I've made it into a Top Gear Episode

"whatisthatsound" (whatisthatsound)
05/10/2016 at 19:00 • Filed to: None

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXJddU…

My 2006 Viper.

Disclaimer:I’m reposting this one more time mostly because I put it up at an odd time last month and secondly there are some better shots.

In early January I had my first flight in a Growler. As we took off, the pilot asked about feeling the acceleration for the first time. I said it was impressive, but my old Viper was no slouch either. “I wonder how they would stack up”, I thought to myself.

We carried on with our flight and landed at our halfway airfield to refuel. On final, tower said we may be recorded. My pilot and I were curious what they meant.When I spotted it on final I said out loud, “there on the left a 2016 Viper ACR with a camera crew”. I was ecstatic during the fueling pits, less to the amusement of my pilot, but I can’t get over my love for Vipers. Post refuel we were taxiing, and I saw the Viper lined up in the hold short on one of the parallel runways.

We rolled past as a light division, with myself in the third jet, heading to the farther runway. Tower cleared us for takeoff. I look over. The Viper has not moved. The first jet takes off. The Viper moves forward to line up with us on their respective runway. I start to get giddy hoping to watch him go with -2 as the next jet launches. The snake remained still. I said over the ICS, “He is going to launch with us.”

A quick side note. Throughout my training with the Navy I’ve been taught some important career saving lessons. One of those lessons popped into my head, be professional, do your job correctly and don’t compromise safety and civilians will be impressed. You do not need to put on a show because our jobs are cool enough. We then executed our standard pre takeoff checks and comm procedures and began to light up the cans.

I watched the Viper smoke the tires and roll with us as we released the brakes. He kept up with us for the first 1,000 feet of runway until about 100 knots (115 mph). Then we launched past him. I took a few pictures during the event because I could not believe what just happened. As we flew up and away I looked back at the airfield and wondered if they knew they knew how much of a dream it was for me.

When we landed we found out it was a Top Gear episode filming. We were the lucky crew that got picked for the shots. I wanted to wait until the episode was released or a teaser came out before I put anything out on the internet. The trailer above is out so I think it is safe to write about it. The shots are at :07 and :15. Here are some pictures, and my old Viper for your time.

DISCUSSION (55)

they-will-know-my-velocity > whatisthatsound
04/01/2016 at 14:34

Ha, that’s really cool. I like how no one told you anything.

whatisthatsound > they-will-know-my-velocity
04/01/2016 at 14:36

We were operating on selevate runways so safety and coordination wasn’t a concern, it was just a stroke of luck for right place right time.

Spaceball-Two > whatisthatsound
04/01/2016 at 15:00

Are you out of NAS Whidbey?

whatisthatsound > Spaceball-Two
04/01/2016 at 15:02

Yep

Spaceball-Two > whatisthatsound
04/01/2016 at 15:05

Very cool. I used to live in Freeland and Langley and would go to the aux. field to watch the A-6 and EA-6B’s do touch and gos. Now I live on the North end and have probably seen you over my house. Keep up the good work.

Xyl0c41n3 > whatisthatsound
04/01/2016 at 15:06

That’s awesome! Congratulations.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > whatisthatsound
04/01/2016 at 17:18

Haha. Viper had no chance.

PESCAROLOP902 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
04/02/2016 at 16:59

Just like at the Daytona 24 Hour endurance race. On the other hand my Corvettes won a 1-2 finish.

PESCAROLOP902 > whatisthatsound
04/02/2016 at 19:03

Someone we both know told me about this. I saw somewhere it said you were a Lt. Junior Grade and are in the VAQ-129 Vikings. Its nice to somewhat know a Naval Aviator.

xc90v8/I4 :( > whatisthatsound
04/03/2016 at 20:53

Kinja'd!!!

So this is you?

whatisthatsound > xc90v8/I4 :(
04/04/2016 at 00:19

I’m in the back seat.

GE90man > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 19:21

wow! must have been an incredible experience, and super cool for you to have made it onto top gear

Hot Takes Salesman > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 19:41

What's the job title- Electronic Warfare Officer or something like that? Holy crap I'd much rather be a growler back seater than a Top Gear Presenter

whatisthatsound > Hot Takes Salesman
05/10/2016 at 19:47

Yep! An EWO, in the old prowler they were ECMO (Electronic Counter-measures Officer).

Hot Takes Salesman > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 20:14

My only problem with trying to get such a job is that I’d probably be too tall to fit in in the backseat or front seat, lol

whatisthatsound > Hot Takes Salesman
05/10/2016 at 20:16

How tall are you? We have some 6'5 people.

Hot Takes Salesman > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 20:29

6'1" but I’m not done growing- 6'3" or so projected, God knows. I would say that my vision would be a worse handicap, but that can be fixed. Not fitting in the cockpit definitely can’t

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two
05/10/2016 at 21:00

You lived in Freeland? Why did you leave? Jerb?

whatisthatsound > Hot Takes Salesman
05/10/2016 at 21:03

You would definitely fit comfortably. The T-45 would be a squeeze, but it is only temporary during training. I’m 6'1 and was 230lbs during training. Also I am 20/400, which is why I went backseater.

derf > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 21:44

Extremely cool, looking forward to the episode! Also, nice viper :)

Kailand09 > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 21:59

That is ridiculously cool!

