It's Getting Hot in Here

Despite the cooling temperatures, the heat is definitely turning up in the world of pilot training. Long days in class are followed by longer nights studying. C has two tests this week (systems test 2 down – another 100% - and aerodynamics tomorrow), a sim ride, and two more sims next week – all of which take oodles of preparation. We’ve starting hosting study groups, giving me a chance to get rid of my baked goods, and giving the students a chance to collaborate.

It’s finally hit me that even though we cohabitate, I really might not actually see my husband for the next year or so. It’s difficult for H to understand that even though Daddy is home, we can’t bug him or hang out with him. (She’s desperate to show off her hourly princess wardrobe change) All of this is in preparation for the so-called “15-day program” – the first 15 days (give or take) on the flight line until every student solos. It’s rumored to be the most intense and time-consuming part of the program: basically, flight hell. It’s frightening to think that we might actually see C less than we do now, but it’s coming.

On Friday, last week, C got a chance to attend the graduation of the class a year ahead of him. He said it was really motivating to see the guys who were once where he is now, finished and leaving for their careers. It was a metaphoric “light at the end of the tunnel” for him.

H and I are focused on staying busy with our own hobbies. She’s warming up to preschool and has a busy week of Halloween activities, while I am working towards my writing and fitness goals and experimenting in the kitchen a lot. It’s been a tough week adjusting to C’s schedule, but I think we’ve found our groove now. 

The Pumpkin Patch - One of this week's many activities

Like a Concert in my Living Room

Living on an Air Force base requires you to become desensitized to a cacophony of sounds. Of course there is the ever-present roar of jets as they soar by – three different aircraft means three distinct sounds. Morning is, by far, the most raucous time of day when all of the engines are starting up at once and the aircraft line up for their turn on the runway. The rest of the day is a symphony of jet noise, but I find it goes largely unnoticed once you’re used to it.

Another din we’ve been introduced to is the far more clamorous on-base shooting range where security forces hone their skills. Perhaps I just haven’t noticed its use during the day, but the percussion-like thunder is more than obvious in the early morning and late night hours.

There is one melodious sound that occurs, literally, like clockwork three times a day. The reverberation of reveille, retreat, and lights out is like the toll of the dusty, old grandfather clock that keeps time in your home. At 7:00 a.m. sharp, the flag is raised and honored by the buoyant tune of reveille.  At 17:00, the flag is retired for the day to the refrain of the Star Spangled Banner. During both of these occasions, those who are outdoors must stop what they’re doing and acknowledge the flag (military members in uniform must salute; civilians and members out of uniform stand at attention) and those who are driving on base must pull over and stop. I was somewhat unprepared for these ceremonies when I moved here, but I’ve come to think of them as 1) a good source of time keeping, and 2) a good reminder about why we’re here - C’s job will be to protect the freedom that our flag signifies and that makes me proud. The final ritual of the day is the playing of Taps at 21:00. The intended purpose is to signify the beginning of “lights out” or “quiet hours”, but I also think it’s a good time to remember those who have been lost or are missing.  Personally, the song always reminds me of my veteran grandpa’s funeral and gives me a chance to think about him.

Your location on base determines exactly how much resonance you’re going to encounter. For example, the jet engines are much louder, of course, as we walk to preschool in the morning since we are walking towards the flight line. In our house, with the doors and windows closed, you can barely hear reveille and retreat unless you’re listening for it. But, the closer your home is to one of the loud-speakers, the more noticeable it becomes. Much like the “smell of jet fuel in the morning” (which is truer than I realized), the base’s daily chorus is just another feature to which I am becoming accustomed. 

Bright lights & zip lines...You call this studying?

Though ground school is filled with a lot of reading and staring at computer screens, it hasn’t been all dull. Here are a few of the fun things that C has been up to lately:

Flares

One morning at 6:00 a.m., C hauled himself out of bed and into an empty field for flare training. They practiced launching both signaling and smoke flares so that they would know how to use them if the need should ever arise.

