Count Down To My (OMG) C-130 Flight

Video of the DC-4 at my tiny little untowered airport! Not sure why it didn't upload in HD.

If you just want to see the DC-4 then fast forward past all the other planes to 1:50. They are saying how incredible he is because he was wheels up within the first third of the runway and our runway is only 3,600 feet long.

Love the comment at 1:30 - "What's this coming?" "A P-51." "Oh my god, keep it lined up guy!"

 
Girl in flight suit.

I told her I would show her photo to a bunch of pilots in a hangar.

Her only reply was to be sure to tell them she was a Sonoma Calendar Girl (whatever that means).

I literally chased her down when I saw what she had done to a real flight suit (though I am not allowed to "girlie" mine up when I get one).

Turns out she was going to be in the parade for the Veterans. She said this is her dad's old flight suit from a long time ago:

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kimberlyanne546 said:
Turns out she was going to be in the parade for the Veterans. She said this is her dad's old flight suit from a long time ago:

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Must have been a foreign military. Note the shoulder epaulet holders and random flag on the right shoulder. Still, I wouldn't kick her out of my hangar!

No idea what a Sonoma Calendar Girl is either.......maybe she also stayed at a holiday inn express last night.....
 
PS - The corvette behind her was to carry her through the parade. They are called "Vettes for Vets".
 
35 AoA said:
Must have been a foreign military. Note the shoulder epaulet holders and random flag on the right shoulder. Still, I wouldn't kick her out of my hangar!

No idea what a Sonoma Calendar Girl is either.......maybe she also stayed at a holiday inn express last night.....
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No I think she just took the "shell" and added stuff to it, so the patch might be post military. I think she meant USA. She modified the suit quite a bit, I doubt fish net stockings were required with flight suits back then.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
No I think she just took the "shell" and added stuff to it, so the patch might be post military. I think she meant USA. She modified the suit quite a bit, I doubt fish net stockings were required with flight suits back then.
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Fair enough, I just can't think of a US aviator's flight suit that I have ever seen with epaulets before........maybe an Army thing I guess.....they do some weird iterations of the standard flight suit. Also the color and zipper arrangements are very non-US mil. Who knows though......she looks good either way
 
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35 AoA said:
Fair enough, I just can't think of a US aviator's flight suit that I have ever seen with epaulets before........maybe an Army thing I guess.....they do some weird iterations of the standard flight suit.
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Good point. Maybe she is pretending her dad was in the military? That would be odd.
 
You're right, no epaulets on the Coast Guard flight suit I might have by the end of next year:

(This one is worn by honorary Coastie Claire who was given one):

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kimberlyanne546 said:
The flight is about 2 hours. Is that short to you?
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2 hrs is short for a C-130 flight.

I have flown in a few other mil transport aircraft, but not a C-130. Most folks I know who have did not enjoy the experience riding in them as PAX, but they were all 5+ hour flights in the Arabian Gulf/East Africa region.

I'm sure you'll have a good time....just dress warmly and you may want foamies to put in your ears underneath any hearing protection/headset they give you.
 
In the nineties General Merrill McPeak was responsible for redesigning the Air Force flight suit and other uniforms based on his build and concept of what looked good--as long as you were tall and skinny, they fit. The flight suit had epaulets, included a sewn in permanent crease on the legs, did away with the knife pocket, and had a deeper pocket on one leg so the entire flight cap could be concealed without folding (of course anything else put into that pocket was irretrievable). I can't recall a single aviator liking it. Even though it had epaulets, rank had to be sewn onto the epaulet thus defeating any purpose for having an epaulet in the first place. As soon as he retired, the old flight suit was reinstated.
 
