I was a KC-135 pilot at Rickenbacker (145th ARS) from 1984-1996. Had the opportinuity to take the wives up several times to watch an air refueling mission. Happy to see they brought the program back. Fly safe
Have to admit my heart sank a little when you introduced the young airman sitting behind you in the van. I was the first responder on scene that morning. I pray he is doing ok.
Retired Navy A-7 driver and former New Mexico dairy farmer here. Jealous you got a ride in the Viper! A-7s tanked using the drogue…mostly off other A-7s or A-6s. Vietnam era. 7 yrs active + 22 reserve.
Thanks for your service Mic! We used to have A-7s here before switching to tankers. In what part of NM did you have dairy? Wasn't a whole lot of green where we were at!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 south of Albuquerque about 60 miles …. Along the Rio Grande. We got up to 300 cows. We were a dry lot operation and purchased most of the feed. Stressful biz…milkin cows…in good years it was great…in bad years not so much fun. Have a cousin just south of Cannon AFB that milks about 6500 mostly Holsteins on two operations . He’s got a bunch of those giant 1/4 section circle irrigation systems. New Mexico actually has a very high production-per-cow due to dry conditions (better udder health) and lower housing cow as the cows were outdoors, plus great alfalfa production ( tougher these days due to drought). New Mexico milk mostly goes into cheese…giant automated cheese plants near Clovis NM (Cannon AFB).
@@captmic Mic I was a A7 plane captain back in the early 80’s at Cecil Field, FL one day two F18’s landed none of us knew what was going on until they told us to go over to our sister squadron when we got there the two test F18’s 001 & 002 were set up for us to look over. After all the demonstrations we were all excited until we got back to our hanger and our old A7 Corsairs. Seeing those test planes was an eye opener all the electronics’ and displays. No more asbestos gloves to check the oil levels just a button and a display man we thought that was so advanced. Watched both F18 leave and they went vertical I saw the afterburners hit the runway now days that’s normal we were so excited we might be getting those in our squadron but it never happened. 35 years later my brother who works for Grumman Northrop is working on the super hornet’s overhaul, he’s in the same hanger I was stationed at in Cecil Field, Fl what a small world. Thanks for your service and helping to feed us.
I did 2 tours at Holloman. 1965 out of Basic to 1968, back to Holloman again from 1973-1975. I was an Air Policeman and a Security Policeman. Same job, just a name change.
Really great video Clark! Thank you, your crew, their respective spouses, and all our service men for the service you provide to keep us safe. This Thanksgiving week is made by people like you and your team! Merica!!
The 135 is one of the great airplanes. Refueled behind them many times in the old B-52D in Vietnam days. Salute to this crew! Took us 45 minutes to get a full load out of Guam. Tankers came out of Kadena and met us north of the Philippines. Looks like that last 16 needs some work, but he’ll probably be ok.
Thank you for serving. I had the opportunity to fly with the F16 guys three times, mostly with the awesome ANG. I flew staff tours flying the t38 out of Holloman. What I came away with, was the compression of requirements, the in-depth briefings and debriefings, and that rank didn’t matter during those discussions. As a tanker guy, I had worked with our fighter brethren, but knew it was a totally different culture. I think the spouse flight was awesome. I had a chance to do the same for spouses in a G3 down the Hudson by the Statue and NYC. It was one of my career highlights. The ladies absolutely loved it.
Yes, the fighter world is totally different from the one I am used to. Much more intense and very competitive! Spouses are very important to what we do, so It's nice to take them on flights when we can. I wish we could do something similar for the kids and parents.
Subscribed! The KC-135 is one of the last living airframes left from my days in the AF. (50 years ago) Your video brought back a lot of memories, right up until the scene of the bird rotating off the runway. In my day, the old J57's would have been leaving a black steam cloud a quarter mile long and the sound shook the whole base. Keep it up!
That's really cool you got an F-16 flight! Definitely something that most people will never have the opportunity to do. You guys taking spouses up was a real treat for them as well. Thanks for your service and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
One airman to another, thank you for serving and thank you for keeping our flying warriors in the game. In my teenage years I wanted to be a boomer operator. My belief was if you aren't a pilot, the boomer has the next best seat. But life events and interests change, so I went active duty and chose the law enforcement route. Now at 61, we live in a rural area on our acreage. Best people I met in life are military and rural.
