C-130 Crew Chief

F-16 Showoff

2009-07-21T21:59:00.000+01:00

A C-130 was lumbering along when a cocky F-16 flashed by.
The jet jockey decided to show off.

The fighter jock told the C-130 pilot, 'watch this!' and promptly went into a barrel roll followed by a steep climb. He then finished with a sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier. The F-16 pilot asked the C-130 pilot what he thought of that?

The C-130 pilot said, 'That was impressive, but watch this!' The C-130 droned along for about 5 minutes and then the C-130 Pilot came back on and said: 'What did you think of that?'
Puzzled, the F-16 pilot asked, 'What the heck did you do?...'
The C-130 pilot chuckled. 'I stood up, stretched my legs, walked to the back, went to the bathroom, then got a cup of coffee and a Cinnamon bun.'

When you are young & foolish - speed & flash may seem a good thing !!!
When you get older & smarter - comfort & dull is not such a bad thing !!!
Just because Hercules is huge, slow and lumbering, doesn't mean he isn't bad!

Pilot's Delight

2008-07-06T15:53:00.003+01:00

“There I was at six thousand feet over central Iraq, two hundred eighty knots and we're dropping faster than Paris Hilton's panties. It's a typical September evening in the Persian Gulf; hotter than a rectal thermometer and I'm sweating like a priest at a Cub Scout meeting."

But that's neither here nor there? The night is moonless over Baghdad tonight, and blacker than a Steven King novel. But it's 2003, folks, and I'm sporting the latest in night-combat technology. Namely, hand-me-down night vision goggles (NVGs) thrown out by the fighter boys. Additionally, my 1962 Lockheed C-130E Hercules is equipped with an obsolete, yet, semi-effective missile warning system (MWS). The MWS conveniently makes a nice soothing tone in your headset just before the missile explodes into your airplane. Who says you can't polish a turd?

At any rate, the NVGs are illuminating Baghdad International Airport like the Las Vegas Strip during a Mike Tyson fight. These NVGs are the cat's ass. But I've digressed.

The preferred method of approach tonight is the ‘random shallow’.

This tactical maneuver allows the pilot to ingress the landing zone in an unpredictable manner, thus exploiting the supposedly secured perimeter of the airfield in an attempt to avoid enemy surface-to-air-missiles and small arms fire. Personally, I wouldn't bet my pink ass on that theory but the approach is fun as hell and that's the real reason we fly it.

We get a visual on the runway at three miles out, drop down to one thousand feet above the ground, still maintaining two-hundred-eighty knots.

Now the fun starts. It's pilot appreciation time as I descend the mighty Herc to six hundred feet and smoothly, yet very deliberately, yank into a sixty degree left bank, turning the aircraft ninety degrees offset from runway heading. As soon as we roll out of the turn, I reverse turn to the right a full two-hundred-seventy degrees in order to roll out aligned with the runway. Some aeronautical genius coined this maneuver the "Ninety/Two-Seventy.” Chopping the power during the turn, I pull back on the yoke just to the point my nether regions start to sag, bleeding off energy in order to configure the pig for landing.

‘Flaps Fifty! Landing Gear Down! ‘Before Landing Checklist’! I look over at the copilot and he's shaking like a cat shitting on a sheet of ice. Looking further back at the navigator, and even through the NVGs, I can clearly see the wet spot spreading around his crotch.

Finally, I glance at my steely-eyed flight engineer. His eyebrows rise in unison as a grin forms on his face.? I can tell he's thinking the same thing I am. "Where do we find such fine young men?”

‘Flaps One Hundred!’ I bark at the shaking cat. Now it’s all aim point and airspeed. Aviation 101, with the exception there's no lights. I'm on NVGs, it's Baghdad, and now tracers are starting to crisscross the black sky.

Naturally, and not at all surprisingly, I grease the Goodyears on brick-one of Runway 33 Left, bring the throttles to ground idle, and then force the props to full reverse pitch. Tonight, the sound of freedom is my four Hamilton Standard propellers chewing through the thick, putrid, Baghdad air. The huge, one-hundred-thirty-thousand pound, lumbering, whisper pig comes to a l urching stop in less than two thousand feet. Let's see a Viper do that!

We exit the runway to a welcoming comm ittee of government-issued Army grunts.? It's time to download their beans and bullets and letters from their sweethearts, look for war booty, and of course, urinate on Saddam's home.

