Pictures while using frequent flyer miles
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
1924/03/02 – 2015/06-29
“The eternal sky, temptress to all airmen, joined with fate, guardian of the lucky and betrayer of the less favored.” My grandfather was a Naval Aviator and by all accounts, one of the lucky ones indeed. His tails of military aviation captivated me from as young as I can remember. The summer before first grade I recall riding in the jump seat of his extended cab Ford not being able to see outside, but fully believing we were in fact flying a foot off the ground because he said we were. As I was older and more understanding his stories showed more of the horrors of war. Ronald Regan had said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” After the attacks of September 11th 2001, I had asked him if this was the same as December 7th 1941. He said it was, and that we needed to avenge without mercy. To this day my own drive to serve in the United States Air Force comes from that very exchange on a Tuesday evening. A torch was passed of Vargo men going to war. Now my own tails of flying in combat as I told him on my treasured trips to Easton PA and the Fleas Club caused instant smiles of the Old Man and his comment that, “You and me, we’ve become the same.” I can only hope that will never change.
Bougainville Island in the North Solomon Islands during a short little six year TDY that makes my deployments look like a trip to the park. I never did ask what he was trying to rig up with that rope. The man never did buy a ratchet strap in his life. All things tied down in his truck with random ropes.
I had missed my grandmothers funeral when I was in Kuwait on a flying stage, but the trips just came together between two Iraq missions at the beginning of the month for me to be home, and head up to PA.
A good service that my uncle and I were able to get the VFW for a M1 21 gun salute, and two sailors from the Lakehurst honor guard for a flag folding.
“The eternal sky, temptress to all airmen, joined with fate, guardian of the lucky and betrayer of the less favored.” My grandfather was a Naval Aviator and by all accounts, one of the lucky ones indeed. His tails of military aviation captivated me from as young as I can remember. The summer before first grade I recall riding in the jump seat of his extended cab Ford not being able to see outside, but fully believing we were in fact flying a foot off the ground because he said we were. As I was older and more understanding his stories showed more of the horrors of war. Ronald Regan had said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” After the attacks of September 11th 2001, I had asked him if this was the same as December 7th 1941. He said it was, and that we needed to avenge without mercy. To this day my own drive to serve in the United States Air Force comes from that very exchange on a Tuesday evening. A torch was passed of Vargo men going to war. Now my own tails of flying in combat as I told him on my treasured trips to Easton PA and the Fleas Club caused instant smiles of the Old Man and his comment that, “You and me, we’ve become the same.” I can only hope that will never change.
Bougainville Island in the North Solomon Islands during a short little six year TDY that makes my deployments look like a trip to the park. I never did ask what he was trying to rig up with that rope. The man never did buy a ratchet strap in his life. All things tied down in his truck with random ropes.
I had missed my grandmothers funeral when I was in Kuwait on a flying stage, but the trips just came together between two Iraq missions at the beginning of the month for me to be home, and head up to PA.
A good service that my uncle and I were able to get the VFW for a M1 21 gun salute, and two sailors from the Lakehurst honor guard for a flag folding.
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 1, 2022 at 04:38 PM.
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,003
Likes: 26
From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
Trip 099, Spring 2015, Bahrain
116 “Reach 475 heavy, hold short runway 14 for departing traffic.”
117 “Moose 780 off the deck!”
118 Revvin up your engine, listen to her howl and go. Metal under tension, begging you to touch and go.
119 Positive rate. Gear up. After takeoff climb checklist.
120 Bye friends!
121 “Reach 475, caution, wake turbulence. Clear for takeoff.” PUNCH IT!
122 Sunset on the spirit of the constitution.
123 Thrust reverser cascade shown on both the fan and core.
124 Thrust reverser blocker doors deployed for both the fan and core airstreams.
125 Hey look down there where they make wind on the wind factories.
126 Watch out fer Mt. Etna, she’s a biggin’.
127 Elephant Square tourist hero shot.
128 Authentic Italian pasta made by a dude that said, “Bipity boopy.”
129 Postcard view of a Mediterranean coastal city.
130 Next day on the jet I noticed my big kid juice box sprung a leak. Fixed it crew chief style. If the duct tape didn’t hold, I was ready to bust out the speed tape.
131 Low buck Mediterranean fishin’ in 120 degree heat.
132 “Hey look at that guy out there doin’ doughnuts in the water!”
133 Now that is an appropriate sized fuel truck to feed my big ole girl. Two hoses for big time double pumpin’, and let ‘er eat!
134 Might even have enough to get part the way home!
135 My 120 degree happy face.
116 “Reach 475 heavy, hold short runway 14 for departing traffic.”
117 “Moose 780 off the deck!”
