young men
sat in these cockpits, held these joysticks… and went off to
war. North American TopGun is dedicated to preserving the history
and romance of World War II aviation and will be sharing that
experience with over 1,000 lucky people this year. Today the
machine guns and bomb racks are gone, replaced by three camera
video systems to preserve new memories."
Who Can Fly?
TopGun's customers have ranged from 5 years old to over 90.
These big Warbirds have large roomy cockpits with slide-open
canopies that can easily accommodate people up to 6' 8" or 300 lbs.
TopGun pilots talk to each customer to find out what their flying
experience is (most are non-pilots and have never been at the
controls of an airplane before) and this way they can custom tailor
each flight to the individual. TopGun has flown World War II
veterans looking to relive the experiences of their youth, airline
and corporate pilots looking to increase their safety skills,
people who come in wheel chairs, thrill-seekers looking for the
world's ultimate roller coaster, kids and grandmas (and they even
have a contract with the US Naval Test Pilot School to train Navy
fighter pilots).
All TopGun pilots are certified flight instructors and all the
planes are equipped with dual controls so that you (yes, you) can
fly the plane…