Subdeacon Joe Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I hadn't known this: 'CAPTAIN' KAYE: DANNY THE PILOT Danny Kaye was an excellent pilot. When he worked on “Merry Andrew”, he bonded with director and choreographer Michael Kidd as they car pooled to work. However, Kidd made Kaye extremely nervous at the wheel, so Kaye became the regular chauffeur. One day Kidd, a licensed pilot, encouraged Danny to take a ride. From a January 1967 Popular Science article, Kaye explained, “the bug bit him” and hard. Kaye worried about his initial flying tests because they, for good reason, were not easy. In addition, Kaye had to conquer his discomfort with math. He did this with ease, as Dena Kaye taught her father the ropes. Danny Kaye would complete his first battery of tests with 90’s and above. (The scale for passing went as low as 70!) Not many passed on the first try, but 90 or above was well above average and quite fitting for the real life Walter Mitty. By the end of his career, Kaye was flight rated for airplanes ranging from single-engine light aircraft to multi-engine jets, and he was instrument-rated, as well. He also obtained his commercial pilot’s license and had flown virtually every type of aircraft. According to a Nov. 25, 1962 United Press International article, U.S. Military planes were an exception -- but Danny Kaye was able to overcome that obstacle by flying at twice the speed of sound, MACH 2 (1380 m.p.h.), in a F-104 Starfighter over Edwards Air Force Base while making a documentary film. He was officially awarded a medal for this accomplishment by Col.Ray Vandiver. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Maybe it's just me, but if I was so worried about somebody's car-driving ability that I took over all the driving jobs, I don't believe I would want to get with them in an airplane when they were flying. If their driving scares me I damn sure don't want to fly with 'em. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 1 hour ago, Alpo said: Maybe it's just me, but if I was so worried about somebody's car-driving ability that I took over all the driving jobs, I don't believe I would want to get with them in an airplane when they were flying. If their driving scares me I damn sure don't want to fly with 'em. Different skill sets and different types of awareness. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Dan Troop 70448 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 11 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said: Different skill sets and different types of awareness. You sometimes take chances on the road, but never in the air. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 5 minutes ago, Marshal Dan Troop 70448 said: You sometimes take chances on the road, but never in the air. The skills are outwardly similar - moving a vehicle through space - but you have an extra dimension in the air. You have fewer close hazards in the air (if you have a lot of close hazards in the air something is very, very wrong), and the mechanics and physics of driving v. flying are different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Bob #61228 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Driving around, there are lots of things to hit. Flying, you only get to hit something once. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Dan Troop 70448 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said: The skills are outwardly similar - moving a vehicle through space - but you have an extra dimension in the air. You have fewer close hazards in the air (if you have a lot of close hazards in the air something is very, very wrong), and the mechanics and physics of driving v. flying are different. Oh yes. Having flown for over 50 years and having the privilege of flying warplanes. One could relax a little when our tours were Westward on the Northwest sections, but when we had tours to the East and the traffic was heavy, it took all eyes to fly through traffic. Remember, we didn't have radar on these and depended on ground control and their directions as well as our crew. The worst were the weekend small plane pilots and Air Shows were runways were closed early and everyone wanted to get on the ground before the deadline. My last flight, my last landing which the wife caught on camera as we came in and they held a party for me on the Tarmac. Edited January 19 by Marshal Dan Troop 70448 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 that was fun to watch , nice landing , 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 21 hours ago, Marshal Dan Troop 70448 said: Oh yes. Having flown for over 50 years and having the privilege of flying warplanes. One could relax a little when our tours were Westward on the Northwest sections, but when we had tours to the East and the traffic was heavy, it took all eyes to fly through traffic. Remember, we didn't have radar on these and depended on ground control and their directions as well as our crew. The worst were the weekend small plane pilots and Air Shows were runways were closed early and everyone wanted to get on the ground before the deadline. My last flight, my last landing which the wife caught on camera as we came in and they held a party for me on the Tarmac. Well done Sir, for some reason I found that a bit emotional! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Dan Troop 70448 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 24 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said: Well done Sir, for some reason I found that a bit emotional! It was for me also. Saying good-bye with the crew and all the good times we had. Especially meeting the Vets that flew in these. their stories, their losses, and seeing how much these planes meant to them and how they brought back those days of their youth. Many had tears in their eyes as they told their memories. Those I will remember always. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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