Spouse Orientation Flights

[Guest juliecole]

Last Friday I had the opportunity to go on a Spouse Orientation flight given by my Husbands Squadron. When hubby was AD, I had the opportunity before years ago to go on a flight, but couldn't get the time off of work to do it.

Scooter (my hubby) was really encouraging me almost pushing me to go. "It will so cool. . . you'll have a great time . . . You can see what I do". I can honestly say I was going more to please him, than the excitement that was in it for me.

I sent the kids to the babysitter and Scooter surprised me by making me a flight lunch, (quite the role reversal). Ths day started early, safety briefings, then we got to see the crew give their briefs. We got a tour of the plane (KC135), then climbed aboard. After take off, we were able to the lay down in the boom pod and take pics. Saw the NH,MA,RI,CT shore lines. About an hour later we saw the refeuling of an AWACS plane. It was really cool to see the plane up so close.

I then got to sit in the jump seat for the final descent. It was just great. I have a new appreciation for what my husband does and got to meet some wives and all the other crew members.

If you get a chance to go do a flight defintely do it. If anyone has stories to share please do.

[Whitman]

When my dad was instructing T-38's they weren't allowed to give them rides but they were authorized to give spouses a high speed run up on some bring your spouse to work day. So my dad strapped mom in and they got on the runway and went fast enough to take off and then aborted (i think full A/B, i dunno). She had a blast and they made her a plaque and everything.

She got a real flight in a T-1 as well but my father could not fly it because they didn't want us kids to lose both parents if there was a crash.

I'm curious, do wives of fighter pilots ever get flights?

[Guest juliecole]

I believe spouses of fighters get the quick dash down the runway.

Hubby did stay on the ground for the above reasons, you stated. Also if the babysitter needed to get in touch with one of us.

[Guest Vistar1]

I got to do a spouse flight while my husband was in the AC-130 Gunship squadron. I hate flying and knew I'd be nervous, but I knew I'd never have another opportunity to fly in a "war" plane. It was awesome! They even lowered the ramp while we were flying and got to look over the Florida coast. I'll never forget it!

[Toro]

Urban legend is that spouses used to be able to get flights. I've never gotten confirmation of these, but we do routinely (usually once a year) do spouse taxi rides. I've seen this in T-38s and Strike Eagles. We taxi them out to the runway, light the burners, accelerate to about 69 knots, then clear the runway and taxi back to the chocks. It's usually done in conjunction with a spouse appreciation day and if we can work it into the schedule (since we have the 916th ARW right here) we try to get them rides on the tanker to watch us refuel.

[Guest Frog1995]

My husband is an instructor in the T-37. I never really felt sorry for him since I was home with a wild child, until I went on the spouse taxi. It was so unbelieveably hot. I don't know how he does it. I also don't know how women get in the plane everyday with the parachute. I thought I was going to roll over like a turtle feet side up. You go girls!

[Guest IAGuardWife]

Originally posted by TankerWife:

When hubby was AD, I had the opportunity before years ago to go on a flight, but couldn't get the time off of work to do it.

I always hated that they never had one that was convenient for working wives! I would have loved to have gone up.

I'm hoping to get an orientation flight sometime. They offered flights in the T-1 at Laughlin the week after we PCSed out of there. I would have loved that one.

I'm glad to see Scooter packed you a lunch!

[Guest gtyj98]

When I flew the C-21 (Learjet), one of my favorite things to do were O-flights, especially for the wives. We would routinely take them VFR around cool places like Mount Rushmore.

The only bad part was when they puked.

[Guest edwarkl]

People got airsick in a C-21?

Geez, that really sounds like fun. I love flying, hopefully I'll get to do this someday. My bf's dad did the T-38 down the runway thing with his mom when he was an IP.

Frog-from your post I imagined a frog laying on its back with a parachute on kicking it's legs in the air. (LOL)

[Guest SuperStallionIP]

I think a mandatory Mile High Club flight needs to be instituted as SOP. Let's turn it up a notch!!

[Scooter14]

Originally posted by BigIron:

I think a mandatory Mile High Club flight needs to be instituted as SOP. Let's turn it up a notch!!

You know, I didn't go on the flight, and that thought didn't even cross my mind.

Incredibly low SA on my part!

[brabus]

Just wondering, why can spouses get o-rides in heavies, but not in fighters? Does the AF just think it's too risky?