Rod love the channel. Spent 23 years working Vipers in Springfield and a year in Columbus working tankers before returning to Springfield for my last 10 years flying before retiring last year. Good to see some familiar faces in the videos and the flight footage brings back great memories from my 35 years in the military. Keep up the good work.
Great video as always Rod. I could watch a hour long video from you everyday. Thanks for talking us along with you. Hope y’all have a good Thanksgiving and thank y’all for your service 🇺🇸
Great video I found out about your channel while watching a Carin Creek video. I’m retired USAF/ Colorado ANG aircraft weapons technician. This brought back a lot of memories from my time with the ANG. Had an opportunity to fly to and from Germany in a KC-135 for deployment with A-7Ds that were refilled in flight on the return back
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 like Arnold Swartsaneger, “I’ll be back” for more of your videos. By the way the guard unit I retired from converted to F-16C about three years before I retired.
Hey, I just found your channel and I'm enjoying your videos immensely! As a British photo-journalist I've had multiple flights in KC-135s and love the jet, the sights and sounds from the cockpit bring back great memories! Never flew with Ohio unfortunately but have flown with a few guard units including KS, MS, TN, AL and WI. Always impressed by the quiet professionalism of the crews and the skills. Keep up the great work.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Yes, the one that stands out is my B-52 flight from Barksdale, 3'5 hours including AAR with a MS ANG 135. Way back in 2008, my last 135 flight was with the 100th ARW in 2015. I miss it!
That was an excellent video with great music. With all the stress that a military spouse and family can go through, it is nice to know they have a program available to them like this. To be able to see their spouse at work rather than just hearing about it. Kudos to you Rod and your crew for being courteous and professional with them. Stay well all of you.
Thank you, great channel! It's been 45 years since I last saw Holloman, my last duty station, looks like some changes but the desert,white sands and mountains still the same!! Thank you for your service!
I’m honestly surprised you get to do video in your tanker. I’m just glad you got your ride in the F-16. Since you are a pilot, I hope you got to take the stick for a moment in the F-16 ride, though you probably can’t even say so.
Well done, Rod. I was supposed to do the same trip and fly with my cousin who was IP there. Covid ruined that, but I did get to do my final contact with him.
Very cool LtCol Jones. Supposedly my unit in FWA is supposed to get F-16s from Holloman if we ever do the A-10 swap. I was out at Alamogordo last year for a couple weeks doing the estate for my mom and step dad who retired out there and passed away. I loved it out there. Pretty cool little TDY for you guys, and to get rides...nice! I've been doing the AD and ANG gig since 1986 as Crew Chief on F-4E/Gs, F-16C/Ds and A-10s and my only rides have been in 130s, C-17s, and 135s. Oh, there was one time I somehow lucked out and got a ride to Eielson on a C-40 for Red Flag Alaska...that was nice...lol.
With all of the new F-22s and F-35s online, I figured the -16 was close to retirement. I asked a few of the pilots while I was there, and they said the -16s were going to be around for a while still.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Yeah, my unit had F-16s for 19 years before we switched to A-10s about 12-13 years ago. Now they want them back since the writing is always on the wall about eventually retiring the Hawgs.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 It absolutely amazing how big they are. From 12 miles away I’ve watched them do touch and gos. When they fly over it almost looks like they aren’t moving
great video, I remember my flight in an A7K in 1991, great flight to the Ohio restricted area. Though I flew on several AR's over the years never had the chance to be on the receiver side. Nice to see that you guys get a chance
An awesome video. I learned in my time of service, a great crew makes a great job. Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless all of our Tanker Crews. Go Army Aviation.
