Maintainers and handlers; the men and women who keep them flying.

[Ken_gone_flying]

100310-N-7058E-148 CARIBBEAN SEA (March 10, 2010) A Sailor assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat
Squadron (HSC) 22 works on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the littoral combat ship
USS Freedom (LCS 1). Freedom is conducting counter-illicit trafficking operations and theater security
cooperation in the U.S. 4th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Ed Early/Released)

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

U.S. Airmen conduct maintenance on a B-1B Lancer aircraft as another B-1 flies over head Nov. 2, 2009, at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The B-1B can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua J. Seybert, U.S. Air Force/Released)

 

[scoolbubba]

The B-1 might be the most impressive thing I've ever seen fly.

 

[Jim123]

The B-1 might be the most impressive thing I've ever seen fly.

I think I gotta agree... a lot of different hardware is impressive in its own way, but the B-1 with all four afterburners lit...!!

(I never got to see the Concorde fly but I do know someone who rode it across the pond once. NASA finally retired the last SR-71 soon after I almost made it out to the Edwards airshow in '99.) Well there is the Space Shuttle and I've seen that go up, but that's different.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

The B-1 might be the most impressive thing I've ever seen fly.

I'd agree with that as well. I saw one do a low transition takeoff out of Andersen AFB in Guam a few years back. I'll never forget the rattling in my chest when that thing flew by as I was standing on the flight line.

 

[Malo83]

The Habu really put on a good show when I was in Kadena back in 83

 

[xj220]

I love watching the B-1s take off from here, especially at night. They are rocket ships and I'd love to get a ride in one. Literally, every time one takes off people just stop and watch.

 

[Gatordev]

I love watching the B-1s take off from here, especially at night. They are rocket ships and I'd love to get a ride in one. Literally, every time one takes off people just stop and watch.

I got to climb up in one at Nellis during Red Flag back in '01. We were on a CCX to Vegas from San Dog while in the RAG and the crew chief let us climb up there after checking out our helo. I do not envy the two back-seaters on a bumpy low-level. They can see precisely zip, other than their tiny 3 inch window on the side. I was surprised how cramped it was up there for a crew of 4.

 

[magnetfreezer]

I do not envy the two back-seaters on a bumpy low-level. They can see precisely zip, other than their tiny 3 inch window on the side. I was surprised how cramped it was up there for a crew of 4.

Yep - occasionally AF guys will select B-1s out of VT-86 since they were having airsickness problems in the back of the T-39 during Strike Fighter phase and didn't like the thought of fighters, only to suffer much worse when yanking and banking in the back. Some of the time we will just put a coke can in the window and close the shade to get it cold.

Pretty much our view back there:

Couple good passes as well as (near the beginning) why you should always respect the Dash-1/NATOPS guidance for ground personnel to avoid engine exhaust.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

100316-N-0347B-062 PACIFIC OCEAN (March 16, 2010) Sailors move an E-2C Hawkeye through the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson is underway in the Pacific supporting Southern Seas 2010, a U.S. Southern Command-directed operation that provides U.S. and international forces the opportunity to operate in a multi-national environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Joshua Boyer/Released)

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

A U.S. Navy ground crew from Strike Fighter Squadron 94 prepares an F/A-18C Hornet aircraft for a flight at Misawa Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2010. The unit, based out of Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., is in the area training with Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-2 pilots for aviation training relocation exercises. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse, U.S. Air Force/Released)

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

U.S. Sailors assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron14 wash the tail rotor of an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter at Rockhampton Airport in Queensland, Australia, July 14, 2009. The Sailors are participating in Talisman Sabre 2009, a biennial joint military exercise between the United States and Australia focusing on operational and tactical interoperability. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Maurice Dayao, U.S. Navy /Released)

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

U.S. Navy Airman Fabian Lopez, a flight captain from Electronic Attack Squadron 133 out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., prepares to signal to Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Richards to launch her EA-6B Prowler aircraft during a sortie for Red Flag 09-5 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Aug. 24, 2009. Red Flag is a realistic air combat training exercise conducted over the 15,000-square-mile Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class Brett Clashman, U.S. Air Force/Released)

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

100318-N-7508R-080 CARIBBEAN SEA, (March 18, 2010) A Sailor assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 performs maintenance on an MH-60s Sea Hawk helicopter during routine flight operations aboard multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). Bataan is conducting operations off the coast of Haiti supporting Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Julio Rivera/Released)

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

100320-N-4649B-147 CARIBBEAN SEA (March 20, 2010) Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class Andrew Van Norman, from Yucaipa, Calif., conducts maintenance on a tail rotor head aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). Bataan is conducting operations off the coast of Haiti supporting Operation Unified Response after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused severe damage in and around Port-au-Prince Jan. 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Erin Boyce/Released)