I was a lead man on the production line of this plane. From experimental to first production. I worked on all of them. It was a very fast and good plane. But the first one flew sideways because the fuselage was to short. After they stretched it out 3 feet it was fine. Best job I ever had.
I enjoy working in a IIIA, one of the few my company bought from Lufthansa, after they quit doing pilot training on it. The avionics are outdated and not too compatible with the little new equipment we installed. This is noticeable especially after a rainy night outside the hangar, in this case we have frequently problems with the A/P and the right side avionics. It is indeed a fine airplane, but it never received the support the King Air got and it almost has phased out, with only a few operators outside the third world market. Cheers
@@elijamatt7929 too bad, Elija, seems like it's a lightened up king air with more hp, impressive performance, but you are totally right, kings airs are everywhere, so the parts flow and repair costs would be much lower..plus a king or 1900 kills this thing in cabin space. As an operator a pc 12 or a king is as much better choice, unless you must fly in that flight regime.. As a business plane, it's a killer for sure, gives up little to a 390, for probably much less cost.. If I was going Ny to Miami with a few friends weekly, no brainer..thing can climb over any weather .. Some nice gps nav goodies, and you will be the envy of a lot of pilots.. 1000 hp on each wing?!.. probs goes like an idiot even at mtow.. wish I was a millionaire ..
@@planegaper 1000hp would be new to me, more like 720. As a business plane, this thing sucks, who can afford a business flights would certainly choose something else, not the 80's airplane with retirement castle style on the inside. In regard to GA, the Cheyenne is the oldest and slowest thing on the apron. Nearly everything is better in regard to comfort/performance/operating costs, even the single engine Turbos (the only thing I can think of which is actually worse is the GA7 Skyvan, but this was never intended for this segment). This is why the PA42 is mostly used in ambulance flights or any kind of unconventional business, but usually nothing with pax contact. Low aboriginal cost, nobody needs to see the cabin (maybe a medical team at night here and there) and the operating cost is coming from somebody who has no choice. Shame that Piper refused to make more out of it. The platform itself was very decent. I am glad to move on to a new TR soon, as you can see I am not too happy with it^^ It was interesting for the first 12 month and got boring afterwards.
@@elijamatt7929 true it's an older airframe , and may not accept new tech well, plus the smaller cabin, plus small turbofans of today didn't exist back then, and are probably better performers, less parts, and better on fuel in the long run.. purchase price non withstanding.. It's too bad, as it's just a great performer, I thought he said the pt6 was de rated to 720, and this thing's allisons were 1250 de rated to 1000.. Only thing with the allison, if you bump a prop on a bad landing or slip into a ditch while running.. chuck the engine.. pt6 hot section might survive.. new prop shaft, and oil mech, and yer good to go.. I guess it went the way of the starship, it's a beast, but just no market.. i like the interior lol, velour is making a come back!!!! As said before, a pc 12 is a great performer, bigger , more comfy, one engine and has stol performance.. Now if you could get one cheap with low hours, and can afford to run it.. it's a beast.. what do you think of the tbm 900 as opposed to the pc 12 ?
I’ve never wanted a Cheyenne 400LS more than I do now. There’s just something about the look of this plane, you have to admit. It is a ruthlessly attractive aircraft.
I used to work on Cheyennes at Columbia Air Services in CT in the '90s. Never got a chance to fly in one, but I used to taxi them across the airport to the run pad for engine runs.
I remember in 1983 Yeager broke a cross-country flight record in the 400LS. During the TV interview following the landing he was asked what it was like to fly a plane, and his answer was, "It will never replace sex."
I got to fly one back in the mid 1990s. I was a LearJet Captain and had a friend that flew the 400. Went on a trip with him. It was an impressive airplane.
There's something I've wondered about since seeing a recent video of the General. He's now 97, in a wheelchair and no longer flying. What was his last flight as pilot in command? I have to wonder if, as he taxied to the ramp, he knew that he'd logged his last flight. God bless you General, you truly represented the very best of the Greatest Generation.
