Daniel Flies the Globemaster!!

After 45 simulator flights throughout 3 months, Daniel FINALLY flew the actual, real-life, fueled up, gravity defying, miracle of physics C-17! He came home from flight planning the day before the flight and was so pumped for his ride he could barely sleep! He woke up right when his alarm went off and was more excited to go to work than I've ever seen him. After getting ready for the day and a few minutes of stalling (because he didn't want to show up too early and seem over-eager), he was out the door. :-)

The crew consisted of an instructor pilot, Daniel, Daniel's training partner, a loadmaster instructor and a loadmaster trainee. The loadmaster on a C-17 is in charge of the cargo. He makes sure it's all loaded into the plane and properly balanced and secured. The load for this flight was a huge army truck.

The truck is facing the back of the plane. It's chained down in the back and the front.

Daniel checking out the cargo. :-) It was a really big truck! It's a really big cargo hold too!

 When Daniel flew, he practiced low level flying, some tactical evasion maneuvers, various types of landings and take-offs and even experienced 0 G! After landing he also practiced the 5-point turn. The C-17 can actually taxi backwards! He said it was a really great flight and he's looking forward to his next flight which will be at night wearing night-vision goggles. :-) It's great to have a husband who loves his job!

Daniel is "yankin' and bankin'" on his low level. He flew about 300 feet off the ground at 330 knots (I'm not sure how fast that is, but it's really fast!).

Daniel is flying! The HUD (heads up display) is on the dash in front of him. It shows some of the most important flight control information like speed, altitude, fuel, and the artificial horizon.

Daniel's line up with the runway. At one point Daniel's instructor told him, "Dude, you're making my eyes water this landing is so good!" That's quite a compliment!