Flare training

Parachute Training

While jumping off of platforms may not be everyone’s favorite pastime, it certainly spiced up ground school a bit last week. C started by climbing 2-foot and 4-foot platforms and jumping off of them to learn how to land and orient his body to prevent broken bones when landing with a parachute. Then, he moved to the zip line, which he again jumped from to simulate the moving fall of a parachute. He was then suspended from a 15-foot tower and the instructors slowly lowered him, as if he were floating, again to practice his landings. Finally, the class practiced parachute drags. Each student was strapped in to his/her parachute harness and the classmates pulled them along in the grass. The goal was to successfully unstrap themselves as if their parachute was being pulled by the wind and they needed to release themselves.

T-6 Training Device & Walk-Around

To provide a little exposure to the cockpit, rather than strapping in blind, pairs of students were assigned instruction time in the T-6 training device. The device is basically a cockpit mock-up, similar to a simulator. The goal was to learn the various switches and to introduce systems and emergency procedures.

T-6 training device

The students also got the chance to tour the real aircraft in the hangar to familiarize themselves with the body and size of the plane, as well as getting a look at some of the major systems. It’s much bigger than it looks in pictures!

T-6 in hangar

T-6 walk-around

Systems Test #1

Though not necessarily the exciting part, studying for the first systems test has taken up most of C’s time this week. It’s been the first time (of countless to come) that he’s really had to lock himself away for hours at a time. All of that studying must’ve paid off though since he came out of the test with 100%!

No Need for Kumbaya

Don’t worry…the parachute blog is still to come, but first, another update.

Today I spent my morning at a spouse’s meeting called Heartlink. At first I was afraid of being cajoled into uncomfortable icebreakers and touchy-feely mentoring (not really my thing), but I was pleased to discover that it was really just an informative gathering for new military spouses. We learned about the resources available on base and got some great pointers from veteran wives.

A few things I learned:

• ¶  Air force bases abound with resources!  We were visited by practically every service-oriented department on base, from the base chaplain to the manager of the commissary. I learned about three different forms of confidential counseling, two different spouses clubs, and countless people whose job it is to make my life easier. Who knew?
  ¶  There is something good about every station. I listened to other wives who have followed their military men all over the country (and sometimes out of the country) and they seemed so satisfied with their lives. They had a fond memory of every base, from Alamogordo, NM to Anchorage, AK, even if it wasn’t their ideal location.
  ¶  My career doesn’t end when my husband’s begins. These same ladies who have followed their husbands’ careers for the last decade or two, in no way seemed dissatisfied with their own lives. They were able to achieve their career goals, start and raise families, and support their husbands along the way – which they said was more of a source of pride than anything else.
  ¶  It’s okay to ask questions. From the various speakers to the other wives in the room, everyone I met was very supportive and willing to share their wisdom. It seems as though Air force wives are a family unto themselves, whose main goal is simply to make life easier for each other. There was no question too simple or complex.

While it was very useful to find out about the resources available to me, I think the most rewarding experience of the morning was feeling, for the first time, like I am part of a larger community. There are other people around here to support my family with the changes we’re facing and potential friends to be made. They may not be in the exact position that I’m in, but they share the discomfort of the unknown all the same. We don’t have to hold hands and sing Kumbaya to share that bond.

Physiology is Phun

It’s been a busy week in the world of aerospace physiology. On Friday, C got to practice “getting drunk on altitude” in the altitude chamber. The idea is that pilots will be able to recognize the symptoms of hypoxia and be able to take appropriate action (hypoxia = a deficiency in oxygen at altitude). They were asked to do word scrambles and basic math at 25,000 feet, without the oxygen mask, to learn the effects decreased pressure. Hypoxia makes a person feel “drunk”, with a feeling of euphoria paired with dizziness and mental confusion. Pilots need to be able to recognize this feeling so that they know it is time to give themselves oxygen. C knew it was time to put on his mask when he had trouble figuring out 6 x 4.

Check out this video to see hypoxia in action!

Next, C got to strap in to the ejection seat trainer to learn how to strap in and orient his body for ejection.

Ejection seat training

On the same day, he used a T-6 mock-up to strap in to the plane and practice ground egress (getting out of the plane really quickly while on the ground).

Egress training

C all suited up after egress

C also had his first two written tests this week (which he rocked!) and the Fighter Aircrew Conditioning Test. The FACT tests a pilot’s ability to physically withstand G’s and consists of weightlifting and endurance exercises.

Today he’s on to parachute training (next blog’s feature) and on Friday he’s fully immersed into systems academics. Only 5 short weeks until he’s in the air! 

