I flew my first combat mission in Southeast Asia. I was in the back seat of an OV-10 Bronco on an orientation flight out of Nakhon Phanom (NKP) Air Base in Thailand, flying with an experienced Forward Air Controller (FAC) over Laos. It was an introduction to the combat environment, local procedures, and the terrain I’d soon be navigating on my own.| Air Facts Journal
Our Talon accelerated as it climbed toward pattern altitude—1,500 feet AGL. When I turned onto the outside downwind, about two miles west of the inside downwind, the jet slowed its acceleration but continued climbing. At pattern altitude, I leveled off, and our airspeed stabilized at 300 KIAS. During each turn, we lost about 10–15 knots, but once wings-level again, the jet quickly accelerated back to 300. After each turn, I asked the student to confirm the throttles hadn’t moved. Each t...| Air Facts Journal
When you operate and hangar an airplane over and near a body of salt water, you have to be concerned about the corrosion inherent to that environment. It| Air Facts Journal