Beautiful scenery and great story about the spouses and your crew getting back seat rides. I'm a NASA retiree for a couple of years, but back in the 90's I had to go to White Sands Test Facilty (across the mountain west of Holloman). We were working night shift testing some hardware that would fly on the International Space Station, so I took a drive over to Almagordo. As I came past the end of the Holloman runway, I got an unforgetable low pass by a two ship of F-117 stealth fighters. Never heard a jet sound like those did. I saw they had one on static display in one of your shots. Glad you got a chance to go to the monument and see the sand. Lot of people don't realize that the Space Shuttle landed there once back in the early 80's and the Boeing commercial crew capsule has landed there twice after trips to space (but not yet with people on board). They have a pretty nice space museum in Almagordo as well. Lots of space history in that area.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 STS-3 (Columbia), the third shuttle mission landed at White Sands Space Harbor in March 1982. The Space Harbor is about 18 miles WNW of Holloman's runway. They landed there because of flooding at Edwards Dry Lake Bed (the Shuttle wasn't qualified to land on concrete until later). They landed on runway 17 and it was the fastest touchdown of the program and quite sporty due to windy conditions and software features (on final the speedbrake went closed, crew opened it, software closed it again) resulting in a combined pilot and autopilot induced speed oscillation with the net result of it being hot coming in. The gear only locked down at about 5 seconds before touchdown and deployed at 316 mph, also the fastest in the program (lot different than a 135, eh). They also had some interesting pitch control issues on rollout with the front wheel almost touching down far too fast and over control popping it back up. Post landing, Columbia had gypsum dust blown into everywhere while she sat there for several days in the March and April winds. They picked her up with two mobile cranes and installed her onto her 747 carrier airplane for the return back to Kennedy Space Center. They NEVER got all of the gypsum dust out of the airframe and continued to find it in strange places to the end of her flying career on Februrary 1, 2003 when she broke up on reentry over Texas. White Sands continued to be an alternate landing site in the event of contingency aborts until the end of the program, but was never needed again.
I have spent some time at HAFB, and WSMR. I was fortunate enough to be out there when they have a tour of the Trinity site. Thinking about it makes my hair stand up still. Trinitite is all over the ground. It’s a rock/glass formed from the heat of the nuke. I’ve got a story about Holloman, and a moving hangar.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 years ago I was out there doing some work on the flight line. Back when it’s was more of an active wing and less training. And there was a hangar that set by itself on the end of the parking apron. We worked all day, left came back the next day and the hangar was on the opposite end of the parking apron. I thought I was seeing things. Next day, same thing it was parked in a different spot. So when the AF CE came onsite I asked if I was crazy or was that thing moving. He laughed and took me over to it. It had a motor, hydraulics, and wheels. He said they were doing testing (couldn’t tell me what kind) and that to hide it from satellites they would move the hangar around. They tore it down shortly afterwards.
Glad they sorted out the issues and developed the recovery systems that they are no longer called Lawn Darts. I found Flywire's videos on it rather interesting
Hey neighbor do you fly ever in southern Ohio? Just wondering we get them all the time dog fighting over the house here fun to watch , I’ve even seen two a few years back over the house nose to nose in the air circling each other and then they just straighten up flying off beside each other so nice to see and the sonic booms are interesting too our furry family goes nuts lol
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Understandable. Thank you for the response. I've just found your channel and I'm really enjoying the videos. Thank you very much for your service and sacrafice. I sleep better knowing there are people like you keeping me and my family safe. 😊
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I wonder how many farmers watch your videos and are calling you dirty names under their breath seeing the life you lead. You leave the farm and go flying while they go to the coffee shop and listen to bullshit from their buddies. Lol
Outstanding video. LOL Take the wife to work day. That is a good one. And what is up with the 1980's porn mustache on Thompson? I am Army, they would of had a field day in my time with him.
I was a KC-135 pilot at Rickenbacker (145th ARS) from 1984-1996. Had the opportinuity to take the wives up several times to watch an air refueling mission. Happy to see they brought the program back. Fly safe
Spouses are pretty important to what we do!
Thanks for watching!
The O-H-I-O from the back seat was amazing! Really enjoy your stuff Rod. Love seeing the kids on the farm with you too.
Ben! Thanks for watching man! Keep pumping out those videos, I think they're really good!
I started my career at Holloman in 1965. Left in 1968, and was again there from 1973-1975. "Sierra Hotel". Thanks Col Rod.
Thanks for your service Richard!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Thank You for your service also.
Awesome! These videos need to be shown in high schools to encourage kids to reach for the skies
Share away brother!
I think my kids' school plays them every once in a while!
My home for my time active duty!!! 93-97. F-117 home at the time. Loved it out there!! I live in Marietta now.
Have to admit my heart sank a little when you introduced the young airman sitting behind you in the van. I was the first responder on scene that morning. I pray he is doing ok.
Retired Navy A-7 driver and former New Mexico dairy farmer here. Jealous you got a ride in the Viper! A-7s tanked using the drogue…mostly off other A-7s or A-6s. Vietnam era. 7 yrs active + 22 reserve.
Thanks for your service Mic!
