My first flight .... watch out for RPG's!!

[mikeallenbrown]

Afternoon Gentlemen (and ladies??...any women here?...don't want to discriminate!),

I was hired yesterday. So, where does a newly hired wet behind the ears first officer fly to on his first flight you ask? ....well, Kabul, Afghanistan naturally!

I selected a flight from Dubai to Kabul earlier today and not 30 minutes ago completed it .... tactical approach and all!

Because of the nature of the region I performed a "Tactical" approach into Kabul. This consisted of a much steeper approach angle coupled with S-turns. I managed to plant my plane down nicely with out even a single bullet hole in the fuselage.

I described this non-standard approach in my PIREP so I hope whom ever approves the PIREPS understands.

Now I am off to Hong Kong!

[RCR]

Tactical approaches!
O.K., Mike, your post reminded me something cool I once saw:
A few years ago, I was doing some field work (I'm a Geologist) on a project just outside of Fairfield, California, which is the location of Travis AFB (KSUU). Travis is home to quite a few C5-A's and is great place for watching them because there's nothing around to obstruct the view in to the airbase. One day, they had two C-5's flying circuits that were practicing "tactical" touch-and -go's, where they combined s-turns with a very steep approach that was perpendicular to the rwy threshold that they were to land on. They would cross the rwy threshold about 1000'agl, then bank steeply to complete a 270 degree turn, rolling out on the rwy heading at about 500'agl for a very short final. These two very large planes did this nearly all day! It really was quite a sight to behold and made it difficult to get any work done.

Anyway, sounds like your having fun with your first flights here as a new hire!

-Robert

[nwadc10]

Wow! That would be a sight to see!

[ksucarl]

I read a similar story about C-130's. They would approach the departure end of the runway going downwind, take a 90degree turn at huge bank angles, swing around 270 degrees, roll out over the threshold and land. Supposed to confuse the enemy or something. I can't imagine seeing it with C-5s though!

[Brogs]

Wow! That would be a sight to see!

Ditto !

[hawkeyeted]

Air Force.....Bah!

Here's my office!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1graEzmeRU

[mav214]

Those are some serious waves.....big enough to clear the deck of a carrier??? That's crazy. I kept expecting that helo parked between the cats to get shoved backwards toward the stern, but it just stubbornly sits there. Was that a mistake leaving it out there?

[Tom_H]

GO NAVY !!!

[Marko Tesselaar]

Just looking at those waves make me want to grab my motion sickness pills