In recent years I’ve ridden some pretty good roller coasters, I still skateboard down gnarly hills, I’ve hopped in a bi-plane and chased hot air balloons, I’ve zipped around the skies in a helicopter, I’ve ghost hunted in a haunted building, I’ve shot aerial photographs from the roof edge of a 14 story building, I’ve been deep sea fishing and I agreed to be a Honorary Commander at Vance, AFB hoping I might get to ride in a jet.

All of these were great experiences but nothing that really pushed my comfort level. Unfortunately I was unable to ride in the jet due to budget cuts and other factors which left me with a fun ride in a training simulator. The sims were fun but nothing like I knew an Air Force jet would be. I kept my fingers crossed hoping one day I’d get a call that past Honorary Commanders would get to fly.

Imagine my delight on February 22, 2016, a day that started out just like any other. I have this thing about numbers and lucky days and my lucky numbers are 2, 20 and 22. That date was the 22nd day of the 2nd month of a year beginning with 20, something good was bound to happen!

While working in my office I received an email from someone at Vance, AFB. I think I had to read the email multiple times to make sure I was reading it correctly. In a nutshell, it said, “When the Thunderbirds come for Vance’s Open House in July, they are inviting one local media representative to ride in one of their F-16s on Thursday, July 21. If you are interested and available, we would like you to be that person.” Wuh?! Are you kidding? If I’m interested!

After getting all giddy and jumping around like a school boy, I calmly replied that I would be available that day, I hadn’t even checked my calendar, and I would be interested. I pushed send and thought to myself, “What have I just done?”

The first thing you do when you get an invite to fly with the Thunderbirds is let every living soul within texting range know what just transpired. You contact your wife, your best friends, your mom, your co-workers and you look for strangers on the street. Family members and close friends are totally excited and can’t believe they picked YOU.

Telling your other friends that you get to ride with the Thunderbirds elicits a completely different response. Mostly you get responses like, “Take a barf bag, you’re going to throw up,” and, “You’ll never do 9 G’s, you’re going to pass out.” My response was always, “Not everybody throws up and passes out.” But of course that set the bar and now I have to fly without throwing up and passing out.

When you agree to be the once in a lifetime F-16 rider you start receiving emails with lots of forms. The first set of forms instruct you to get a physical within an exact time frame before your ride. So I immediately scheduled a physical which was almost exactly two months before the ride. The forms include lots of questions about your health history, a measurement guide and the form for the physician to fill out and sign. Then there’s that Hold Harmless Agreement which talks about death and discharging the government from any claims my family might have.

Air Force standards for a grueling Thunderbirds ride in tight quarters mean you can’t be taller than 6 feet 5 inches or older than 55 (I’m 53, whew!), must weigh between 110 and 220 lbs. and have a chest size between 34 and 48 inches and can’t have a waist larger than 38 inches. Even your shoe size matters; it has to fall between a man’s size 5 and 12.

While waiting on the date for my physical to arrive I spent countless hours watching YouTube videos of other F-16 adventurers. I can safely say that some throw up, some pass out and some don’t. I was looking for nuggets of information of how to prevent both.

It seems that throwing up is pretty common, even for first time pilots. Motion sickness typically occurs when the eyes disagree with the vestibular organ; in other words, when the movement you feel is different from the movement you see. Pilots build up a resistance to motion sickness over time plus the fact that they know what’s coming next while in flight and have time to prepare.

If you search these videos you quickly learn about G-LOC. G-force induced loss of consciousness (abbreviated as G-LOC, pronounced ‘JEE-lock’) is a term generally used in aerospace physiology to describe a loss of consciousness occurring from excessive and sustained g-forces draining blood away from the brain causing cerebral hypoxia. The Thunderbirds will try to get you to 9 G’s which is 9 times the force of gravity. So, if you weigh 150 lbs. you would feel like you weigh 1350 lbs. at 9 G’s.

With all of this information spinning in my head I’ve decided on four main goals for this flight. Avoid getting sick, don’t pass out, have loads of fun and get at least one good selfie. I passed my physical and have all forms signed and turned in. At this point its time to wait for the big day to arrive.