Both your job and that you got on top gear. Friggin awesome man.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/10/2016 at 22:09

Freehand and Langley. I was younger, 12 or so. Parents divorced and we moved to the Eastside.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two
05/10/2016 at 22:11

... My bad!

Kinja'd!!!

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/10/2016 at 22:17

It’s fine. They were miserable at husband and wife, funny thing now in their late 60's they’re still best friends.

Hot Takes Salesman > whatisthatsound
05/10/2016 at 22:55

I read a book about pilot training in the Navy a small while back, I think it was “Air Warriors” or something like that, and there in an illustrated section (in the middle of 400 pages of stories about anxious trainees) they showed a T-45. That thing is small.

whatisthatsound > Kailand09
05/10/2016 at 22:56

The job was luck, the experience was nuts. I’m lucky there is no doubt.

Kailand09 > whatisthatsound
05/12/2016 at 01:15

I hoppe I have something I do some day as a job that I feel that way.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 15:28

So will you get brought to the studio then when the show the clip on the show ?

whatisthatsound > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
05/19/2016 at 15:29

Haha I wish, I emailed the producers, but never heard a response back.

stephenmcknight > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 15:42

maybe busy with the show it should be a great moment for you I am surprised that Top Gear USA did not do the Top Gun piece after all.

whatisthatsound > stephenmcknight
05/19/2016 at 15:44

We originally thought it was TGUSA until the first ad ran on the bbc.

Daywalker > Spaceball-Two
05/19/2016 at 15:45

The stunning topography and scenery of that area must make it a fantastic place to fly.

SyrianLanister > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:17

very cool. man has that radioactive green 675lt made the rounds

MrPeterZahEsq > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:18

Watched the trailer, you in that jet are a hell of a lot cooler than the guy in the car. The trailer should be about you, sir.

Jimbobway > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:19

This is great. Where might an American cord cutter be able to catch episodes when they begin, preferably with a chromecast?

T off the New > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:22

That is fucking cool, lucky you

RedWhine > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:36

Congrats! And beautiful B&W coupe. Picture of my W&B 06 for a little contrast. :)

Kinja'd!!!

Invinciblejets > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:48

That's pretty dam awesome!

stephenmcknight > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 16:57

good to see your viper there should be a great film I hope if the BBC is fired up they can edited a great film together and make it special piece.

Stef Schrader > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 17:01

HOLY BALLS!

That is wonderful.

whatisthatsound > Jimbobway
05/19/2016 at 17:05

If I knew I’d be the first to tell you.

whatisthatsound > RedWhine
05/19/2016 at 17:06

I’ll own another one in a few years, hopefully in the Silver/Blue color scheme

MUSASHI66 > Jimbobway
05/19/2016 at 17:32

Use Hola extension in Chrome, and cast it to your Chromecast. It is basically a VPN service that allows you to watch BBC on-line, as if you were in UK. If Hola doesn’t work, there are other, similar extensions.

1. Install Hola

2. Connect to VPN

3. Open BBC website where they stream Top Gear

4. Cast your tab

5.??

6. Profit :)

NaturalAspirations > Jimbobway
05/19/2016 at 17:37

AppleTV BBC America App

NaturalAspirations > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 17:39

Just curious - airport code for halfway airfield? Private or muni?

Dashcam Warriors > MUSASHI66
05/19/2016 at 18:41

One thing everyone who uses Hola should know that it uses your computer as an exit node for others that want to appear to be in your country. This won’t affect you negatively most likely, but there is always a chance they use your IP address for something illegal.

Kyuusei > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 19:10

Question to the Growler community; with the transition to the F/A-18G, how much training emphasis is put on the Growler’s newfound multirole capabilites relative to the Prowler, such as BFM/A-A and A-G in addition to the primary EW role??

Kyuusei > whatisthatsound
05/19/2016 at 19:19

whatisthatsound > NaturalAspirations
05/19/2016 at 22:33

It was filmed in Fallon at the military airfield.

whatisthatsound > Kyuusei
05/19/2016 at 22:38

I’ll give a quick synopsis. I’m still in training, but here is how it works from a birds eye view. When you select jets you’ll go VFA F/A-18E/F(Fighter/Attack, single or two seat) or VAQ EA-18G(Electronic Attack two seat). When you go VAQ our training is different from the super hornets who went VFA. We do share some similarities with the F/A for basic phases of training, but they will go off and become proficient at air to ground and air to air, we will touch on those, but our emphasis is the electronic attack portion of the syllabus. We do everything the prowler did and more because the jet can outperform the sky pig.

JustAnotherIdiot > whatisthatsound
05/20/2016 at 02:05

Haha, thats amazing!

Congrats, and thanks for your service sir!

herald > whatisthatsound
05/20/2016 at 02:09

How unfortunate that you had to deal with the losers on FauxGear. Thankfully, years of therapy will help you recover. The nice men with the really long sleeved coats will be arriving at your home soon.

#TheBBCisRunByIdiots #RealTopGearIsOnAmazonNow

NaturalAspirations > whatisthatsound
05/20/2016 at 09:07

Awesome!

mozid > whatisthatsound
05/20/2016 at 09:31

Start working at home with Google! It’s by-far the best job I’ve had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this - 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go to tech tab for work detail.

+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+ http://www.22moneybay.com

JalopSpinLover > whatisthatsound
05/25/2016 at 12:08

Great story! That trailer looks pretty legit too!