First F-16 Ride!!

Well, yesterday was officially the second most exciting day of my Air Force career next to getting my pilot wings. I was able to jump in the back seat of an F-16 and enjoy an air-to-air BFM ride while two instructors "fought" each other...I don't think I have the words to describe how cool it was! We stepped out of the crew bus at our jet and had a crewchief (the enlisted guys that keep the jets working and do maintenance) there standing at parade rest. As the instructor and I walked up, he snapped to attention and gave us a crisp salute. I returned the salute, thanked him, got some good tips on how to do a good preflight of the jet from the instructor and then jumped in the backseat. It took me awhile to get all settled in since I had only practiced strapping into the seat once before. One of the awesome things about the F-16 is that we don't have to carry a heavy parachute on our backs out the the jet anymore...it's all packed into the ejection seat. All we wear is a harness that is attached to the seat.

About 20 minutes after engine start our formation was cleared for takeoff and we took the runway. I was in the number 2 jet (the wingman) on this flight, so once flight lead confirmed our engines were working good he lit the afterburner and headed down the runway...our jet was shaking a ton from the thrust his engine was putting out. Ten seconds later, the front seater of my jet released brakes and lit the wick as they say (lit the afterburner). I had never felt thrust like that before, and was definitely thrown back into the seat a lot more than I had been in the T-38! Soon we were airborne and joined up on lead's wing...all I had to do was enjoy the ride and enjoy the sites, which is exactly what I did! I knew most of what was going on during the air-to-air engagements since I had flown the basics of BFM back in IFF. All I wanted to do was have a good time and not pass out from the high g's the jet can put on your body. We hit between 8.5 and 9.0 g's three to four times, but it's wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. All I had to relate to was my experience in the centrifuge at Holloman AFB, which was a lot worse! One our way to and from the MOA, it was cool flying over new scenery that I hadn't seen before. Everything is really brown, even the mountains. As you fly in from the West, Phoenix appears and seems to go forever...it's a huge city.

After the flight I had a few geasles (little red dots on your arms, butt and upper legs from capillaries breaking while straining hard to keep the blood in your head under g) after the flight, but it's all good. They don't hurt, just proof that you were working a little bit during the flight. It usually only happens when your body hasn't been exposed to high g levels for awhile, and it had been about five weeks since I had last flown...plus, I had never been close to 9 g's in a jet before.

This next week is the big week where we're in the front seat running the show. Thursday morning about 0525 I'll be briefing up my first F-16 ride where I'm the pilot in command. We've had a lot of simulator time to help us prepare for the big day. Flying a jet is flying a jet, you just have to get used to the new systems and procedures specific to the airframe...that will be the harder part. I feel like one of the most blessed people in the world doing what I'm doing, and I hope all of you out there are able to reach your goals and dreams like God has allowed me to. Fly safe, and check six!