I attended a talk by him in Sydney on 27/4/94, and he was not humble at all! He made it very clear that his greatest flying experience ever was killing Germans in his Mustang.
Fantastic Machine ... On my bucket list of planes. 400mph cruise ... cruises over 40,000 feet ... Great pressurization ratio ... developed by Lear Siegler (400 LS) under its brief ownership of the line ... Very rare plane today. Only the Piaggio 180 Avanti II comes close.
I remember this segment from the VHS series “Aileron” in the mid 80s when I was a kid drooling over flying. The 400ls had amazing performance. Set me up for disappointment though when I flew turbo props in the mid 90s 😂
Hal Fishman - News anchor and pilot KTLA 5 Los Angeles. On air from 1960 to 2007. KTLA launched the Telecopter in 1958 - the world's first helicopter live television platform.
I always liked his enthusiasm when reporting anything Aviation related. He did a video on the shuttle in 1981 right after the first launch and it was great. I probably still have it on VHS somewhere.
@@sonnyburnett8725 Hal was the only reporter who got the aircraft coorect while reporting crashes. I hate it when TV stations show a picture of an A321 while reporting a 737-800 crash
They were fast,but they were still a Piper! A lot of people didn't like the Garretts,but they put out a lot of power and with the electronic fuel controls,they were very fuel efficient!
Interesting... I had heard about this before. Watching the video it makes sense, you can see the torque meter pegging at 120% for an extended period after takeoff (looks like it peaked at ~125%. I guess engine longevity doesn't matter when you're trying to set records... I still love that aircraft. :)
The engines were derated, so pushing them past the set ratings wouldn't be a detriment. Derated from 1600 to 1000 SHP. So pushing them at 1200 isn't really pushing them. You're right she is a beautiful bird.
GREAT Aircraft! To bad Piper doesn't still make them... Hey Chuck remember when you flew into FPR instead of your destination of VRB? I do!! What a Pilot!!
The Cheyenne 400 was an overgrown Navajo at the absolute limits of its capabilities. Sure you could outfly a Citation I.... but the Citation I owner is going to be flying in smooth comfort and has the backing of Cessna’s unrivalled support system. And when he decides he wants a Citation II or Citation V or a Citation III each of which will blow the doors off a 400LS... he could get a quick and easy trade and not have to spent a ton of money transitioning his flight crew. Compared to a more pedestrian aircraft like a King Air.. it was insanely expensive and frustrating to operate. Poorly configured for a utility aircraft, and nowhere near as much comfort or room. Who cares if you’re faster if they give you altitude restrictions when leaving... leave you low because you’re still a giant road block above 30,000 feet (where the even the Citation I is a bit faster), Force you into an early descent to keep you away from the heavies, and make you slow down in terminal, anyways?
Those Garrett's made a lot more noise than the PW's didn't they? It seems like I remember reading that was one reason why they were not as popular. Kind of like the Russian TU-95's which are supposedly horrendous noise makers.
Uh... almost every plane can. It’s just like how even a Smart Car will beat this thing off the line. Rockets start slow going up and planes start slow going forward.
It's just like driving a car, it either does or it doesn't, and it does, best quote going. I wonder if those records still stand. In all the years after this machine went out of production, people have continued to buy King Air's, Im sure the 400LS would've sold as well and my years of maintenance experience with Navajo's and King Airs tells me that the Piper is a better machine maintenance wise, not near as many landing gear problems as a King Air.
@@JosephRodriguez-qt2ml Just translated it on google and that could be true but if it were flying at the exact speed as my prediction the Cheyenne 400LS will rival the P-180 Avanti.
The is not capable of 413kts at sea level, I can tell you that. Well above VMO anyway. This aircraft has a realistic cruise spd of 350kts which is still quite impressive (50-80kts) faster than most everything else.
