My degaussing the Spezio(attempt) to get a compass working reminds me of my Pitts. The compass was off and that was back before GPS or at least it was a military secret. I was a member of a military flying club at APG, Md. and there was a compass rose at PAAF. I checked to see if tower would be closed on Sat. (no radio in Pitts)and found it might be opening for a C5 landing. I figured I do it next week but then found the C5 was delivering a classified item for my range and since I was on the access list I asked the tower if they could give me a light if necessary. They said ok. I made a stand for the tail and left it @ the rose on Fri. Got there early, got a green light and sure enough the C5 arrived a half hour later. The compass rose was on one end of the "Bomb ramp" where the C5 would park and I found out that the pilot hesitated when he saw me and Pitts because of his cargo. The tower gave him my name and I guess I checked out.
As he came onto the ramp he decided he wanted to do a 180 so three crew came out to hold my Pitts just in case although he managed to avoid giving us any jet blast. The C5 driver was a sport plane lover and he and crew helped me make short work of swinging the Pitts.
Next the transporter arrived to haul the cargo but no driver for the cargo so I had to do that too after I assured the crew chief and showed my gov. DL with such things on it. It seemed the driver who loaded it wherever (I didn't even know where it came from) almost drove it through the side of the C5.
Then a 2 Star TECOM Commander who was army aviator and member of the flying club decided to drive his VW over to look at my Pitts and the C5. Since the field was closed until the cargo was covered on the trailer he managed to drive across the field and RW around MP roadblock. The MP's and plane guard were NOT happy since he was NOT on the access list. The MP's detained him for debriefing for several hours until a spook type arrived for the debrief. He was actually a decent guy(for an officer
), he just made a mistake.
I had to ride to my range about 10 miles to unload and help secure the cargo. The C5 guys told me to hurry, they had to get back to Dover but wanted to watch me TO in the Pitts.
Kind of day you tend to remember,
Jack
As he came onto the ramp he decided he wanted to do a 180 so three crew came out to hold my Pitts just in case although he managed to avoid giving us any jet blast. The C5 driver was a sport plane lover and he and crew helped me make short work of swinging the Pitts.
Next the transporter arrived to haul the cargo but no driver for the cargo so I had to do that too after I assured the crew chief and showed my gov. DL with such things on it. It seemed the driver who loaded it wherever (I didn't even know where it came from) almost drove it through the side of the C5.
Then a 2 Star TECOM Commander who was army aviator and member of the flying club decided to drive his VW over to look at my Pitts and the C5. Since the field was closed until the cargo was covered on the trailer he managed to drive across the field and RW around MP roadblock. The MP's and plane guard were NOT happy since he was NOT on the access list. The MP's detained him for debriefing for several hours until a spook type arrived for the debrief. He was actually a decent guy(for an officer
), he just made a mistake.I had to ride to my range about 10 miles to unload and help secure the cargo. The C5 guys told me to hurry, they had to get back to Dover but wanted to watch me TO in the Pitts.
Kind of day you tend to remember,
Jack
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