We used to have A-7s here before switching to tankers.
In what part of NM did you have dairy? Wasn't a whole lot of green where we were at!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 south of Albuquerque about 60 miles …. Along the Rio Grande. We got up to 300 cows. We were a dry lot operation and purchased most of the feed. Stressful biz…milkin cows…in good years it was great…in bad years not so much fun. Have a cousin just south of Cannon AFB that milks about 6500 mostly Holsteins on two operations . He’s got a bunch of those giant 1/4 section circle irrigation systems. New Mexico actually has a very high production-per-cow due to dry conditions (better udder health) and lower housing cow as the cows were outdoors, plus great alfalfa production ( tougher these days due to drought). New Mexico milk mostly goes into cheese…giant automated cheese plants near Clovis NM (Cannon AFB).
@@captmic Mic I was a A7 plane captain back in the early 80’s at Cecil Field, FL one day two F18’s landed none of us knew what was going on until they told us to go over to our sister squadron when we got there the two test F18’s 001 & 002 were set up for us to look over. After all the demonstrations we were all excited until we got back to our hanger and our old A7 Corsairs. Seeing those test planes was an eye opener all the electronics’ and displays. No more asbestos gloves to check the oil levels just a button and a display man we thought that was so advanced. Watched both F18 leave and they went vertical I saw the afterburners hit the runway now days that’s normal we were so excited we might be getting those in our squadron but it never happened. 35 years later my brother who works for Grumman Northrop is working on the super hornet’s overhaul, he’s in the same hanger I was stationed at in Cecil Field, Fl what a small world. Thanks for your service and helping to feed us.
I did 2 tours at Holloman. 1965 out of Basic to 1968, back to Holloman again from 1973-1975. I was an Air Policeman and a Security Policeman. Same job, just a name change.
Thanks for your service! Have a great 4th of July!
Terrific. I'm jealous of the F-16 flight! It must have been something. Thanks for your service, your farming, and your great videos!
It was awesome! Wish I would've been allowed to share more of the flight with you guys!
Merica Baby! Thanks to all for their service!
Hell yeah!
Really great video Clark! Thank you, your crew, their respective spouses, and all our service men for the service you provide to keep us safe. This Thanksgiving week is made by people like you and your team! Merica!!
Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you all.
Older video, now, but a great one! Glad I went back in time. Fun job you got there!!
Thanks Brian! I'm pretty fortunate!
This reminds me of my time overseas and the flight I took in a RF-4C out of RAF Alconbury , back in 86-87.
I bet that was a helluva ride!
F-4, America's proof to the world that with big enough engines even a brick could fly 😖.
The 135 is one of the great airplanes. Refueled behind them many times in the old B-52D in Vietnam days. Salute to this crew! Took us 45 minutes to get a full load out of Guam. Tankers came out of Kadena and met us north of the Philippines.
Looks like that last 16 needs some work, but he’ll probably be ok.
Thanks for your service!
Thank you for serving. I had the opportunity to fly with the F16 guys three times, mostly with the awesome ANG. I flew staff tours flying the t38 out of Holloman. What I came away with, was the compression of requirements, the in-depth briefings and debriefings, and that rank didn’t matter during those discussions. As a tanker guy, I had worked with our fighter brethren, but knew it was a totally different culture. I think the spouse flight was awesome. I had a chance to do the same for spouses in a G3 down the Hudson by the Statue and NYC. It was one of my career highlights. The ladies absolutely loved it.
Yes, the fighter world is totally different from the one I am used to.
Much more intense and very competitive!
Spouses are very important to what we do, so It's nice to take them on flights when we can. I wish we could do something similar for the kids and parents.
I always loved a good TDY trip. That looked like a fun one.
Yep, it'll be one to keep in the ol' mental scrapbook!
Subscribed! The KC-135 is one of the last living airframes left from my days in the AF. (50 years ago) Your video brought back a lot of memories, right up until the scene of the bird rotating off the runway. In my day, the old J57's would have been leaving a black steam cloud a quarter mile long and the sound shook the whole base. Keep it up!
Thanks for the comment and thank you for your service!
I've seen a few videos of the J57s, and they looked just as you described.
