Real Training

I know I said I was going to cut down on the posts, but I still have things to share....so you have to put up with them or just not come to this website. But you are addicted and can't help yourself, I know, I have that effect on people all the time. I am not sure if it is my ravishing good looks, awesome personality, or what, but people just can't get enough of me.

Ok, now after the trip to pretend world, I will tell you what I did this last week. I was able to fly four times and got to do an actual personnel drop. For some C-130 pilots (like my ex-roommate Peaches) it will be an every day thing to kick Army dudes out the back or sides of the plane, but for us it is a very rare occurrence.

We got to haul some Army special forces (not the "special" that I was called in school...even though they wear helmets too) around and then drop them at a nearby drop zone. It was a bit messed up because the Army guys got lost using their compass and map (maybe they were the other kind of "special"), but after our ground guys loaned them a GPS we finally got them to the drop zone. Then we flew over and dropped 28 troops and then went back for 30 some more. I didn't fly the second drop, but I got to sit in the back and take pictures. The last drop was for two HALO (high altitude low opening) guys which free fall from 10,000 feet and then open their parachutes, unlike the others that had a line open their chute as they exited the aircraft at 1300 feet above the not so soft ground. Here are a few pictures:

If you look close you can see their canopies as we turned back to circle around for our 2nd drop.

If you look close you can see their canopies as we turned back to circle around for our 2nd drop.

Troops lining up to jump (and throwing up while waiting)

Some just jumped and the others are getting ready

"I am man and I jump out there soon"

HALO guys checking to make sure we are heading for the right drop area!

Waiting for the green light to jump

Other than flying, I haven't done much. Candi and I took my cousin and his friend wakeboarding on Saturday. It was nice to get into the water on a 101 degree day, but the water is still cold at the specific reservoir were we went. 101 still beats 90 degrees in Texas or Arkansas, humidity really makes a difference. I am only scheduled to fly twice this next week...I don't know if dropping those 28 guys on a freeway got me blackballed or what!

Racking Up The Flight Hours

The past week I flew the most I have flown in my short career. I flew more times in the beginning of flight training, but the typical sortie was 1.5 hours, where the typical C-130 sortie (in training) is 2.5. I flew each day this past week. I have been all over the Northwest and it has been a blast. I finally am getting comfortable flying this bird again. We have been going to all these really small towns and flying tactical approaches to their airfields. Basically, we fly 500-1500 feet above the runway and then turn real quick and get down on the ground to simulate maneuvers that are done in the desert.

The pilots I am flying with are really great and they help me out with problem areas without acting like they know it all, even though they have literally thousands of more hours than I have accumulated.

I wish I had pictures to show you of me flying in Hells Canyon (largest gorge in North America) or 500 feet over Cascade Lake, but I was too busy flying the stupid thing to take pictures. I will try to get better at multitasking.

Other than that, not a lot going on here. Candi is working back at the actual building, versus working from home. She is enjoying the social aspects of being back, especially since I am working each day. We also had a big garage sale this weekend to get rid of all the duplicate things we had. We did alright, but we still had a truck load to take to Goodwill after the sale was done.

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads! And next time I hope to have some good pictures.

Still Training

Well, just when I thought it was over...I am back in training. I am at Fairchild AFB for some additional Code of Conduct training. Don't ask me what it is about because I can't say, but it is very interesting. I have been here since Sunday and will be here for a week.

Prior to coming, I was able to squeak in a couple flights. After a week of getting in processed, I finally was able to fly. I flew a local "pro" which is just takeoffs and landings at a local airfield. Then I flew a "Tac" line, which is a low level. I also flew a x-country to Cheyenne, WY to pick up a jet. I got to fly the whole sortie and it was pretty cool. I have a few more flights the week I get back to the squadron and then I am off the training status. After that I can fly with any AC (aircraft commander) and do any sort of mission and not be considered in training.

I apologize for this being short, but I don't have a ton of time. I will write more when I get back and have some more flying stories to tell. Right now all my stories are classified SECRET and I would have to kill you if I told you...and I don't have enough friends to do that!