Category Archives: F-16 Operations

Everything you wanted me to tell you about the mighty Viper

The Weather Here

Posted on Tue, 27 March 2007 by Chris Penningroth

     The weather was so cloudy today, we could have transported the entire fight one continent over to Europe and I couldn’t have felt more at home flying a training SEAD mission.  That said, this flight was replete with air-to-air … Continue reading →

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Fox Three

Posted on Sat, 24 March 2007 by Chris Penningroth

     No, the title doesn’t refer to the third version of the reasonably successful 24-hour cable news channel.  Last week I had a few simulator flights, one 4vX tactical intercepts/air combat tactics, and a suppression of enemy air defense mission.  … Continue reading →

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Saddled

Posted on Tue, 06 March 2007 by Chris Penningroth

     I had to re-fly my local area orientation sortie today since I haven’t flown since December.  The plan was for Huck and I to fly out to the CHARLIE airspace, do a quick G-warmup, and take a look to … Continue reading →

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In the Fight

Posted on Sun, 18 February 2007 by Chris Penningroth

    Here’s what the squadron I normally fly with is doing. . . helping to win the war.     Me? I only managed to sandbag a local area orientation flight from RJSM last Friday.   I’ve got a little ways … Continue reading →

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Let There be (a) Flight!

Posted on Sun, 31 December 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Back on 21 Dec, I got to fly for the first time in six months.  "Ski" and I hopped into a pair of Yellowtail F-16CJs with the primary mission to regain my long-lost landing currency, and also to familiarize … Continue reading →

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A Short Memorial to Two Fallen Brothers

Posted on Fri, 08 December 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     This has been a rough couple of weeks.  A week ago Tuesday, we got word that an F-16CG had crashed in Iraq, and the pilot, Maj Troy Gilbert, was officially listed as "Duty Status – Whereabouts Unknown."  As I … Continue reading →

Posted in "Downrange", F-16 Operations, Military Affairs, US Army | 10 Comments

Patriot Excalibur

Posted on Thu, 09 November 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    We’re starting to use this new Patriot Excalibur (PEX) program at work.  It’s pretty versatile, but the learning process for everyone has been a bit disjointed.  We’re hoping to have it minimally capable by next week.  I just hope … Continue reading →

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Armchair Quarterbacking

Posted on Tue, 31 October 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Today I had to sit at a desk and talk on the radio to some guys flying around the local area.  I think the only three pilots on the airfield who had less fun than me were the two … Continue reading →

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Fini

Posted on Sat, 17 June 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     Wednesday I flew my last syllabus flight, the 2nd of two Surface Attack Tactics (SAT).  We briefed up a set of medium-altitude GBU-24 (GBU stands for ‘Guided Bomb Unit) attacks complete with threat reactions and threw in a … Continue reading →

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Close!

Posted on Tue, 13 June 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     The first thing on the agenda this morning was a change of command.  BGen Rand handed the Luke AirPatch over to BGen (sel) Jones.  The ceremony was at about 0900, and it was already about 100o F out on … Continue reading →

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