That's really cool you got an F-16 flight! Definitely something that most people will never have the opportunity to do. You guys taking spouses up was a real treat for them as well. Thanks for your service and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
One airman to another, thank you for serving and thank you for keeping our flying warriors in the game. In my teenage years I wanted to be a boomer operator. My belief was if you aren't a pilot, the boomer has the next best seat. But life events and interests change, so I went active duty and chose the law enforcement route. Now at 61, we live in a rural area on our acreage. Best people I met in life are military and rural.
Thanks for your service in the military and civilian worlds. Sounds like my channel may be right up your alley!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Indeed it is and I subscribed. AIM HIGH
Rod love the channel. Spent 23 years working Vipers in Springfield and a year in Columbus working tankers before returning to Springfield for my last 10 years flying before retiring last year. Good to see some familiar faces in the videos and the flight footage brings back great memories from my 35 years in the military. Keep up the good work.
SALUTE !
35 years......wow!
I prob watched you when I was a kid as you buzzed our farm under the Buckeye MOA, ha!
Wrote that was a awesome video thank you for sharing. Thank you for your service sir. Carl
Awesome video and great landing Lt. Col.!!
I can honestly say u have the best of both worlds, fly high and ranch on
Yes Sir!
I love the “it was fun, but wouldn’t do it for a living” perspective. That was my opinion. 😂
I like my bathrooms and microwave ovens......
Thank You so much for your service to our Nation. Thank You for sharing your crew video and refueling videos.
God Bless. Thank You
Great video as always Rod. I could watch a hour long video from you everyday. Thanks for talking us along with you. Hope y’all have a good Thanksgiving and thank y’all for your service 🇺🇸
Love this one, too son. So happy for you and your crew to have this experience. 😘
Thanks mom.
Great video I found out about your channel while watching a Carin Creek video. I’m retired USAF/ Colorado ANG aircraft weapons technician. This brought back a lot of memories from my time with the ANG. Had an opportunity to fly to and from Germany in a KC-135 for deployment with A-7Ds that were refilled in flight on the return back
Thanks for giving me a try and thank you for your service Michael!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 like Arnold Swartsaneger, “I’ll be back” for more of your videos. By the way the guard unit I retired from converted to F-16C about three years before I retired.
The F16; still an amazing plane after so many years!
Yes, it was a wild ride!
Thank You. So fantastic video.
Thanks David!
I'll never forget my flight after working on these for nearly a decade, it was the most rewarding thing i've ever been able to do.
I don't think I'll ever forget it either!
I know you feel cool as hell with that flight jacket on!!
It's prob the warmest jacket i have!
So awesome thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for watching David!
Great video! Thanks for the video and your service! 🇺🇸
Former USAF/TACP/JTAC, love the video's.
Thanks Christopher! TACP huh......you guys are nuts!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 little bit, but it is exciting when those A-10's come in hot.. We are stationed on Army Forts, no comparison to USAF bases.
Outstanding and Happy Thanksgiving!👍👍✌️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🐂🐂🌾🍀🍀🍀😀😀😀
Hey, I just found your channel and I'm enjoying your videos immensely! As a British photo-journalist I've had multiple flights in KC-135s and love the jet, the sights and sounds from the cockpit bring back great memories! Never flew with Ohio unfortunately but have flown with a few guard units including KS, MS, TN, AL and WI. Always impressed by the quiet professionalism of the crews and the skills. Keep up the great work.
Glad you enjoy my videos!
Have you had the opportunity to ride along in any other aircraft?
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Yes, the one that stands out is my B-52 flight from Barksdale, 3'5 hours including AAR with a MS ANG 135. Way back in 2008, my last 135 flight was with the 100th ARW in 2015. I miss it!
That was an excellent video with great music. With all the stress that a military spouse and family can go through, it is nice to know they have a program available to them like this. To be able to see their spouse at work rather than just hearing about it. Kudos to you Rod and your crew for being courteous and professional with them. Stay well all of you.
It turned out to be a great deal for everyone!
Thank you, great channel! It's been 45 years since I last saw Holloman, my last duty station, looks like some changes but the desert,white sands and mountains still the same!! Thank you for your service!
I am envious, something I always dreamed of.
Great video! A lot of mental math in order for you guys to nail the fly over! 🇺🇸
Yep! After a couple of helmet fires, it all worked out!
Love this video!👍👍👍
Thanks for your service.
LOVE THE BLOCK “O” on the nameplate. GO BUCKEYES
Yes Sir!
I’m honestly surprised you get to do video in your tanker. I’m just glad you got your ride in the F-16. Since you are a pilot, I hope you got to take the stick for a moment in the F-16 ride, though you probably can’t even say so.
