Category Archives: Military Affairs

This category contains information relevant to or about military affairs. The host’s bias favors the US Armed Forces and the F-16 in particular.

I-Check Complete

Posted on Sat, 13 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Yesterday I finished my instrument checkride.  I’m once again technically qualified to fly an F-16C/D wherever I might need to go.  I won’t have another hurdle like that until my mission checkride, which ought to take place in late … Continue reading →

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on I-Check Complete

More Flying

Posted on Thu, 11 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Yesterday was the first formation flight I’ve done in awhile.  Today was the first flight in a C-model since January 2004.  Both flights were pretty vanilla, but it’s always a good day to fly!  

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on More Flying

Emergency!

Posted on Sat, 06 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     Today I knocked out the emergency procedures (EP) simulator.  That constitutes almost half of the instrument checkride.  I still have a pair of exams to take and a flight to make to finish the checkride.  After that’s all … Continue reading →

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on Emergency!

We Have Liftoff!

Posted on Fri, 05 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     Tuesday was my first attempt at "TR-1," the first flight in the transition course syllabus.  The takeoff and departure were routine.  Once we got into the MOA (military operations area), my flight profile called for an 8-9G turn.  … Continue reading →

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on We Have Liftoff!

Preparing

Posted on Tue, 02 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     Today was the last practice simulator (WST-flavor) I’ll get before my official instrument checkride emergency procedures (EP) simulation.  It went pretty well, probably because I can’t count the number of times I’ve practiced F-16 EP’s in my lifetime. … Continue reading →

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on Preparing

First Full Week

Posted on Sun, 30 April 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     It’s been a busy week.  My classmates and I had a lot of academics all week.  We also had two simulator sessions in Unit Training Devices (UTDs), which are fairly realistic cockpit simulators set in front of a … Continue reading →

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on First Full Week

Back on Track

Posted on Sun, 23 April 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     As of Thursday the 20th, I began my F-16 transition course (TX2, in our parlance) along with six others.  We’re going to have academics on and off for at least the next month.  We’ll begin "flying" the simulators … Continue reading →

Posted in F-16 Operations | Comments Off on Back on Track

Speaking of Russia. . .

Posted on Sun, 26 March 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     I found this photo of my old Spangdahlem stallion.  The photo itself was at www.aeronautics.ru (a Russian web-site).  I only wish I was the one flying it that day.  One of the Lockheed Martin company pilots was flying … Continue reading →

Posted in USAF | Comments Off on Speaking of Russia. . .

From Russia, With Love. . . .

Posted on Sat, 25 March 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     Sometimes I find that I miss the Cold War.  The Soviet Union was an evil, intractable adversary.  The stakes on every confrontation were high.  That all ended starting in the mid- to late-80s, with Solidarity in Poland, Glasnost … Continue reading →

Posted in International Relations, US DoD | Comments Off on From Russia, With Love. . . .

Future mission of the 131st

Posted on Tue, 21 March 2006 by Chris Penningroth

My home-town Air National Guard unit, the 131st Fighter Wing, has been flying fighters ever since I can remember. I think the 110th Fighter Squadron was flying the F-100 Super Sabre around the time I was born. In 1978 they … Continue reading →

Posted in USAF | 5 Comments