Flight Training - September 2014 - 29

300 to 15,000 feet in 18 seconds,
Museum features a full-size
all while performing fullreplica of the legendary Beldeflection aileron rolls. It can
lanca J-300, Miss Veedol, in
get a little disorienting when
which Clyde Pangborn and
you see the world spinning
Hugh Herndon Jr. flew the
around you so fast over that
first nonstop trans-Pacific
length of time." No wonder
flight from nearby Sabishiro
fighter pilots boast of flying at
Beach in 1931. Banners and
PACIFIC AIR FORCES
"the tip of the spear!"
even Miss Veedol cookies
F-16 Demonstration
Safety considerations
trumpet this accomplishment
Team uniform patch.
are paramount when flyat the Misawa Airport
ing aerobatics, especially in jets where
terminal. In a darker chapter, World
mere seconds can make the difference
War II Japanese pilots practiced torpedo
in recovering successfully. Austin was
bombing for the Pearl Harbor attack at
trained in his new role by his predecesnearby Lake Ogawara. How times have
sor, Capt. Ryan "Voodoo" Worrell, first in changed; Japanese and U.S. forces now
flight simulators, then a two-seat F-16D,
share the base as longtime allies.
and finally in solo practice evaluated from
There were nonaviation attractions
the ground.
too, of course. We toured Kyoto and
The flight team associated with each
Osaka, and we rode a ferry to Hakodate
performance consists of two pilots, one
on Hokkaido island where Commodore
flying and one observing from the ground. Matthew Perry opened U.S. trade with
The flying pilot reports altitude and
Japan in 1854. Particularly memorable
airspeed at key points of every maneuver
was remote and shocking Osorezan
to the safety observer, who verifies they're Bodaiji Temple, where Buddhist souls
within safe parameters and can abort
are believed to pass to the afterlife; the
maneuvers at any time. Along with the
beautiful temple complex is sited in a
pilots and two Vipers (one for backup), the hellish volcanic sulfur field.
demonstration team includes eight mainBut watching your son fly a solo F-16
tenance professionals addressing every
airshow-that's tough to beat. Just about
technical aspect of the aircraft, and who
every pilot dreams of flying fighters, but
double in ground-show and announcer
few of us achieve it. To think that one
duties. A KC-10 transports support crew
such aviator launched for takeoff in our
and gear on longer missions and provides
own Flying Carpet.
en-route aerial refueling for the Vipers.
Greg Brown is an aviation author, photographer,
Over our subsequent family vacation I
discovered northern Japan's rich aviation and former National Flight Instructor of the Year
(www.gregbrownflyingcarpet.com).
heritage. The Misawa Aviation and Space

Pacific Air Forces F-16 demonstration team airshow routine:
1. Cuban 8

8. Falcon turn

2. High-speed pass (300 feet and plus or
minus 600 knots)

9. Shark's tooth

3. Triple aileron roll

11. Muscle climb

4. High G turn (up to 9 Gs)

12. Knife-edge pass

5. Four-point roll

13. Maximum climb with rolls (straight up
to 15,000 feet)

6. Double Immelmann (Start at 300 feet;
top at 6,000 feet)
7. Split S

10. High alpha pass (down to 125 knots)

14. Spiral descent
15. Dedication pass

SEPTEMBER 2014 FLIGHT TRAINING

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Flight Training - September 2014

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