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Show CIMES March 12,2009 "Make a friend early \ and you could have a j friend for life." \ LT. COL CRAIG HOLDS, 4th j Fighter Squadron director of operations BY CATHERINE CORNETT Hilltop Times correspondent F or most of us nonaviators, climbing into the seat of an F-16 Fighting Falcon and staring at the numerous levers, switches, blinking lights and mysterious numbers is a bit daunting. None of us are born knowing how to fly, so it takes hours of practice to become CATHERINE CORNETT/Hilltop Times correspondent a "natural." Lt. Col. Brick Izzi (left), deputy commander of the 388th Operations Group Not to mention that it takes a couple and Dean Wagner, F-16 flight simulator instructor, work together in a practice of professionals to guide you along the session March 6. Wagner will have worked twenty years as a flight simulator way. That's where Dean "Deano" Wag- instructor on Friday, March 13. ner and Fred Drake, both contractors with the Boeing Company, come into "There's a lot of exciting stuff on the horizon." the picture. These two veteran pilots are F-16 flight simulator instructors, FRED DRAKE, 388th Fighter Wing Flight Simulator instructor about the and they've been known to teach even future of simulator training the most experienced aviators lifesaving emergency procedures. on him. It just goes to show that you been attributed to five, maybe eight Both Wagner and Drake are celcan't beat the real thing. aircraft saves," said Wagner. ebrating their 20th anniversaries Still, Wagner and Drake's work as as Boeing F-16 flight simulator inAs nimble as ever, Wagner demonsimulator instructors for the 388th structors this year, with Wagner's strated how to carefully lift and drop Fighter Wing saves lives. Flying is approaching fast this March 13 and yourself into the seat of the flight "always risky," said Wagner. Drake Drake's on Sept. 18. simulator. On the right-hand side is a described how the two instructors get yoke, which operates in the typical airFor Wagner and Drake, piloting together and study mishap reports to plane style: Pull backwards to go up, aircraft is their first and foremost pastry and develop new ways to teach pipush forward to point the nose down, sion. Wagner was an F-4 Phantom pilot lots how to react to different situations and left and right to turn. and flew an estimated 238 missions, and threats. most notably in Thailand during the On the left-hand side of the seat is Vietnam War and in Germany during Drake also described the posthe throttle. Push it forward once to the Cold War era. sible future for the flight simulator. start the engines rolling, push it for"There's a lot of exciting stuff on the ward again for the afterburner. Wagner described his mission in horizon," he said. r T <A^ ~ Thailand as "unique." His squadron "'** '" In front is an HUD, or heads-up display, complete with green numbers, was tasked with laying down acoustiA new, more robust program is cal and seismic sensors on the Ho Chi" lines and figures. These are displayed expected in about one and 1/2 to tw8°'' over the landscape in front of the Minh trail. "We had to put them in at years, if all goes according to plan. simulator's seat and inform the pilot real low altitudes and real fast," WagThe new program would allow pilots of airspeed, elevation above sea level, ner said. from all over the world to train with and, among other important things, each other, Drake described. Pilots Drake described his former self as the low fuel warning. would be able to assist each other or a "Vietnam-era draft dodger." Instead even fly missions against each other, of waiting to be drafted into the war, Wagner pointed out that the yoke of he added. Drake visited his local Air Force rethe F-16 barely moves, no matter how cruiter's office. He became a forward hard you push or pull it. Originally, Both Wagner and Drake agree air controller and flew a Cessna 0-2 at the yoke was completely rigid, he that the best part of their job is the Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. explained. The only reason it moves rapport they earn with other pilots. They've always felt like an integral Even though he would have liked to, even just a little bit, Wagner added, was because he and other F-16 test part of the 388th Fighter Wing, Drake Drake never went to Vietnam. Instead, pilots had requested that particular said. he eventually came to Hill Air Force feature to give pilots the sense that Base in 1981 and, after a tour at KunThe most rewarding part of their the yoke actually works. san Air Base, Republic of Korea, bejob, Drake added, is "when they come gan to fly F-16s with the 421st Fighter Of course, flying in the simulator is back and tell me, 'What you told me Squadron. nothing like being in the air in a real made a difference.'" F-16. The whole thing is run by a comThough neither Wagner nor Drake "It's exciting watching our students puter and controlled by the instrucever really intended to become flight grow," he said. tor, who has to pay attention to four simulator instructors, it was still a Of course, the students aren't the screens of information. Not to mention chance to stay close to their original only ones growing. Wagner and Drake that the program isn't immune to your passion after they had retired from are learning new things all the time, typical computer glitches, as Wagner the military. Both became instructors too. "If I had known what we know found out when it decided to freeze up at Hill in 1989, and since then "we've now," Wagner said, "I'd be awesome." 'Seven Pounds' takes mysterious path to deliver message BY STEVE SALLES Standard-Examiner movie critic T here's a lot of mystery surrounding "Seven Pounds," and for good reason. People have asked, "What's it about?" "Why is it called 'Seven Pounds'?" "Is this a feel-good movie?" "Why does Will look so angry?" These are questions that will be answered if you see the film, and questions I can't really answer without spoiling the movie. VIEW So, I'll do my best to tap dance around it, but you should know upfront, that while the film feels 80 percent inspirational, it's the last 20 percent that undermines the previous 80. Will plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent working on the collection of See REVIEW I page 12 Deployed Hill Airmen helping Iraqi children BY LEE ANNE HENSLEY Hilltop Times staff D eployed members of the 388th Fighter Wing's 4th Fighter Squadron aren't \ just focused on military service ! — they are also dedicated to | serving others. While deployed with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Joint Base Balad, they are collecting toys and other supplies for Iraqi children. One aspect they can focus on and contribute to outside the military are the children of their host nation, according to Lt. Col. Craig Hollis, , * 4th FS director of operations, and one of the organizers for the 332nd AEWs donation drive for the Kids of Iraq organization. "Many of the children have known nothing but war, so we wanted to do whatever we could to help out," Hollis said. "Make a friend early and you could have a friend , for life." * ~ Hollis, along with other 332nd ", AtiW'Airmen, learned about the organization, Kids of Iraq, through the wing's chaplain office. According to its Web site, www. kidsofiraq.org., Kids of Iraq is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Iraqi children by fulfilling their basic needs and providing for a brighter future. It depends on donations from people all over the world who want Iraqi children to experience a normal childhood full of toys instead of violence. They collect items such as school supplies, sports equipment, clothing, shoes, blankets and See KIDS I page 12 REQUESTED ITEMS AND WHERE TO SEND THEM Items needed: • Clothing articles — all types, sizes, new or lightly used • Shoes — all sizes • Blankets — yes, it does get cold in Iraq • Toys — dolls, toy cars, puzzles (nothing battery-operated please) • Sporting equipment — soccer balls, jump ropes, Frisbees • School supplies — pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks, crayons, scissors, glue, backpacks • Personal hygiene products — towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, cleansers, sun screen lotion Send items in a U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail box addressed to: 332 AEW/HC ATTN: Kids of Iraq APO, AE 09315-9997 Columbia Pictures Will Smith is up to something in "Seven Pounds" as his character asks questions and observes certain taxypayers. All boxes mailed via the United States Postal System will need a Custom Form 2976-A. If sending liquid products, please put them in plastic bags to prevent them from leaking. Information: www.kidsofiraq.org |