Witmo said:
In the nineties General Merrill McPeak was responsible for redesigning the Air Force flight suit and other uniforms based on his build and concept of what looked good--as long as you were tall and skinny, they fit. The flight suit had epaulets, included a sewn in permanent crease on the legs, did away with the knife pocket, and had a deeper pocket on one leg so the entire flight cap could be concealed without folding (of course anything else put into that pocket was irretrievable). I can't recall a single aviator liking it. Even though it had epaulets, rank had to be sewn onto the epaulet thus defeating any purpose for having an epaulet in the first place. As soon as he retired, the old flight suit was reinstated.
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Well there you go then. Sounds awesome, among a rich tradition of awesome leadership decisions on the blue side
 
Fearless Tower said:
2 hrs is short for a C-130 flight.

I have flown in a few other mil transport aircraft, but not a C-130. Most folks I know who have did not enjoy the experience riding in them as PAX, but they were all 5+ hour flights in the Arabian Gulf/East Africa region.

I'm sure you'll have a good time....just dress warmly and you may want foamies to put in your ears underneath any hearing protection/headset they give you.
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How can that be???? :dunno: The jump seats are ergonomically designed so the aluminium tube cuts off blood flow to both lower legs, thus eliminating the feeling of your feet slowly freezing. :D
 
35 AoA said:
That's pretty cool......what is/was her story?
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Claire isn’t your typical Coastie. She’s only 13-years-old and she was only a Coastie for a day. Claire, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, spent last week fulfilling her dream to visit Alaska and spent the last day of it viewing Sitka and the surrounding area from the cabin of a Coast Guard rescue helicopter.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I have 2 FEMA classes - online - to take (5 hours each) plus pass with 90% or better and print out certs, then an all day in person boating class far away on a Saturday (again with a test), and all that just to get me qualified to get my ID card.
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ICS-100, 200, and/or 700? Won't take five hours. Pretty easy. Same requirement in CAP. Easy coursework.

Harder stuff is taught in classroom settings and usually it's best to hunt around for courses funded by State or local agencies, or it gets expensive very fast. Especially for volunteers.

(Ironic that States know the Federal management stuff is required for so many staff, the States end up paying the Federal instructors, eh? Heh.)

Welcome to pseudo-military volunteerism! There's more silly stuff ahead... And a little fun thrown in from time to time. :)

Have fun in the Herk.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Claire isn’t your typical Coastie. She’s only 13-years-old and she was only a Coastie for a day. Claire, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, spent last week fulfilling her dream to visit Alaska and spent the last day of it viewing Sitka and the surrounding area from the cabin of a Coast Guard rescue helicopter.
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Very cool!
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
The flight is about 2 hours. Is that short to you?
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Yes. Try a 9 hour flight from Lemoore CA to Elmendorf AFB AK. C-130 is the most uncomfortable troop carrier I have ever been in. You aren't exactly a troop being transported anywhere on this flight so it should be more fun for you.
 
Been on many Herc flights. Most memorable was Fat Albert JATO ride in '96. Didn't sit long enough for the seats too hurt. We were floating some of the time anyway. :D Only maybe 7 mins of flying but some dudes were close to puking when we landed!
 
Velocity173 said:
Been on many Herc flights. Most memorable was Fat Albert JATO ride in '96. Didn't sit long enough for the seats too hurt. We were floating some of the time anyway. :D Only maybe 7 mins of flying but some dudes were close to puking when we landed!
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I was just going to say I wish my Herc was Fat Albert. Saw that plane from an old war cargo ship during fleet week. Super cool. And I've seen videos of them giving the public / news media that 7 minute ride along with the pax briefing. Pretty neat.
 
35 AoA said:
Must have been a foreign military. Note the shoulder epaulet holders and random flag on the right shoulder. Still, I wouldn't kick her out of my hangar!

No idea what a Sonoma Calendar Girl is either.......maybe she also stayed at a holiday inn express last night.....
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Here's their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SCCGDOLLS
 
PPC1052 said:
What's so cool about that? Isn't that just like a Cessna - 150, just smaller? :wink2:
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:rofl: :yes:

I was at an event in Maine standing in line for pancakes (in my flight suit) and I was asked asked what I was flying. I said "C-130" The nice lady loading my plate said, "Oh how nice, but isn't that a little small for your job?? ".... :D
 
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