Low Level Phase...Almost Done

Navigation is now done with and we're on to a short but fun low level phase. My navigation/instrument checkride went ok, but as I've said with just about all my checkrides, I could have done better. Overall, I ended up with a 6 downgrade good on the ride. I was originally scheduled to fly to Barksdale AFB, LA but the weather over there last Monday was crap. So, I had a backup plan to fly to Eglin AFB, FL...a much nicer place and I had flown the exact profile I was going to on the checkride I had the Friday before. Everything was working out...almost. We briefed up the flight, and took off. I was in the backseat for the first leg under the hood and I had to fly to Montgomery, AL for an approach and then head down to Eglin AFB for the full stop to get gas. All was fine up until I talked to Eglin approach control. I planned to fly one of their published approaches which would allow me to fulfill a lot of the requirements I needed to for the checkride. Some of the things I needed were a fix-to-fix, one turn in holding and a high penetration. I could get all of those done I one approach at Eglin. Well, I called up approach and said something to the effect of, "Eglin approach, Poison 12 level 220, charlie request. Approach says back, "Poison 12, say request." My response, "Poison 12 request direct Tufer, one turn in holding, HI TACAN 19 full stop." It went downhill when they said back, "Poison 12, unable for saturation." Dude, that sucks is what I was thinking. That meant I was going to have to change my plan on the way home to make up the requirements I didn't get on the first flight. I guess to make a long story short, the non-standard stuff caused me to do somethings to buy a couple extra downgrades. Flexibility is the key to air power right?! =) So, this checkride I was average in the class. But, I'll take it a press on.

This past weekend we had another career day like we did back a few months ago. It's a good time to see all the different AF jets, and talk to the guys who fly the aircraft you are thinking you want to fly next. For me that's the F-16 and then the F-15C. Here are some pics from the weekend.


I had my first low level ride yesterday, a ton of fun! It's pretty sweet flying 360 knots at 500 ft above the ground. It's not too hard as long as you have good habit patterns. At each checkpoint along the way, you need to accomplish certain things. For example, an acronym I think I'm going to use to help out is COFEE...update my next Course/heading, look for Obstacles (i.e. big towers you don't want to hit =), check Fuel state, roll the EGI to the next point, and Emit (i.e. make a radio call at a point if needed). That along with executing the proper clock to map to ground principle will help me to hit the "target" on time every time. There are only six low level flights, with two of those being formation low levels...nice! I'll most likely have my low level checkride next week.

Besides that, I have a solo out and back tomorrow where we're planning to fly to Lake Charles, LA. We get to fly about 300-400 miles alone...how awesome is that?! All five of us in my class are going, and after we get some good food we'll head back in the afternoon. 4-ship formation will be coming up soon as well, but besides that I'm very close to being done...I have a little over 20 flights left in the program. Oh yeah, as of about one month ago, I'm UPT academics complete...100% on all four tests! Well, I need to get to the squadron. Check six!