Phase II / Tweet Complete!

It's hard to believe, but I'm done flying the Tweet! I finished last Friday with my low level navigation flight, which was an awesome last ride. The whole flight was flown at about 500 ft and 210-220 knots. It simulates what may take place in a different jet in that we need to be able to find ground checkpoints and make sure we're on time to each so we reach the target on time. We obviously didn't have anything to bomb in the tweet, but our "target" at the end of the mission was a dam. Fun times!

Thursday I had my formation checkride and came away with a 3 downgrade excellent...I was happy with a 3E even though my downgrades were stupid mistakes. That's always how it seems to go. =) It was actually a bit out of the ordinary. I was scheduled to have my checkride on Wednesday of last week, but we were only able to get half of it done. I did all my lead work and had just given my wingman the lead when we heard over the radios, "Columbus AFB is now on weather recall." Basically, thunderstorms were moving into the area and we had to get home before they hit. My check IP took the jet and lead us home. Thursday I was able to finish up the rest of my checkride on the wing...we even had to dodge some weather then as well. It's so hot and humid around here, thunderstorms pop up fast. If I get the chance at the T-38, formation is going to be awesome!

A bunch of us went out last weekend to celebrate being done with the T-37 at a local restaurant. This pic goes out to my best friend from back home...John Deere!

Video:

Formation Solo!

I realize I lied last update saying it would be my last one, but my formation solo on Monday was too awesome to leave out! By far, it was the most fun and memorable flight I've had yet. When I sit back and think about the fact I was flying formation in my own jet against two IP's in the other jet makes it even more awesome. Everything went like any other formation ride. I was lead on the takeoff so I took us out to the practice area and gave my wingman some work on the wing doing different maneuvers. Soon, it was my turn to hand over the lead to my wingman so they could give me some practice...that's where most of the fun happens. When you're on the wing it's your primary responsibility to keep sight of lead and stay in position off his wing while he flys around. The IP's in the other jet thought I was doing well enough to give me crossunders at 90 degrees of bank (I realize that makes no sense to most, but it's not nomally something they give to students), which went pretty well. All of formation isn't in close to the other jet. We do an exercise called extented trail which kinda looks like a simulated dogfight...not anything close to a simulated F-15 or F-16 dogfight, but as a student in the T-37 it's pretty cool. The IP's gave me a lot of the extended trail and had fun trying to get me out of position on their six, but I hung in there pretty well. On our recovery back to the base, I had some more fun. I was in the fighting wing position (about 300-800 ft behind and slightly to either side of lead) on their right wing when the IP's racked their jet up to 90 degrees and pulled across my path of flight to see what I'd do to keep from hitting them! About the only thing I could do was a lag role (similar to a barrel role) up over top while maintaining visual on lead and then get back into position on the left. WOW...how awesome! So much of this stuff is hard to put into words, I just wish I could show some of you guys. I guess you'll have to trust me when I say this is the best job in the world! As it's looking right now, I'll have my formation check next wednesday and I'll be pretty much done. I have 5 flights left in the good, old and fun Tweet!