Several comments in here comparing it to the King Air. CEO's dont give a squat about a climb record......they care about comfort and reasonable speed and RELIABILITY and product support and the way customers are treated. Any questions?
These pipers where a mechanic horror if something failed. Electric systems where poor made and often they field the owner during a trip. But the concept was superb to all turbines at that time. A citation was named a slowtation and a fuel guzzling jet. The only type I know what had a similar sporty flight was a Embraer 120 but that’s a bigger beast.
It was slightly slower than the Citation I in cruise and a lot slower in descent at higher altitudes (since it’s limited by Mach). But the biggest difference is the Citation I was at the beginning of its potential, while the Cheyenne 400 was at the very end. Today the Citation CJ1 or M2 will handily trounce the Cheyenne 400 in nearly all aspects of performance, plus you can go up the range to the CJ3/4, the 560, the 560XLS, the Sovereign, the Latitude and Longitude, the Citation X (definitely nothing slow about that plane ;) )
Bartonovich52 nice .. I overtook citations 1 in a money , about 10 knots difference. Both in cruise flight. Since we say slowtation to these Cessna’s The reason the piper did not descent quickly was also due to the engines. If you dive on those the garrets prop may drive the engine and that’s a no go too
No. The Cheyenne is very dead for a good reason. Every time you see one it’s either operated by the most shady of over leveraged charter operators or more money than brains private individuals.
Yes, a half kill is when two pilots engaged the same aircraft that lead to it being shot down. Often happens when lead pulls off after losing solution and the wingman comes in to finish the kill.
I broke the speed of light record about 1958 hey guess what guys I did not get famous. Once the virus is over I'll get the radio transmission and prove to deaf and dumb.
Memo to whomever wrote the introduction to this video: Chuck Yeager never "punched out" of a P-51 over Europe during WW-2. The term punching out is synonymous with pulling the handles and ejecting from a jet fighter; the P-51 was a powerful piston-powered fighter. And how can I believe anything you say in the rest of this video, when you've already got your facts wrong in the first thirty seconds?
That's an unfair statement on a blanket basis. I was introduced to him on several occasions. My impression is that he was pleasant and gracious on those occasions. I have a lasting memory of him just after 911, after a steak dinner at a US Aviation hall of fame banquet. Sitting at the table behind him I engaged him in conversation. In a room full of stiff men in suits and leather shoes (including myself), he was comfortable and outgoing while wearing an open collar shirt and wearing tennis shoes.
mikepodella You might be surprised at your own attitude if people only ever recognized a single accomplishment in a 45 year career and asked you the same fucking question over and over for 66 years! He accomplished things in is career far more amazing and impressive than the supersonic flight in October, 1947 and does rather resent the fact no one recognizes those feats. That is why he quit giving interviews about breaking the sound barrier.
I find your negative attitude about Gen. Yeager inconsistent with my own experiences. Last time I talked with him was around 2006 or 2007, when he sat behind us at a National Aviation Hall of fame dinner. I remember asking he was upbeat about talking about the AC Delco folks. Back in the 80's he did some advertising for them. I shared with him how my late father called the replacement battery in his old '66 ford a "Gen Yeager Battery". He more or less joked that he hoped it didn't leave him stranded by the road.
Well that is the one accomplishment he obviously wanted real bad. Bob Hoover should have done the flight that day. Chucky had broken ribs from a horse riding accident and wasn't fit to fly, but he kept it to himself so he could selfishly be the first man to break the sound barrier.
I was a lead man on the production line of this plane. From experimental to first production. I worked on all of them. It was a very fast and good plane. But the first one flew sideways because the fuselage was to short. After they stretched it out 3 feet it was fine. Best job I ever had.
