Navy Carrier Squadron VAW116
- Thread starter goin' fer smoke
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2005
- Messages
- 1,351
Cool.
I notice that was aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN 72. I think the flight wing is called the "Sun Kings". I had the priviledge to be invited aboard the Lincoln on two seperate occasions last year. The first time they flew me aboard, I made a carrier landing, and takeoff. The second time I walked on in Honolulu and walked off in San Diego 7 days later. You want to talk about an amazing trip. It was awesome. I've never been in the military, and to be invited aboard an active duty nuclear carrier-twice- was truely the chance of a lifetime.
I notice that was aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN 72. I think the flight wing is called the "Sun Kings". I had the priviledge to be invited aboard the Lincoln on two seperate occasions last year. The first time they flew me aboard, I made a carrier landing, and takeoff. The second time I walked on in Honolulu and walked off in San Diego 7 days later. You want to talk about an amazing trip. It was awesome. I've never been in the military, and to be invited aboard an active duty nuclear carrier-twice- was truely the chance of a lifetime.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2005
- Messages
- 1,351
I flew in on a COD (carrier onboard delivery) a C2, twin engine turbo prop. It's a plane made for delivery of personnel and supplies to aircraft carriers. Scary? a little. More exciting than anything. There is only two small windows in the plane, you sit facing the back of the plane, so you can't really see anything. I could just see out as we circled the carrier before landing, mamnaged to get a pretty cool picture by straining as far as I could and holding the camera up to the window and guessing where to shoot. It's noisey and smells like aviation fuel. You wear earplugs and sound suppressor earcovers. You strap in very tightly. There is a crewman sitting at the very back who waves his arms over his head 5 seconds before you land. When you land, the engines roar to full power as the cable stops you. You are pushed back into your seat. 130 MPH to 0 in less than 3 seconds. Not too bad. It's pretty cool as the back of the plane opens up and you sit there staring at almost 5 acres of carrier deck lined iwth F-18's, somewhere out in the Pacific.
Now takeoff, that's a hoot. Same deal, facing backwards, strapped in, ear plugs and sound suppressors. The engines rev to full power, you smell the fuel, the plane vibrates like crazy. The crewman waves his arms over his head, and you hear a loud bang as the catapault shoots the plane from 0 to 180 MPH in less than 3 seconds. The G force pressing you into your harness is incredible. Better than any roller coaster I've been on. One you leave the carrier deck, the pressure is off, but for those three seconds.....wow. Adrennaline squirting out of every oriface you have and a grin from ear to ear. The pilot, for fun, stood the plane on it's tail in a steep climb, not necessary, but fun, Than he did a series of side to side "swoops". Sort of a pilots initiation for "newbies" like me. Way, way cool. Someone behind me lost their lunch. LOL I never did look to see who that was.
If anyone ever gets a chance to go aboard one of our Navel Vessals, do not pass that up. It is eye opening and you come away with an extreme appreciation for these men and women who do what they do every day far from the view of the people they protect. I sure as hell sleep better knowing they are out there doing what they do everyday. 24 / 7.
