UPT Complete!

Finally finished today after canceling two days in a row for weather. We took off and immediately regretted the decision. The weather was a lot worse than reported, but we picked our way through the clouds and got out to our low-level route using some hybrid IFR/VFR navigation techniques. The route went alright and we found the DZ, but as soon as we started the next route we saw weather up ahead. We continued, because it really didn't look too bad. It looked like our visibility would deteriorate a little, but nothing serious. We were wrong. One minute we could see lead, the next we couldn't. It was just like that...POOF! In the clouds. We both did 180's to get out of the weather and we reformed with some good flying, good comms, and good spotting on the part of the IP's. We ended up having to return to base via separate IFR clearances and PAR's. Crazy day of flying and quite the wrap up to 15 months of pilot training. I learned a ton from that flight, and I'm glad to be done for now. I'll have a bunch of admin to do and a move to coordinate between now and Little Rock. Stay tuned for further information.

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.

Change of plan(e)s

My last 4 flights were good memories. They were low-level Out-and-backs to Oklahoma City on Monday and Lawton on Tuesday. I flew my last two with the IP who gave me my dollar ride. The weather was just unbelievable, we flew the whole thing in 2-ship tactical formation and ate Chick-fil-A while stopped in Lawton. Can't ask for much better than that. T-6s ended well.

I had known for about a week that I might get re-tracked to fly T-44s down at Corpus Christi NAS because I struggled so much in T-6s, and I found out for sure yesterday from my Flight Cmdr. I have awhile before the move, but this curveball from life should actually really work to my advantage. The Navy training is a little more self-paced and laid back. I also have a much better shot at actually flying something that being a UAV operator. I'm excited to start something new and live somewhere else, despite the negative. At least Someone sees the big picture. It's lookin' up!

No airplane, no fly

I was on the schedule for the final flight before form check today, but the other guy's aircraft broke on the taxi out, and when they stepped to a spare we realized they were breaking one of the regs that dealt with temperature restrictions and how long they could be outside given the previous sorties the IP had already flown that day, so we had to ground abort. Bummer. Dinner at B-Dub's. Check Friday.

Rusty Mondays

Flew form again today with some fluid maneuvering. My formation buddy and I were both a little rusty, but we hammered out a few details that should help us on the last two rides. Probably the worst thing I did today was change direction in the middle of leading a barrel roll - so much for wingman consideration. None of that anymore. Fluid maneuvering is pretty cool, since it's the precursor to BFM, but it adds just a bit too much to the profile, so I'm glad to be rid of it for now. I want to focus on the checkride profile.

We're not scheduled to fly tomorrow, which will give us even more time to chairfly our profile and talk it out. Checkride scheduled for Thursday. I really appreciate the prayers.

It's been really hot lately, we're getting the real Wichita Falls weather. I don't appreciate it.

Check out this documentary if you have time:
Speed and Angels

It's about the Navy, but still pretty cool. It's way past what we're doing, but some of it is a little like what I get to do everyday. (Consider yourself warned that it includes language which some may find offensive.)

Good way to end a week

Yesterday I flew my last solo in T-6's. A little bittersweet, but definitely a lot of fun, despite the haze in the morning. I flew a decent formation sortie in the afternoon. Only two more form flights before the check - probably Wednesday.

Been slackin'

...on writing blog entries the last couple days, not on flying. Tuesday and Wednesday's flights went alright. Formation is coming along. Tactical is still really fun, and challenging. Fingertip still gives me fits, but I think I have it under control. Today I flew regular ol' contact to rehack all my currencies for dual-only maneuvers like the spin recovery, stalls, and ELP. I got to see Hacker again for the first time in about 2 months, but it was largely uneventful. I forgot to squawk the appropriate code the whole time, but almost no one was there, so it went unnoticed. We debriefed, and I rolled right into a solo in the afternoon - probably one of the best times I had yet. Sky was clear with some white puffies below and some anvils off in the distance. Finished all my aerobatics and all of them felt pretty good...not perfect, but definitely improving. I got stood up this morning too, and it wasn't the end of the world. Funny how some of the days you just think will be terrible turn out to be the best. I love that. Seems to be the way God works.

我要成为优秀的飞行员

Today I flew another formation ride, but I went to an IP who really lets students "flail" after flying last week with an IP who was almost giving me a PAR for every maneuver. That's a little frustrating... I feel like I learn better when people just tell me what to do and let me do it, saving the debrief for later, as opposed to when they just tell me what to do as it's happening. At that point I'm just a transducer for their verbal inputs into the aircraft. So while I really appreciate his style of instruction, it was tough to adjust.

A PAR is an instrument approach mostly used in the military in which a radar controller on the ground tells the pilot exactly where he/she is on the glideslope and in relation to the runway. It's the equivalent of someone giving you directions whilst you are driving.

Feels like Saturday

After hooking my first formation flight after the formation solo, I flew much better yesterday, and was able to go into the weekend feeling a little better. The flying we're doing is so cool, but some aspects of it are pretty difficult for me. The tactical stuff is great though, we're basically flying around in a spread-out formation offset vertically, and crossing flight-paths to maneuver.

We didn't have any lines today, so we didn't even have to go to work. Starting the weekend early.