Walking down the crew entry steps with my lowest-bidder, Beretta 92F 9 millimeter strapped smartly to my side, I look around and thank God, not Allah, I'm an American and I'm on the winning team.

Then I thank God I'm not in the Army.

Knowing once again I've cheated death, I ask myself, "What in the hell am I doing in this mess?” Is it Duty, Honor, and Country? You bet your ass.

Or could it possibly be for the g lory, the swag, and not to mention, chicks dig the Air Medal.

There's probably some truth there too.

But now is not the time to derive the complexities of the superior, cerebral properties of the human portion of the aviator-man- machine model. It is however, time to get out of this shit-hole. "Hey copilot, clean yourself up! And how's 'bout the ‘Before Starting Engines Checklist’."

God, I love this job!”

-- The Great Hamptini

AC130 Hercules Gunship

2008-04-21T14:08:00.001+01:00

AC130 Hercules Gunship - The most popular videos are here

C-130 Talon II

2008-04-21T13:59:00.001+01:00

What can I say! A nice video of C130 Talon II

Fact Sheet

C-130 Missions

2008-04-21T13:54:00.001+01:00

way to go Bluetail Flies!!!

Tribute to the C-130

2008-04-21T13:44:00.001+01:00

C-130 Music Video "Four Fans of Freedom"

2008-04-21T13:40:00.000+01:00

A crew chief's tale - narrative on accident involving cabin ladder in a C-130

2008-03-12T16:49:00.000Z

Late one evening, after arriving back at home station from a five-day Joint Air Tactical Trainer filled with 10-hour flights, I went to put my C-130 to bed and check the engine intakes and exhausts while installing the intake plugs. Wouldn't you know it, the crew chief ladder (the old style with two horizontal folding arms that attach to the opposite side with "D" rings) I had been nursing along for the past two months finally gave up the ghost. The BLANKETY BLANK thing lost its last horizontal support and the closest maintenance stand was at least two parking spots away. So, being the quick-thinking person that I am, I just stood the ladder up and said a quick prayer, hoping the ladder would not fold up or unfold when I was at the top. Well, the first three motors and the last exhaust inspection went well. Then came my near-fatal error.
I stood the BLANKETY BLANK ladder at the last intake, grabbed my flashlight in one hand and the intake plug in the other and started climbing. I was thinking how good it was to be home, and how cold the beer was in my fridge. When I got to the third rung from the top on the ladder, I could just see into the intake and started looking for the usual stuff, birds, loose rivets, FOD damage, etc. (Remember, this ladder looks like an A without the cross bar, and the top is hinged from 0 to 180[degrees].) Finding nothing interesting to look at, I started putting in the intake plug. It, of course, was as well-used as the ladder, and it was being obstinate as well. I then put one root up on the second from the top rung (a major no-no in the maintenance world) to get more leverage to pound the dang intake plug into place. Thinking to myself, "Got it, phew." Now hook up the bungee cords and beat feet for a cold one. One little problem, though: The effort to get the plug in had caused the ladder to lean onto two opposin g feet, with me at the top. The ladder, of course, had about enough of my bad language being directed at it, and therefore, decided it was time to go on a work stoppage.
It opened up to the full-open position, leaving me eight to 10 feet above it and moving down toward it, and the ground, at what seemed like terminal velocity. Fortunately for me, the ladder beat me to the ground and I landed on top of it, contacting it with one knee (that was painful). I immediately jumped up and looked around to make sure no one saw my dance with the ladder, or the trapeze act that had just been performed. The expediter truck was still across the flightline, and no one was near (what a relief). Lucky for me I finished the day with only a limp and no broken bones. I finished closing up the aircraft and waited for the truck to pick me up, so I could finally get that cold one.

That ladder didn't last much longer, as it was sent to where all broken ladders go--the ISO Hangar. Just kidding. Remember, we are only as safe as the equipment we use. Next time I made sure I had the right equipment for the job.

COPYRIGHT 2002 U.S. Air Force, Safety Agency
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

My Veteran Friends

2008-02-20T20:26:00.000Z

This is from a Retired Airman

"For those who fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know!"

When Veterans Retire

When a good Veteran leaves the "job" and retires to a better life, many are jealous, some are pleased and yet others, who may have already retired, wonder. We wonder if he knows what they are leaving behind, because we already know. We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times. We know in the Military life there is a fellowship which lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back
of the closet. We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every step and breath that remains in his life. We also know
how the very bearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart
still is.

