Who said PIGS don't fly?

[coreyjon]

LC-130 H2/H3 (L1/L2) and modernized Navy R Models (L1A).

The Pigasus has made it to:

WAIS Divide (S79 29.00 W119.35.00) Elev. 5920 Ft.
South Pole Station (S90 00.00 W180 00.00) Elev. 9280 Ft.
AGO 3 (S82 45.30 W028 35.34) Elev. 9790 Ft.

First Herk flew in 54' (prototype- Lockheed Skunkworks), and has evolved into one of the most reliable, versatile airframes to date logging more than 20 million flight hours.

...Don't get me started on the J model (Hey Lockheed - ever feel like you took a few steps backward!) We'll see what the future is - we have been flight testing the 8 Bladed props, new electronic valve housings, and soon Allison-Rolls Royce will be releasing the new T56 3.5 Ceramic turbine Mod - even comes with a slightly redesigned compressor inlet housing (with coating) (AR AR AR AR - Tim "The Toolman" Taylor Grunting)

We might grow "up", but all that means is our toys get bigger!

[machman-2823]

yea, im not a big fan of the J modle, the bay was tweaked in, well, not the best ways. I didn't know that the Hurk was made in the Skunk works, did Kelly Johnson head the program?

[coreyjon]

Willis Hawkings was the lead designer. Kelly Johnson was chief engineer at Lockheed at the time. During the development of the 130 he advanced to VP of R&D, then on to VP of Advanced Development Projects(Which would soon garner the nickname skunk works - due to it's proximity to a plastics factory). So I guess it isn't accurate to say it was designed by Skunk Works, it was designed partly (and signed off on - reluctantly) by KJ and the VP of Lockheed. Guess KJ preferred Fast planes that could be armed (he thought that the L-206 (soon dedicated model 82) would destroy Lockheed - guess he called that wrong).

[machman-2823]

KJ did some awe-inspiring stuff. Take the SR-71 for example, which has to be his greatest achievement. Nothing was known about flying at 3.5 times the speed of sound, and the engines, they change from a turbojet to a ramjet IN FLIGHT! The Blackbird is an amazing aircraft. Also, the P-80, U-2, and many, many other aircraft have come out of Palmdale.

[coreyjon]

Pigasus at the Ceremonial South Pole:



and at the Geographic South Pole:



It was a fairly warm -38C.

[nssheepster]

Bacon grease can be chemically refined to be suitable for jet fuel. Pigs fly, just dead pigs.

[machman-2823]

nice! I didn't know that there was a ceremonial South Pole...

[coreyjon]

There is also a Geomagnetic South Pole. But enough talk about cold, Pigasus has already flown the coupe north to Christchurch, Nz, and now is currently in Pago Pago, AS. And you thought your commute was long. Tomorrow its on to Hawaii. Clearly, Pigasus lives a tough life.

[machman-2823]

agreed

[machman-2823]

so, any updates on Pigasus? where is it now?

[coreyjon]

The Pigasus is currently competing at FLR @ RIT! Game on! lots of travels to come.

[machman-2823]

awesome! thats sweet!