Take Your Spouse to Work Day

So Friday the 10th was the T38 pilots' Spouse Taxi Day. We wore our husbands' flight suits, took tours of the main tower and an axillary tower, flew in a flight simulator and went to the aerophysiology building to practice strapping into and out of the jet seat. This was in-case of an emergency so we could get out if there was a fire or other emergency. We then got fitted for flight helmets and masks.

Once we got to the jet we strapped in, learned how to use the radio, learned how to operate the canopy and then we were off to make radio calls and taxi down the runway where we reached a maximum speed of ... I don't remember. It felt like an airliner taking off, only stronger. Kind of along the lines of a roller coaster. Sadly, there was no way in hell we could actually take off :(

But I am still thankful that I got to do it. I managed to mangle a ton of radio calls, which is cool, because I like to think I made the people in the tower smile. My best was something like this "Steer 01 to Laughlin ground ... uh ... I totally lost it." No, I didn't release the radio call button, it didn't occur to me. My pilot laughed.

I learned that Mr. has a pretty sweet job and I would totally do it too. Sitting in the jet made the whole pilot thing seem like a real, tangible, job; not some mystical calling.

It's not hard to wear pajamas to work ... it just gets a little hot.

Apparently, I did well.

And then the narcolepsy hit ...

Just kidding.
This is my "how to pull down the canopy" lesson.

If I was a fighter pilot, I would do this every time I got in or out of a jet.

And now for the video:
1. I am in the first jet and this is my taxi

2. This is how you park a jet (watch for the wave from the backseat, that is me)

I ended the day with a new appreciation for the smell of jet fuel, ear plugs and helmet hair. I also got my own name patch with wings ... after all, my heart does fly for a living.