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Just before engine start. (Keen)
TRAIN 1, our lead ship, was parked a few spots to our left. Here they are about to pass in
front of us (TRAIN 2).
Taxiing out to Runway 36R at Moody - notice that we are taxiing offset to the left of TRAIN 1,
and a safe distance behind to avoid their jet blast. Capt. Rusty "Shredder" Keen, a veteran F-16 driver and IP
in the 435th, was my pilot. The back of his helmet can be seen here.
We were directed to "Hold Short" of runway 36R. Since we'd be waiting a few moments, Shredder
pulled alongside TRAIN 1 so I could get some shots. Unfortunately, on takeoff their cockpit Afterburner
Indicator Light didn't come on, so they had to abort shortly after brake release and go park their jet. Shredder and
I proceeded with the mission anyway, and I had a great time!
Closeup of TRAIN 1.
Airborne and heading out to the practice area.
View of the AT-38C rear cockpit instrument panel. The C-model's presentation is a great improvement
over the old A-model.
The obligatory "hero shot"! By the way, I used a Canon EOS Rebel Ti with a 28-90mm Zoom, loaded with
200 ASA print film. Auto-Focus was a life saver for important shots like this where I just stuck my left arm out and
snapped off the frame.
Checking out the scenery from 17,000' as we head to Live Oak MOA for some acro and BFM stuff.
Had to flip up my visor for a shot or two to prove it's me! At lower altitudes, lowered visors are
mandatory to help avoid incapacitation in case of a bird strike.
Descending for a low-level approach into KVLD (Valdosta Regional).
Short Final for Runway 35 at Valdosta. After this we trimmed the trees in the MOA east of here,
then back to Moody.
Posing for the post-flight "Been There, Done That" photo. Heck, let's gas this thing up and go again!
(Keen)
My friend aviation author and cartoonist Willy Peeters did this cartoon for me to commemorate my
first T-38 flight (I added the background sky). It appeared on the back of Willy's book on the T-38 Talon.
I had the privilege of flying in an AT-38C
Talon at Moody AFB, Ga. for the second time on 18 February 2005. This time I flew with the 49th Fighter Training Squadron
"Black Knights", sister squadron of the 435th FTS. My sortie was flown in the back seat of jet 69-7081. Our
callsign for the mission was "Friday 1". Capt. Philip "Slim" Principi, an F-15E driver and 49th IP, was my pilot. One of his students, Capt. Brian "Uno" Covey, was flying
jet 097 (Friday 2). Major James "Ug" Lee, a 49th Instructor WSO, was flying in Uno's back seat.
Uno was flying IFF student mission Defensive
BFM #3 (DB-3). DB-3 is the third of four total defensive rides. Uno will be flying the F-16
after graduation, and the IFF F-16 syllabus calls for 19 flights, including Formation, Offensive, Defensive, High
Aspect, and Surface Attack sorties.
Slim and I were the offensive
jet, and Uno's goal on this ride was to . . . survive! The way he does this is to: 1. Defeat an
initial attack; 2. Deny a subsequent Weapons Employment Zone (WEZ) position for Slim and me; 3. Defeat
subsequent weapons; and 4. Neutralize the threat, separate from the fight, or go offensive. To do this,
Uno applies proper defensive jinking, maneuvering, and flares against our attacking jet - all the while never losing sight
of us! I can tell you from personal experience that doing all that at the same time while pulling Gs is quite an
accomplishment - and I simply observed it all from the easy jet!
We flew five engagements/dogfights, two 6K (six
thousand foot separation) and three 3K starts. Both jets started each fight in a turn, and once Slim and I were set
up at the proper "K" distance behind Uno, Slim called, "Friday, Fights On"! The Gs, horizon, and the strain
on the straps went up and down very rapidly as we tried to keep up with Uno. On the way home, Slim threw in a high-angle
dive bomb and pull up for me for good measure. After the mission, there was an intensive one-hour debriefing using both
jets' HUD videos/audio, and computer aided graphics technology which just has to be seen to be believed.
I'm happy to say that I was on top of the G
the whole time and didn't toss my cookies, but as I type this, two days later, I'm still pretty sore from
my aggressive G-strain . . .
Slim and I minutes before climbing aboard. Notice that this is a full-up "C" model, with new engines,
inlets, exhaust nozzles, and paint, among other improvements designed to keep the Talon flying for a long time to come and
to help "ramp up" future fighter pilots to the advanced cockpits of their designated fighter. (Thanks, Chief, for
shooting the pic!)
Uno and Ug (Friday 2) parked next to us at the Runway 36R holding area. Notice that
their jet has the new engine inlets added, but it has yet to be repainted in the new "F-16" style camo. The other two
jets in our flight are on the other side of Uno and Ug. They wanted to show me what four jets looked like in formation,
so the other two came with us to form up on the short flight out to the designated airspace north of Moody. Notice
our shadow at the bottom of the frame.
Friday 2 next to us on 36R. We took off single-ship, with 10-second delay between jets. The
takeoff thrust and acceleration of the C-model in full afterburner is quite a kick in the pants.
Friday 2 tucks it in close minutes after departure. The wide-angle setting I was using makes
them look farther away than they really were. Unlike a "real" aviation photographer, I didn't have the luxury of positioning
the jets and the sun where I wanted them in a pre-planned photo mission, so I worked with what I had. Still, though,
I'm very happy that the weather worked out perfect for us.
The other flight accompanying us out to the area comes up on our right wing. Notice no. 4 in the distance
is rapidly getting into position.
Uno and Ug hold it in tight through some gentle turns.
All four jets are now in position.
After "kicking off" the other flight to proceed with their mission, Slim kicked Friday 2 out to
Route formation as we neared our maneuvering airspace.
Maneuvering around a bit.
This would make a nice poster . . . with some kind of inspirational message, don't you think? From
here, we spread out to do our GX (G-warm up turns), and then proceeded with the fights. I just put the camera away to
enjoy the ride (and hold on!).
Arriving back at Moody, Slim showed me what a standard "Initial" pattern looked like, ending in a low
pass, then a nice pop up to a very close pattern. Slim put it right on the numbers. After turning off the runway,
we pulled up next to this jet.
We popped the canopies, and then taxied back to parking.
Post flight. Thanks, guys! So, when do we do it again?! I'm already thinking about a painting
to commemorate
my flight - stand by for that one! (Principi)
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