April 21  2006
One of America's most legendary aviators has been lost in what appears to be a thunderstorm related flying accident in northern Georgia
 
84 year-old Scott Crossfield was at the controls of his '60's vintage 4 seat single-engine Cessna C210A that "disappeared from radar" and later found by the Civil Air Patrol Georgia Wing who confirmed the death of the pioneer test pilot
 
Crossfield became a living legend after he was involved in flight testing of rocket-powered aircraft during the '50's and '60's

 
On November 20 1953 he was the first person to fly faster than twice the speed of sound and 7 years later - in November 15 1960 - at three times the speed of sound
 
Crossfield's time spent with North American Aviation as a civilian test pilot saw him test fly and set procedures for military pilots to follow in the X-15 which eventually became the first winged machine to attain hypersonic velocities up to Mach 6 and the ability to operate at altitudes above 30,500 meters - 100,000 feet

April 21  2006
Southport Flying Club member Terry Mathews made the TV News to-day after his Grumman Tiger apparently ran out of brakes during landing and demolished a section of the end boundary fence
 
Terry spent a number of years up the front of Heavies flying around the world and after retiring a number of years back purchased the Grumman Tiger to maintain his interest in the flying game

  

News Desk Comment

The dual-brake arrangement of the AA-5B and castoring nose-wheel allows for differential braking to steer the aircraft during ground operations
 
Normally if a brake has failed a "wing walker" is used to help steer the machine - however in the worst case scenario nothing can help the pilot if one brake fails during the landing roll-out
 
Bound to have increased Terry's heart-rate!