putting head out of cockpit

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guard2017a
Airman First Class
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Joined: 28 May 2018, 17:40

putting head out of cockpit

Post by guard2017a »

Hi Guys just me again. I have seen in some videos of the pilot sticking his head out of the cockpit while taxiing then getting out of the plane after shutdown. Can someone tell me how this is done thank you

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Jacques
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Joined: 26 Jun 2011, 17:54
Location: West Coast, USA

Re: putting head out of cockpit

Post by Jacques »

While TrackIR can’t be used to virtually leave the cockpit (?), it will allow you with small head movements, to see almost everything you would see if you were flying the plane in real life.
So, you can look down the sides of the aircraft as you are S-turning down the taxiway. It’s what I have and I consider it a monumental game-changer. There are other options available, but with the proper template downloaded, and some small amount of work tweaking it to suit your preferences it really is a very very useful bit of hardware.


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DHenriques_
A2A Chief Pilot
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Joined: 27 Mar 2009, 08:31
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Re: putting head out of cockpit

Post by DHenriques_ »

guard2017a wrote:Hi Guys just me again. I have seen in some videos of the pilot sticking his head out of the cockpit while taxiing then getting out of the plane after shutdown. Can someone tell me how this is done thank you
I'm assuming here that your question was about real life and not the sim????

Taxiing a P51 requires a certain "technique". You are blind straight ahead so what you do is S taxi in a weaving pattern. Doing this the nose is in constant back and forth crossing the center line of your forward progress. The trick is that each time the nose crosses left you clear the right side forward. Crossing right you clear the left.
This being said there are some pilots, myself and Bob Hoover included, who have displayed Mustangs who have discovered taxiing like I have described above can be a royal PIA over long distances on narrow taxiways. What Bob and I both did after landing (we didn't do this taxiing for takeoff of course) was to undo the harness and seat belt and partially stand up in the pit with the back of our knees resting on the front lip of the bucket seat leaning against it. This put our feet resting lightly on the lower part of both rudder pedals so we could use them as needed.
This also placed our head outside the aircraft looking just over the windshield. All this served several purposes. It kept us cool on hot days as we were in the "breeze" of the prop, and we could see straight ahead so we could taxi at a much faster speed than an S taxi. It also allowed us to wave at the crowds.

As for getting out of a Mustang;
You can exit either side by over stepping the canopy side rails onto the wing. From there you could dismount over the wing fillet or slide off the lowered flaps. There is a hand hold on the left side rear below the canopy...............OR you could dismount over the leading edge using the main gear tire as a "stepping stone".
I preferred getting out the left side then sliding down over the lowered flap because the canopy hand crank was on the right side and you could get your chute caught up in it yanking out the D ring opening the chute. (Don't ask me how I know this :-)
Anyway, that's the skinny.
Dudley Henriques

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Jacques
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Joined: 26 Jun 2011, 17:54
Location: West Coast, USA

Re: putting head out of cockpit

Post by Jacques »

DHenriquesA2A wrote: I preferred getting out the left side then sliding down over the lowered flap because the canopy hand crank was on the right side and you could get your chute caught up in it yanking out the D ring opening the chute. (Don't ask me how I know this :-)
Anyway, that's the skinny.
Dudley Henriques
Gaining “experience” can sometimes be painful. [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

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Paughco
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Joined: 30 Nov 2014, 12:27

Re: putting head out of cockpit

Post by Paughco »

Once again - we need that "Like" button.

Seeya
ATB
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