F-15 Unrestricted Climb

Portland, Ore. - An F-15C Eagle with the 123rd Fighter Squadron, 142nd Fighter Wing, of the Oregon Air National Guard, conducts a Functional Check Flight on February 27, 2020. This video was gathered as part of a greater story which profiled Col. Todd Hofford and how he became the first fighter pilot in the world to return to flight after receiving a prosthetic disc in his neck.

Watch Col. Hofford's story here:

Additional stories about the 142nd Fighter Wing:

Protecting our Skies: Flying with Fighter Pilots

2018 Aerospace Control Alert CrossTell Exercise

[SBoyne]

The F-15 first flew *nearly FIFTY years ago* and it’s still one of the world’s top combat aircraft. What a magnificent achievement.

[kolbpilot]

Must be something to pull back on the stick, see nothing but blue sky, the artificial horizon pitched at 90 degrees, and the altimeter spinning like a top.

[RichardBejtlich]

I experienced this sort of takeoff in F-15E Strike Eagle 90-0258 as an Air Force Academy cadet visiting RAF Lakenheath in the summer of 1992. The pilot wanted to show off. It was awesome.

[toasthouse]

this thing can break the sound barrier while flying STRAIGHT UP
insane engineering

[timphelps]

I worked on the F-15 line back in the 80's at McDonnell Douglas - St. Louis. It was the best job ever!!!

[randyrobertson]

The thrust to weight ratio on the F-15 is one of the most unbelievable things that was achieved in the design of this masterpiece. I could be wrong but I am almost certain that I was told that the F-15 is one of the few, if not only fighter jets that can actually climb at 90 degrees straight up and accelerate in the process. To a certain altitude and point obviously, but if true it is nonetheless impressive.

[atillaozturk]

I can watch this over and over again and never get bored.

[michaeledlin]

Even with my screaming tinnitus from watching live it is still great. USAF 79-92.

[TurdFerguson]

Awesome, this former Eagle keep can't get enough 🤗

[DavidPavlich]

I had a customer that was a retired Air Force pilot. He started with the F100 Super Saber, then the F4 Phantom II, then the F15A....he didn't get into the C before he retired. He said a full burner take off and vertical climb was nirvana. Has to be a real kick in the behind!!

[goedwards]

One of the great sights in flying, the F15 goes vertical off the runway

[g-loctv]

I'll never get tired of hearing/seeing them take off

[jondrew]

Awesome machine! Thanks for your service.

[JETZcorp]

No tanks, no weapons, no pylons, no CFTs. Totally slick Eagle. What an absolute rocketship.

[rainyriderr]

What people don't realize is that with a thrust to weight ratio of over 1:1 it means the plane doesn't need lift to climb. It means that the plane could literally climb like it does without wings, it's mind boggling how much thrust that is

[OneBiasedOpinion]

I love the fact that this thing is half a century old and is still almost unparalleled in the sky, despite having a much more secret successor already in service for a number of decades in the form of the F-22 Raptor.

[patrickmcgee]

the f-15 is like a hot af cougar....she may be old but she still turns heads...

[Kyfam_vlogs]

First plane to go supersonic completely vertical! Now that’s impressive!!

[ChrisZoomER]

It’s vertical climbs like that which enable fighters to reach altitudes of 50K-60K feet and more!

[tftrainman]

Best sound ever!!!! And you know it's a kickass ride!!