Approach articles from October 2003

Approach archives from October 2003

Taking a turn on looking out for each other.
October 1, 2003... Throughout my Navy career, I've seen what I like to call the goods and the bads of Ourt day-to-day operations. I suspect we've all seen these things. On the good siede, I think of all the safety programs and initiative we've developed over the...

No need for a Stan check.
October 1, 2003... The seas were angry that day-like an old man sending back soup at a deli. Our flight was one of the first night missions of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). We went to the gaggle-strike brief, knowing the weather was less than desirable. After...

We are going where?
October 1, 2003... On our way to the brief, word was passed over the OIMC, "Man down." We headed to combat to find out about the individual's medical situation and asked if a medevac was needed. The patient apparently was having violent fits, and then would lose...

VMR-1: Sgt. Michael Tatalovich, USMC.(Bravo Zulu)
October 1, 2003... The MCAS Cherry Point SAR crew of "Pedro" conducted rappel operations on a recent training mission at MCALF Bogue Field. During the flight, the SAR crew chief, Sgt. Michael Tatalovich, smelled fuel in the cabin of the HH-46D. Looking out the...

VT-2: Capt. Jim Warner, USMC.(Bravo Zulu)
October 1, 2003... A T-34C Turbo Mentor had a low-altitude Dower loss ins de me initial recovery point after a day-contact flight (fam 4) from NAS Whiting Field (North), Milton. Fla. The student-naval aviator. 2ndLt, Jason Duke. USMC, was fiying at 1,300 feet. at...

Fish food.(Crew Resource Management)
October 1, 2003... Several years ago, l was part of a crew-resource-management circus that nearly killed three pilots, two crew chiefs, and destroyed one helicopter. During work-ups for my first deployment, I was scheduled as pilot-under-instruction for...

Just another "ordinary" landing?
October 1, 2003... We were scheduled for our first night of field-carrier-landing practice (FCLP) since Christmas leave. The squadron just had returned from the boat three weeks earlier and would head back to the boat in another week. I was confident and ready to...

Rollback on rollout.
October 1, 2003... Blue sky filled the desert bowl of the China Lake, Calif. bombing range. Rising terrain led to mountains on the horizon in all directions. The lead aircraft pulled off the target as my pilot rolled our S-3B Viking, loaded with Rockeye, onto the...

Fire on the cat.
October 1, 2003... While taxiing trusty Ironclaw 504 into the cat I shuttle for a day cat shot, I saw, out the corner of my eye, a flashing master-caution light. I glanced at the caution panel and called to ECMO 1, "Left generator light." At the same time, I...

"It just blew, I swear".(offensive action in Iraq is fraught with danger)
October 1, 2003... Our air wing had been flying missions for two weeks in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I was scheduled as flight lead for a section of Hornets tasked with defensive-counter air (DCA). Lately, these missions had consisted of flying circles...

Mishap-free milestones.
October 1, 2003... VS-33 8 years (27,000 hours) VAQ-130 22 years (37,849 hours) VP-16 38 years (252,000 hours) VAW-117 26 years (56,600 hours) VP-26 41 years (296,000 hours)...

Vortex ring state in the clouds.
October 1, 2003... "This is really uncomfortable; I'm going to descend back under the clouds," was the last sentence I spoke before entering into vortex ring state. How could this be happening just one week into the cruise? It was the fifth day of our 2002...

Lights out, baby.
October 1, 2003... Most, if not all, carrier aviators have seen or heard a piano return with their external lights off, only to be told, "Check your lights," by the LSOs. Soon thereafter, their external lights illuminate. What if both the aircrew and the LSOs...

The missed midair.
October 1, 2003... We were falling through the sky at 210 knots when two props suddenly were buzzing 100 feet off our nose. That close, I caught a glimpse of the student-naval aviator in the lead plane. The sky was covered with clouds, but at least you could...

Arcing the Prowler.
October 1, 2003... It was a beautiful, crisp, fall day at Whidbey Island, and our Ops O had available OPTAR funds. We planned a mini-cross-country flight that would return by 1600. so our maintainers could secure before it got too late. The plan was ambitious but...

Flying on stem-battery power.
October 1, 2003... To be honest with you, I never imagined that I would be writing an article for Approach magazine. Besides, most of the articles you've received are from salty aviators and being a fresh nugget out on cruise, I am about as green as the flight...

Re: "Wet and Wild in San Diego Bay" (April 2003).(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2003... As a rescue swimmer and SAR petty officer in my unit in San Diego, I am concerned about the search-and-rescue story "Wet and Wild in San Diego Bay," in the April 2003 Approach. The events in this story are more wrong than the pilot explained....

Brownshoes in action comix: "the kind real aviators like".(Classic)
October 1, 2003... "When I got to the airplane, he had already convinced the corrosion boys to stencil 'Lisa Marie' on the nose..." Ah, excuse me, fellas. I don't wanna make a big fuss and all, but we have a slight problem here. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Ready room gouge.
October 1, 2003... "Mr. Dalton was the prime example of people who've flown airplanes for a long calendar time and perhaps many hours, but who failed to absorb any new knowledge ["Don't tell me about that--I have over 10,000 hours." No, he has 1 hour, 10,000...