Completing this week marked the half way point of WIC, and being busy has made the time go fast. The flying ahead will continue to get better and more difficult at the same time. Up to this point we have been flying specific missions within the air-to-air and air-to-ground arenas, but we're now beginning to integrate them together using the previous phases as building blocks.
Since my 300' checkout and dropping the live bombs, we've moved on to escort, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), destruction of enemy air defenses (DEAD), and surface attack (SAT). These phases will be complete, barring any busts, the end of next week before we go into another full week of academics. My research paper has reached 25 pages, and I'm about 85% through. This coming Thursday I'll give a 30 min presentation on my topic to the squadron commander, director of operations, paper advisor, and academic advisor.
Being half way through WIC also means Lana and Liam will soon arrive! They'll be here in early October, just before our 4th wedding anniversary. Lana has put up with a lot being apart and prego chasing a 16 month old, high energy boy around Germany. Thanks Lana...your support means a lot!
This past week our training transitioned from air-to-air to air-to-ground. Our academics and mission planning prepared us for our 100 ft familiarization flight, and dropping live 500 and 2000 lb bombs on different targets on the NTTR. All fighter pilots are qualified down to 500', but during WIC we're qualled down to 300' and get that chance to see 100'. Flying at 100' is fine until you make a turn that low going 500 mph...there isn't any room for mistakes that low. There may be a few less cows on the range after my wingman and I finished our low level training.
Later in the week we had our first night flights here at WIC, carrying either 500 or 2000 lb live laser guided bombs (LGBs) with 210 rounds of 20 mm bullets in the gun. It had been awhile since I'd dropped bombs and the first time shooting the gun at night using night vision goggles (NVGs). My wingman and I hit all of our targets, which burned pretty good. So much so, I had to pick a different strafe target for the gun since looking at the fires through the NVGs gained them down too much. This was just the beginning of our bomb dropping.
Lana, Liam, and I have used video Skype quite a bit lately since she is still in Munich with her Mom. Liam has changed so much, even since we were together at Spangdahlem only one month ago. I miss them both a lot, and they'll be here at Nellis in a month from now...really looking forward to it!
Today we returned from our trip to Hill AFB in Utah, a few days ahead of schedule. We were all scheduled to shoot either an AIM-120 or AIM-9M air-to-air missile, but only 4 out of 10 were able to shoot. The drones ($750k/drone) that are launched for us to target and shoot had problems on day two of the shoot, so we packed up and flew back to Vegas early. Each person doesn't shoot down a drone, but typically 4-5 people are able to shoot at the same one. They will turn the drone around far enough away or use flares to defeat most of the missile shots. I've never shot a missile before, so it was a little disappointing. But, we were able to enjoy a few days away from the desert heat and a less stressful schedule.
The first two months of WIC are almost over and the time has gone fast so far. We finished defensive counter air (DCA) last week, and are moving on the air-to-ground phase. In DCA we simulate we're protecting a high value target from the enemy...both fighter and bomber aircraft. Our enemy bombers were simulated by US B-1s, flying 600 mph at 500' off the desert floor. Merging with a B-1 at those speeds and that low is a pretty cool thing to see. DCA went pretty well for me with no busts.
Lana and Liam will be back in the USA in approximately one month, and I'm looking forward to having them around more. WIC will continually get more and more difficult, but they'll help to break the stress bubble on weekends. That's all for now...
Our week of simulators in Germany was great, especially the time I was able to spend with Lana and Liam. My schedule was such that I was able to spend all but one night with Lana at a friends house 15 minutes from the base, and do some sight seeing with her as well. Lana had never been to this part of Germany, so we took some time to see Cochem Castle, Trier, and Bernkastel.
The simulators were preparation for this next week's flying, tactical intercepts (TI). We'll be flying as a 4-ship against a number of adversaries, and will be graded as #1 or #3. I spent some time this afternoon working on my research paper and getting ready for tomorrow's flight. The jet lag is slowing my work ability, so we're going to grab some Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner.
This past Tuesday I finished the ACM phase here at WIC. The briefs, flying, and debriefs went well and I was able to make it through "unscathed." Today I had the day off and was able to get a lot done on my research paper (20-30 pages), which has a first draft due date of 5 Sep...not sure when I'm going get the time to type it all, but something will work out. Tomorrow I have a BFM-5 flight...another chance to get a little better at my job!
This Saturday we're flying to Germany for a week of simulator training at Spangdahlem AFB, about 2 hours from Frankfurt. The week is filled with 4 v X training, with four 1.25 hour simulators every day. I'm not sure what the schedule is like, but it's going to be a good week. Lana and Liam already have their train tickets and will be meeting me on Sunday. Video chat on Skype is good, but I'm really looking forward to seeing them again! More when I return from Deutschland...