118 Revvin up your engine, listen to her howl and go. Metal under tension, begging you to touch and go.
119 Positive rate. Gear up. After takeoff climb checklist.
120 Bye friends!
121 “Reach 475, caution, wake turbulence. Clear for takeoff.” PUNCH IT!
122 Sunset on the spirit of the constitution.
123 Thrust reverser cascade shown on both the fan and core.
124 Thrust reverser blocker doors deployed for both the fan and core airstreams.
125 Hey look down there where they make wind on the wind factories.
126 Watch out fer Mt. Etna, she’s a biggin’.
127 Elephant Square tourist hero shot.
128 Authentic Italian pasta made by a dude that said, “Bipity boopy.”
129 Postcard view of a Mediterranean coastal city.
130 Next day on the jet I noticed my big kid juice box sprung a leak. Fixed it crew chief style. If the duct tape didn’t hold, I was ready to bust out the speed tape.
131 Low buck Mediterranean fishin’ in 120 degree heat.
132 “Hey look at that guy out there doin’ doughnuts in the water!”
133 Now that is an appropriate sized fuel truck to feed my big ole girl. Two hoses for big time double pumpin’, and let ‘er eat!
134 Might even have enough to get part the way home!
135 My 120 degree happy face.
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 1, 2022 at 06:31 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
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Likes: 26
From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
21 – Final approach to Dover. Can we make it? Absolutely.
22 – Loadmaster hero shot.
23/24 – Pilot hero shot.
25 – Loadmaster hero shot.
22 – Loadmaster hero shot.
23/24 – Pilot hero shot.
25 – Loadmaster hero shot.
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 1, 2022 at 06:34 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,003
Likes: 26
From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
Trip 100, Summer 2015, Iraq
136 High speed haulin’ to Florida.
137 Florida Panhandle forecast of partly cloudy with a chance of awesome.
138 Yer gonna need a bigger boat to outrun that shark.
139 Prettiest approaches I’ve seen in a long while.
140 Aluminum overcast on the beach.
141 I normally poke fun at slow little C-130s, but maybe we shouldn’t make this one angry…
142 As I was doin’ the double pumpin’ refuel job, I remembered an ole friend from the basic training days was down this way so made a call to see if she was nearby.
143 She was right up the road to come out for a C-17 tour, and a Flight 413/414 reunion.
144 Normally I always go out drinkin’ with the crew but was shown the best steakhouse in town instead.
145 No buffoonery allowed.
146 Atlantic sunset
147 Pushing east the light switches off quickly.
148 Land ho!
149 Looks pretty, but it is so friggin’ hot here I don’t want to hang out for a swim.
150 While backing out of our parking spot, one passenger remarked we should have a backup alarm. No need for that with 4 motors screaming at 42k lbs of thrust in power reverse.
151 “Standby for departing traffic.” Gladly!
152 Don’t get too close now, you’ll burn my paint!
153 One big sexy curvy girl ready to drop the hammer on someone’s soon to be bad day!
154 "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you."
155 Quad burners roarin’ full chooch!
136 High speed haulin’ to Florida.
137 Florida Panhandle forecast of partly cloudy with a chance of awesome.
138 Yer gonna need a bigger boat to outrun that shark.
139 Prettiest approaches I’ve seen in a long while.
140 Aluminum overcast on the beach.
141 I normally poke fun at slow little C-130s, but maybe we shouldn’t make this one angry…
142 As I was doin’ the double pumpin’ refuel job, I remembered an ole friend from the basic training days was down this way so made a call to see if she was nearby.
143 She was right up the road to come out for a C-17 tour, and a Flight 413/414 reunion.
144 Normally I always go out drinkin’ with the crew but was shown the best steakhouse in town instead.
145 No buffoonery allowed.
146 Atlantic sunset
147 Pushing east the light switches off quickly.
148 Land ho!
149 Looks pretty, but it is so friggin’ hot here I don’t want to hang out for a swim.
150 While backing out of our parking spot, one passenger remarked we should have a backup alarm. No need for that with 4 motors screaming at 42k lbs of thrust in power reverse.
151 “Standby for departing traffic.” Gladly!
152 Don’t get too close now, you’ll burn my paint!
153 One big sexy curvy girl ready to drop the hammer on someone’s soon to be bad day!
154 "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you."
155 Quad burners roarin’ full chooch!
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 3, 2022 at 02:01 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,003
Likes: 26
From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
156 Second favorite kind of approach. Yeeehaw pull them belts up tight!
157 Airbus A300 Oscar Oscar Delta Lima Lima, also known as the DHL shootdown incident in Baghdad on November 22 ‘03 still sits to this day. The only Airbus or passenger airliner to be safely landed without any hydraulics.
