4:20 PM -- Only systems left --

We also had a page count today where a couple of IP's from the flightline came by and went through our publications with us page by page to make sure we had made all the changes and revisions that would be required before we hit the flightline. You can actually bust a checkride for having missed a pubs change so it paid to pay attention. Kind of silly though that they print some of us brand new publications then we have to go into them and put all the revisions in...maybe change the final product?

Not much else going on other than getting excited about heading to South Padre this weekend. We have about 10 guys going so it should be a blast.

 
3:51 PM -- 1/4 Academics done... --

Sitting in San Antonio right now taking it easy for another weekend. We have a friend who keeps an apartment here so it is going to be a fairly cheap weekend for once, which is nice even if there is no furniture. Next week we go into aerodynamics and I think some systems at the end. Those will be nice as it will be learning something new for once.

One thing new we did learn this week was about the overhead pattern we are going to be flying in the military. It's the one where you fly right over the airport then make a 2g turn around into the pattern. Looked complicated but a lot of fun.

So two more weeks until the flightline, and things are going to get extremely interesting.

 
2:08 PM -- CAI --

Other news, had the maid service just leave my room. I was waiting for her to finish, sitting in my neighbors room, when she came in quite upset at me. "You no get this room cleaned ever?" Hehe she wasn't too happy with my dirty tub and un-made bed. I guess the 10 bucks I am paying isn't worth the 10 minutes it took her to clean the entire place.

Also, have labor day weekend set up today. Me and a bunch of friends are going to South Padre Island. We got a 4 bedroom beachhouse for the weekend so we are all pretty pumped. Just need to get all these pesky tests out of the way first!

 
5:59 PM -- Still in the club... --

Personal news not much going on, kind of bummed out we were on our way to the only casino in 100 miles until I looked it up on the internet. Place looks like it is run out of some guys garage, www.kickapooluckyeaglecasino.com, and the webpage was made by a 3 year old. Oh well, we're going to play some poker at the Kuwaiti princes house so it should be a good time. Only academics this week so I will talk more after the next test.

 
7:08 PM

Friday was kind of cool, my class sat at the back of the graduation of class 03-13 (We were 04-13). The commander acknowledged us and gave a little speech about how we "may" make it up there...Very inspiring. The showed a few of the standard air force flying videos (pretty cool actually, still get me pumped up). Then the guest speaker, a two star general, gave a little speech and they passed out the wings. It was pretty cool to see where I would be in 12 months, I mean where I "may" be...hehe. Some guys got the wings their fathers or grandfathers had worn when they were flyers, pretty cool. Anyway that afternoon me and the other reservist in my class met about 12 others to meet the General, who happens to be not only a 2 star general in the reserves, but also a FedEx captain, and a woman! She basically just talked to us about what was happening in the reserves and asked if we had any questions or problems with pay. I kind of wished I still had my pay problems (took awhile to get it started), would have been funny to have a 2 star calling finance for me!

More of the same this week, systems and aerodynamics I think.

 
8:50 PM -- Phys complete --

Got some scary news today, me and the other reservist in my class have to go meet a general on Friday. Excuse me, that's a General with a capital G. Have no idea why. Will find out tomorrow. I am frightened.

 
5:56 PM -- Not Weekend --

The weekend was pretty fun, we met as a class at the lake and floated all day next to a party boat with a keg in it. I put on two layers of sunblock and still got burned but it was all in good fun. Few pictures for you. First one is from our night vision class where I helped demonstrate the effects of flash blindness to an unknowing volunteer using my camera flash:

Next is my buddy lighting off a flare, note the subsequent flare dance:

Finally we have the whole class getting jiggy with some flares:

 
4:06 PM -- Weekend --

 
4:29 PM -- The Chamber --

Was kind of neat to have been that high, since although you have flown that high before in an airliner, the inside is pressurized to a much lower altitude. My body was actually AT FL350 today. So we have our first test tomorrow, 25 question multiple choice on what we learned the last week or so at Physiology. Shouldn't be too hard, will probably study for an hour or so tonight and call it a night.

 
7:06 PM -- Parachutes --

PLF Pictures

Oh PLF stands for Parachute Landing FALL btw. We also got to fake-eject from a hydraulically powered chair. My buddy got a video of it which you can download and watch here (divx required):

MH-15 Chair (Right click and choose "Save As...")

We go in the chamber tomorrow which will be fun. I'm looking forward to seeing how goofy I get when I'm hypoxic. Anyway, got an exam on Friday so I am going to get a bit of studying done tonight. Later.

 
5:24 PM -- More physiology --

And a few classmates in the altitude chamber breath that sweet, sweet oxygen...

Now time for Chinese food.

 
1:25 PM -- Finally! --

Anyway happier thoughts...Day two we reported to physiology to start out training there. We will spend the next week there learning about the physical effects of flying, as well as how to get in and out of the jet ( slowly and then the extremely fast way where you say bailout 3 times first) It kind of hit me how this wasn't your mamma's flight school when we were learning how to eject. Day 3 was more of the same, with a parachute demo and some more egress training (fancy word for getting out of the plane, "get-out-of-the-plane training" doesn't sound quite as professional) With that it was Friday, and we were off to San Antonio for another weekend. Got to see the Cowboys scrimmage the Texans yesterday which was pretty cool, although damn short for 25 bucks.

In other news I have a damn cold which better get its way out of my system before we get to the altitude chamber or I could be in trouble. It is really not good to miss things and have to get them rescheduled as often you have to get washed back into another class. Hopefully though my cold should be long gone by Friday when we go in the chamber. More on that then.