Andy9o8 2 #26 March 24, 2010 QuoteAfter watching one of my all-time favorite movies it seems the question was never answered. By the way, I dig this movie, too; but they did a real disservice to Gus's memory. They portray him as a grunting Neanderthal and a screw-up. In fact, that's completely the opposite of what he really was: a mechanical engineer, military fighter pilot and one of the elite corps of military test pilots. Unfortunately, all that the two successive generations of Americans (working on a third) who rarely read actual books unless they're forced to will "know" about him is how he was portrayed in the movie. Check out his bio some time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #27 March 24, 2010 Quote Quote After watching one of my all-time favorite movies it seems the question was never answered. The man was an Astronaut, not a boat skipper. What happened after the spacecraft "landed" back on earth is irrelevant. Fuckin' A Bubba! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topdocker 0 #28 March 24, 2010 Fuckin' A!Jump more, post less! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 210 #29 March 25, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo2hqybmGKg For those of you who answered 'who?'Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Niki1 1 #30 March 25, 2010 The man was an Astronaut, not a boat skipper. What happened after the spacecraft "landed" back on earth is irrelevant. I don't think that's true but I do like the differenciation. Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydance1954 0 #31 March 29, 2010 Quote One day in the mid-nineties I had the day off at the Cal-City DZ so I loaded up some beer and chow into my truck and drove about 20 miles out into the desert just to be alone. There's not much to do in Cal City if you're not jumping and I did these trips often. I usually told people at the DZ I was off to go meteor hunting and that was somewhat true. But my technique never bared fruit. I'd usually just set up a chair and my beer cooler, roll a fatty, and wait for one to fall. So once again I set up out there just enjoying the vastness, solitude, and beauty of that place with no students and no reserves to repack when this F-16 came ripping over my head at about 500-feet. I knew who it was instantly. It was the day before my birthday (the 14th of October) and I knew Chuck Yeager would be celebrating the 40th anniversary of his breaking the sound barrier the very next day at close by Edwards' AFB. He was scheduled to do a flight demonstration and re-break the sound barrier. It was all over the news for days. So for the next hour or so it was just me and old Chuck out there in the desert alone while he flew a practice filght. My own private airshow! There's not much in this part of the scrub desert so I'm sure he saw my truck out there. But I was positive of it when he flew over my head one last time and I stood up to wave. Then he did something I'll never forget. General Chuck Yeager gave me a wing wag! What a birthday present . . . NickD That is badass as all hell! Fantastic! That has to be the bestest birthday present I've ever heard of. You lucky SOB.Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
