The road to my wings
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| Date | 18-03-2006 |
| Location |  |
| Message | (Saturday 1415) Yesterday I ended the week by taking some pictures of the aircraft perfoming their departures for the daily TLP exercise. It's great with all the action at Karup at the moment. It's also an opportunity to try the new camera out, which I'm quite pleased with, so far. Now I got the adapter ring which I needed in order to use the extra lens that I have for the camera. At work things are a bit up and down at the moment. We almost all look forward to when this part of the training is over and we can get on with officer academy and then back to the flying business. Well, at least it's always good to have something to look forward to, which keeps the motivation up a little bit. Take care. Best regards /GEA |
| Date | 14-03-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Tuesday 1730) The weather was fantastic today. The sun was shining bright and the sky was clear and blue. However, one shouldn't get fooled by that, as it was bloody cold. The temperature was only just above freezing point, so it's actually warmer in your refrigerator at home...however I don't think it's that comfortable in there, considering the amount of space. We spent the day at the shooting range with the recruits, so we had plenty of time to get fresh air. Aerial activities were quite high today. We had fighters flying around, mostly Dutch F16's and German Tornados, but also French Mirage 2000's. Apart from that we had the E3 AWACS doing touch and gos most of the day and then all the usual traffic here at Karup. So all in all, it was a good day with 'heads up' most of the time. After work I took some pictures with my new camera which I'll try to upload in the gallery later. Unfortunately I didn't have the potimal conditions, as I was shooting against the sun and rather far away from the aircraft since they were using runway 09R due to the Easterly wind. I can't wait for the exercise to start on Thursday! It's going to be great with all the activities every day. Now it's time to eat dinner soon. Catch you later. Check six! /GEA, once a pilot, always a pilot  |
| Date | 10-03-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Friday 1615) Weekend again! Another week over and another one less to go. Some of the aircraft participating at TLP started arriving today. The ground-crews and instructors came at the beginning of the week and on Monday, the remaining aircraft should arrive. It's going to be exciting with all the jets flying for the next 3 weeks. The new camera has arrived too, so it's ready for some action. Now it's just a question of finding some time to take pictures and having the weather on my side too. This winter has been extremely long as compared to what it normally is. We still have below freezing temperatures (even at day-time) and tomorrow night it's expected to drop to -15! Hopefully it's the last cold night before spring arrives. This week was a rather boring one, I must say. Last Wednesday I held an info-meeting for my recruits, about pilot in the Air Force, moslty about the training and requirements. They really enjoyed it and got alot out of it, which is great. Otherwise we were at the shooting range for a day and yesterday i helped out with the first platoon's first-aid exam, where I simulated an unconcious person laying in a pool of theather blood, after having being stabbed by a knife. It's amazing what some of the students do to 'help' the patient. In some cases it would have been better just to leave me there and bleed... Anyway, have a nice weekend. /Stephen |
| Date | 04-03-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Saturday 1650) The TLP exercise is approaching and there's only a week to go until aircraft from NATO start arriving at Karup AB. It's strange because from the 24th March, there's also going to be an exercise at Skrydstrup AB, including French Mirage F1's, Turkish F16's and Canadian F/A18's among many others. It's going to be great having some fighter activities in the air. I ordered a new camera today to replace the Fuji S5000. I don't know what I'm going to do with the S5000, perhaps sell it on ebay? Anyway, if you know anyone wanting a beginner digital camera for a good price in almost new condition, let me know... This coming week we're having our last day at the fire-fighting centre. Apart from that there's a day at the shooting range and a couple of days out in the fresh air, where the recruits have to learn some of their first soldier skills. It should be fun...but I REALLY look forward to moving on and get back in the flying business. That's it for now. Have a nice weekend. /GEA |
| Date | 25-02-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Saturday 2250) I got an email from a mission planner at 727 Sqn in Skrydstrup AB today. It's funny how things link up in life sometimes. As they say, it's a small world, and the guy seems to know all the guys who I know. Apart from that, he's an aircraft freak just like myself, so I'm sure that we'll have a good time taking pictures together in the future. I almost can't wait to the job training...only 3 months to go! This week we finished the fire-fighting course with the recruits, and this coming week they'll be having a course in rescue. I hope that the weather won't be as cold as it's been lately, since most of the course takes part outdoors. Anyway, I think I'm off to bed now, as I'm getting tired. Good night. /GEA |
