Well Ive started a new blog with my graduation from pilot training and I hope youll hop over there and check it out. It will be about my KC-10 pilot qual and then being an operational tanker pilot. Basically life after pilot training. It will be update much more frequently than this..due to me being out of UPT and actually having a life again..sort of ;) Thanks for all the folks that came to read this one and see you on the other page!


http://kc10journal.blogspot.com/

Flew to Waco today. Clouds were overcast at 1700 feet and we took off headed for Waco. Had a nice routing and due to 100 kt winds on our tail..we arrived rather quickly to waco in 29 minutes instead of the usual 35 or so. We got vectored around Crawford (Pres. Bush's white house version 2.0) and headed into Waco's CNW airport. Due to clouds we were forced to make our patterns at an altitude of 1000 above field elevation instead of the usual 1500. It worked out fine..no problem. Winds right down the runway so really no challenge today. We headed back after an hour of patterns and went to the MOA to work on our area manevuers. It was good to go over them again as I havent flown a transition sortie in about 2 weeks now. Weather and timing hasnt been good to my proficiency. Luckily, I'm not falling behind the aircraft and feel quite comfortable for this stage in the game. I keep challenging myself to do better and learn more and more. Im always in the books it seems..oh well, I'm here to learn. We took our Enroute Navigation test today and with that I'm only 1 test away from being UPT academic complete!! What a great feeling that is. Only wish we were done with EPQ's. Those are going outstanding but they take up a lot of time studying and can be quite tricky.

It looks like a couple more flights this week so Ill look forward to that!

Well here we are finally on the flightline in T-1s. Academics has been nice and a lot less stressful than T6s were. Ive been able to keep a streak of perfect test scores through 5 tests, so I'm working hard to keep that up. We were supposed to have our first flights before Christmas break but now its looking more and more like that won't happen. I was looking forward to getting one flight in to see how it goes before break, but this will be nice to have a clean slate to work with when arriving back refreshed from the holidays. I cant wait to start flying. Most of you know of my love for aviation so for me flying the T-1 is making it big! Its right up my alley and I cant wait to start leaving Del Rio every day and flying to civilian airfields all around the region. Its going to be exciting to be mixing it up with civilian airline traffic. Ive had about 4 sims now including an emergency procedure sim. The plane definitely flies like a much larger aircraft ( i compare it to driving a school bus). It has great performance and in the sims it was showing 4000+ feet per minute initial climbs which makes it a rocket. Single engine ops arent bad either. Just trim off the forces and apply opposite rudder while trying to maintain a constant throttle setting and you are golden! I know that sounds complicated, but its not bad. I feel that I'm really going to enjoy T-1 flying..its about 2 months now since Ive flown so I'm looking forward to getting in a plane again.

I'm happy to report for the first time in Phase III, T1 side of the house! I had a great track select with my parents being able to come out and attend. Although it was a non event since I'm a reservist..it was great to see my friends get their choice of planes. We have a great group heading into T1s. Its great to be flying along some of my best friends here that are as eager about flying heavies as I am! We have had a nice introduction into the new squadron. Quality of life is very evident as they actually treat us like pilots and adults for a change! Its very much a "big boy" program over here. We had our first day off after track and today we just had pubs issued out to us and went over to aerospace phys to learn how to egress out of the plane. Looks like we shall start academics soon. However we only have about a week before we go on Thanksgiving holiday. As always Ill be taking my new Dash1 with me to learn all about the plane. I'm very upbeat and look forward to the crew and the laid back mentality (not to be confused with slacking) that the 86th has to offer. I might have my first flight right before Christmas break..but it doesnt look likely. That means we have a fresh start coming back from the holidays to dive into the flightline on the T1..I CANT WAIT! :)

There is something about walking across the flightline in the early morning. On the dawn of my last flight flight in the T6, I elected to not take the crew bus and walk the few rows down to my bird for the last time. It was a gorgeous morning, storm clouds from the day before were lifting and the rise of a golden sun illuminated them in only a way God could. I love the flightline. I love the smell of jet fuel, the calm wind in the face, the sight of all the machinery on a ramp ready to leap into the air for a busy day of work. So with a bittersweet smile on my face I found my jet at the end of the line and began my "work" of getting her ready to slip the surlies. This flight couldnt be any better as my favorite reservist IP was there to fly with me. He was the one who only a few short months ago introduced me to air force flying on my first flight in the T6. It was fitting that he would be the one to end it...the alpha and the omega. He took some pictures of me and finally I was all strapped in and reapeating from memory the checklists to crank her to life. There is something about it when I select the starter and hear the lady roar to life. To me that is excitement, that is what I'm here for. I love to fly..I love flying a highly complex piece of machinery.

We roared down the runway and she lept off into the air quicker with the cool air that we have been experiencing. Off we headed for the entry point of the low level, my last flight. I considered it a victory lap after completing my last checkride a few days before. 500 feet and 240ish ground speed we raced around Southern Texas, cruising over houses and just enjoying flying. The Major enjoys flying like I do and we had a blast. Carving up creeks along the way on our route. I couldnt help but wonder what flying will be like next.

I have longed to fly larger aircraft and finally will have the chance..I feel like a kid again getting to live out this long exaggerated dream of mine. It will be a different kind of flying though and one I'm sure to enjoy, but nothing compares to basic stick and rudder flying. The lack of automation and having an airplane that communicates to you while you cruise in the air are attributes that I enjoy about flying..its pure..makes me be the best pilot I can be. It also reminds me of what flying must have been like for my grandfather in WW2. The T6 is about as close as Ill ever experience to a P51 or P47 so I have treated these past four months as my chance to live it. I also reflect on the fact that I wont be flying alone anytime soon which doesnt so much bother me, however at some point in the near future I will have to buy a general aviation aircraft that affords me this opportunity.

One day I will look back on my t6 days with fond memories and getting the chance to fly the latest and hottest training plane with some of the best instructors Ill ever meet. For that, everything that it has taken to get here has been worth it and more. Ill be posting now from the other side, the heavy side as I continue towards the journey of getting my wings from the T1!

So I have danced the skis in my last flight ever with my love the T6II. Its bittersweet, I look forward to the challenges ahead, but know that Ill miss my baby dearly. I wish I could win the lottery and buy one for myself. The t6 handles and performs like a champ as has everything I could ever want out of a plane. I put her through her paces one last time, including spin recoveries after my low level. By the way I hope the folks at the ranch house 20 south of XL enjoyed the flyover during their breakfast ( haha). Part of me is pissed, I have the skills and definitely the desire to fly one way, but am bound by obligation to go another path. It kills me to watch folks with half the desire and skill take these spots but I guess that is life. One thing they cant take from me is the fact that I dominated Phase II to the best of my ability and for that I'm proud.