These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and
always will look at the rest of the Military world with a respect for what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing. Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life. You are only escaping the
"job" and merely being allowed to leave "active" duty.

So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment that "Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called children of God," and you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known.

Civilian Friends vs. Veteran Friends

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk to them for a
week. VETERAN FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will happily carry on the same conversation you were having the last time you met.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry. VETERAN FRIENDS: Have cried with you.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back. VETERAN FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you. VETERAN FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is
doing. VETERAN FRIENDS: Will kick the crowds' ass that left you behind.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while. VETERAN FRIENDS: Are for life.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences... VETERAN FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no citizen could ever dream of...

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had
enough.
VETERAN FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, "You better drink the rest of that before you spill it!!"
Then carry you home safely and put you to bed...
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about
you. VETERAN FRIENDS: Will knock the shit out OF THEM..... for using your name in vain.

CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will ignore this. VETERAN FRIENDS: Will forward this.
Once a Soldier always a Soldier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Arrival @ New Flight

2008-02-07T09:56:00.003Z

I was quickley interduced to the new T.I.(He was standing at the door waiting) first thing out of his mouth was your a fuc@ up because I am a recycler. He was on my as@ constantly. I reported to him and asked were is my bunk, he said right over there(pointing to the right) with the other fuc@ up recyclee. I thought to myself oh great! So he was in my face while I was unpacking all my gear. He looked through evey thing I had to find something but he didn't find anything. Finally after 30 minutes he left. I looked around and all the other men were looking at me of course I was center of attraction. They asked me what I done and I told them what happend the said I got the raw end of the stick. The only thing I was thinking about was to get through the next 25 days without any trouble. I asked if anyone had anything to eat. The other recyclee had some Twinkie's he pulled them out of the bed post, I said that you are going to get caught because that is illegal contraband! He said that he gets hungry in the middle of the night and needs something to snack on, I said thank you for the twinkie's that really help out alot. After I ate them I flushed the wrappers down the toliet to conceal the evidence. I was told that there were going to be a new change in the morning. I wondered what that was?
We found out the first thing in the morning! Air Force cadets showed up. They are going to be working with the T.I.'s this was some new pilot program the Air Force initiated.

Arrival @ New Squadron

2008-02-03T18:01:00.000Z

I got to the new squadron around 9:00 am. I was told to wait outside the 1st Sergeant office. So I did, and I waited and waited. By this time it was 11:00 am and I was told to go eat lunch and report back. I went to the chow hall and ate. I got back to the office about 11:45 am and was told to report to the 1st Seageant. I went through the office door scared as hell as I did not know what to expect. I reported to him as I should. I noticed that he looked down at the office carpet, then all hell broke loose. His juglar veins popped out and he banged his fist on his desk, he said look at my f--king carpet!!! I looked down and to my horror saw my foot prints on the carpet!!!(On the way back from the chowhall I crossed over a drain that someone had emptied grease from the grill into and on the drain itself and of course my dumb as@ stepped into it and some how the old nasty grease stuck to the bottom of my boots!!) I said oh god to myself as I knew what was going to happen next. He jumped up out of his chair and started chewing me out, then he called for reinforcements more T.I.'s!!! By the end of it all there were 10 T.I.'s all circled around me all pointing thier fingers in my face and in my face. What a gaggle this was. I was made to do 100 pushups for every print on the carpet so I was there for 2 hours doing pushups. After that I was asked what was I going to do about the carpet? I said if you have a carpet cleaner I will get that dirt up. Guess what in about 5 minutes I did have a carpet cleaner and was cleaning the carpet. while I was cleaning the carpet the T.I.'s were hovering over me just going at it. By this time 2 more hours had passed so now it is 5:00pm. I was told that I was not getting any chow because of what I done. After the carpet was cleaned I was told to report to my new flight.

