Into the Darkness and Back Again:

What I learned when I tried to land on a carrier…at night

By Ed Rush

They called it “comfort time.”  And while I am not sure who exactly came up with that definition, I can honestly say that, in my humble opinion, the time that were referring to was anything but comfortable.

You see, there is a time in every Marine fighter pilot’s life when he has to land on the carrier for the first time…at night.  Notice that I said “has to.”  The first night landing is anything but a good deal.  It is just about the most dangerous thing that I can ever remember doing.  However, as a carrier pilot in the United States Marine Corps, I am proud to be a citizen in the only country that lands its aircraft on a carrier…at  night…crazy as it may be.    Read More...

Why Pilots Believe In Gravity

By Ed Rush

As a pilot, I believe in the existence of gravity.

That should be obvious, right? Well…you’d think.

There are 4 forces that act on an airplane in flight at any given time. They are: thrust and drag (horizontal), and lift and gravity (vertical). In controlled, stable, straight, and level flight all of these 4 forces are perfectly harmonized and equal. But, when one force gets stronger than the opposite...   Read More

Formation Flying

By Ed Rush

One of the most exciting aspects about being a fighter pilot is flying in a tight formation with another airplane while racing at speeds up to 10 miles a minute. It is the kind of thing that gets your heart pumping.

Fighter pilots fly in formation for a number of reasons. Of course, one of them is that it’s fun, but that isn’t enough to make it worthwhile. Fighter pilots “officially” fly in formation because... Read More

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