| Date | 21-02-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Tuesday 1620) Yesterday we had the recruits at the shooting range for the first time, where they tried shooting with live rounds and got their weapons adjusted so they're ready for proper shooting. Today was the start of a fire-fighting and rescue course which will take about 3 weeks in all. In the mean time I got some more info about the TLP exercise that is to be held here in Karup. The aircraft will arrive on the 13th March and will start flying on the 15th and on to 6th of April, where they'll leave on the 7th. So far it seems that we'll be having F16's from Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, USA and Italy. Italian AV8 Harriers, German Tornados and French Mirage 2000's will also be present. Now it's time to go take a shower. Tonight's plan is to go to Herning ice-hockey hall and watch them play against Nord-Sjælland. I've never been to an ice-hockey game before, but it seems as if it's going to be a good game, according to the experts, so I look forward. By the way, I forgot to mention last time when we had the Flying-school ending ceremony, that I placed 4th from the whole team, and 3rd from the Air Force guys (out of 8/7 who made it), as one of the guys was from the Navy. I'm pleased with myself. Hopefully I've earned an F16, but only time will tell. At the moment they don't have enough mechanics on F16's, so the pilots don't get much flying. /GEA |
| Date | 15-02-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Wednesday 1715) The recruits have been here for a couple of weeks now, and they're getting good at their stuff. I'm also enjoying teaching, especially in ABC (Atomic, Biological and Chemical weapons) and learning alot at the same time. That's great considering that I'm going to be here until the end of May. Otherwise it's rather boring in the evenings after work, when you've prepared for the next day's lessons, then there's not much to do here on the base, but that's no surprise, as I've been here over a year now. That's it for now. /Stephen |
| Date | 11-02-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Saturday 0935) It's been a while since I last wrote, so I guess it's about time to write something again. I've started back at FFOS (soldier/sergeant school in the Air Force). My job is instructing recruits in these 4 subjects: Military behaviour, Weapons and shooting, Atomic- Biological- and Chemical warfare, and Communication by radios etc. It's strange to suddenly be at the other end and giving orders instead of taking them. I'm part of the 4th platoon, which is made up of 30 recruits and 5 instructors, including myself. As you might know there's going to be quite alot of flying activities over Denmark this year. On the 11th of June we have the yearly airshow, this time at Skrydstrup AB, the home of the F16's. Apart from that, a big exercise (TLP, Tactical Leadership Programme) will also be held here at the end of March and beginning of April, where many foreign aircraft will be based at Karup AB, so I should have good opportunities to take a picture or two. We'll be getting F16's from Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and USA. Apart from that we'll have Tornados from Germany and the UK, Harriers from Italy and UK and Mirage 2000 from France. I'll keep you updated and any pictures that I take will be uploaded in the picture gallery. That's it for now. Have a nice weekend. Best regards Stephen |
| Date | 29-01-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Monday 0030) As you can see, I finally archieved the diary into months in order to make it more accesible. I hope that you like the idea. In the meanwhile you'll be able to read about happenings and updates right here where the 'old' diary was. The original entries in this diary will remain here, of course, with the smileys and all that crap, just the way it was written. Catch you later. /GEA |
| Date | 29-01-2006 |
| Location | |
| Message | (Sunday 1120) Last Thursday we had the final party at the flying school. Quite alot happened during the week actually. The last 4 final checks were flown. Two of them made it and two failed unfortunately. So in the end, the statistics that we were shown, and we thought wouldn't be the case, were right after all. Out of the 2 Navy pilots, 1 one made it through flying school. Out of the 16 Air Force pilots, only 7 made it, which is about 40%, just like the statistics. Tomorrow we have a meeting at the Officer Academy all day, where we'll meet our class mates who will go to the academy with us from October and 2 years ahead. We'll also be given alot of practical information and will have the opportunity to ask questions. On Tuesady I start back at sergeant school, where I'll be training new soldier recruits for the next 4 months, as they'll be doing their military service. After those 4 months, we'll be moving down to Skrydstrup AB (the home of the F16's) for some job training in a squadron, where we'll be helping the pilots with mission planning, learning about tactical flying and hopefully get a few back-seat rides in the F16. Then it's on to Officer Academy in October as I've said. Take care now. Best regards GEA, or shall I say "Mr. Sergeant" for the next 4 months. |
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