IT" === ATC EXCHANGES === AND OTHERSUCHSTUFF
I don't
have a better title for this cornucopia of crap.
"IT"
Those who have been
following my postings know of the great love I have for fighter
pilots. It used to be that at base ops and stag bars (when there
were such things for bachelor officers of any gender) everywhere,
"It" stickers would show up. "It" started with the fighter pilots,
but soon spread to other aircraft and crew positions.
The original, "Fighter
Pilots do it better" was soon improved by the addition of a second
sticker, "but a FAC has to show them where to put it".
After the conversion
of the C-141A into the C-141B (which added 30 feet to the cargo
bay, and a refueling capability), Starlifter crews would brag:
"Now that we have it stretched, we can keep it up longer, penetrate
deeper, and drop a bigger load".
To which Herky drivers
respond: "C-130 crews get it in when no one else can".
The guys in the business
end of MAC aircraft (the loadmasters) have their own motto: "Loadmasters
do it in the back with chains and straps and other devices".
System Command does
"it" by remote control.
ATC
Exchanges
The following exchange
of radio chatter occurred between a C-141 (MAC), a B-52 (BUF)
and Anderson AFB, Guam ground control (ATC) during some of the
hottest B-52 air action over North Vietnam.
The B-52 was taxiing
in after returning from a Linebacker Mission; the C-141 was taxiing
for takeoff.
ATC: "BUF, hold
short for the taxiing C-141".
BUF: "Roger, we'll
hold short for the God Damned support aircraft, here we sit on
this stinking rock, getting our asses shot off while those @*&$^@(#
?? sons of bitches fly *over* the &#$^@ war zone on the way to
a whore house in Thailand and collect combat pay!1"
The BUF driver continues for about 3 more minutes during which
time, no two contiguous words were clean. He finally releases
the mike button.
MAC: "Call me anything
you want, but call me in California next week".
This exchange allegedly
happened at Honolulu Intl / Hickam AFB in the early 70's. (JAL
= Japan Air Line Flight 7, ATC = Honolulu Ground Control, MAC
= C-141).
(All aircraft taxiing
to parking)
ATC: "Japan Air 7,
turn right next taxiway"
JAL: "Japan Air 7"
ATC: "Japan Air 7,
continue straight ahead, follow the C-141, standby for progressive
instructions".
JAL: "Japan Air 7"
MAC: "Hey, JAL 7,
what's the problem, don't you know your way around this place?"
JAL: "I used to, but
things have changed a lot since 1941."
This from the cockpit
of a C-141 airborne over the Atlantic. (all of it supposedly on
interphone). (AC = Aircraft Commander, NAV = Navigator, CP = Co-Pilot).
NAV: "Pilot, Nav,
I'm getting interference on the Lajes ADF."
AC : "What's the problem?"
NAV: "I'm getting
two identifiers, and a false bearing."
CP : "Do you suppose
there's truth in the rumors that the Russians are doing this stuff".
NAV: "Could be, but
I wish those %#$^%@& Russians would knock it off".
(Voice over one of
the radios): "Look buddy, you've got your job, I've got mine".
After which, the interference
disappeared.
Seems the NAV's "wafer"
switch was in the wrong position.
Other
Stuff
This is from my "no
shit this really happened" department. (I was there -- or is that
"There I was").
We were on a "Team
Spirit" exercise in the ROK (Republic of Korea -- the term also
applies to the population). Our cargo was a group of ROK paratroopers.
The time is mid February. For those of you who have never experienced
a Korean winter -- well, I don't think there are enough "How cold
was it" jokes to describe it. The drop zone is a sandbar on the
bank of a river.
Coming into the drop
zone, we can see that the sandbar is submerged. We contacted the
troop commander, a ROK colonel, to inform him (actually advise
him -- one does not tell a Colonel anything) that we would be
doing a "no drop". He wouldn't hear of it. His response was "It's
OK, I checked, water's not too deep".
Several minutes later
it was "Green Light"!
 This
was essentially true. Also had the salary earned that month
was exempted from income tax.
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