I enjoy working in a IIIA, one of the few my company bought from Lufthansa, after they quit doing pilot training on it. The avionics are outdated and not too compatible with the little new equipment we installed. This is noticeable especially after a rainy night outside the hangar, in this case we have frequently problems with the A/P and the right side avionics. It is indeed a fine airplane, but it never received the support the King Air got and it almost has phased out, with only a few operators outside the third world market. Cheers
@@elijamatt7929 too bad, Elija, seems like it's a lightened up king air with more hp, impressive performance, but you are totally right, kings airs are everywhere, so the parts flow and repair costs would be much lower..plus a king or 1900 kills this thing in cabin space. As an operator a pc 12 or a king is as much better choice, unless you must fly in that flight regime..
As a business plane, it's a killer for sure, gives up little to a 390, for probably much less cost.. If I was going Ny to Miami with a few friends weekly, no brainer..thing can climb over any weather .. Some nice gps nav goodies, and you will be the envy of a lot of pilots.. 1000 hp on each wing?!.. probs goes like an idiot even at mtow.. wish I was a millionaire ..
@@planegaper 1000hp would be new to me, more like 720. As a business plane, this thing sucks, who can afford a business flights would certainly choose something else, not the 80's airplane with retirement castle style on the inside. In regard to GA, the Cheyenne is the oldest and slowest thing on the apron. Nearly everything is better in regard to comfort/performance/operating costs, even the single engine Turbos (the only thing I can think of which is actually worse is the GA7 Skyvan, but this was never intended for this segment). This is why the PA42 is mostly used in ambulance flights or any kind of unconventional business, but usually nothing with pax contact. Low aboriginal cost, nobody needs to see the cabin (maybe a medical team at night here and there) and the operating cost is coming from somebody who has no choice. Shame that Piper refused to make more out of it. The platform itself was very decent. I am glad to move on to a new TR soon, as you can see I am not too happy with it^^ It was interesting for the first 12 month and got boring afterwards.
@@elijamatt7929 true it's an older airframe , and may not accept new tech well, plus the smaller cabin, plus small turbofans of today didn't exist back then, and are probably better performers, less parts, and better on fuel in the long run.. purchase price non withstanding..
It's too bad, as it's just a great performer, I thought he said the pt6 was de rated to 720, and this thing's allisons were 1250 de rated to 1000.. Only thing with the allison, if you bump a prop on a bad landing or slip into a ditch while running.. chuck the engine.. pt6 hot section might survive.. new prop shaft, and oil mech, and yer good to go..
I guess it went the way of the starship, it's a beast, but just no market.. i like the interior lol, velour is making a come back!!!!
As said before, a pc 12 is a great performer, bigger , more comfy, one engine and has stol performance..
Now if you could get one cheap with low hours, and can afford to run it.. it's a beast..
what do you think of the tbm 900 as opposed to the pc 12 ?
Allen Townley
Did you go to Vero Beach?
I’ve never wanted a Cheyenne 400LS more than I do now. There’s just something about the look of this plane, you have to admit. It is a ruthlessly attractive aircraft.
Those old Cheyenne 3's and 400's were always an airplane I dreamed of flying when I was younger.
I used to work on Cheyennes at Columbia Air Services in CT in the '90s. Never got a chance to fly in one, but I used to taxi them across the airport to the run pad for engine runs.
I remember in 1983 Yeager broke a cross-country flight record in the 400LS. During the TV interview following the landing he was asked what it was like to fly a plane, and his answer was, "It will never replace sex."
As if anything ever could.
What a legend !! The plane and the man.
The initial climb rate made the altimeter look like a stopwatch. :)
I got to fly one back in the mid 1990s. I was a LearJet Captain and had a friend that flew the 400. Went on a trip with him. It was an impressive airplane.
Well done, General!
There's something I've wondered about since seeing a recent video of the General. He's now 97, in a wheelchair and no longer flying. What was his last flight as pilot in command? I have to wonder if, as he taxied to the ramp, he knew that he'd logged his last flight. God bless you General, you truly represented the very best of the Greatest Generation.
Man, whata run he had.