Last Red Line Inspection

2008-01-01T09:47:00.000Z

Everything was going great. There were a few problems but compared for what was in store OMG! Our flight was at the last red line inspection, well I failed! Someone had taken my duffel bag and folded it backwards totally wrong. I got called into the 1st Sergeant office when I entered I reported as normal I noticed the my T.I. was also in the room. I knew something was wrong at that time. I was read the riot act! I was told that I will be recycled to day 5! I did not argue the point because I was a good airman and done what is told. The T.I. escorted me back to the barracks and I was told to pack my equipment because I was not staying in this squadron! I preceeded to pack and my cousin asked me what I was doing. I told him that I got recycled and was leaving for a new home. My cousin went to the T.I. and said that he folded the duffel bag backwards as a joke and he did not see any harm in doing that. The T.I. said if he had known that none of this would have happend. He said that the paperwork was already done and that there is no way to undo this. Well I said my goodbye's and left for my new squadron and flight.

P-47 Thunderbolt - Guncamera footage

2007-10-15T21:15:00.001+01:00

Search and rescue evacuation of a downed pilot by black hawk and Air Force PJs supported by live fire A-10s

2007-10-15T21:09:00.000+01:00

Soldiers shoot at an abandoned Iraqi vehicle incase of a VBIED and all hell brakes loose

2007-10-06T17:53:00.001+01:00

EOD detonate a IED in a dead dog, robot pulls it out and a ambush begins

2007-10-06T17:46:00.001+01:00

More @ Lackland

2007-10-06T17:23:00.000+01:00

Do you remember the green cotton fatigues? Well they looked good when they are starched and pressed, that is what I got issued. Since my cousin was a goof ball, I was in trouble all the time. Unfortunately when in formation he was in front of me. He would get off cadence just to throw me off beat of course the TI would see that and he would stop the whole flight and I would have to do push ups! That was on a continous basis I had a lot of 341's pulled by the second week in basic. On the third week I woke up early and about 20 people was gone, they just packed up and left! I remember the mail call the TI would smell the letters and of course tease the one that had a perfume smell.

Where am I

2006-03-21T22:07:00.000Z

Well well another censorship!!! Why???? Hmm I noticed today that my blog has been taken completely out of G!!!! So why? Someone reading my blog from a .mil computer maybe? Hey I pay my dues and what gives you the right to read this blog from a U.S. government computer when you are suppose to be working!!!! Thats the problem here people. I got it all right here in my logs. cache1.amc.af.mil, cacheflow1.kirtland.af.mil this is an example of the hundreds of surfers from .mil!!! As they say black and white don't lie. You know it's really disturbing that something like this can happen in our FREE society. So next time when you think about freedom who is really FREE!!! Oh but wait I see that this can go on C-130 Hercules
HQ Message Board troubleshooting aircraft!!! LOL Isn't there technical manuals that is suppose to abide by? This is really a sad day for me. I sure wouldn't be caught flying on any of those C-130's!!!!

Arrival @ Lackland AFB

2005-10-02T19:01:00.000+01:00

My buddy and I got to Lackland around 10:00pm. We stepped off the bus and of course we didn't do that right. The TI got into our face calling us dumbass civilians and more. At the time when you are 18 you don't know what discipline is and I was thinking to myself if you don't get out of my face I am going to kick your ass!!! Any way we were taken to the barracks. When we got off the bus that took us there the TI said find your bed and put you suitcases on the bed and we had something like 30 seconds to do that. Everyone was running around to find a bed. Finally we were all standing by the beds with the suitcases on top the TI came around each person and dumped all the contents out of every suitcase on to the floor. Lets see, there were 50 guys in the barracks and it took the TI less than 2 minutes to dump all the personal belongings out. I thought that was quite remarkable. The TI then told us (yelling) that have a real good look at the civilan clothes because this would be the last time we see them for 30 days. He then said that we have four minutes to get this sh** cleaned up and into bed. It only took us oh about one minute to get all back into the suitcases and into bed. Then all of a sudden the assistant TI walked in and had a bunch of chains in his hands. The assistant TI threw them on the middle of the floor and said YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS TO ASSEMBLE YOUR NAME TAGS!!! All hell broke loose everyone was scrambling to get there dogtags welll the 20 seconds didn't work out and we were punished made to do 50 pushups.

