Flyin' around the sandbox.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

Next trip was a quick run down to New Mexico. Been to the state before, but not to the airport with the largest world's largest structure composed entirely of wood and glue laminate. Known as ATLAS-I Trestle, it was for testing of EMP hardening on airplanes in the cold war. Really wished we would spend the night there so I’d have time to go look at it closer.

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Fill ‘er up Friday.

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‘Murica.

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You call, we haul. If it fits through the door, we chain it to the floor. 2 day Amazon prime heavyweight C-17 airlift worldwide shipping.

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Loaded and ready to ride. If this guy can get his act together, and get out of the way.

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Punch it!

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Departing shots of the ATLAS-I Trestle. Not exactly sure why this cold war relic fascinates me so, but I’m sure glad I got to see it briefly.

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Right turn to home Clyde.

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On to the next one,
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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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High speed run to Iraq and back. Only holdup was a little guy that could have ruined our day.

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On to the next one,
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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

Hurricane support at St Croix last October. Didn’t get many shots as I was dead tired. Started the GoPro for the flight, then took a nap.

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On to the next one!
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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Good morning Yuma Arizona. Gonna have a good time flying around on a low level, 500 feet from the ground, 300 mph roller coaster. Really good looking breakfast spot, but not going to eat too much as I don’t want to puke.

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Gotta love a fighter base when you ask for 25,000 gallons of fuel. “Do you mean 2,500 gallons?” “No, I need 25,000. SEND ALL YOUR TRUCKS!”

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Fill ‘er up Friday!

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165, ready to ride!

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See ya later E8 JSTARS.

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Copilot doing copilot things.

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Hashtag HUD life.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

Hi friends. I had some time off to edit old photos from a few years ago. Lets see if I remember how to do this still...

Off to go play.

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Special guest on the flight deck with a free upgrade to first class seating

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Headin’ down to 500 feet above the deck for low level play time.

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“Terrain! Terrain!”

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Low level dodging F/A-18’s. It’s a non-stop roller coaster ride 500 feet from the ground in circles at 70 degrees of bank.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

We’ll go hide around that mountain.

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New guy's first low level on the books, and now we’ll head for home.

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grump
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by grump »

As usual Adrian, great pictures. Those pics where you're making those sharp turns at 500 ft look a little gut churning. You definitely see the world. Thanks for the photos, I enjoy them.
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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Three year ago had a fun trip that hit up Spain and Italy with a new guy. Also helps when your aircraft commander has the same cool watch as you.

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Crank these noisemakers up ole son! WE GOTTA GO!

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Dollar rider hero shots because you only get one first trip around the world.

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Had to show the dollar rider the best spot in Spain.

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Italian fun. We only stay at the finest hotels.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Rules have been loosening on nose art of airplanes in the last few years. We have a female dedicated crew chief for 06-6168, and she did lots of paperwork to be allowed an official Rosie the riveter markup.

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Keep ‘em flyin’.

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By this point of my career I had about a year to go of flying. The boss decided to start pairing me with a new guy every trip to feel out future prospects. "So you wanna fly? Well, ya gotta earn it!"

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As good as the C-17 is, sometimes we can't fit everything in one jet that has to move at once. A C-5 can haul two C-17s worth of cargo, but it'll most likely be late and broken. Solution? A two ship movement. I was on jet number two. Always nice to be around my favorite tail '07-7173. I was the Dedicated Crew Chief in 2011 and 2012.

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There’s a storm brewin’ up! We gotta go!

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Let’s go Cap’m!

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Ground spoilers armed.

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Love my girl 7173 on the move!

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Good safety RACM.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

How the big looks small.

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Paid to stare out a window. Best job I ever had. Fly around the world, drink Coors Light, and make money!

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Dollar ride tips don’t stop on the jet. Always have a bottle opener if you are going to drink anything other than Colorado Kool Aid.

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Fill ‘er up Friday. Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks!

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Lighthouse guiding the way home.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

Team Dover haulin’ tanks. A C-17 can only haul half the weight of a C-5, but usually can make two trips before fat Freddy can get fixed.

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When in doubt, poop a tank. 2 Pilots, 1 Flying Crew Chief, and a shit ton of loadmasters. All those chains won’t tighten themselves.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Speed run to the desert as fast as we can get there and back, so not many pictures. Nighttime work doesn’t make photos work well in flight, but that moon was giving us a light to follow all the way across the ocean.

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Nothin’ like a sunrise at the end of the day.

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Here comes the sun.

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German drinks! They didn’t have Coors Light. Made due.

