My friends -- ya say ya want somethin' ta give ya some *Hope*? Ya say yer ready to see some *Change*? Well, my friends, today is yer lucky day, 'cuz Ah got *both* Hope and Change for alla y'all!
First, some Hope -- remember last year's post on Class 67 of the Iraqi Air Force's Flight School Graduation?
Three cadets. The first new pilots in the New Iraqi Air Force.
Yesterday, Class 68 graduated. There were twelve, originally...
But only eight graduated.
Nahh -- nobody washed out and nobody got killed. The other four became part of Class 09-01, the first IqAF Rotary Wing course.
Here's everybody, along with one of my contractor-parasite 'Structor Pilot compatriots.
And here's the Corps of Cadet of the Iraqi Flight Training School. Classes 68 through 71.
A bit of deja-vu -- a Class 67 grad was the Caravan (the airplane in the right rear) copilot. He's assigned here, and stops into my office about twice a week to yak about airspace and "The New Guys." Class 72 is due in shortly. They've been airing recruiting ads on Iraqi TV...
*ah-HEM*
Ready for some more Hope and Change?
That row of chairs was uniforms-only at Class 67's graduation. The civilians -- ladies included -- are members of the Kirkuk City Council and the Provincial Regional Council.
This has changed, too. Last year, the flags were placed about four feet apart.
And for the "We'll never be able to contain the sectarian violence" crowd, welllllllll...
In no particular order, there's a Sunni from Diyala, a Shi'a from Basra, a Chaldean Kurd, and a Roamin' Catholic Crusader myrmidon in the pic.
The three guys in blue became buds in OCS and volunteered for Flight School together. I didn't stage that shot -- they dragged *me* off for the photo op, and it wasn't until afterwards that I remembered why I started calling them "the Three Musketeers" a year ago.
That there's *my* definition of HopeandChange, kids.
First, some Hope -- remember last year's post on Class 67 of the Iraqi Air Force's Flight School Graduation?
Three cadets. The first new pilots in the New Iraqi Air Force.
Yesterday, Class 68 graduated. There were twelve, originally...
But only eight graduated.
Nahh -- nobody washed out and nobody got killed. The other four became part of Class 09-01, the first IqAF Rotary Wing course.
Here's everybody, along with one of my contractor-parasite 'Structor Pilot compatriots.
And here's the Corps of Cadet of the Iraqi Flight Training School. Classes 68 through 71.
A bit of deja-vu -- a Class 67 grad was the Caravan (the airplane in the right rear) copilot. He's assigned here, and stops into my office about twice a week to yak about airspace and "The New Guys." Class 72 is due in shortly. They've been airing recruiting ads on Iraqi TV...
*ah-HEM*
Ready for some more Hope and Change?
That row of chairs was uniforms-only at Class 67's graduation. The civilians -- ladies included -- are members of the Kirkuk City Council and the Provincial Regional Council.
This has changed, too. Last year, the flags were placed about four feet apart.
And for the "We'll never be able to contain the sectarian violence" crowd, welllllllll...
In no particular order, there's a Sunni from Diyala, a Shi'a from Basra, a Chaldean Kurd, and a Roamin' Catholic Crusader myrmidon in the pic.
The three guys in blue became buds in OCS and volunteered for Flight School together. I didn't stage that shot -- they dragged *me* off for the photo op, and it wasn't until afterwards that I remembered why I started calling them "the Three Musketeers" a year ago.
That there's *my* definition of HopeandChange, kids.
Well done, Twin!!
Thank you for the great Hope and Change! Great event and great pictures! Excellent work!
Thanks for keeping us up to date on how they're all doing. A day hasn't gone by when I didn't think about everyone out there making this happen.
Can't wait until the students that follow these guys get to hop into AT-6s.
Oh don't worry, Air Force Pilots all across NATO had to do that for decades...
Where's Two-niner, still snowbound in the Poconos?