Each month I will post Top-5 Lists covering a variety of topics: books, movies, foods, etc. If you have a topic you want me to provide a list for, contact me.
The A-10, of course, has to be first. The training was serious fun—you rarely flew above a thousand feet, and almost every day you got to shoot things with a massive gun. If you ever want to know how effective the A-10 is in combat, ask someone who served on the front lines in the Army or the Marines. When they call for air support, the Warthog is the airplane they hope is loitering nearby.
Boeing 737. Okay, I’m partial here. I’ve flown all four versions of this jet, over twenty thousand hours now, and have never had any major problems. Stable and reliable, it’s the most widely flown airliner in the world over the last fifty years. Pilot’s little secret—the seats up front are far more comfortable than those in back.
T-38 Talon. This is the advanced trainer the Air Force has used since the 1960s. Sleek and simple, it’s a supersonic hot rod with a dizzying roll rate. Just plain fun to fly. The only downside is actually an upside for most pilots—it has issues flying in icing conditions, meaning you rarely have to fly in the weather.
F-15 Eagle. I never got an official checkout in the F-15, but I did get chances to fly it from the backseat as my squadron was transitioning. A big fighter with brute-force power, and avionics that were top notch in the day. The Eagle was first fighter designed for true air dominance.
F-16 Fighting Falcon. Again, I never went through the formal course, but even from the backseat 9Gs is painful. The first fly-by-wire aircraft I ever flew, which takes some getting used to. Quick and agile, it’s hard to keep track of in a dogfight. Oh, and did I mention 9 Gs?