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In 1973 when I was a student pilot in the T-38, my
instructor and I got into a thunderstorm.
This was in South Georgia in the summer and there
was a war on at the time.
I can't say anything about what category storm it
might have been - we weren't told it was there.
Believe me - holding maneuvering speed is not your
highest priority in this situation. The ride is worse than anything Disney
ever dreamed up.
We were fighting to keep the plane right side
up.
The T-38 is a 12,000 lb aircraft, it can
handle 12 g's and has a 400+ deg per second roll capability.
We were both on the controls and fighting off
the unusual attitudes. The windshears cause such rapid airspeed changes
that trying to maintain any airspeed is an exercise in
futility.
We were lucky to get through it.
Mark Ravinski
N360 KB 1356 hrs
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