My first taste of the military LAFB

2005-09-17T21:41:00.000+01:00

The reason why I joined was I always wanted to join the Air Force since I was little and plus there where no jobs that I wanted to do. My cousin (we only lived 10 miles a part and he is 6 months older than me) and I joined under the buddy system. We reported to the MIPS station, almost didn't make it on time not our fault. (On the way to the MIPS the greyhound bus driver was talking to some woman and ran the bus into a overhang at a bus stop. No one was hurt but the top right skylight window got broken out and 2 foot of the overhang was sticking through. After the bus driver got permission to go we arrived 3 hours late!!!) So we started the process to see if I was qualified to enter the military. So after alot of paper work it was time to do the physical. We were all hearded into a big open room and was told to drop our pants, after complying the doctor was going down the line to check for herina's. He got halfway down and yelled out to this guy your dick looks like a bumblebee's dick. We all were looking down that way then all of a sudden he shouts out WHAT IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT!!! EYES FRONT!! Then were were hearded down the hall to take a pee test. After accomplishing that we were told to bring the urnine to the nurse. Walking to the nurse to give my sample I couldn't help but notice the other collected samples that was on a table (as many as 500) all had different colors. I saw some samples that was red, green, black I have no idea what those people were putting into there body, but could only wonder. After giving the nurse the sample I was told to go down another hallway and see the physical person, after wonder around for a couple minutes I found the correct room I was told to strip down to my underware. I complied and there were several other people in there. One of the nurse's told one of the guys to duck walk across the room, he squated down an comenced to walk like a duck while doing that he started quacking anf flapping his arms, then all of a sudden he relieved himself (feces) all over the floor!!! Anyway after that happened the doctor said we all passed and we didn't have to walk like a duck. That was basically all the porcessing done. I was then told that I do qualify to join the military. The next day my cousin and I headed back home. BTW he also qualified to join. I got a call I think a week later and told me to report to Lackland AFB in a couple of weeks.

About ME

2005-09-15T01:23:00.000+01:00

I enlisted in the USAF 21 June 1982. Went to basic training at Lackland AFB Texas Completed basic training August 1982 Why so long? That is another story later. Went to technical school Sheppard AFB Texas. Completed Tech School, got my orders to RAF Woodbridge United Kingdom 67th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron was at Woodbridge from November 1982 to December 1985. Crewed HC-130H tail #66-0962 was a HC-130H at the time now a EC-130H Got orders to Little Rock AFB Ark 314th OMS was there from January 1985 to October 1987. Crewed C130E Tail # 63-7894 no pictures at this time. Got orders to rhein main AFB Germany 435th OMS from December 1987 to September 1991 ACC on #70-1260 and DCC on 70-1274 Got orders to Kirkland AFB New Mexico from October 1991 to August 1993 DCC on tail # 88-0191 Got orders to Howard AFB Panama Did not crew any aircraft. Worked in Transient Alert and Chief Inspector Quality Assurance from September 1993 to August 1996. Got orders to RAF Mildenhall United Kingdom. Did not crew any airpalnes, NCOIC MOCC from September 1996 to September 2002 Retired!!

C130 Hercules the workhorse of the USAF

2005-09-15T01:19:00.000+01:00

The C-130 Hercules primarily performs the intratheater portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for paradropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. Basic and specialized versions perform a diversity of roles, including airlift support, DEW Line and Arctic ice resupply, aeromedical missions, aerial spray missions, fire-fighting duties for the US Forest Service, and natural disaster relief missions. In recent years, they have been used to bring humanitarian relief to many countries, including Haiti, Bosnia, Somalia, and Rwanda.

Four decades have elapsed since the Air Force issued its original design specification, yet the remarkable C-130 remains in production. The turbo-prop, high-wing, versatile "Herc" has accumulated over 20 million flight hours. It is the preferred transport aircraft for many US Government services and over 60 foreign countries. The basic airframe has been modified to hundreds of different configurations to meet an ever-changing environment and mission requirement. The C-130 Hercules has unsurpassed versatility, performance, and mission effectiveness. Early C-130A, B, and D versions are now retired.

Why Post

2005-09-15T01:01:00.000+01:00

I have been pondering for several years about posting MY personal experiences maintaining the mighty workhorse airplane called the C130 airplane. I was a crew chief saw alot and done alot. I will not allow any comments as I don't care what you say, this is my say and my opinions as you see, I spent 20 years taking opinions listening to opinions and I will not tolerate no one elses period!!! You see I done my time don't take me wrong, I loved the job I did, but didn't like the bullsh**. Everyone would do there jobs correctly if it wasn't for that!!!! All the red tape, the GOOD OL BOYS playing grabass, kissing up to the boss as got to go, for one minute forget the politics and let the crew chiefs get the job done!!! I am not angry at no one or one thing. I didn't appricate when it came my turn to get out of the WAR, the treatment I got, Hey I done my time period!!