Pictures while using frequent flyer miles

[Ranchero50]

How does one fasten seat belts in bed? We'd stuff a boot under the mattress in heavy seas to keep from rolling out but early one morning we found out that the bottom bunks were not bolted down when 'stuff' went sideways. Always fun cleaning the berthing after a night of running with the troughs.

[adrianspeeder]

They have a lap belt.

I'm always more worried about a depressurization when I'm sleeping, so I keep the O2 mask unclipped from the wall and down on the seat to my left.

Adrianspeeder

[adrianspeeder]

Trip 136, Fall 2016, Colorado

001/006 – Next trip was a nice change of pace to a training line out in Colorado. High altitude practice of low level terrain following is a tricky bitch sometimes, but gets some great pictures and views. First stop was in Kansas for Army Guard training of loading vehicles at Manhattan Regional Airport.













007 – A favorite character from a dollar rider flight a while ago is back with me again, but he’s sharper now, and harder to trick.



008 – What is this? The WMCA?



009 – C-17 groupie? I actually don’t remember her story, as she wasn’t on our crew, but hung around the jet for loading and engine start.



010 – The fire department showed up for training, and I’m always happy to show egress and entry operation of the jet to all that could someday have to pull my ass out in an emergency. He was asking about fuel fire load, and eyes got big when I said a full tank of gas could be 36,000 gallons.



011 – Four turnin’ up tight. Let’s go earn money!



012 – Back to high altitude training while out of breath in Colorado.



013 – The mission and metal is meaningless without the men to make it happen.



014/017 – Colorado mountain views.









018 – “Attack the mountain with flying knife hands.”



019 – This didn’t come out as cool as it looked from the air.



020 – High altitude low level terrain following training time! Pull them ‘belts up tight.

[adrianspeeder]

021/022 – “Copilot’s aircraft.” Take ‘er down Lt!





023 – Middle of nowhere somewhere.



024 – Tricky approach and departure of Gunnison – Crested Butte Regional Airport. Elevation of 7680 foot has a painful slow spool up of the motors on a go around.



025 – “You got this friend!”



026/030 – Later that day at Colorado Springs there was a forecast of skies partly sunny with a 100 percent chance of aluminum overcast.











031/035 – There’s a storm brewin’ up!











036/040 – Gassed up and back to VFR in the Rockies.

[adrianspeeder]

041 – Tall pointy thinger in sight. Official tech speak.



042 - 600 feet above the ground at 8500 feet in the air.



043 - Low level views of beautiful country.



044 – Beauty of a view.



045 – Watch out for that tree.



046-050 - Low level views of beautiful country.











051 – Watch out for that bunny hill at 12000 feet. “Powers in. Visual.” At this altitude the motors take over a half a minute to spool up, so the power has to be planned ahead of time, or else we don’t have it available.



052-054 - Low level views of beautiful country.







055 – Next trench to go dive down in. Gotta be a kickass show on the ground screamin’ by at 500 feet.



056 – Dropping by for a BBQ.



057 – Do good work Lt, we’re counting on you.



058 – Just li’l bit of angle of the dangle. More to come.



059 – Kickass views.



060 – Chase and taste the rainbow.

[basketcase0302]

Adrian,

Good to see your still here and kickin. From a 3rd generation DD-214 Vet thank you for walking the walk so that I may live another day as a free American.
Love...the pics! Crested Butte looks a lot like our airport here, (as Chattanooga is surrounded by mountains and you have to come down out of the sky, (and going up as well) really fast.
Beautiful country out there for sure.
Stay safe using your frequent flyer miles.

[adrianspeeder]

You are quite welcome, and thanks!

Adrianspeeder

[adrianspeeder]

061 – Boss man driving time.



062 – Damn rainbow just seems to keep out of reach.



063 – Mostly sunny with a chance of aluminum overcast skies.



064-065 – Back down in the ditches. Nice that we don’t have people shooting at us here.





066 – Rocky Mountain High.



067 – Terrain. Terrain. “Wooooeeeee! Here we go.”



068 – Finally getting around the rainbow.



069 – Hold on to your butts, she’s gonna dance!



070 – To the moon!



071 – Hold on to your butts, she’s gonna dance!



072 – Put ‘er on the floor.



073 – Back to the moon!



074-075 – With the Sun setting, we are done for the day.





076 – Seems legit.



077 – Preflight for takeoff time.



078 – Hi friends!



079-080 – Alright CO, it’s been real.

[adrianspeeder]

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[adrianspeeder]

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[Ranchero50]

IDK, when the fat girls are dancing around Martinsburg at a distance they remind me of a blimp, big and almost look stationary. When they go over my folks place in Sharpsburg in the N/S landing pattern they are moving much faster than the C-130's that used to do it. My brother lives down near Harper's Ferry and says they scream through the ridges there at what feels like far less than 500'.

[adrianspeeder]

It is "always" 500 feet.

Adrianspeeder

[adrianspeeder]

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[adrianspeeder]

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[adrianspeeder]

Half way, equal time point, mid way, half time, middle of the road, straddling the fence, or all downhill from here. Anyway you say it, 10 short years have been racked up today answering the question of, “What do you do?” with, “I’m in the Air Force.” While I’ve had the most epic trips around the world 100 plus times to 44 states, and 56 countries on 6 continents, more importantly there have been countless friends I’ve made working C-17s. It all started on May 15 2007 with flight 413 and 414 coming together to kick it off. I’m honored next week to be able to reenlist again.

Adrianspeeder