Ha! Yes, I got to fly on the way to/from the tanker!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Sweet! That is awesome!
Well done, Rod. I was supposed to do the same trip and fly with my cousin who was IP there. Covid ruined that, but I did get to do my final contact with him.
It was quite the experience!
Very cool LtCol Jones. Supposedly my unit in FWA is supposed to get F-16s from Holloman if we ever do the A-10 swap. I was out at Alamogordo last year for a couple weeks doing the estate for my mom and step dad who retired out there and passed away. I loved it out there. Pretty cool little TDY for you guys, and to get rides...nice! I've been doing the AD and ANG gig since 1986 as Crew Chief on F-4E/Gs, F-16C/Ds and A-10s and my only rides have been in 130s, C-17s, and 135s. Oh, there was one time I somehow lucked out and got a ride to Eielson on a C-40 for Red Flag Alaska...that was nice...lol.
With all of the new F-22s and F-35s online, I figured the -16 was close to retirement. I asked a few of the pilots while I was there, and they said the -16s were going to be around for a while still.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Yeah, my unit had F-16s for 19 years before we switched to A-10s about 12-13 years ago. Now they want them back since the writing is always on the wall about eventually retiring the Hawgs.
Between flying and farming you have vocations! I live about 12 miles from Martinsburg WV ANG airport. Often see a big transport flying over my farm
I think those are C-5s down there now.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 It absolutely amazing how big they are. From 12 miles away I’ve watched them do touch and gos. When they fly over it almost looks like they aren’t moving
great video, I remember my flight in an A7K in 1991, great flight to the Ohio restricted area. Though I flew on several AR's over the years never had the chance to be on the receiver side.
Nice to see that you guys get a chance
It was an interesting perspective.
An awesome video. I learned in my time of service, a great crew makes a great job. Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless all of our Tanker Crews. Go Army Aviation.
Beautiful scenery and great story about the spouses and your crew getting back seat rides. I'm a NASA retiree for a couple of years, but back in the 90's I had to go to White Sands Test Facilty (across the mountain west of Holloman). We were working night shift testing some hardware that would fly on the International Space Station, so I took a drive over to Almagordo. As I came past the end of the Holloman runway, I got an unforgetable low pass by a two ship of F-117 stealth fighters. Never heard a jet sound like those did. I saw they had one on static display in one of your shots. Glad you got a chance to go to the monument and see the sand. Lot of people don't realize that the Space Shuttle landed there once back in the early 80's and the Boeing commercial crew capsule has landed there twice after trips to space (but not yet with people on board). They have a pretty nice space museum in Almagordo as well. Lots of space history in that area.
I didn't know that about the space shuttle!
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 STS-3 (Columbia), the third shuttle mission landed at White Sands Space Harbor in March 1982. The Space Harbor is about 18 miles WNW of Holloman's runway. They landed there because of flooding at Edwards Dry Lake Bed (the Shuttle wasn't qualified to land on concrete until later). They landed on runway 17 and it was the fastest touchdown of the program and quite sporty due to windy conditions and software features (on final the speedbrake went closed, crew opened it, software closed it again) resulting in a combined pilot and autopilot induced speed oscillation with the net result of it being hot coming in. The gear only locked down at about 5 seconds before touchdown and deployed at 316 mph, also the fastest in the program (lot different than a 135, eh). They also had some interesting pitch control issues on rollout with the front wheel almost touching down far too fast and over control popping it back up. Post landing, Columbia had gypsum dust blown into everywhere while she sat there for several days in the March and April winds. They picked her up with two mobile cranes and installed her onto her 747 carrier airplane for the return back to Kennedy Space Center. They NEVER got all of the gypsum dust out of the airframe and continued to find it in strange places to the end of her flying career on Februrary 1, 2003 when she broke up on reentry over Texas. White Sands continued to be an alternate landing site in the event of contingency aborts until the end of the program, but was never needed again.
What a great experience for you and your entire crew to get F-16 flights!
Did you ever get a ride in one?
It was quite the experience!
Nope
Great video. Have a good thanksgiving
Awesome video Rod! Thanks for sharing, hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving. O H
I-O!!
Sure miss it !! great Vidio Col.
Thanks Jim!
Great video, your livin the dream.
