Low Levels and TACFORM

I've been really busy prepping and flying low-levels and TACFORM (Tactical Formation) the last couple days. I had the sim last Friday. We flew it in a TC-12 sim, because they have visuals. They're contractor-owned, so the sims were much nicer. It was weird being in a visual sim again after almost a year. On Monday I flew a low-level out and back up to Victoria to have a late lunch. The flight went pretty well. It's gonna take some time to adjust to the copilot mentality. All these rides are right seat rides for us to get us ready for the C-130 copilot responsibilities during a low-level airdrop. We have drop zones (DZ's), landing zones (LZ's), simulated ground threats, and a whole mess of other stuff to simulate a wartime airdrop operation. The weird part is flying less than half the time in the air. These rides are also sort of a navigator appreciation exercise in that we have to prepare all the maps, stick diagrams, and pre-mission planning products that navigators usually produce. This leads to a schedule where you finish a flight, debrief, go back to your apartment for an hour, and then go back to work to print off maps, make sticks, and procure dropzone photos for the next day. Then you finish later than you wanted to, and you go to bed for another early showtime. I've only done it a couple times, but it seems to go quicker each time.

Yesterday, we flew four low-levels again, but unlike Monday, they were in formation. This is cool, because when you're wing, all you have to do is stay in position, and keep up with the navigation, you don't really have to actively do the navigating. Plus, you're in formation, which is always cool. We did the same route and stopped again in Victoria for lunch.

I only have the checkride left, which is supposed to be pretty low-threat. We canceled today because a huge thunderstorm is rolling in just to the northwest. Only one ride left in UPT! Hopefully we'll get it done tomorrow.