The Making of an A-10C Pilot: 'Night Operations'
(August 11, 2010) |
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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.
(8/6/2010 - AFNS) -- Since I started
writing this series a few months ago
about 1st Lt. Dan Griffin, one of 12
students nearing completion of the 358th
Fighter Squadron's A-10C Pilot Initial
Qualification Course, I've not only
heard my fair share of pilot stories,
I've seen a number of them "told" with
hands that have magically turned into
airplanes. |
Usually I listen, smile ... nod when appropriate. Secretly
though, I've longed for a tale or two of my own to compete
with one of theirs.
Well, I finally have one ... and it's sure to make you
smile.
So there we were (this is how all the good stories start) -
me; Airman First Class Kristiana McDonough, a broadcaster;
and Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla, a photographer,
in the rear, so-to-speak, of a KC-135 Stratotanker from the
Pennsylvania Air National Guard's 171st Air Refueling Wing,
flying 11,000 feet above Southern Arizona around 9 p.m. on
July 22.
We were far from the glow of Tucson's city lights and there
was only slight illumination from the moon. It was
definitely dark outside.
The three of us were crowded near the boom operator, Master
Sgt. Casey O'Connor, peering out of a tiny window, as we
waited for |
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Prior to a training flight June 23, 2010, 1st Lt. Dan Griffin, a pilot from the 358th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., reviews maintenance records for the A-10C Thunderbolt II he?ll be flying. This was the lieutenant's second of eight night flying missions as part of the A-10C Pilot Initial Qualification course curriculum. Upon completion of this course he will be a fully qualified A-10C pilot. U.S. Air Force photo
by Airman 1st Class Jerilyn Quintanilla |
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Lieutenant Griffin and his instructor pilot,
Capt. Keith Bonser, to check into the airspace. As I
listened intently on the radio, I finally heard them call in
as they approached. There were about a mile out. I passed
this news to my troops, who readied their cameras. |
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If you've been following the series, you know I wrote in
depth about the lieutenant's first daytime air refueling in
late April. Excited to watch him accomplish this aviation
feat that day, I hadn't dared to interrupt his concentration
by talking to him on the radio. Later on, after we all had
landed, he asked why I hadn't said hi. Ah! I missed my
moment.
Now that I had the chance to watch him accomplish his second
nighttime air refueling, I vowed I'd say something to him on
the radio. Still, I was nervous about interrupting his
concentration. I mean, days earlier, he mentioned to me that
refueling at night was probably going to be the hardest
thing he'd have to do in the jet. The last thing I wanted to
do was cause a crisis.
As we scanned for signs of the approaching gray-skinned
A-10Cs in the vast darkness, the only light we saw was the
faint glow at the end of the boom. Then suddenly, and very
stealthy, a jet appeared below us.
The boom light was pretty much the only light Lieutenant
Griffin could see too and it was all he had for a guide. To
make all of this a bit more challenging, he was required to
remove the night vision goggles that he'd been using for the
duration of the sortie.
With instant success, he connected to the boom. As soon as
he did, he was able to briefly talk to Sergeant O'Connor,
who was ready to offload 1,000 pounds of fuel. Not wanting
to miss my chance to talk to him -- loudly and confidently
-- and maybe a little too excited, I yelled into the radio's
mouthpiece "Hi Daaaannnn."
And it was in that moment, the four of us watched as
Lieutenant Griffin "fell off the boom," or disconnected too
soon.
I was, to say the least, stunned by what I'd just done.
Sergeant O'Connor, with a laugh, told me over the radio that
I must have startled the lieutenant.
None of us were really quite sure what had happened. The
connection with the radio wasn't all that strong, even
between Lieutenant Griffin and Sergeant O'Connor. I surely
wasn't about to get back on and ask him.
All of this aside, Lieutenant Griffin demonstrated the same
precision and skill that he had exhibited during his daytime
refueling by connecting again and successfully uploading
fuel.
Just as this was a new experience for the lieutenant, it was
a new experience for my troops, who tested out their night
vision capabilities for the first time. Not only did my
young Airmen learn more about their talents and
capabilities, but because of this series, they have been
able to see and do things most people don't get to
experience. Despite the darkness, I could see their faces
fill with awe as we watched what makes us the best Air Force
in the world.
Not only was I proud of Lieutenant Griffin, but I was so
proud of my public affairs team, especially Airman McDonough
and Airman Quintanilla for their professionalism, can-do
attitudes, and their excitement as well as their dedication
in telling our Air Force story. Without their expertise and
creativity, especially during this mission, we wouldn't be
able to bring this series to life for our audience.
My Airmen and I also were witnesses that night to some
incredible total force integration, as exhibited by the mix
of Guard and active-duty pilots, crew and aircraft. A force
multiplier, total force integration brings the best from the
active-duty and Guard components together and capitalizes on
each other's strengths. In this case, having a super
experienced Guard boomer definitely helped the students in
their quest to look like total naturals at night refueling.
The experienced pilots often say that having a good boomer
is worth its weight in gold, especially on a night as dark
as this one was.
So I know you're curious. What really happened to cause
Lieutenant Griffin to fall off the boom?
With a big smile and a few laughs, he mentioned to us a few
hours later at the squadron that his radio volume wasn't
turned up as loud as it needed to be, preventing him from
hearing and talking to us. As he focused on reaching behind
his seat for the volume control, he let off slightly on the
power, causing the jet to lower slightly below the boom.
Hopefully this is a rookie mistake the lieutenant won't make
again.
As we watched the other students complete their first night
refuelings, some other mistakes were made, but thankfully
nobody returned to base with anything more than some hurt
pride and a few lessons learned ... instead of part of the
boom stuck in the receptacle.
Most of us will only see the jets fly overhead, taxi down
the runway or take off. This series, through stories,
photographs and videos, will go behind-the-scenes into
Lieutenant Griffin's life as he becomes one of the Air
Force's next A-10C pilots. The photos and video from this
mission, along with the rest of the series, can be found on
www.dm.af.mil. | |
By USAF Capt. Stacie N. Shafran
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Air Force News Service
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