Monday Video–Amazing Pilots

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I’m fascinated by flying.  I have the greatest respect for pilots.  Here are a couple of videos that show what it’s like in the cockpit.

First, here’s a commercial airliner making a night landing at night – viewed from within the cockpit.

That’s great, but the best of the best are Naval pilots who land a 52,000 pound jet on board an aircraft carrier that’s moving into the wind and pitching seas at 30 knots per hour – and often at night.  The pilot is flying at about 150 knots and must land his aircraft in a space about 200 feet in length and catch one of four wires.  When his plane touches the deck he pushes the throttle to full power so that he will take off again if he misses the wire.  Incredible.

Here’s what that looks like from the cockpit on a pitch dark night.  Remember, the deck he is looking at is pitching in the sea.