Age is Just a Number, Right?

Today I broach a sensitive issue: age. At first I wanted to keep my thoughts to myself on this one, but then I remembered that I’m hoping to help people with this blog and maybe one day someone will face the same issue that I am facing.

As previously mentioned, before coming to pilot training I was a teacher. At the schools I’ve worked at, I’ve always been the “baby”, finishing grad school and going right into the classroom, making me younger than most of my colleagues. It never seemed to be an issue, except in jest. Coming here put me in a very different position. I am, literally, the oldest person I know.

Perhaps I’m more sensitive to this issue than I might have been were it a different year, but as it happens, this year I’ll be climbing the big 3-0 hill. A friend of mine (you know who you are, Rainbow-Head) battled this numeric milestone a couple of months ago and I remember teasing him, “You’re not old; you’re experienced!” While I may have had a valid point, it is a little hard not to feel like the oldie on the block when I’m surrounded by 23 year-olds, fresh from college. Sometimes I fear that I won’t have anything in common with anyone.

Don’t get me wrong, the people I’ve met so far have been great! I’m really going to enjoy getting to know them over the coming year. But, that doesn’t help the little nagging voice that reminds me that I’m about the leave my 20s for good.

So, here is my paradigm shift: In the words of Chili Davis, “Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.” I am young! I am the middle of one of the most interesting adventures one could hope to experience and I have endless opportunities lying before me. I get to socialize with great people, learn from them, and hopefully they will learn from me. I have experience to help me act with wisdom and I have goals that are yet to be realized. In short, this is the best time of my life.

The Pyramids Weren't Built in a Day...

…and neither were Air Force pilots!

It’s official - C’s first day of UPT ground school began today. Here he is, looking handsome in his blues, ready to start his day.

Ground school is composed of the first 6 weeks of pilot training, when the soon-to-be pilots learn the fundamental concepts of Air Force flying from instructors, books, and computers before hopping into the reality of a T-6 Texan.

Photo: Danny Fritsche, airliners.net

The first day consisted of Commander’s briefings, PowerPoints (you saw that coming, didn’t you?), and an introduction to computer-aided instruction (CAIs). CAIs will be a primary mode of learning over the coming weeks, along with direct instruction and oodles of studying. Later this week, they’ll focus on flight physiology – learning how their bodies will react to the aircraft and the atmosphere. (Teaser for an upcoming blog: See C get “drunk” on altitude in the altitude chamber)

This whole experience had seemed pretty surreal up until today (really, it still kind of does for me). The first day of ground school marks the true beginning of our journey. We have no illusions that it will be an easy ride, but we’re determined to get the most out of it and enjoy ourselves along the way. 

The (Not So) Itsy Bitsy Spider

There is one inhabitant of our new hometown of which I am NOT a fan: Mr. Spider. Spiders are in such overabundance in this region that on C’s second day here, they were the subject of an entire briefing (and yes, the requisite PowerPoint). There are a variety of 8-legged little terrors around here, ranging from the finger-tip sized guy who greets me in my bathroom, to the nickel-sized monster who was hanging outside my kitchen window this morning.

I think I've identified this one as a wolf spider

But none is more sheet-shaking, clothes-checking, terror-inducing than the brown recluse. 

Apparently this little sucker’s venom eats away at your skin and can cause lesions and flu-like symptoms. What fun!

The day after C’s heart-warming briefing, I got a bug bite above my heel. Unlike my normal reaction (unbearable itching, like most people), this bite swelled from tiny to monstrous in about a minute and began turning bright red, and then my muscle starting tensing up and my foot went numb. Of course, an overly-informed C was convinced that I had already been the recipient of our local enemy’s charm and “encouraged” me to go to the clinic. The nurse on duty assured me that it was not a brown recluse bite, but I was probably having an allergic reaction to some other insect or spider bite and I should try some Benadryl.

I have never been a fan of spiders (when I was younger, I would make my brother, 10 years my junior, kill any spider within a 10 foot radius of me), so all of this talk of arachnids haunting my personal space has me a wee bit paranoid. I compulsively check my sheets and hanging clothes before I crawl between them and have even taken to shaking out my towel both before and after I shower. I am looking forward to the day when we can coexist in harmony. Either that, or I’ll continue to count the days until the next visit from the exterminator and kiss my little foes good-bye.