Comments on: Flying on the NASA DC-8: Observing an Airborne Science Lab in Action

By: Jeff Reagan

Jeff Reagan — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 22:23:51 +0000

Same sentiment as Al, in previous comment, but from current airline guy. Saw 817NA go over my house, nice and low, as they departed Fresno’s airspace today. Big, four engine jet airliners are a rarity nowadays, so was especially neat to see. I remember flying on the DC-8 as a kid when we went on trips, and dreaming of flying an airliner one day. Dreams come true, and
seeing an airplane in the sky – large or small – always brings a smile. Thanks NASA gang for flying by!

By: allan clegg

allan clegg — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 21:12:39 +0000

Thanks for the very informative article. N817NA flew over our home in Beaumont. CALIFORNIA today (December 3.2021) at 1000 ft above ground level. It’s on a training flight from Palmdale. It flew over Los Angeles and out to Beaumont ,then turned north and is now heading back to Palmdale . For an old Former airline guy it was great to see a Douglas DC-8 in flight again
Thanks
Al

By: Keishi Nukina

Keishi Nukina — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 23:05:08 +0000

In reply to Patti Grant. Patti, thanks for your comment and for sharing your story. This flight was certainly one of my most memorable experiences (together with my SOFIA flight in New Zealand a year before) - all the great research that NASA is doing in addition to the space work that it is well known for amazes me!

By: Patti Grant

Patti Grant — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 02:57:41 +0000

In reply to Patti Grant.

OOOPS, make that 33 years ago! I was always good at math, but not so good at arithmetic…
Patti

By: Patti Grant

Patti Grant — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 02:51:35 +0000

I worked at NASA – Ames from 1982 (straight out of college) and started at what was then called the MAMB (Medium Altitude Missions Branch). We had an old Convair 990 that was essentially the predecessor to the DC-8. Unfortunately that crashed and was complete destroyed in 1985. While NASA was trying to get a replacement (read upgrade) I was transferred to the HAMB (High Altitude Missions Branch) who operated the U2s. I kept hearing rumors that NASA wanted to get a DC-8, outfit it with new and more powerful engines and do flights over Antarctica. In 1987 at the division chief’s request I wrote a data acquisition and analysis system that was used on the DC-8. I was on the maiden flight of that aircraft sometime in the summer of 1987 to ensure that everything worked properly. I was deployed late that summer to Punta Arenas, Chile with the ER-2 (my “day” job, but ended up flying on all of the DC-8 flights as well at the insistence of the AAOE project manager). All of this is a long-winded way of saying I have very fond memories of my time and work at NASA – Ames. I left Ames in 1998 after the planes were relocated to what used to be Dryden (now Armstrong). I can’t believe that this plane is still in service for NASA for 23 years now. Patti Grant (ex Hathaway).
P.S. Great photos BTW! People didn’t believe me when I told them I worked on a “flying laboratory”!

By: Keishi Nukina

Keishi Nukina — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 23:53:34 +0000

In reply to David Fedors.

David, thanks for the comment – I’m glad you enjoyed the article. It’s been a great privilege and an unforgettable experience to fly on the DC-8 (and SOFIA)!

By: David Fedors

David Fedors — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 18:08:28 +0000

Keishi – enjoyed your great article and pictures. Thanks for flying with NASA!