Sunday, March 5, 2017
BlogFormation Aviation History!
BlogFormation Aviation History!
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Donate NOW to Typhoon Haiyan disaster relief! Red Cross: http://goo.gl/t9Y2NC
or
Text TYPHOON to 80888 to donate $10 to Salvation Army.
Other links: http://goo.gl/afiYUl
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Folks, read my Airways Magazine article, now on newsstands!
In this issue (December 2013), I have the honor of reviewing fellow airline pilot-author and new good friend, Captain Mark L. Berrys intense memoir, 13,760 Feet—My Personal Hole in the Sky.
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| Capn Mark and I met up recently on his KPHX overnight! |
This is Captain Berrys third book. His first two, Pushing Leaves Toward the Sun and Street Justice, are critically acclaimed novels. All three books are available on his website, below.
Here is the opening paragraph of my review:
Airline pilots. Consumate professionals who train rigorously to meet every emergency imaginable. Goal-oriented problems solvers, they learn to think fast, accomplish the checklists, and save the day. But, for airline pilot and author Mark L. Berry, this personal tragedy came without a manual, without a checklist, and without warning. . .
To read more about 13,760 Feet, see my article in December, 2013
Airways Magazine (http://airwaysmag.com)
and/or
Visit Marks website: http://marklberry.com
and/or
Listen to Chapter One read by the author!:
http://marklberry.com/2013/07/03/8132/
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And now its time for . . .
Blogging in Formation Week!
Posts all week beginning Monday
This months Theme: Aviation History!
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HAPPY
NATIONAL AVIATION HISTORY MONTH!
NATIONAL AVIATION HISTORY MONTH!
Today I am proud to present the lead post in this month’s “Blogging in Formation,” wherein six noted aviation bloggers team up to bring you their personal take on an aviation topic.
But first . . .
In doing a little more research, I found that November is also: National Inspirational Role Models Month (in addition to being Child Safety Protection Month, National Native American Heritage Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month, and National Sleep Comfort Month, among others.)
In addition, November includes many special days, such as: King Tut Day, Guy Fawkes Day, Dunce Day, Chaos Never Dies Day (no, really!), Have a Party with Your Bear Day (no, really really!), Sadie Hawkins Day, Absurdity Day and Stay at Home Because You are Well Day (Which, personally, I think should be called, “National Ferris Bueller Day.”)
In addition, November includes many special days, such as: King Tut Day, Guy Fawkes Day, Dunce Day, Chaos Never Dies Day (no, really!), Have a Party with Your Bear Day (no, really really!), Sadie Hawkins Day, Absurdity Day and Stay at Home Because You are Well Day (Which, personally, I think should be called, “National Ferris Bueller Day.”)
And now...
BLOGGING IN FORMATION—AVIATION HISTORY
This month, I’m combining our “Aviation History” theme with “Inspirational Role Models,” and will tell you a tale of an amazing persona in our world aviation history.
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| North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco |
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Note: The following is a “Historical narrative.” This is a true story, as close as the facts will allow. But where there are blanks in the data, I speculate on what exactly happened in the cockpit, and what could have been going through our heroine’s head at the moment.*
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“Courage is the price that Life exacts for granting peace,The soul that knows it not, knows no releasefrom little things."—Amelia Earhart
You have not heard of Philippines Air Force pilot Mary Grace Baloyo.
She did not set foot on the moon. She did not break the sound barrier, design a game-changing jet engine or make the Smithsonian Air & Space museum.
But, as you shall see, she fully deserves our recognition, praise and gratitude.
Indeed, Grace was awarded—posthumously—Philippines highest military award - The Medal of Valor. She is only one of four recipients, and the only female to receive it.
Indeed, Grace was awarded—posthumously—Philippines highest military award - The Medal of Valor. She is only one of four recipients, and the only female to receive it.
But, while she received many combat medals, she did not win this one in battle . . .
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| Clark Air Base, Philippines |
The day dawned hot, sticky and rainy on March 26, 2001 at Atienza Air Base in Sangley Point, Pampanga, Philippines, home of the PAF 15th Strike Wing. The base was named after war hero Major Danilo Atienza, a PAF pilot who, during a 1989 coup attempt, crashed and was killed on this very base.
And it is an honor to follow in his footsteps, thought 27-year-old Captain Grace Baloyo, as she preflighted her OV-10 Bronco close air support aircraft.
Little did she know how literally she would follow in his footsteps.
Grace was not a Captain yet. She was a 1st Lieutenant in the Philippines Air Force. She would be awarded the lofty title of Captain posthumously, after this day, after this flight—the last of her life.
Today’s mission: a proficiency checkride and bombing exercise over Crow Valley gunnery range with her “copilot”, Air Force training Captain Ben Nasayao, and 2 other Broncos in formation, laden with inert bombs.
Removing the protective cover and peering down the intake duct, Lt. Grace inhaled the pungent odor of hydraulic fluid and burnt oil. The sound of military strike engines spooling up around her sent a shock wave of excitement buzzing up her spine.
The distinct combination of senses took her back to her earlier training days and combat missions.
The distinct combination of senses took her back to her earlier training days and combat missions.
In 1995, she’d joined the Philippine Air Force as an aviation cadet.
How young and naive I was! she thought with a chuckle.
Having aced all the required military courses and rigid training regimens, she later became one of only six female combat-qualified pilots of the PAF.
Having aced all the required military courses and rigid training regimens, she later became one of only six female combat-qualified pilots of the PAF.
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