Form Solo

I flew my formation solo this afternoon after a good flight this morning. Flying around in formation is pretty sweet. Subtract the instructor in the back seat and I'd say it gets even better. The clouds were pretty, but they made the air a little rough. Even more to practice now that I'm moving on to tactical formation.

More formation practice

Today was the end of block ride for basic formation, but I hooked it so I'll be repeating it on Monday. I'm scheduled for nothing tomorrow, so I can relax over the weekend and look forward to a good ride on Monday. I improved a little today, but I just need to be a little better at correcting my position in fingertip without making gigantic corrections and getting unsafe.

Fair

Faired my ride today. Just can't get stable during the wingwork in fingertip. I'm kinda all over the place. On the formation takeoff as lead I forgot to give the run-up signal to wing and left him sitting in the dust when I pushed up the power...at which point it was no longer a formation takeoff.

Hopefully I can relax more tomorrow and fly some good fingertip and good echelon turns.

High Area

Formation is a little more difficult in the high areas. I found that out by experience today. The prop just doesn't have as much bite in the thinner air. The hot weather doesn't help anything either. This translates to bigger power corrections and more frustration. On the plus side, the recovery was pretty smooth. Double turning formation rides again tomorrow.

Banana orange smoothie, smoked bratwurst, and cheesecake for dinner. Yeah, I'm not going to win any awards for my great dinner combinations.

Exhaust Stacks and Position Lights

I double turned formation sorties again today. Lots of practice, lots of work, lots of brain cells fried. I just hope I'm learning fast enough. I flew my first formation landing today. That was cool. I was concentrating so hard, it hardly felt like I actually landed...kind of like when you're driving somewhere and you arrive surprised that you don't really remember the last 15 minutes of your driving because you were thinking about something else. More practice tomorrow.

The stuff we're doing in formation is getting really difficult to describe. I hope that just means it's very specific to military flying and not that I just don't get it.

Wx Cnx

Low clouds and heavy rain cancelled all our flights yesterday, but we stuck around for tactical formation academics. We learned just the very, very basics of the maneuvers fighter aircraft most commonly perform during a typical mission. Even though we just scratched the surface of what air-to-air combat is all about, the whole thing was highly motivational. We were all reminding each other how most people, even within the Air Force, think that air-to-air combat is just Top Gun, like a video game where you just point and shoot. With todays most modern aircraft it's true that sometimes it can be like that, but dogfighting has roots in highly sophisticated tactics developed over many, many years that involved complex geometry, energy rates, 3D physics, and far more than just, "Too close for missiles, I'm switching to guns." For now I can look forward to chasing around other aircraft as soon as next week playing follow the leader in the sky.

Double Turn Form Rides

Today I flew two formation sorties and got stood up for a formation EP. It was a full day. The weather was interesting, with thunderstorms building the whole day and clouds invading our area during the second sortie. It's always fun to flying around the clouds though, even when you're not looking at anything but the exhaust stacks on the engine of the other aircraft, trying to stay in position on the wing. I flew my first wing takeoff too, which was pretty cool. Now I just have to get good at it.

On to Form

I finally wrapped up low-level today with another FPC. This one was requested special, because I spent both of my progress checks on the mid-phase contact block. Thankfully I passed, and I get to move on to formation. I actually had to fly it twice, since the first one was cut short due to weather. My check IP flew the recovery. The weather later in the day cooperated and allowed me to finish the sortie without too much trouble. I had to weave my way through a few clouds, but it worked out.

It seems you learn good things from going to the edge and back. Seeing as how I've been there twice now, I should know quite a few good things, but I'd like to put an end to these shennanigans. I'm getting too old for this.

FORMATION...WOOOO!

I went into the day thinking I'd fly low-level and went out realized I'd flown formation. After giving the morning brief in which I relayed to everyone how the bird hazard was out of limits for flying low-levels, the IPs rolled another guy and me to flying our first formation rides. We had about 30 minutes notice before brief time. Standard. I definitely looking forward to it though, and with good reason. It was a ton of fun. Really way different than any other flying we've done so far. It's pretty crazy being so close to another aircraft, but so awesome. The weather was great too. We had some great cumulus clouds to fly around as each of us were struggling to stay in position. It's really difficult, but I feel like I got a much better feel for the way it works now. On the way back in, we flew straight through a isolated rain shower approaching the runway. That was new too. Great day.

Sim Complete

I got pulled for "random" drug testing for the 5th time today, so I missed the morning brief and the standup. I'll probably get stood up tomorrow. I didn't fly, but I spent the day making maps, and I had my final T-6 sim this afternoon. Flying formation, even in the sim seemed pretty crazy. It feels so much different than the flying we've been doing, but it's really cool when you think about what you're doing - flying 10 ft off the wing of another aircraft, not that I was able to stabilize right at 10 ft!

Passed my I-Check!

I passed my instrument check today! It should be illegal to be this happy. I had 9 downgrades all stemming from trim and crosscheck issues, but I flew a great penetration, and my area work was solid. Movin on to Low-Level...yeah! It was beautiful out, so it was kind of a bummer I had to wear the hood the whole flight, but hey.

I studied for and passed the Formation test later in the afternoon. Tomorrow I'm just scheduled for a sim and spotter upgrade in the RSU. Should be a semi-relaxed day.