Getting Selected For A Ride With The Thunderbirds

You may be wondering why certain people are asked to take a flight with the Thunderbirds. It comes down to media and marketing. While exciting, Thunderbirds media flights are not offered as a means of entertainment. Media flights are not offered as rewards/prizes, nor are they offered as (re)payment for other services.

Local media professionals are specifically nominated to fly with the Thunderbirds based on their potential to communicate about the Air Force to a wide audience. The offer to fly is coupled with the expectation that significant media coverage will be generated shortly after the flight.

One of the forms that you fill out pre-flight has to do with the intent to broadcast/publish coverage of your Thunderbirds experience. You are asked many questions about where and when the coverage will be broadcast and how large your audience is expected to be.

As part of my experience I have decided to write this journal on the Enid Buzz blog throughout the process, I will also produce a professional video which will be seen on Facebook, YouTube, the mobile app and the website. In addition there will be lots of photos and hopefully an interview with my pilot.

Thanks for coming along for the ride! We’ll soon be off into the wild blue yonder!

Contact the Thunderbirds directly if you have questions about an invitation or other opportunities. Write to USAFADS, 4445 Tyndall Ave., Nellis AFB, NV 89191. Fax (702) 662-6367 or email usaf.thunderbirds@nellis.af.mil.

Read more about my journey in Flying With The Thunderbirds Part II.

The post Part 1: I Flew With The US Air Force Thunderbirds appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

The first thing I am reminded of is their disclaimer: Please understand that unforeseen circumstances may cause this flight to be delayed and/or canceled. Everything looks fine for that day, but all fliers should approach the day with a little mental flexibility.

I will need to be in place and ready for my first brief no later than 1:00pm on Thursday, July 21. Fliers are asked to wear or bring a cotton t-shirt (any color), cotton underwear, and a pair of cotton athletic socks (preferably ones that come up to the middle of the calves).

The Thunderbirds will provide me with the flight suit, harness, helmet, G-suit and all other gear necessary to make my flight as comfortable as possible. All I will wear under my flight suit is socks, t-shirt and underwear.

My first briefing will be with the flight equipment specialist. They will get my gear prepared and fitted especially for me. After that, I will brief with Maj. (Dr.) Christopher Scheibler, the flight surgeon. He will teach me how to deal with the effects of G forces and discuss breathing techniques. I will then spend an hour with my pilot, Thunderbird #7 – Kevin Walsh.

Walsh will talk me through all of the maneuvers that we will be experiencing during our flight. I can ask questions whenever I want – and they encourage me to become as comfortable with my pilot as possible during my brief.

The email was a reminder that this flight is for the flier and while we’re in the air, I’m encouraged to communicate with my pilot frequently. If there’s anything I particularly enjoy, I can ask to do it again. On the other hand, if there is something that I do not enjoy, I can also tell my pilot.

My scheduled take off time is at 4:15pm., and my flight should last about an hour. We will not be flying over Enid but will fly in the airspace used to train the Vance pilots. Walsh will take me through all of the maneuvers that the Thunderbirds will be performing.

Fliers are allowed to bring guests, including media members. Guests can stay with me for all of the pre- and post-flight activities/briefings. Jack Quirk and Renee Settlemires from KJ Filmworks will accompany me and film the entire experience.

The Thunderbirds will have a still photographer on hand who will take several photos of my day, and they provide me with all of the digital photos. Also, if all works out as it’s supposed to, the entire flight will be captured digitally with their in-cockpit, mounted HD GoPro camera. Once I provide them with a thumb drive, they’ll be able to get the photos and video into my hands right away.

They then addressed the BIG concern that most people are worried about — getting airsick. The email stated that it doesn’t happen as often as I might think, and there are a few things I will be able to do to minimize the possibility: Hydrate, sleep and eat.

They suggested I start hydrating right away, even though the ride was a week away. I am supposed to drink more water than I normally do…then I’m supposed to drink some more. Hydration combats motion sickness, so this step is key. I was told to drink extra water up until the evening before to avoid the need to use the restroom every few hours during the night, as sleep is important as well. Fliers should get a good night’s rest — at least 7 hours if possible.

The day of the flight, a flier should have food in their stomach, but nothing greasy and nothing spicy. Fruit, bread, bagels, oatmeal, light sandwiches, or peanut butter and banana toast are recommended. Some kind of light snack is allowed in case the flight is delayed.