🙌🏼🙏🏻🇺🇸💪🏼
Loved chucks biography. Also love how humble he is, especially when saying how the machine will break the record no matter who's flying it.
I attended a talk by him in Sydney on 27/4/94, and he was not humble at all! He made it very clear that his greatest flying experience ever was killing Germans in his Mustang.
@@NoTaboos would have been ironic had he met up with an ME-262 or one of the other German jets.
Oh my god what an insane machine.
Yeager is LEGEND.
One of my heroes.
Fantastic Machine ...
On my bucket list of planes. 400mph cruise ... cruises over 40,000 feet ... Great pressurization ratio ... developed by Lear Siegler (400 LS) under its brief ownership of the line ... Very rare plane today. Only the Piaggio 180 Avanti II comes close.
Yep, who needs a jet.
NOTHING BUT AWSOMENESS...!
I met a couple of people in Georgia that worked on the Cheyenne.
I worked for Piper but at the Vero Beach plant.
Wonderful aircraft. Always hold it for a rumor, but now i see, that service ceiling indeed is 41000 ft. Incredible
would it beat a starship ?
I remember this segment from the VHS series “Aileron” in the mid 80s when I was a kid drooling over flying. The 400ls had amazing performance. Set me up for disappointment though when I flew turbo props in the mid 90s 😂
Hal Fishman - News anchor and pilot KTLA 5 Los Angeles. On air from 1960 to 2007. KTLA launched the Telecopter in 1958 - the world's first helicopter live television platform.
I always liked his enthusiasm when reporting anything Aviation related. He did a video on the shuttle in 1981 right after the first launch and it was great. I probably still have it on VHS somewhere.
@@sonnyburnett8725 Hal was the only reporter who got the aircraft coorect while reporting crashes. I hate it when TV stations show a picture of an A321 while reporting a 737-800 crash
Holy crap....see the size of the prop blades
They were fast,but they were still a Piper! A lot of people didn't like the Garretts,but they put out a lot of power and with the electronic fuel controls,they were very fuel efficient!
Counter rotating 1000 hp Garret engines. That’s my kind of plane! Chuck and Bill look young!!
I remember when this video series came out in the 80's. Still have it on beta tape. This airplane is a rocket and I'd love to fly one.
Ictpilot Ictpilot
It is a blast. I have flown most of them.
@@bearlemley jealous
One remarkable aircraft. If money was no object I would buy one without hesitation.
When an enemy airplane is shot down by 2 allied plane, the kill is shared between the pilots. That's why he got just an half kill.
Claudio Nicolotti I was wondering about that. Thank you
Glad you cleared that up, was thinking 1 enemy plane went up... and half a plane came down ;)
400LS is a badass..
Climbing at over 1 mile per minute. :-) 60 MPH vertical rate of climb. Space in one hour. Theoretically.
Interesting... I had heard about this before. Watching the video it makes sense, you can see the torque meter pegging at 120% for an extended period after takeoff (looks like it peaked at ~125%. I guess engine longevity doesn't matter when you're trying to set records...
I still love that aircraft. :)
The engines were derated, so pushing them past the set ratings wouldn't be a detriment. Derated from 1600 to 1000 SHP. So pushing them at 1200 isn't really pushing them. You're right she is a beautiful bird.
Outstanding. Where do i place my deposit?
GREAT Aircraft! To bad Piper doesn't still make them... Hey Chuck remember when you flew into FPR instead of your destination of VRB? I do!! What a Pilot!!
Unforgetable plane
American hero
I wonder what the cabin climb rate was or did they use oxygen and not bother pressurizing.
Like Seeing a Clydesdale for the First Time. For the Owner who has to have The Biggest Turboprop at the Airport
Would be interesting to experiment with the same engines on the Commander 695 and Cessna Conquest II, just for fun. But what a beast the 400LS is.
Done a few hrs in the 111, flies nice although I prefer the B200, got 1000's of hrs in them:-)
No one else notice the Coach's Corner theme at 4:46?
