First flight as PC

Please play video while viewing pictures (yes. it's necessary.)

-My first flight as a PC included losing navigation equipment, almost going inadvertant IMC (into the clouds) and Jack Daniels Whiskey, though we survived to fly another day.

(You'll have to ask me about the Whiskey...)


First Flight as Pilot-in-Command... 866 with Miles, Matt and Billy. This was 1st platoon, Bravo Company all the way. The Platoon Leader, Assistant Platoon leader, most senior crew chief and newest crew chief in the company (used strategery and designed it this way) (:
2 hours flying a VIP around.


Immediately after the first flight... you can still see all the lights on in the cockpit + the red button (don't EVER touch the red button)


Blackhawk 100 feet overhead... I love helicopters.


We had a mission with the Croatians. They fly the MI-171sh.


We were waiting on our passengers to come back...


Notice the castle ruins in the background...


This is my fourth flight as PC... we're waiting on the Sergeant Major of the Army to get done with his meeting - got a coin from it!





My turn to park the aircraft (:

(it's harder than it looks to put that sucker on the line!)

instrument checkride?

...still not done with my instrument checkride.

I passed my NVG checkride a week ago- and was signed off as a capable Pilot-in-Command (hesitate to even mention the latter... so as not to jinx myself and have to come back and explain WHY I still haven't made PC, if I continue to blow my Instrument ride).

I had my instrument ride with a different IP (Instructor Pilot) and was "spun up like a top" as he described me. It was the fifth time I'd tried to take this ride - being cancelled due to weather the previous times - and I think I'd gotten checkride-itis. Needless to say I didn't 'pass'.

Now, I'm in a progressive checkride, meaning that I'm being evaluated over several flights. This is fine by me... but stressful none-the-less. I'm ready to move on to something else!!!

I don't THINK I'm flying tonight, but who knows... likely it'll be tomorrow night.

Hopefully, we'll be done by then (:

Flight Time

I should be studying right now and in fact have my UH-60 Operator's Manual (a -10) open in my lap as I type this... I've got around 490 hours of flight time now (since starting this little journey called Aviation back in 2006) and "may" be considered for Pilot-in-Command (PC) in the not so far future - which means I'll be the primary person responsible for the aircraft when we fly.

I'm flying with the Battalion Standardization Pilot (SP) tomorrow and after our mission, we're going to go out and perform some emergency procedures, instrument approaches, and tactical terrain flight among other things.

John's a good guy, former Vietnam Huey Pilot with more flight time than he knows what to do with. Should prove to be a good flight.

More to come on the "PC-in-training"...


Continuation of Blog Post flight -

Had a great time, shot the ILS/DME approach into Pristina, did some Emergency Procedures (simulated), the GCA back into Bondsteel and the TFTA (Terrain Flight Training Area).