Flyin' High

So here is a first in my life. I have been training to fly USAF fighter planes for the past 13 years. On the 9th of December, I was given the opportunity to fly in a Polish MiG-29 acft. As a former Eastern Bloc country, it is conceivable that I could have met these airplanes in battle if the right circumstances arose. As it turned out, I got to meet their pilots, share some stories, and make some new friends. The MiG is definitely a generation behind the F-16 and lacks many of the modern systems that we count on today, but it is still very capable in the visual arena and is a lot of fun to fly. Having the traditional cable and pulley flight control system, it gives you feedback like a traditional aircraft and really gives you the seat of the pants feel when you fly it. In contrast, the F-16 is a fly by wire airplane and doesn't "talk" to you like the MiG. In any event, what a phenomenal opportunity and one that I shall remember always.