No
Grapes!
If there was ever a plane design based on the look of a scorpion, this is it 3:30 - 3:45
Approx 4:21, there are two people in the AC. Thought this record attempt would be solo for the sake of weight.
What happened to the 400s? seems they never hit it .. Thanks for sharing
The Cheyenne 400 was an overgrown Navajo at the absolute limits of its capabilities.
Sure you could outfly a Citation I.... but the Citation I owner is going to be flying in smooth comfort and has the backing of Cessna’s unrivalled support system. And when he decides he wants a Citation II or Citation V or a Citation III each of which will blow the doors off a 400LS... he could get a quick and easy trade and not have to spent a ton of money transitioning his flight crew.
Compared to a more pedestrian aircraft like a King Air.. it was insanely expensive and frustrating to operate. Poorly configured for a utility aircraft, and nowhere near as much comfort or room. Who cares if you’re faster if they give you altitude restrictions when leaving... leave you low because you’re still a giant road block above 30,000 feet (where the even the Citation I is a bit faster), Force you into an early descent to keep you away from the heavies, and make you slow down in terminal, anyways?
Those Garrett's made a lot more noise than the PW's didn't they? It seems like I remember reading that was one reason why they were not as popular. Kind of like the Russian TU-95's which are supposedly horrendous noise makers.
same engine used on the MU-2 ...loud as hell
I think he overtook the shuttle for the first few seconds of the climb.
That is exactly what I was thinking too! ;-)
That is exactly what I was thinking too! ;-)
Uh... almost every plane can.
It’s just like how even a Smart Car will beat this thing off the line. Rockets start slow going up and planes start slow going forward.
It's just like driving a car, it either does or it doesn't, and it does, best quote going. I wonder if those records still stand. In all the years after this machine went out of production, people have continued to buy King Air's, Im sure the 400LS would've sold as well and my years of maintenance experience with Navajo's and King Airs tells me that the Piper is a better machine maintenance wise, not near as many landing gear problems as a King Air.
Mach .62 = 413 knots 765 kph 476 mph.
Edit: Mach .62 = 355.2 knots 658.4 kph 409.2 mph at FL400.
How did you come up with that TAS number? That number will vary greatly with temp/alt
@@JosephRodriguez-qt2ml Just translated it on google and that could be true but if it were flying at the exact speed as my prediction the Cheyenne 400LS will rival the P-180 Avanti.
@@JosephRodriguez-qt2ml that works out to be 20⁰C for that TAS/Mach. Probably a near sea level run
The is not capable of 413kts at sea level, I can tell you that. Well above VMO anyway. This aircraft has a realistic cruise spd of 350kts which is still quite impressive (50-80kts) faster than most everything else.
@@jetjox2000 He was at 41000 ft when he said that but okay.
Sad because this airframe was dismantled & in pieces @P.C.C Rock Creek in 1998.
This plane is commonly called “The poor man’s jet”
Can the Piper Cheyenne be flown by one single pilot like its rival, the Beechcraft Super King Air?
Yep
Several comments in here comparing it to the King Air. CEO's dont give a squat about a climb record......they care about comfort and reasonable speed and RELIABILITY and product support and the way customers are treated. Any questions?
Looked like the torque was through the tip of the arc.
Scott Major yea I noticed that to... I fly the Cheyenne ii and King air. A Big no no is to Overtorque the engines.
I don't think they were worried about the rebuild cost.
Note that these are de-rated; if the gauge is for the 1K HP derating, it's fine to go over it, at least up to a certain altitude.
That tail is tall!
At 41k it had to be in Space!
These pipers where a mechanic horror if something failed.
Electric systems where poor made and often they field the owner during a trip.
But the concept was superb to all turbines at that time. A citation was named a slowtation and a fuel guzzling jet.
The only type I know what had a similar sporty flight was a Embraer 120 but that’s a bigger beast.