The day of the flight, I will minimize caffeine and carbonation. Both are diuretics and will counteract my hydration efforts. One of goals is to not get airsick. I’ve never gotten sick on an amusement ride, an airplane flight or a deep sea fishing trip.

#7 Maj. Kevin Walsh – Operations Officer

Major Kevin Walsh is the Operations Officer for the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, flying the No. 7 jet. He entered the Air Force in 2002 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Throughout high school and college he played ice hockey, lacrosse and ran cross country. Before joining the team, Major Walsh was an instructor at the European F-16 Weapons School, Leeuwarden AB, Netherlands. He is a graduate of the USAF Weapons School and has logged over 2,000 hours of flight time with more than 500 hours of combat pilot experience. Major Walsh is in his first season with the team and hails from Long Island, NY.

Read about the day of my flight! Flying With The Thunderbirds Part III.

The post Part 2: My Ride With The Thunderbirds appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Since 1953, the Thunderbirds have been spreading the word about the United States Air Force. The hope is that the public will learn about the skill and precision of the brave aviators, maintenance and support Airmen who deploy abroad to defend our freedoms. The Ambassadors in Blue support recruitment, reinforce public confidence, strengthen morale, promote Air Force community relations and project international goodwill.

I started my Thursday morning as normal as possible going for a 6am run and shooting a few sunrise photos. Out of the norm I was drinking lots of water trying to stay hydrated. Hydration is a big key to not getting airsick. I normally do not eat breakfast but chose to eat a couple of peanut butter granola bars for energy. I did my normal radio and updates for Enid Buzz.

The big question for the day was how to not get airsick. I decided to run to the store and buy some Dramamine. While there a gentleman reminded me that ginger might help so I bought some ginger snaps not knowing if that was strong enough or not. I skipped my normal lunch and opted for a few more granola bars and ginger snaps. I decided not to take Dramamine until I talked to the Thunderbirds Flight Surgeon.

I made my way to Vance, AFB around 12:30pm and met my video crew. We met up with Public Affairs and I was on my way to meet the Thunderbirds. Everyone was running behind so it was almost an hour before we actually met some of the Thunderbird crew. After introductions my first task was to meet with the Flight Surgeon, Maj. Christopher Scheibler. He asked me questions and explained the breathing techniques for pulling G’s and gave me tips on reducing the chances pf getting airsick. He recommended not taking Dramamine.

I then met with TSgt. Paul Rosales who fitted me with a flight suit, a G-suit, boots, helmet and oxygen mask. One of the highlights of getting dressed was having the patches put on my flight suit including the Thunderbirds patch. Rosales spent some time explaining ejecting from the jet, parachuting and landing safely without breaking my legs. I tested opening and closing latches and breathing in my oxygen mask.

It was then time to meet my pilot, Maj. Kevin Walsh. Just like all of the others he had a great big smile and we made introductions. Walsh was from New York but has lost most of his accent. He spent a good deal of time explaining what we would be doing, why we would be doing it and how to do it as safely as possible.

I was then chauffeured to the flight line by Maj. Walsh who was driving a Prius loner vehicle. On the runway I got to put on all of my gear once more with the help of the crew. They snapped some great Top Gun shots and I climbed into the F16. Getting into a jet with all of that gear on is tricky. I made my way in and was surprised at how comfortable it actually was. It was also a little bigger than I had imagined. I was strapped in and triple checked. Walsh climbed in and we were ready to fire engines.

It was such a rush taxiing down the runway with everyone watching. At the end of the runway we stopped completely and Walsh asked for permission to climb to 16,000 feet on takeoff. He received the okay and we were off. Take off was actually really quick and we stay level so we could reach about 450 miles per hour. Walsh then pulled back and we shot almost straight up into the air pulling 5 G’s. Once the G’s subsided it was time to spin and we eventually leveled off for the ride to our designated area.

The ride begins with two easy G maneuvers to get your body prepared for what is about to come. Both moves went smooth and I had no problem so we were set to go. During the entire ride you have complete communication with your pilot. He described each move before we completed it and gave me a signal that we were about to begin. It was a beautiful blue sky day with no clouds. Temps were above 100.

