(zero MTB content...)
Slacker wrote:
>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/misc/IMG_2300w.jpg
>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/misc/IMG_2313w.jpg
>>
>> I only took 100 or so photos.
>>
>> Penny
>>
>>
> Dang, you lucky dog!!!!
>
> Come-on, more pix, and a flight report... what's wrong with you!!!
( had to eat dinner, I was dying)
I think the pix will go in a web album, I"ll try and get to that tonight.
Anyway, this "Eagles" program we are in is a community liason program in
conjunction with the base and the community of Spokane. Business people and
their spouses are nominated to join, and then we are partnered with various
AFB officials and staff at functions and what not. I've seen the stealth
bomber, been to some of the Black and White aninverary balls, we get VIP
seating at the airshow ( but we never go) blah blah blah etc. Evidently
Fairchild is desireable for many reasons, one being that there is a very
good relationship between the locals and the base: no hassles with out of
town checks for the guys, for example.
They have these fueling flights all through the year that you can go on. My
hubby has been on two, one with the B2 and one with f-16's. Usually you
don't do anything special, just fly over Montana or Ca and fuel planes. This
flight today was a special one to celebrate the people in the Eagles
program. So, we had a special flight plan ( scenic) special lunch ( bourbon
glazed salmon) served to us the staff, on the plane, and the Base Commander
was our pilot.
The weather was perfect, and our flight plan was thus:
Circle around Spokane so everyone can look for thier house. Then we headed
west-ish, to Mount Rainier. Do a circle really close to the summit, all the
way around the mountain. Then south, over Mt. Adams, down to Mt. Hood. Do a
circle around Mt. Hood. I asked and we were less than 7 miles away; it
looked a lot closer if you ask me. Then south over Mt Jefferson, Broken Top,
3 Sisters, and Bachelor and on to Crater Lake. Do a big loop all around
Crater Lake. Then we headed NW back towards Seaside Oregon, over the
Willamette Valley and Eugene. Once we got to the coast, we did big huge lazy
ovals as we waited for the jets to show up. Two f-15s came up for fueling.
One will hang by the side of the plane, the other goes back to the boom.
Now... the plane only has four windows other than the cockpit, and then
there's the boom area. So we all take turns at the window where the jet it,
or, and this is the cool part: you go to the boom area, and lie down next to
the boom jockey (?my name) and watch the jet get fueled. Rinse, repeat. Let
everyone have a turn.
Then, time to head home. We were told that you couldn't get with 5 miles of
the St Helen's crater, but I guess someone changed thier mind. I just
happened to be in the cockpit when we flew over it. If you look you can see
the steam plume coming off the new lava dome.
cool eh?
penny
( now I'll go make the album, stay tuned)
Can't wait to see the rest of the pictures.
