It Was The Bomb(er)
Greetings, everyone. I’ve had a busy couple of weeks. I had intended to meet several business people at the Raytown Chamber of Commerce luncheon in March. The luncheon was sponsored by Benetti’s Coffee Experience and I was going to speak at the event.
However, another opportunity bumped the business luncheon. An opportunity that is too good to pass up for an aviator like myself. Our friend Jeff Page was fortunate enough to get an invitation to operate the B-2 Bomber simulator at Whiteman Air Force Base, and he got asked to join in the fun.
Pilots keep a detailed log of each flight that includes the type of airplane they are operating. This activity would include an entry in my log. So, there was a quick trip back to Boston to retrieve my log book. Luckily, I was able to multitask as I needed to pick up a few tools to adjust the forks on my Guzzi. Riding season is upon us in Kansas City.
Anyhoo, the simulator experience was tremendous. Due to security concerns, we weren’t able to take any photos and I can’t share all of the details. The simulator itself doesn’t look like an airplane, although it is an exact replica of the cockpit. It is basically a room mounted on hydraulic arms that give it motion.
I actually didn’t spend as much time on the simulator for the bomber as I did the simulator for the fueling arm that allows the bomber to get gas while in flight. I made it quite difficult for a few of the pilots to connect with me. I’m a little rusty on that end of the stick.
My last experience that was anything similar to simulation was a disappointing session in one of those virtual reality games where I ended up operating a fork truck wearing watermelon lip gloss. But, enough about that…
It’s been an exhausting week of painting and laying tile at the coffee shop. But, I get a break this weekend. I’m heading to the World Grits Festival! More on that later…
However, another opportunity bumped the business luncheon. An opportunity that is too good to pass up for an aviator like myself. Our friend Jeff Page was fortunate enough to get an invitation to operate the B-2 Bomber simulator at Whiteman Air Force Base, and he got asked to join in the fun.
Pilots keep a detailed log of each flight that includes the type of airplane they are operating. This activity would include an entry in my log. So, there was a quick trip back to Boston to retrieve my log book. Luckily, I was able to multitask as I needed to pick up a few tools to adjust the forks on my Guzzi. Riding season is upon us in Kansas City.
Anyhoo, the simulator experience was tremendous. Due to security concerns, we weren’t able to take any photos and I can’t share all of the details. The simulator itself doesn’t look like an airplane, although it is an exact replica of the cockpit. It is basically a room mounted on hydraulic arms that give it motion.
I actually didn’t spend as much time on the simulator for the bomber as I did the simulator for the fueling arm that allows the bomber to get gas while in flight. I made it quite difficult for a few of the pilots to connect with me. I’m a little rusty on that end of the stick.
My last experience that was anything similar to simulation was a disappointing session in one of those virtual reality games where I ended up operating a fork truck wearing watermelon lip gloss. But, enough about that…
It’s been an exhausting week of painting and laying tile at the coffee shop. But, I get a break this weekend. I’m heading to the World Grits Festival! More on that later…