Alaska Journal

[Clusterfrack]

@GJM, do you want me to split out a Coyote thread?

[GJM]

@GJM, do you want me to split out a Coyote thread?

Not necessary, this is a pretty eclectic thread, and I think 'yotes fit right in! Thanks for asking.

[Balisong]

We’re you near GBN, or at KGXF, by chance?
That’s just north of the Barry Goldwater ranges, and when I was flying F-16s at Luke, we would often drop in there for a pattern or to practice a Simulated Flame-Out (SFO) approach. I’d imagine the F-35 bros are doing that these days.

I love living just a mile from Luke AFB, one of the main training bases for F35s. I never get tired of seeing those fly!

[GJM]

Today was pretty decent. I learned some stuff at the range, Astro hit 459 consecutive days of making her running goal with a perfect year of 365 consecutive days, and as of midnight I am unemployed.

[SecondsCount]

Good girl, Astro

Unemployed or retired?

[WDR]

FUNemployed...

[GJM]

Good girl, Astro

Unemployed or retired?

The Boss let me go. There are ongoing discussions as to whether it is permanent or a sabbatical. I expect 9mm consumption will increase in 2022.

[Trigger]

We’re you near GBN, or at KGXF, by chance?
That’s just north of the Barry Goldwater ranges, and when I was flying F-16s at Luke, we would often drop in there for a pattern or to practice a Simulated Flame-Out (SFO) approach. I’d imagine the F-35 bros are doing that these days.

My guess is the F-35s have so much internal fuel, they went and did TI in Gladbag, then dropped into Lake Havasu for a few SFOs, then some BFM in Gladbag again, then RTB.

18000+ lbs internal fuel for that jet. Normal training mission ASD is 2.5, and for simple instrument sorties they could go 3.0 or more. This info was from discussions with the OT bubbas at Eglin, this could have changed, YMMV.

[GyroF-16]

My guess is the F-35s have so much internal fuel, they went and did TI in Gladbag, then dropped into Lake Havasu for a few SFOs, then some BFM in Gladbag again, then RTB.

18000+ lbs internal fuel for that jet. Normal training mission ASD is 2.5, and for simple instrument sorties they could go 3.0 or more. This info was from discussions with the OT bubbas at Eglin, this could have changed, YMMV.

That’s what I was thinking after seeing where Havasu was relative to Gladbag.
Hard to imagine flying fighters at Luke without one lobster-eye on the fuel gauge. Although I imagine the Mudhen bubbas had similar a fuel embarrassment-of-riches back in the day.

[Shotgun]

The Boss let me go. There are ongoing discussions as to whether it is permanent or a sabbatical. I expect 9mm consumption will increase in 2022.

Astro is elated I am sure.