Very well done video, nice perk for you folks and the spouses. Have a blessed Thanksgiving in ‘Merica
This is really cool for everyone
Yes it was!
Really nice job on your video, love watching the refueling process. Have a happy thanksgiving.
I have spent some time at HAFB, and WSMR. I was fortunate enough to be out there when they have a tour of the Trinity site. Thinking about it makes my hair stand up still. Trinitite is all over the ground. It’s a rock/glass formed from the heat of the nuke. I’ve got a story about Holloman, and a moving hangar.
Moving hangar?
That sounds interesting.......
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 years ago I was out there doing some work on the flight line. Back when it’s was more of an active wing and less training. And there was a hangar that set by itself on the end of the parking apron. We worked all day, left came back the next day and the hangar was on the opposite end of the parking apron. I thought I was seeing things. Next day, same thing it was parked in a different spot. So when the AF CE came onsite I asked if I was crazy or was that thing moving. He laughed and took me over to it. It had a motor, hydraulics, and wheels. He said they were doing testing (couldn’t tell me what kind) and that to hide it from satellites they would move the hangar around. They tore it down shortly afterwards.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
Glad they sorted out the issues and developed the recovery systems that they are no longer called Lawn Darts.
I found Flywire's videos on it rather interesting
Yeah, we got to see a few videos of that system in action. It has saved quite a few lives!
Haha, Farmer you crack me up man! Muurica! 🤘🏻🤙🏻👍🏻🫡
👊🏼
Fighting Falcon. Viper is a Marine helicopter (AH-1Z Viper)
There is a story why they call them Vipers, but I can't remember it.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Great video man! Would have been awesome to see the f16 flight but understandable why you couldn't film.
Ha! Yeah, some footage of me while we were dogfighting would've been pretty entertaining I'm sure!
Hey neighbor do you fly ever in southern Ohio? Just wondering we get them all the time dog fighting over the house here fun to watch , I’ve even seen two a few years back over the house nose to nose in the air circling each other and then they just straighten up flying off beside each other so nice to see and the sonic booms are interesting too our furry family goes nuts lol
Yep! All the time!
Love the video brother
Thanks buddy!
Cool video RJ..my father was station ed at Cannon AFB after Vietnam, is Cannon still operational?
Wikle!
Yes, I believe Cannon is still operational, but I've never been there.
So do you wish you had flown lawn darts vs heavies now?
Hell no!
I could barely fit in that thing!
I'll take the tanker over the fighters any day!
Amazing for you to do mach 1.2 !
No tractor will do that.
How fast is the Tanker going when you are refuelling ?
Great video.
We have a pretty wide speed range depending on what we are refueling.
Spent Jan 2016 - Sep 2018 at Holloman back when it was the 54th not the 49th
There are two training squadrons there. The 54th might've been the other one but i'm not sure.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 There both just the 49th. Ones split MQ9 Reaper, the other is F16s
It seemed like a lot of turbulence when the F-16 were ready to fuel?
Sometimes it appears that way when I speed up the footage.
I've seen a few inside flight videos of F16's. What made your flight different? Were you in a newer, more classified model?
No, nothing special about this aircraft. I was a guest flyer, so I just followed their rules.
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Understandable. Thank you for the response. I've just found your channel and I'm really enjoying the videos. Thank you very much for your service and sacrafice. I sleep better knowing there are people like you keeping me and my family safe. 😊
@@dextermorgan1 Proud to serve brother!
That’s BA!
'Murica 👊🏼
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 Roger that. 👊🏻
Which squadron did ya end up riding along in the 16 with? I’m a stud over at the 311th and must’ve been on holiday leave and missed ya!
Does the 314th sound right?
@@ohioflyingfarmer7050 ah yup! Those are our next door neighbors!
AMERICA!!
Hell yeah!
Is that the 1st time in pressure pants lol
Haha! No, but the last time I wore a pair was about 20 years and 20 pounds ago!
How did you find this story?
What story are you talking about?
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I wonder how many farmers watch your videos and are calling you dirty names under their breath seeing the life you lead. You leave the farm and go flying while they go to the coffee shop and listen to bullshit from their buddies. Lol
Haha!
Outstanding video. LOL Take the wife to work day. That is a good one. And what is up with the 1980's porn mustache on Thompson? I am Army, they would of had a field day in my time with him.
It's "Mustache Movember" man!
I used to participate, but the wife and kids never approved!