[Toro]

For one, most fighters are single seat. There are a couple 'family model' Viper and F-15Cs with two seats for instructors, but not many.

Besides it being risky, it's too difficult to arrange on a non-interference basis. Wives who ride along on the tanker do so on a non-interference basis: the aircrew are able to get a full-up training mission accomplished. Flights in fighters would require dedicated sorties, which draws away from training timelines.

[Guest gtyj98]

On my last local sortie, I was 1 on 2 w/some KC-135s. The tankers had some civil community members/leaders who were excited to see refueling. I performed several plugs in my 17, but when we had to perform a practice emerg seperation, the civilians had to be "strapped in".

So like the guy above me said, for the most part we were able to perform all our training tasks on a non-interference basis while the civilians saw a pretty cool show.

[Guest SnakeT38]

These days every flight I do is an orientation

flight with an "admission" charge attached.

[Guest kpaul]

Back in my enlisted days my wife was able to get a high speed taxi ride in a F-16 and a spouse ride in a KC-10, in another month she will be able to fly in the C-130.

She is not real big on flying but she always tells stories of watching the 16s refuel at night over the Navada mountains. Between the moon and the snow nogs were not needed.

in the 130 the spouse ride will be a dedicated sortie. It takes a lot less paperwork to get a pax on a heavy and you can accomidate more people while spending less money, which is probably the AFs biggest focus.

[Bergman]

Originally posted by Toro:

Wives who ride along on the tanker do so on a non-interference basis: the aircrew are able to get a full-up training mission accomplished. Flights in fighters would require dedicated sorties, which draws away from training timelines.

That statement is only partially correct. While we (tankers) can get a mission accomplished, the training value of the sorties is almost zero with passgengers on board.

We are prohibited from performing any touch and go landings, upgrade/requal training, or simulated emergency procedures with passengers on board. So, for training we'll get the sortie, A/R, and 1 to a full stop. We normally like to get 6-8 approaches, some 3 engine work, etc so having pax pretty much kills the sortie for us. It's good publicity for the USAF and fun for the pax...but the crew is basically taking one for the team. Since tanker units typically generate fewer sorties than fighter units, having 1-2 orientation rides a week can really f*ck up the training schedule.

[Guest spar91]

That statement is only partially correct. While we (tankers) can get a mission accomplished, the training value of the sorties is almost zero with passgengers on board.

ditto for c-17s. we can't train with pax on board.

i haven't flown a spouse oreintation flight, or planned one, but as far as i know the regs, there's no training done (currency/proficiency)...

[Scooter14]

Originally posted by Bergman:

That statement is only partially correct. While we (tankers) can get a mission accomplished, the training value of the sorties is almost zero with passgengers on board.

We are prohibited from performing any touch and go landings, upgrade/requal training, or simulated emergency procedures with passengers on board. So, for training we'll get the sortie, A/R, and 1 to a full stop. We normally like to get 6-8 approaches, some 3 engine work, etc so having pax pretty much kills the sortie for us. It's good publicity for the USAF and fun for the pax...but the crew is basically taking one for the team. Since tanker units typically generate fewer sorties than fighter units, having 1-2 orientation rides a week can really f*ck up the training schedule.

[Guest toughnuts]

Hey scooter, it said I couldn't send you a pm because your inbox was full, so Ill just copy and paste it into the message box when you have it cleaned out, thanks!

[Guest PalmettoGuy]

I know that this is probebly logisticlly difficult, but since fighter spouses can't get a ride in a fighter, it would be cool if they could see their husband/wife refuel while they are riding in a tanker. Just a thought.

[Guest kpaul]

They did just that at Hill a few years ago when I was there. I have also heard many stories of spouse rides on KC-10s and what they press up against the window while their husband is refueling.

[Toro]

Originally posted by PalmettoGuy:

I know that this is probebly logisticlly difficult, but since fighter spouses can't get a ride in a fighter, it would be cool if they could see their husband/wife refuel while they are riding in a tanker.

I've seen it done a several times in conjunction with spouse appreciation day, both at Seymour Johnson and RAF Lakenheath.

[Guest Paradise Found]

We got to fly in a KC 135 and watch the guys refuel last summer. I was surprised, it looks a lot more difficult than it sounds!

[ 08. September 2005, 06:58: Message edited by: Paradise Found ]

[Beaver]

I had a good bud at Misawa who's wife became a photographer while they were there. She ended up getting several back seat rides to take photos for Japanese aviation magazines.