FLÜGEN

Afghanistan is one of the most extreme flying environments in the world, with the high altitudes imposed by surrounding mountains and temperatures that soar during the summer along with frequent wind and dust storms. Besides the environment, the enemy presents their own threat through small arms and sometimes RPG's or other lethal weapons. Further, flying a helicopter is commonly acknowledged as more difficult to learn and maintain than almost any type of fixed-wing airplane. Sounds like fun, huh? The picture below depicts a ' one-wheel pinnacle landing' on a Landing Zone (LZ), often practiced though rarely utilized due to the risk and difficulty of such a maneuver. The terrain in Afghanistan dictates the plan for an Air Assault or Air Insertion more than anything else. The highest I've ever personally flown is 13803 ft to the top of Mauna Kea on Hawaii for a training exercise. Anything above 10,000 feet for a certain amount of time requires supplemental oxygen tanks (think scuba) to compensate for hypoxia.

 

 

Well, in my eight months here I have yet to touch the controls of a Blackhawk. Why? I quite honestly haven't had the time or energy. Flying is not as simple as driving a car. Every hour of flight demands at least an equal amount of time towards preparation: studying manuals, emergency procedures, FAA rules, memorizing hundreds of performance numbers, planning the flight route, checking the weather, and getting the mission approved from higher. It is an intensive process which would require my absolute attention, and with 250 Soldiers to take care of I unfortunately cannot afford to spend that much time away from my company.

 

Some days I do miss flying, but I also know in the back of my mind that Jocelyn is perfectly fine with me staying on the ground. For those of you who don't know, I've had my share of death-defying experiences in near misses and enemy contact in Iraq. The medals earned as a result and the requisite stories more than satisfy any notions I had of grandeur. My Lieutenants do ask about it though and all think it's cool so I decided to take them out for a tour of the Blackhawk a couple weeks ago. It made me realize how much I have forgotten, yet also how far I've come since then in learning an entirely different set of logistical skills and in managing such a large and diverse unit. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything honestly, even if it isn't nearly as glamorous.