Highs and lows.
I was happy to have left working in the desert, but sad to have left work still to be done. I was thankful to have gotten a rest in Germany, but regretted to not have met with all my friends there. I was excited to hear of an unscheduled early flight that would directly to Dover, but somber to find out the priority cargo was a Dignified Transfer of a fallen Navy Seal. I was proud to have worked the airplane's issues for an on time takeoff, but emotional to tears as his friends carried the flag draped transfer container down the ramp. Combat aviation is like nothing else in the world. We work the sum of all skills for the safe landing, but then curse the ground for holding us until the following time in the air. Looking to the next flight saying, "Best job I ever had."

Home after a 106 day trip to the beach with no water.



Adrianspeeder

 

Job well done Sarge!!

 

Ten years was last week, and this was the third time I put the hand in the air. Hope to be able one more time in four years.

[youtube]N-2Tr7uurKA[/youtube]


Adrianspeeder

 

Congrats.....

 

Congratulations! Thank you for your service.

 

Thanks friends. After some tech difficulties, got a second angle. Going on camping NASCAR vacation this week, so I'll be back to posting the next batch of edited photos when I return to the land of internets.




Adrianspeeder

 

Well friends, hit a goal on today's mission of 2500 hours in the air. I'd like to thank all the crews that have driven me this far.

Adrianspeeder

 

 

So I'm assuming you're a 20-year man at this stage -- you've come this far it would be kind of crazy not to stay for the duration now.....???

 

Well, 14 year man anyway. We'll see if I do it one more time 4 years from now.

Adrianspeeder

 

Well friends, when photobucket **** the bed with hosting, it kinda killed my motivation for posting trip pictures. Bloggers everywhere thought they would cave, and bring it back, but they are still holding strong with a 99buck a year ransom. Screw those guys. By popular demand for a third of that cost, gonna get back at this with a new website ADRIANSPEEDER for my image hosting.

Trip 137 2016-10-06 Haiti Photoset

Look at any worldwide disaster of flood, famine, fire, earthquake, tornado, typhoon, or hurricane, and before the network news cameras start rolling to get the first news coverage, there is already a C-17 quick-turning in the background for the next load. Last October, it was time to gas up the tanks, and head to the third world disaster of Hurricane Matthew bringing over 200k pounds of aid to Haiti in 2 trips. The jet didn't act up a bit, and I never unlocked the toolbox.











First stop was into Honduras where we worked out of, and was the collection point of supplies.



Gear down. Before landing check complete.



"It'll be like camping." Uhh, my camper is a lot nicer than this. "Where are we, Vietnam?" Just typical chair force lodging jokes. It was actually a nice setup with AC and Wi-Fi.



This place ain't bad at all. Got cold Colorado Kool Aid!



Short walk to dinner, but the menus weren't in English, or have pictures. Point and pick roulette didn't pick up anything good looking, but it turned out damn tasty.



Adrianspeeder

 

Welcome back! Sometimes those are the best meals and sometimes you are better off not knowing what it is.

 

Aperture Priority, f/3.5, 0.60s, 28mm, ISO 1600.



Fired up, fueled, and ready to fill.



Aperture Priority, f/3.5, 0.33s, 28mm, ISO 100.



Winglets win wars.



Walk around inspection complete. Crank the noise makers.



So the setup was for international deliveries into the Port-au-Prince airport, then be packed for sling load under CH-47 Chinooks to get food and water to all the villages that were washed out of access. Our first load in was a one stop shop of everything to put a fleet of ****hooks in the air.





The two young guys with pencils out for real world schoolhouse learning.



Haiti in sight.



Mud mess showing this high up.

 

Great pictures!!!

 

Every hilltop was blown flat clean to ground level.



Mud mess.



Money making time for the drivers up front. Not being helped by completely overwhelmed controllers not used to the amount of traffic all heading inbound. We weren't behind on the aircraft, but for sure not in the best place position wise. If there is one thing we do the best, it's slow down and get down. Ye'haw!





"Reach 45 clear to land."



"The hell is that joker down there 2 o'clock low?" "Reach 45 is on the go avoiding traffic. Traffic is visual. Making left 360 in place." Afghanistan isn't even as wild west as this mess.



Roll tape take 2 has us parked, and ready to roll as soon as the junk's out the trunk.





Lets go Load, get your **** in one sack, we gotta go!