Savannah, Hunter Army Air Field, 1998-02-18 09:30 local (Z-5)
Hello, Everyone,
I'm sitting in the upper deck of one of Tower's 747s. One hundred and fifty yards to the front another Tower aircraft faces us. Directly behind them is a C-17, the U.S. Air Force's newest heavy lift transport. To the left are a dozen C-5As, the Air Force's largest heavy lift transport. To the right are seven hundred plus U.S. Army troops. They'll be split between the two Tower aircraft and taken to Kuwait.
Why are we all here? Because the President of the U.S. can't keep his dick in his pants. At least that's the current joke. Nothing like a good war to take the populace's mind off a scandal. Who knows, maybe there's a bit of truth there.
The president was Bill Clinton, and the scandal was the Monica Lewinski affair.
Normally, Hunter Army Air Field is a relatively sleepy place where Army helicopter pilots train. I've been here a few times before ferrying troops to and from desert training in California's Mojave Desert. On all previous trips, we've been the only large aircraft on the ramp, usually the only fixed wing aircraft period. This latest Gulf buildup has completely filled a very large ramp. We're told that over the next two days, a C5A an hour will leave here for the Gulf. They carry the equipment. Contract 747s like ours carry the troops.
I'm not happy to be here. I don't mind getting the airplane to Paris—we'll get off there and another crew will take it to Saudi—but I do mind having my captain upgrade program interrupted. I was scheduled to have today off and planned to use it studying. Tomorrow I was to have flown to Miami and back from JFK with Tower's Chief Pilot—he being the reason for studying, he asks lots of questions—but that's now out the window. Unfortunate, because the Miami turn would have brought me to twenty-five hours of left seat time with a check captain in the right seat. It's called IOE, initial operating experience, and twenty-five hours is the minimum required. Of course, they may want me to do more than twenty-five. Fifty hours is the usual amount given for captain upgrade at Tower. After that, a JFK to Tel Aviv trip with an FAA inspector sitting in the jumpseat evaluating you is the final obstacle. Two weeks ago the FAA busted a Tower captain candidate at that last step.
We've been sitting, waiting, now for six hours. The troops have been waiting outside, and it's not warm. At least the sun is up now. Why are we waiting? Who knows; you never know on these military trips.
So, that's what happening to me right now. More later.
Terry
P.S. Finally reached Paris after waiting twelve hours on the airplane at Savannah before leaving. It's 09:00 Thursday morning here, midnight Wednesday at home, and I'm collapsing into bed.