Linda

Amen. Best regards and thanks. - Linda (352/353/27 SOG)

1 of 8 can provide the correct WX required to deal with the crap WX at KCVS today and successfully land. Thanks to the FAIP Mafia for providing the CHAFF for filing requirements to KCVS... Grow a pear (!?)... CPs,, CSOs,.... even MPs... W. T. F.!? You're lost. How do you get to your first base!?

Shaggy made me a better pilot when I was a green-as-grass CP going through the 62AS... and he kicked my ass again when it was time to become an instructor pilot. Godspeed, Shaggy. You are missed, brother. Best regards, Linda

Should I check with the coroner!? Did USAF leadership invade!? Where'd you guys go?

Herkbier, I can tell you that there SHOULD be a single track C-130J to MC-130J transition course when FY16 dawns. This is probably why you're dealing with the rush of us "legacy" guys who are trying to "beat" you guys through the school house to get trained and rejoin our community as the Shadows retire. Heck... I flew Slicks... and spent nearly 10 years in the MC community... only received my RIP for transition 3 weeks before CSD. Expect shenanigans. If you're interested in joining the MC-J community, I advise you to continue to make your wishes known. We need you. Let the cookies bake. Always have a "Plan B" on-tap. Kind regards, Linda

Yeah, the folks at 58 SOW have had that memo as long as I can remember... it's just smart, and how life really works. The fact that the "all meals available" payment won't pay for all the meals at the chow hall continues to chap my backside.

Hrmph... say more about that last bit. Expecting the "all meals provided" MI&E until I hit the flightline (last 3 weeks or so)...

Yeah... you got me. This should probably be attached to the Flying Videos thread.... I've been away for a while... sorry. M2 & company, please move this as you see fit. Kind regards, Linda

Ladies and Germs, While we in the SOF community bid farewell to one of the most reliable and requested platforms in the Air Force inventory, I invite you to take a moment to glance behind the curtain... Kind regards to you all. Et Shado Sancti Linda

Recently (in the last year), a few other bits of nose art were approved for various aircraft in Europe. This is one of my favorites. https://www.flickr.co...N02/7807693178/

Heh. Completely knocked on my can by amazing Olympians winning Gold Medals and singing the whole National Anthem during the presentation ceremony. I started this thread years ago... Christ, can it be that long!? We continue to have buffoonery, but folks seem to at least "give a shit." My hat's off to the US Olympic Committee for the preparation that I've heard they gave to the Olympic Athletes, who would be on the world's stage for all to see, in preparation for paying respect to the country that they continue to represent so proudly. It's so nice to be able to respond to a rant of mine from years ago with smiles... Best regards to you all, Linda

I heard that there's stiff competition for TSA work these days... could be a complete fallacy, though.

Link: https://news.yahoo.co...-084104472.html Hrmph... Kinda reminds me of the Mig pilot who defected from N Korea... actually became a professor at ERAU in Daytona Beach. Ballsy move.

+1 on LtCol Jim Routt as the BAMF du jour. AFCENT has a television interview that's not edited, but available via their PA website... terrible reporting skills by the interviewer, but completely worth the watch/listen if you've got a few minutes to spare in-between CBTs, DTS, and EMS. Couldn't agree with PK more if I tried

That's going to be one fast piano burning at Mach 2! Post pictures, please! Excellent way to pick-up an old RAF tradition.

A and for the fallen. May they rest in peace.

Just checked the words from our illustrious ring leader on this one. Min order of 25, and they were about $2600. I'm not sure where you guys come from, but that's no pocket change... but it's a damn fine Breitling watch, and they destroy the "mold," never to make those again after the batch... as I've been told. CH - Nah... my girl will continue to live on... she just may be workin' for different masters, if I understood recent briefings correctly. Would be a shame to put Son Tay Raid veterans out to pasture, that's for sure. Y'all have a great weekend. I'm off to the pub for a Linda

