Days Of Thanks

Thanks to the Indiana crew that went out of thier way to get me home for Thanksgiving--it was a great reunion with my girls. Turkey day was spent at my mother's place and the remainder of the weekend was spent hanging out with my family...it was Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's all rolled into one. Although the unexpected reunion was great, the demands of the coming year were never far from our minds and this goodbye proved to be especially hard.

Land Nav At The FOB

After training as tree-top flyers, it was back to Ft. Dix for more Army Training at the FOB. We dug out our green uniforms, grabbed a map & compass and went for a walk in the woods during a pouring rain. Land navigation was one of the few tasks that remained outstanding so the unit could be "validated" at the moilization site...land navigation is always easier when your buds are backing you up with a GPS.

It just so happened that every state represented in the unit picked up a mission to reposition equipment back home...therefore, Thanksgiving with my girls is now a possibility.

Low-Level Training

The last week has been spent in Georgia at Warner Robins Air Force Base, where we have been participating in a low-level training course. The training is being conducted by the 171st Aviation Regiment, which is a Georgia National Guard C-23 unit based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, GA. The 171st cycled through Iraq about a year ago--so they are passing along "real world" lessons.

The class is divided into two groups; flight training and academics. The military training route VR-95, is located south of Atlanta and allows us to descend to 100 feet above the ground while cruising at 200 knots TAS (true airspeed). The purpose of the low-level flight profile is to limit vulnerability to surface-to-air missles (SAM's). Airplanes typically do not fly low-level, so time is also spent practicing tactical takeoffs and landings--everything happens much faster.

The academic portion of the training has focused on the FalconView mapping program, aircraft survivability equipment and flight procedures encountered in Iraq. The 126th TAC is the first C-23 unit to receive this training, therefore, we should be able to "hit the ground running" upon our arrival in Iraq. The efforts of the 171st AVN are greatly appreciated!

Jump Day @ Luzon DZ

Three aircraft were used to support 85 parachutists outfitted with combat loads (about 150 pounds of equipment) and 12 additional jumpers going "Hollywood"--which means they are not burdened with equipment. The parachutists were from a class undergoing the Special Forces qualification course at Ft. Bragg, NC. For our efforts, we were able to get 5 pilots qualified in paradrop operations--including myself. Next stop...Georgia.

Paradrop Training In NC

Since 05 November, a majority of the unit has been based at Moore County Airport (SOP), which is near Sothern Pines, North Carolina. The purpose of this trip is to get unit personnel qualified in paradrop operations. To get us prepared, the FWAATS sent SGT Mike, a wise old Flight Engineer, to conduct two days of ground instruction. One day was spent in a classroom environment, while another was spent at the flightline rigging aircraft to conduct static line parachute drops. During paradrop operations, the pilots get off easy, our job is to keep the aircraft level at 1,250 feet above the ground while maintaing an airspeed of 105 knots. The hard job is placed on the Flight Engineer, who must ensure the aircraft center of gravity is not exceeded, supervise the load of jumpers, operate the aft ramp door, coordinate with the Jump Master, maintain communication with the pilots and ensure safety guidelines are followed...not an easy task.

Although the pace of training has been hectic, I did find time to attend a wedding today. My commander from the IN Detachment was married at a NC Justice Of The Peace office. When he asked Randy and I if we were free for about a half hour, we replied "sure--what do you need"...it wasn't until we were in the car on the way over to the JP office did we figure out that our job was to witness his marriage. It was an honor...Congratulations to the newlyweds!

Simulation In New York

It took over forty years, but I finally made it to the Big Apple...although the trip was more work than play, we were able to take the train from Queens over to the Times Square area of Manhattan for a late dinner. I was able to get a look at 3 of the 5 borroughs of New York City (Queens, Manhattan & Staten Island) so on my next trip I'll try to get to Brooklyn and The Bronx. My brief visit revealed two things; English is a "second language" in New York and there is no way I could afford to live there. Otherwise, I give NYC a thumbs up...I need to get my girls up there for a visit.

The purpose of our 2 1/2 day trip was to practice emergency procedures at the FlightSafety simulator located on the grounds of LaGuardia Airport. This location houses one of the few Shorts SD3-60 Level "C" simulators, which means it is a full motion simulator with wrap-around graphics. Almost every concievable aircraft emergency can be practiced in this controlled environment. A big thanks is owed to Al Goss for his excellent instruction.

Lunch In Nantucket

In need of a refresher flight, we departed for the islands off Cape Cod, Massachusetts to get a glimpse of how the rich & famous live. Following the route that led to the demise of John Kennedy Jr., we flew over the Atlantic Ocean toward the island of Martha's Vineyard. From there we headed 26 miles east to get a look at the island of Nantucket. After some practice instrument approaches at Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK), we landed for lunch at Hutch's Restaurant. After getting gas at Quonset State Airport in Rhode Island, which is the home station of our sister C-23 unit, it was back to Fort Dix...some days I can't believe I get paid to do this.