I have to say that the F16 has a pretty good AC system that blows right on you. The problem is all of the gear blocks the cool air from reaching you. Due to the stress of the G’s, the altitude and the queasy feelings you tend to sweat a lot while flying even though it’s not from the temperature in the jet. I removed my mask several times, which is perfectly fine to do, and caught some cool air which really felt great. Flying in an F16 while it’s cruising felt much like being in an airliner.

The first set of maneuvers that we performed were the big movements that usually include several jets at one time during the show. We did some loops and large rolls. During this part of the ride we were not pulling many G’s. It was then time to move on to the maneuvers performed by the solo pilots. These were faster and some had us pulling 6-7 G’s. Before each move that would require me to squeeze, Maj. Walsh would say, “Here come the G’s.”

As far as how I was feeling I had been great up until we got to the barrel rolls. He started out with a single barrel roll and asked if I’d like to try two, of course I said yes. After two he explained that they actually perform four in the show. So of course I had to go for the four roll after catching my breath a minute. Things were a little queasy after that but not bad enough that I ever thought I would throw up.

He took me through every move they perform in the show and would ask me after every maneuver if I was good. Each time I was good and made sure we went through all of the show maneuvers. Flying upside down was interesting because you literally are falling out of your seat while dust and little particles fall past you onto the canopy. The view is gorgeous!

Once all of the maneuvers were out of the way Walsh asked me if I was ready to pull the ever mystical 9G maneuver. It’s basically taking the jet, turning it on it’s side, pulling back the stick and changing direction as quickly as possible. The force of the turn causes the body to endure 9G’s equivalent to having your body weigh about 1800 lbs. You are locked into place and cannot lift your head or arms.

I told Maj. Walsh I was ready! I assumed the 9G position, took a deep breath and hung on. The F16 tilted and turned and then the afterburners kicked in and we were screaming. I immediately began squeezing every muscle below my shoulders beginning with my legs and buttocks. Once I had those locked tight I squeezed abdomen and started my “hick” breathing technique that forces air into your lungs to ehlp force blood to your brain so you don’t pass out.

Many people will begin to have tunnel vision and will see gray coming into their vision. At that point you just need to squeeze harder. I must have done okay because I did not pass out and never say gray. It was actually over before I could even concentrate on my breathing. It was over! I had just pulled 9.3G’s a pretty big deal! I had heard you get a 9G pin if you don’t pass out. I did not get a pin but I received a certificate indicating my ride and my G’s signed by my pilot.

After that it was smooth sailing. We had about 20 minutes left to cruise the skies. Walsh let me fly the jet. I wiggled it a little and then made a wide turn. He then talked me into doing a roll which was very cool. Flying an F16 is a top Bucket List thing to do! We then spent the reminder of the ride sight seeing. We buzzed the beach at Canton Lake with smoke on. We flew over the Glass Mountains and Walsh turned smoke on so I could get a photo of our shadow on the mountains.

We eventually made our way to the Great Salt Plains which actually only took a minute or two and buzzed it. We were then off to let downtown Enid know the Thunderbirds were in town! Thunderbird 7 circled downtown with smoke on while I snapped lots of photos. We ended the ride with a circle around the base where we pulled our last couple of G’s. My ride was officially over and I had accomplished my four goals, no puking, no passing out, having fun and getting a selfie while riding in a USAF Thunderbird F16.

We landed and parked in line with all of the other Thunderbirds. The Thunderbird 7 crew came out to meet us and unhook us from the jet. I was presented with a signed picture and given my official 9.3G certificate. I thanked the crew for everything they do to keep our pilots in the air and for the duties that they perform keeping us safe. I then shook hands with every member of the team and thanked my pilot, Maj. Kevin Walsh, for the ride of my life!

Start at the very beginning of this great adventure at “My Ride With The Thunderbirds.”

Photographer | Tech Sgt. Christopher Boitz : Photojournalist
Inflight Video | United States Air Force Thunderbirds
Video | KJ Filmworks

Listen to the podcast episode above.

The ride of a lifetime! Flying with the Thunderbirds!

Taking off with the Thunderbirds!

Vodcast episode from YouTube.com/CurtisTuckerTV

The post Part 3: Flying With The Thunderbirds appeared first on Curtis Tucker.