Category Archives: USAF

Go Low, Go Fast

Posted on Wed, 28 March 2007 by Chris Penningroth

     Today I re-hacked my low altitude currency.  There’s nothing like flying 500 mph 500 feet above the terrain! After the low-level across northern Honshu, we buzzed over to the range and simulated dropping 500# laser guided bombs and designating … Continue reading →

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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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Wild Walrus

Posted on Fri, 12 January 2007 by Chris Penningroth

    According to this story, the DoD is going to try to see if it can equip F-15Cs with an air-launched version of our most advanced surface-to-air missile, the PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability-3).  This is a sort of spin-off idea … 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 Fighter Pilot Christmas

Posted on Fri, 15 December 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    Tonight was the 14 FS Christmas Party at the Co-located Club.  Lt Col T gave a benediction that was rather more patriotic and warlike than I normally hear, which is exactly what we need to hear these days.  The … 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 →

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Mission Impossible

Posted on Mon, 04 December 2006 by Chris Penningroth

    It was nearly impossible to get any work today.  The LAN was down at the office.  I didn’t have an IEEE cable to connect to my printer, so I couldn’t even print documents.  I managed to get around to … Continue reading →

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