USS Theodore Roosevelt, a dream come true
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:56 pm
After 14 months of organizing, e-mails and faxes (between SA and the USA), the call eventually came through last night at 18h53. My good friend and Captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Capt. Ladd Wheeler, confirmed that my request to fly out and land on the USS TR has been approved.
They were going to be 1.5 NM off-shore Port Nolloth at 07h30 on 30 September 2008 (today), and everything has been approved for me, first for an Acquilla microlight to take of from Pt. Nolloth, fly out and land on USS TR. Have a tour of the ship and then be cleared to fly back to Pt. Nolloth, accompanied by 2 Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters.
I took off at 06h45 and after clearance the ship appeared through some fog, doing its adjustment into wind. Approaching a 97 000 ton 25 storey floating farm in the sea is different to what I am used to at Brits Vliegveld. Asked whether flying 1.5 Nm over sea with a 503 wasn't scary, I could only think of what I was once told: "Ag, a Rotax doesn't now that it is over water !".
Anyway, just like SA control towers I was asked to join overhead this 7 hectare flight deck, cleared for a RH downwind for a 19 landing on a magnificent 333m long runway, 73m wide !
Needless to say, I was F%#$@ng scared, yet calm. Lots of emergency crews standing by, as well as 3 Aughustas hovering around in case of having to "ditch". I had a perfect approach, thanks to Capt. Wheeler keeping me into a 14 knts dead straight headwind. A last minute swell made the flight deck rise a little bit, but MAN, a greaser !
Lots of helping hands, Marines, USAAF aviators, photos, coffee and handshakes. I needed to take off within 30 minutes to miss the predicted 30 knts wind coming in at Pt. Nolloth, yet this was enough to be taken on a quick tour of the 6 000 strong manned ship and 2 "underground" flight decks filled with F18C Hornetts, Seahawks, Vikings and Prowlers. These guys have more A/C on 1 ship than our complete SAAF !
The trip was cut short when their Met man announced that the land wind has started picking up and I hastely made it back to my trike. Handshakes, greetings, pre-flight and I was airborne in line with the bridge of the ship. One last circuit around the bridge and I was heading back with helicopter escort.
Climbing out through 400 ft and taking photos backwards, I had a birdstrike. The sea-gull (I think it must have been a gull), hit me straight in the face.
I screamed ... I started to fall and just before I hit the bedroom floor, my missus screamed back at me and said "Wake up idiot, it's Tuesday, go to work ! And drink your coffee, it's getting cold !"
They were going to be 1.5 NM off-shore Port Nolloth at 07h30 on 30 September 2008 (today), and everything has been approved for me, first for an Acquilla microlight to take of from Pt. Nolloth, fly out and land on USS TR. Have a tour of the ship and then be cleared to fly back to Pt. Nolloth, accompanied by 2 Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters.
I took off at 06h45 and after clearance the ship appeared through some fog, doing its adjustment into wind. Approaching a 97 000 ton 25 storey floating farm in the sea is different to what I am used to at Brits Vliegveld. Asked whether flying 1.5 Nm over sea with a 503 wasn't scary, I could only think of what I was once told: "Ag, a Rotax doesn't now that it is over water !".
Anyway, just like SA control towers I was asked to join overhead this 7 hectare flight deck, cleared for a RH downwind for a 19 landing on a magnificent 333m long runway, 73m wide !
Needless to say, I was F%#$@ng scared, yet calm. Lots of emergency crews standing by, as well as 3 Aughustas hovering around in case of having to "ditch". I had a perfect approach, thanks to Capt. Wheeler keeping me into a 14 knts dead straight headwind. A last minute swell made the flight deck rise a little bit, but MAN, a greaser !
Lots of helping hands, Marines, USAAF aviators, photos, coffee and handshakes. I needed to take off within 30 minutes to miss the predicted 30 knts wind coming in at Pt. Nolloth, yet this was enough to be taken on a quick tour of the 6 000 strong manned ship and 2 "underground" flight decks filled with F18C Hornetts, Seahawks, Vikings and Prowlers. These guys have more A/C on 1 ship than our complete SAAF !
The trip was cut short when their Met man announced that the land wind has started picking up and I hastely made it back to my trike. Handshakes, greetings, pre-flight and I was airborne in line with the bridge of the ship. One last circuit around the bridge and I was heading back with helicopter escort.
Climbing out through 400 ft and taking photos backwards, I had a birdstrike. The sea-gull (I think it must have been a gull), hit me straight in the face.
I screamed ... I started to fall and just before I hit the bedroom floor, my missus screamed back at me and said "Wake up idiot, it's Tuesday, go to work ! And drink your coffee, it's getting cold !"