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Copilot studying never stops. Combat bandanas will ward off enemy attacks as well.

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“Fill ‘er up Chief, we gotta go!” Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks.

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Blast off, nose up, as hard as she can, climbing for the moon.

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Kuwait crew rest is a sober crew rest, but the spaghetti is pretty good.

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grump
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by grump »

Adrian, I saw where you said at that point in your career you only had a year of flying left, what would you be transitioning to? Would it be better duty? I enjoy the pics. Thanks.
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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Alerted to head to Maryland then Dallas for a day. Truck wouldn’t start, so only had time to grab my toolbox and overnight bag. Forgot to grab the camera case, so this trip is filmed in low quality potato vision.

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Fill ‘er up Friday. Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks.

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Reach 343T; Hold short runway 1 right on Sierra.

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What to do in Dallas? Gas Monkey Garage!!!

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When the battery is dead, you can crank the jet up like a model T. Careful how you grab the handle.

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Later Dallas, it’s been real.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

grump wrote:Adrian, I saw where you said at that point in your career you only had a year of flying left, what would you be transitioning to? Would it be better duty? I enjoy the pics. Thanks.
For the last year I've been in charge of an 18 person avionics shop. Lots of paperwork and training the minions how to fix the flight controls, fuel quantity system, mission computing system, and cockpit instruments. Not as much fun as flying, but I had been doing that three year special duty for over 8. Time to move on.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Midnight ocean crossing to the sound of the C-17 with Pratt & Whitney power. In thrust we trust.

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A C-5 sized crew. Three pilots, three loadmasters, three security forces ravens, one flying crew chief, and one young maintainer that had won airman of the quarter. Perfect! I don’t have to carry the toolbox.

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Fill ‘er up Friday. Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks!

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Loadmaster checkride complete!

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Loadmaster hero shot. Let’s crank these up and head for home!

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Anyone that’s anyone in C-130/C-17/C-5s has had a legendary trip to Lajes Field Portugal. Except me. Until now!

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Do you even lift bro?

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“Ain’t nobody ever got the go code yet, and ole Ripper wouldn’t be giving us Plan R unless those Ruskees have clobbered Washington and a lot of other towns with a sneak attack. Well boys, I recon this is it. New-klee-r combat toe to toe with the Ruskees.”

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Anytime I’m in the situation to preload fuel for tomorrow’s flight, I’m a big fan of shutting down the jet, and doing the peaceful battery refuel. The pleasant afternoon silence was interrupted with the loud cows answering back the refuel vent’s moose call. “All right Bessy relax!”

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This place is junk! No Coors Light!

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We scramble the wing at dawn.

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5 years after production, this jet was repainted at Depot by someone that had one too many beers the night before. They didn’t switch the stencil set when moving to this side of the tail, and the typeface leans forward instead of back. Always triggered me, and thankfully the second repaint last year got it right.

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Good safety RACM.

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Positive rate, gear up.

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Somewhere on a beach.

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Whoopsy poopsy!

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“I never know what’s shes doing back there?”

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Give ‘em the double barrel finger guns!

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P&W power. In thrust we trust.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

2018 Scranton Pennsylvania - Most of my crew didn't know it was an actual place, and figured it was fictional from The Office.

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Hit and run stop. No fuel needed, and we were back home by sundown.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

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Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks! 10,000 gallon splash of gas goin’ in, and the full shitter goin’ out to the 6.four.

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Toledo Ohio ball game.

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Waiting for gas and cargo.

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Turn off the backup beeper.

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Half of my life is waiting on fuel.

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Toledo Express

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Workin’ the night shift.

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adrianspeeder
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Re: Flyin' around the sandbox.

Post by adrianspeeder »

Trip 234 2018 Toronto Air Show

Good morning Dover!

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17’s are cool. Willow Run Airport Ypsilanti Michigan

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Next stop Toronto to be a Canadian Safety Enthusiast.

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Painted up pretty little bird.

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Fill ‘er up Friday! Stackin’ banks while drainin’ tanks!

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“Sir, I’ll be looking to buy 9,500 gallons.”
“You Yanks and your gallons. Get with the rest of the world with liters.”
“There are two kinds of countries. Those that use the metric system, and those that have walked on the Moon. Back those trucks up ole son!”

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Good night!

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Canadian dinner. They didn’t have Coors Light.

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The Thunderchicken boys didn’t like having to carry their own bags to leave, but I wasn’t gonna do it.

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Couldn’t get a great shot of the CN tower. Oh well, 'till next time.

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