Free Republic

SNIPPET: "On February 15, at approximately 2200 hours, officers from the California Highway Patrol had just landed their Bell 206 LongRanger at Fullerton Airport in California. The aircrafts rotors were still spinning and the crew was just about to begin their shutdown checklist when a man suddenly appeared at the pilot's door yelling and screaming. The pilot opened the door and the man, identified as Edwin Rosales of Anaheim was irrational and was believed to be under the influence of narcotics, forcefully grabbed his arm. With the aircraft still running, the pilot pushed the Mr. Rosales backwards and told him...

U.S. Air Force Capt. Erick Turasz, 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron aircraft commander, taxis a KC-135 behind a U.S. Air Force B-1B before take off on a refueling mission, June 16, 2006. Turasz is deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith KC-135 Aircrew Vital Part of Mission Success The mission premise seems simple: refuel B-1s enroute to and returning from a mission; in reality, flying a 1950s-era KC-135 to refuel an aircraft it wasnÂ’t designed to refuel is never an easy task. By U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith...

4/18/2006 - VIEUX FORT, Saint Lucia (AFPN) -- A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency. The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., with a mixed Reserve and active-duty aircrew. “We go everywhere to support the Air Force mission,” said Maj. Mike Phillips, a Reserve pilot with the 300th Airlift Squadron. “We like to support as many active-duty and Reserve units as possible.” The squadron aircrew...

1/3/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- People around the globe welcomed 2006 with a variety of New Year’s Eve celebrations. High above Iraq, a Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew headed for Balad Air Base, celebrated in a different way -- flying another mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. With the drone of the aircraft’s four propellers in the background, Senior Master Sgt. Ernie Leyba attached his night vision gear to his flight helmet. It was nearly pitch black on the flight deck, except for the pale green glow of the instrument lights. But it didn’t stop the flight engineer. Since...

BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Iraq, Dec. 2, 2005 – An all Iraqi aircrew flew its first solo mission aboard a C-130E from Ali Air Base, near Nasariyah in southeast Iraq, to New Al Muthana here Nov. 28, officials reported today. The nine aircrew members are part the 23rd Iraqi Squadron, which has been receiving training at Ali Air Base. "The flight marked a major milestone achievement by showing Iraq's capability of providing its own military transport," said Air Force Capt. Jerry Ruiz, forward operations executive officer at New Al Muthana Air Base. The aircrew performed what's called an engine running on-load,...