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!