158 One pretty Iraqi sunset.
159 Favorite way to get out of town quick as we can heavyweight.
160 Next stop? Point ‘er to the Moon!
161 Doing my paperwork I noted that this happens to be my 100th mission. Here’s to 100 more.
162 On this dark evening we get the call for a cargo load change.
163 Only one thing in the world will never cause us to complain or fail.
164 Making straight for Nineveh, just like Jonah’s whale. Holy truth you swallow, overseas you sail. Precious is the cargo, sacred was their gift. Offered in a sandstorm from which your wings lift.
165 Oh big airplane bring’em down easy. Out of the Delaware skies. Oh big airplane Dover is waiting to welcome the heroes you fly home.
31/34 – Loadmaster hero shots.
35 – Is the passenger asleep or not?
36/37 – Crew Chief hero shots.
38/39 – Pilot hero shots.
40 Here we have the instructor pilot in his natural environment surrounded by new copilots. Let’s listen in… “What are those?” “I have no idea, but they are always there.”
157 Airbus A300 Oscar Oscar Delta Lima Lima, also known as the DHL shootdown incident in Baghdad on November 22 ‘03 still sits to this day. The only Airbus or passenger airliner to be safely landed without any hydraulics.
158 One pretty Iraqi sunset.
159 Favorite way to get out of town quick as we can heavyweight.
160 Next stop? Point ‘er to the Moon!
161 Doing my paperwork I noted that this happens to be my 100th mission. Here’s to 100 more.
162 On this dark evening we get the call for a cargo load change.
163 Only one thing in the world will never cause us to complain or fail.
164 Making straight for Nineveh, just like Jonah’s whale. Holy truth you swallow, overseas you sail. Precious is the cargo, sacred was their gift. Offered in a sandstorm from which your wings lift.
165 Oh big airplane bring’em down easy. Out of the Delaware skies. Oh big airplane Dover is waiting to welcome the heroes you fly home.
31/34 – Loadmaster hero shots.
35 – Is the passenger asleep or not?
36/37 – Crew Chief hero shots.
38/39 – Pilot hero shots.
40 Here we have the instructor pilot in his natural environment surrounded by new copilots. Let’s listen in… “What are those?” “I have no idea, but they are always there.”
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 3, 2022 at 02:58 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,003
Likes: 26
From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
Trip 101, Summer 2015, Jordan
166 It’s like a Manas family reunion! I had worked with these contractors back in the day on my second and third deployments to the former Soviet Union, and at their current location, came out to say, "Hi friend!"
167 Cool new hats for everybody!
168 Whenever the Army makes fun of us, we’ll just have to go cry in our flight pay.
169 Found a KC135 friend that needed a lift on a cool jet with a fun crew.
170 Spider senses tingle when the co-pilot wanders away by himselfs. “What you doin’ back there?”
171 “Just checkin’ the gonkulator.”
172 Welcome to the crew friend!
173 “Whichever check you need, check completed.”
174/175 Loadmaster hero shot.
176 Deviating right of course for weather.
177 West Texas
178 Rainin’ pretty good down there.
179 Holding short of runway 21 for fast movers outbound.
180 You call? We haul.
166 It’s like a Manas family reunion! I had worked with these contractors back in the day on my second and third deployments to the former Soviet Union, and at their current location, came out to say, "Hi friend!"
167 Cool new hats for everybody!
168 Whenever the Army makes fun of us, we’ll just have to go cry in our flight pay.
169 Found a KC135 friend that needed a lift on a cool jet with a fun crew.
170 Spider senses tingle when the co-pilot wanders away by himselfs. “What you doin’ back there?”
171 “Just checkin’ the gonkulator.”
172 Welcome to the crew friend!
173 “Whichever check you need, check completed.”
174/175 Loadmaster hero shot.
176 Deviating right of course for weather.
177 West Texas
178 Rainin’ pretty good down there.
179 Holding short of runway 21 for fast movers outbound.
180 You call? We haul.
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 4, 2022 at 12:50 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,003
Likes: 26
From: Dover AFB DE / Harrisburg PA
Trip 102, Summer 2015, Massachusetts
01 – The Rooster!
02 – Copilot hero shot.
04 – Can you get to work?
05 – How do I do the things?
181 Just a wee lil guy!
182 Checkin’ out main HQ.
183 No game today!
184 Headin’ on in to get some clam chowder in Cape Cod.
185 One more job done, lookin’ pretty on the ramp.
01 – The Rooster!
02 – Copilot hero shot.
04 – Can you get to work?
05 – How do I do the things?
181 Just a wee lil guy!
182 Checkin’ out main HQ.
183 No game today!
184 Headin’ on in to get some clam chowder in Cape Cod.
185 One more job done, lookin’ pretty on the ramp.
Last edited by adrianspeeder; Jan 5, 2022 at 01:17 PM.