Density

Well, I'm certainly glad that Sarge has transported himself "Back to the Future", or at least 1985 as he appears to still be internet-less.  I will confess to making several trips to the blog over the weekend and experiencing cold-turkey like symptoms on the lack of post/commentary.  

I guess another Battle of the Bulge installment banged out on a phone was a bit much to expect.  

Speaking of Back to the Future.....we watched the trilogy again recently and I identified with one particular scene.

Growing up I'd always believed I had a "Density".  (So did my parents.  They generally believed I was dense as a concrete wall.  But that's not important to this post.)

I always believed I'd be a fighter pilot in the Air Force.  All I ever wanted to do.  And I was sure I would.  Never a doubt.

Somewhere around 8 o'clock this morning will be the 40th anniversary of my beginning the embrace of my "Density".   The Friday before, I had taken my written's for my Masters, that Saturday I'd loaded all my worldly possessions into my 1974 "Spirit of America" Vega.

Not mine, but except for the windshield this looked like my first car
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Dad and Mom had promised that if I'd made the Dean's list my freshman year, they'd help me buy a car.  I did and they did.  They split the cost with me and I paid off that loan the summer between freshman and sophomore year painting houses in Mississippi.  $2000.  

Lotsa reasons to KNOW it's the '70s.  Mom's hairstyle, the fact that I HAVE hair, and the 30 inch waist.  All long gone.

The next loan I took out was my Senior year when I had to replace the engine on it.  $600.

So, where was I?

Oh, yeah.  Worldly possessions in Vega.  It wasn't all that hard.  I didn't have much.

Sunday morning comes and after chatting with the guy upstairs abit, got in the car and headed south.

Took a TAD longer than 5 +25 in 1978 doing the "Double Nickle".  Which was all the Vega could do.

Arrived at the base mid-afternoon, paid my Dollar to the Airman at the front gate and was admitted to the show.  Signed into the BOQ and was told show time was 0800.  Walked next door and joined the Officer's Club, had a beer and dinner and returned to my room.

Not much sleeping that night.  

Woke early, had breakfast and found the Academic building and the room we were supposed to be in.  Shook a few hands, got the schedule for the first day.  Flight Surgeon, Supply Squadron, Book room, and the homework assignment for the first day.

Since I'd been studying hard for my masters over the previous 10 months, the reading and retention wasn't an issue.  The test the following morning was a breeze.  

Some of the other's?  Not so much. A couple fell by the wayside before they got out of Tweets (AKA T-37, the 2000 lb Dog Whistle)

This went on for a couple of weeks, and finally, we were told the following week we'd be going down to the line and would be spending half a day there and half a day at Academics.  We were going to fly!

That afternoon we were issued Flight Suits and flying gear and Helmets!  They told us to wear them so we'd get used to them and find out if there were any "hot spots" that needed to be fixed.  I don't know if either of those statements were truthful, but I sat in front of the mirror for a while with mine on.  

Training continued.  I had my Dollar ride with a Major with a 100 mission patch in Thuds on his flight suit.  

T-37 painted all white like when I flew it.  Student is on the right side of the picture.  You can tell it's a student.  He's looking for his ass with both hands.
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We went out to the area and did our area work as briefed.  Had a little gas left over so he asked if I wanted to do anything else. 

I asked if we could do a loop.  He told me what airspeed was needed and how to keep oriented.  We lined up on a straight section of highway, nosed it over, pulled it up and over and on the way down, saw a truck on the highway.  

Might have given a little "rat-a-tat" as he passed under the nose.

The Major gave a chuckle.

Yannow?  Time is weird.  Sometimes things that occurred just a month or so ago seem like ancient history.  Other times, things that happened, Oh, I don't know, 40 years ago, seem to be just a minute or so in the past.  

This was taken at the end of the T-37 phase.  Every student in this picture graduated (There's a few IP in it also).  I've got my arm's crossed in the center of the picture.

So, I'll just accelerate to 88 miles per hour and return to "Good Ole 2018" and whatever "Density" awaits this week.  Have a good Monday everyone.