Trip 246, Spring 2019, Romania
The last trip. The fini flight. By this point in time I’ve already been reassigned to be the lead technician of Dover’s avionics shop. Teaching 10 brand new airman how to crawl, walk, then run. Guiding 8 other qualified mechanics how to be better, smarter, and safer. Being responsible for and speaking for everyone else’s mistakes. Standing up to stupid decisions and ideas that will do more harm than good. Lastly, and least favorite, going to daily meetings... I had been in the 736th AMXS for 12 years, but with 8 of them flying not a lot of people had really known me. Well, they found out real quick that I spoke my mind, and backed it up with knowledge from the books and real life examples from the road. This doesn’t always make friends but keeps airplanes bolted together. Three months into this job, my old boss came and said, “We are short. Can you do one more flight?” “My bags are in the truck.”
226 – Fitting that we are broken right out the start of the trip for a bad display unit. Easy install with one on the shelf from supply, but it had the wrong software version. This is the contraption we correct that with. I have airmen that are younger than when XP was discontinued.
227 – The low bid adapter box to make everything work.
228 – Good safety RACM from the last takeoff of KDOV runway 01.
229 – Beautiful day to fly.
230 – Am I happy or somber? Hell yeah to both.
231 – First stop.
232 – Load up some Army junk.
233 – While the loadmasters finish chaining down shit in the back, let’s get these motors fired up for a quick departure.
234 – Not sure if this trip is going to have 25 hours to bump me over the 3500 hour mark.
235 – All safe to send it!
236 – Climbing a stairway to heaven.
237 – Gas stop in Canada with the friendliest FBO agent that always brought us out a pizza, handed me my $100K fuel bills, and came out to my jet for the last time to say good bye!
238 – These Army pax were smart and done this before. They brought their own ladder to set up the hammock hanger for the ocean crossing comfort zone when the seat belt sign is turned off.
239 – Last Atlantic crossing going east.
240 – This trip is cool for another reason. Way back when I was the only Dover airman at Thumrait Oman, my squadron had mass deployed to Romania. I’m busting my balls sweating in the heat, and all my friends are on the beaches of the Black Sea every other day off. Anyway, this trip to Romania will be the last new country I check off the map at number 68.
241 – I see this country also has a surplus of electricity that they have to burn off in giant fans to make wind.
242 – It’s gonna happen!
243 – Made it. Now get your junk off my jet!
244 – Hero shot!
255 – Let the shenanigans begin!
The last trip. The fini flight. By this point in time I’ve already been reassigned to be the lead technician of Dover’s avionics shop. Teaching 10 brand new airman how to crawl, walk, then run. Guiding 8 other qualified mechanics how to be better, smarter, and safer. Being responsible for and speaking for everyone else’s mistakes. Standing up to stupid decisions and ideas that will do more harm than good. Lastly, and least favorite, going to daily meetings... I had been in the 736th AMXS for 12 years, but with 8 of them flying not a lot of people had really known me. Well, they found out real quick that I spoke my mind, and backed it up with knowledge from the books and real life examples from the road. This doesn’t always make friends but keeps airplanes bolted together. Three months into this job, my old boss came and said, “We are short. Can you do one more flight?” “My bags are in the truck.”
226 – Fitting that we are broken right out the start of the trip for a bad display unit. Easy install with one on the shelf from supply, but it had the wrong software version. This is the contraption we correct that with. I have airmen that are younger than when XP was discontinued.
227 – The low bid adapter box to make everything work.
228 – Good safety RACM from the last takeoff of KDOV runway 01.
229 – Beautiful day to fly.
230 – Am I happy or somber? Hell yeah to both.
231 – First stop.
232 – Load up some Army junk.
233 – While the loadmasters finish chaining down shit in the back, let’s get these motors fired up for a quick departure.
234 – Not sure if this trip is going to have 25 hours to bump me over the 3500 hour mark.
235 – All safe to send it!
236 – Climbing a stairway to heaven.
237 – Gas stop in Canada with the friendliest FBO agent that always brought us out a pizza, handed me my $100K fuel bills, and came out to my jet for the last time to say good bye!
238 – These Army pax were smart and done this before. They brought their own ladder to set up the hammock hanger for the ocean crossing comfort zone when the seat belt sign is turned off.
239 – Last Atlantic crossing going east.
240 – This trip is cool for another reason. Way back when I was the only Dover airman at Thumrait Oman, my squadron had mass deployed to Romania. I’m busting my balls sweating in the heat, and all my friends are on the beaches of the Black Sea every other day off. Anyway, this trip to Romania will be the last new country I check off the map at number 68.
241 – I see this country also has a surplus of electricity that they have to burn off in giant fans to make wind.
242 – It’s gonna happen!
243 – Made it. Now get your junk off my jet!
244 – Hero shot!
255 – Let the shenanigans begin!
USAF C-17 Aircraft Maintenance Flying Crew Chief & Flightline Avionics Craftsman