Side note - some MC-130P bubbas recently put together a pretty sweet order from Breitling (Airwolf watch). Latest word is that they're (finally) out of the oven and enroute to their new owners. Once I put eyes-on, I'll pass words about how they look... meanwhile, here's a quick artist's rendition from the paperwork (attached): Regards, Linda

Dammit, "Squarr!" I damned-near spat out my mouthful of margarita while watchin' that! Purple Nurples! Y'all 'member them!? Hell yeah... Killin' me, Smalls. Linda

No worries... you'll learn to read what you write before you hit send. Sarcasm and tone don't carry over well on the Interwebs, thanks to Al Gore. I'm sure that all pipelines teach their kids to fly to DH... but this shit was serious (DH and BELOW --> "continue!"). What do I wish they'd carry over? Shit.. the way the Navy TRAINED us instead of kicking us in the balls on a daily basis, for one. Second, the fact that my IPs hammered all the instrument flying knowledge into my nugget that would fit... and they tested it on the ground and in the air with relentless "REAL" (via the "God Box") emergencies and GK questions during approaches and patterns. My instrument cross-check moved somewhere near the Mach when I left Corpus. I've been flyin' the Herk for quite a while now, and she's slowed somewhat... as the Herk doesn't go "that fast," but what great training! Yes, I must emphasize the "Big Boy Program" here - Treat me as if I'm an adult... give me the schedule and the items we're to cover on my 3 flights this week (Granted, previous stuff is fair game, too)... and I'll know that shit COLD. Don't throw the book at me; tell me to know it all by day 4; and crucify me day 6 because the schedule would only support option 3 out of 3 on my available training list (the way we were treated in 37s). Connect what we're doing NOW to what I'll be doing in the REAL WORLD (how the IPs linked Tactical Low Level and Formation Low Level flights with our ops in the Herk). We ran the same basic profiles... filled out the same basic set-up sheets... talked about the same basic procedures... it made sense! Flying turboprops is the best way to train a bubba to fly turboprops... it's that simple. What's the plan if not to send guys through Corpus!?

*sigh* ... must not get pulled into the Troll from an LT... must resist...

Wha'!? What's the deal with 44s departing the fix as an option, eh? Didn't the Navy just upgrade 'em to glass cockpits and such? I thought that was the best training and overall experience I had during SUPT... sheesh. Tonight's sortie ended with us shooting an ILS down to mins, "continue," made me glad I had that training as a youngster.

Just ran across this story via a few different news outlets - appears to be legit. It's based on a letter written to the Elliot.Org website about a pilot who simply "Did the right thing." Teaser bit: ...In LAX, the lines to both check a bag and get through security were exceptional. He got to the airport two hours early and was still late getting to his plane. Every step of the way, he’s on the verge of tears and trying to get assistance from both TSA and Southwest employees to get to his plane on time. According to him, everyone he talked to couldn’t have cared less. When he was done with security, he grabbed his computer bag, shoes and belt and ran to his terminal in his stocking feet. When he got there, the pilot of his plane and the ticketing agent both said, “Are you Mark? We held the plane for you and we’re so sorry about the loss of your grandson.” The pilot held the plane that was supposed to take off at 11:50 until 12:02 when my husband got there. As my husband walked down the Jetway with the pilot, he said, “I can’t thank you enough for this.” Full Article: Link to Elliot.org Original Article Linda

*ahem* Back to the question raised at the top of the thread. In my personal experience with a multitude of different C-130 units (71RQS in 2000 had the closest-knit spouses' group I've ever encountered, bar none; Blue Tails were close all around the squadron; FL AFSOC not so close, but it's reversing course; UK AFSOC very close) it depends heavily on leadership's support and help to get / keep the ball rolling. At our current assignment, the spouses are very active with the squadron for First Friday, Training Day, and a multitude of other events for fundraisers, parties, and meetings to pass along news/information. In the UK, there is also an OCSC (Officers and Civilian Spouses Club) as an option. It's on a base-wide level, and you get a larger cross-section of people from the area as participants. Overall, if there's not something going at the squadron level, folks usually WANT it... it just might take some work to get the ball rolling. Much luck to you both. Regards, Linda