Call Sign 'Thunder'

The United States Navy F-14 Tomcat is one of the most versatile and formidable jet fighters flying today. Many people dream about flying in one of these powerful, agile aircraft, but only a select few get the opportunity. For me, that dream came true on Friday, January 28, 1994, when I was blessed with the opportunity to fly back-seat in the F-14D Tomcat. Realizing that dream took an act from the Chief of Naval Operations - literally.

Before I donned my flight suit, I was asked by Cdr. Bruce Clingan, Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 11 (VF-11), to prepare a portfolio of Marine Corps and Navy aviation artwork I had produced. When I asked the reason why, Cdr. Clingan, who's call sign is "Santee", said, "Don't get your hopes up, but I am going to try and get you a ride in a F-14D Tomcat". Well, my hopes soared to 25,000 feet, and stayed there for eight months.

Lookin' Up

When I was notified that my ride had been approved, I was speechless for 15 minutes. The work to prepare myself for the ride began shortly thereafter. I figured I would climb into the back seat and off we would go. I was wrong. After passing the Navy's flight physical, I began physiology training, which included altitude training in a chamber, simulating conditions up to 25,000 feet. After taking off your oxygen mask, you're trained to recognize the affects of hypoxia on your body and how to cope with them. You actually experience feelings ranging from total euphoria to sickness, all in less than four minutes. After being checked by the medical team to make sure I did not have the bends, I was allowed to return back to the class. During the class, the instructors asked how many of the students were flying in the S-3 Viking, and all the students raised their hands except for me and a Lieutenant, who was going for a ride in a F-18 Hornet. The instructors then said, "No one better be going for a ride in a F-14, we haven't even gotten a ride in that jet!" It was at that moment I realized how special this ride was going to be. After Disorientation and G-loss of consciousness training, ejection seat and parachute training were also mandatory. The ejection seat training was quite an experience. You are literally shot in the seat up a rail at 2.5 Gs, which simulates one-fourth the forces at which you leave the aircraft.

After physiology training, I moved on to simulator training where I learned to perform the duties required of the back seat "R.I.O", or Radar Intercept Officer. There were several tasks I needed to perform; I wasn't along just for the ride. I was responsible for running and monitoring systems, which included radar, radios, Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), "squawk" the numbers into the IFF so we were identified on radar ground control, and what to do if a master caution light came on. The caution light indicates a malfunction of the cooling system for the radar, digital displays, canopy boost, should the canopy become loose, and arming the ejection seat. I was also given the opportunity to fly in the front seat of the F-14D simulator, which was quite an experience.

The next item was to be fitted for my flight gear, which included a flight suit, a parachute harness, survival vest, g-suit, mask, gloves, and helmet, all of which weighed over 40 pounds. I was then told to go home and get a good night sleep before our 6 a.m. briefing the following morning.

At the briefing, I was given the call sign "Thunder", had an official VF-11 Red Ripper name tag attached to my flight suit, and then we were off to our airplane, Tomcat 107. Our take-off was delayed slightly due to a malfunction of the Garrett APU in the Jet Aircraft Start Cart. The delay cut in to our allotted time in the Tactical Air Combat Training System (TACTS) range, which shortened the amount of stunts we could do. With all pre-flight procedures done, we taxied up to the runway and watched an F-18 Hornet from the Top Gun Aggressor Squadron take-off in full afterburner. After an A-4 landed, we were cleared for take-off. We did a formation section take-off with our wingman in aircraft 111, Lt. Mike "Thumper" Bonner, and Lt. John "Vapor" Jenista, watching us all the way down the runway and through take-off. We did a 90 degree roll and turn with 2.5 Gs on the aircraft. As a safety requirement, the pilots of each F-14D flew under the other aircraft to look for hydraulic leaks before continuing on. We flew at mach .9 or 490 knots from Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego to Yuma, Arizona, in 20 minutes. Once we were in Arizona in the R-2301W TACTS Range, Cdr. Clingan executed a G-test warm-up, in which he rolled the aircraft on the side and turned, putting 3.5 Gs on the aircraft. "Santee" then pitched the F-14D up and executed an aileron roll to the left, which is a 360-degree roll, followed by an eight-point roll. I asked "Santee" to fly wings level for a moment while I "gathered my senses." Looking at the earth upside down at 25,000 feet is quite an experience.

Our time in the range had expired, and as our plane headed back towards Yuma, our wingman joined up with us and we began some "Blue Angel" formation flying, in which we tucked under aircraft 111. Upon returning to NAS Miramar, Cdr. Clingan presented me with an official Red Ripper pilot's logbook with the flight of 1.3 hours and simulator time of 1.5 hours recorded. Cdr. Clingan then presented me with a Department of the Navy award for my artwork, my performance during training, and for my performance during the flight. I was made an "honorary F-14D pilot", which left me speechless. I can now say with pride, "Once a Red Ripper, always a Red Ripper".