Category Archives: F-16 Operations

Everything you wanted me to tell you about the mighty Viper

Ground Abort

Posted on Tue, 13 June 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Friday, I spent several tedious hours mission planning.  I woke-up early this morning, spending four hours anticipating a great flight in some of the best weather we’ve had here in four weeks.  Preflight, engine start and setup of flight … Continue reading →

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Turning Night Into Green

Posted on Fri, 09 June 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Last night was the night Surface Attack Tactics (SAN) flight.  It was not really so much tactics as it was administratively getting me warmed up to fly tactically at night.  This was one of those painful flights that the … Continue reading →

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Quickened Pace

Posted on Thu, 08 June 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Let’s see, what’s happened since Memorial Day? At "work," my classmates and I flew Tactical Intercepts (TI), Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM), Air Combat Tactics (ACT).  This week we moved on to the air-to-ground phase and have accomplised Basic Surface … Continue reading →

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BFM Complete

Posted on Thu, 25 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Yesterday I flew my last BFM ride in the re-qual course.  It went fairly well.  The jet I flew was fairly heavy, and on a hot day with a Pratt & Whitney 220 engine, it wasn’t really as intense … Continue reading →

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Basics

Posted on Sat, 20 May 2006 by Chris Penningroth

     I flew two basic fighter maneuver (BFM) hops this week, one offensive, one defensive.  I’ve managed to prove to myself I can turn high-G circles in the sky and shoot down a bad guy or keep a bad guy … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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!  

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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