It was slightly slower than the Citation I in cruise and a lot slower in descent at higher altitudes (since it’s limited by Mach).
But the biggest difference is the Citation I was at the beginning of its potential, while the Cheyenne 400 was at the very end. Today the Citation CJ1 or M2 will handily trounce the Cheyenne 400 in nearly all aspects of performance, plus you can go up the range to the CJ3/4, the 560, the 560XLS, the Sovereign, the Latitude and Longitude, the Citation X (definitely nothing slow about that plane ;) )
Bartonovich52 nice .. I overtook citations 1 in a money , about 10 knots difference. Both in cruise flight.
Since we say slowtation to these Cessna’s
The reason the piper did not descent quickly was also due to the engines. If you dive on those the garrets prop may drive the engine and that’s a no go too
Hi there, thanks for this film. Do you have anymore on the 400LS?
How did he manage to get 11 and a half kills?
Shared kill.
One half of a confirmed kill?
I believe a $100k harmond rocket beat the 10k record
mike bailey who cares? Whoever was flying the Rocket still ain’t Chuck Yeager.
6,000 FEET A MINUTE!?
Piper needs to go whole hog on this in building a 4 engine version that seats 60 passengers for light commuter transport.
No.
The Cheyenne is very dead for a good reason. Every time you see one it’s either operated by the most shady of over leveraged charter operators or more money than brains private individuals.
Explain please. What am I missing?
How the hell does one get half a confirmed kill? An assist?
Yes, a half kill is when two pilots engaged the same aircraft that lead to it being shot down. Often happens when lead pulls off after losing solution and the wingman comes in to finish the kill.
@R Diaz Very interesting, thank you very much!
I broke the speed of light record about 1958 hey guess what guys I did not get famous.
Once the virus is over I'll get the radio transmission and prove to deaf and dumb.
Memo to whomever wrote the introduction to this video: Chuck Yeager never "punched out" of a P-51 over Europe during WW-2. The term punching out is synonymous with pulling the handles and ejecting from a jet fighter; the P-51 was a powerful piston-powered fighter. And how can I believe anything you say in the rest of this video, when you've already got your facts wrong in the first thirty seconds?
jumping out was still possible, nay?
Idiot, yes he did punch out/jump out of a P-51 Mustang. Story is accurate.
Ellenor Malik \
This was before he turned into a bitter, egotistical, crotchety old man. Or maybe he always was that way.
That's an unfair statement on a blanket basis. I was introduced to him on several occasions. My impression is that he was pleasant and gracious on those occasions. I have a lasting memory of him just after 911, after a steak dinner at a US Aviation hall of fame banquet. Sitting at the table behind him I engaged him in conversation. In a room full of stiff men in suits and leather shoes (including myself), he was comfortable and outgoing while wearing an open collar shirt and wearing tennis shoes.
mikepodella You might be surprised at your own attitude if people only ever recognized a single accomplishment in a 45 year career and asked you the same fucking question over and over for 66 years! He accomplished things in is career far more amazing and impressive than the supersonic flight in October, 1947 and does rather resent the fact no one recognizes those feats. That is why he quit giving interviews about breaking the sound barrier.
I find your negative attitude about Gen. Yeager inconsistent with my own experiences. Last time I talked with him was around 2006 or 2007, when he sat behind us at a National Aviation Hall of fame dinner. I remember asking he was upbeat about talking about the AC Delco folks. Back in the 80's he did some advertising for them. I shared with him how my late father called the replacement battery in his old '66 ford a "Gen Yeager Battery". He more or less joked that he hoped it didn't leave him stranded by the road.
Well that is the one accomplishment he obviously wanted real bad. Bob Hoover should have done the flight that day. Chucky had broken ribs from a horse riding accident and wasn't fit to fly, but he kept it to himself so he could selfishly be the first man to break the sound barrier.
How many enemy planes have you shot down A**Hole
Terrible camera quality.
LOL