Sweetpea's on the Move!

[sweetpea]

As many of you know my time here in the SW region is growing very short.

Here is a quick synopsis of what has led me to here.

It all started with......

B-52H






Then I moved on to my next path here in the SW region......

F-16D



and now I'm headed off to go fly with the Navy!

EA-6B






The past 4 yrs has been great. I've met and flown with alot of the best pilots in the world from this region. I've also flown with some of the worst! (but I won't say any names). My flying has progressed as well. I got promoted to Major (will take the rank around September) and many of you attended my party at the Sin City IMAC (sorry about the wind though that day!).

It's Official!!!! Now I'm off to the Greater Seattle area in early July. My R/C flying is slowing to a crawl though. I'm looking at just a couple more contests then I have to start taking apart my workshop and putting tools back into their boxes. I've also got to start dis-assembling airplanes so they are easier to move. I still plan to maiden myTF P-47 before I leave though, for those following that thread here on FG.

I've got to attend academics for my new aircraft once I move then I will go immediately into the rotation of deployments to support this great country. I hope to be able to get online once inawhile and say Hi, but I'm not sure what is in store for the next few years, but know I'm glad I found this great site and the group of folks here.

Sam

[wildhare]

How do you do that?

I never heard of anyone moving from bombers to fighters, and I certainly never heard of anyone then moving from Air Force to Navy.

TF

[sweetpea]

Lets just say that I have one Hell of a career so far! I've been overly lucky in my flying career.


I only know of a couple others in my career field that have gone the route I am. I'll still be in the AF as we have a unit that flys at a Navy base with Navy planes and we are mixed in with Navy aircrews.

For anyone going military......remember this......just because they say NO or that isn't possible etc etc.....keep asking. I've been trying for the Navy job for 5yrs and been told NO plenty of times (including this time) and then I finally got it. And I never thought in a million years I'd get to fly in the F-16 either but I worked hard and I've found ways to make it all work.

[JEFFRO503]

SWEATPEA!! Holy hell man....your a pilot?? I didn't know that , possibly i skipped over this info in some other threads or something , but WOW DUDE!! That is totally awesome man. I know i really don't know you , ( just spoke a few times back and forth in some threads ) but hell man , i'm proud to know you just a little. Thanks for fighting for the USA man!!

[sweetpea]

	Quote: Originally Posted by JEFFRO503
	SWEATPEA!! Holy hell man....your a pilot?? I didn't know that , possibly i skipped over this info in some other threads or something , but WOW DUDE!! That is totally awesome man. I know i really don't know you , ( just spoke a few times back and forth in some threads ) but hell man , i'm proud to know you just a little. Thanks for fighting for the USA man!!

Nope not a pilot.....I tried to get the AF to let me do that but after a gazillion tries I became too old and was in my current career field too long. I finally gave up and decided to focus on my job 100%. I'm an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO).......You start as a Navigator, move on to EWO. I'm now going to be trained as an ECMO and a NAV for the Navy (basically a WSO or weapons System officer). This opens up the EA-18 Growler (F-18 Superhornet Jamming platform) and the F-15E ground attack plane. Or I could just go back to the B-52.......or to a non-flying staff job

[JEFFRO503]

OH and Sam.......since you are coming to the Seattle area , you may well be here in this area for when the Mollala OR freestyle event comes to town. I know guys like Ron Good , Kyle Woyshinis , Tony Thomasian , Mike C , Kurt and Mike from fromeco and many others are there every year , so if your schedule allows , it would be great to have you come down.

Hell sam , it doesn't even have to be during the contest time , your more than welcome to come down and fly with all of us any time.

[Islandflyer]

sweetpea,

Wishing you good luck with your move.
Maybe you will get to do soma flying with Ken and John up in the NW.

[sweetpea]

	Quote: Originally Posted by JEFFRO503
	OH and Sam.......since you are coming to the Seattle area , you may well be here in this area for when the Mollala OR freestyle event comes to town. I know guys like Ron Good , Kyle Woyshinis , Tony Thomasian , Mike C , Kurt and Mike from fromeco and many others are there every year , so if your schedule allows , it would be great to have you come down. Hell sam , it doesn't even have to be during the contest time , your more than welcome to come down and fly with all of us any time.

Depending on my schedule I will. I may not be able to compete for the first year or so but I should be able to get out there and fly at least 1 day during the weekend at least a few times a year. My priority though is learning my new airplane.

	Quote: Originally Posted by islandflyer2
	sweetpea, Wishing you good luck with your move. Maybe you will get to do soma flying with Ken and John up in the NW.

Been talking with Ken alot. I'll be sure to hook up with them to fly sometime.

[Jeffery Szueber Jr.]

Congrats Sam!!!!!! It's been great flying with you these past couple of years and are family wishes you luck. Make sure you keep in touch with all your SW buddy’s after you leave.
Jeffery Szueber JR.

[JEFFRO503]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	Nope not a pilot.....I tried to get the AF to let me do that but after a gazillion tries I became too old and was in my current career field too long. I finally gave up and decided to focus on my job 100%. I'm an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO).......You start as a Navigator, move on to EWO. I'm now going to be trained as an ECMO and a NAV for the Navy (basically a WSO or weapons System officer). This opens up the EA-18 Growler (F-18 Superhornet Jamming platform) and the F-15E ground attack plane. Or I could just go back to the B-52.......or to a non-flying staff job

Well either way sam....thanks for working in the protection of our country. I have a really high regards for anyone in a uniform no matter what they do. Still though...your job has got to be badass!! And congrats there MR MAJOR!

[Flyfalcons]

Some good fields and flying up here, good luck with the move.

[wildhare]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	I'll still be in the AF as we have a unit that flys at a Navy base with Navy planes and we are mixed in with Navy aircrews.

Then be prepared to take a lot of abuse from the Navy guys.

At one of our club meetings we had a fellow who was an ex-Blue Angels pilot, veteran of Viet Nam, flew an A4 and then a Phantom, a very interesting guy and definitely all Navy all the time.

His line about the Air Force was that (and do not take this personally, it's just a joke) the Air Force's idea of formation flying is two planes going the same way on the same day.

Ba dump bump.

TF

[Uncle Brett]

Best of luck to you and your family Sam, and thanks for all the hard work you've done for our country and for us here on FG.

[Judge]

	Quote: Originally Posted by wildhare
	Then be prepared to take a lot of abuse from the Navy guys. At one of our club meetings we had a fellow who was an ex-Blue Angels pilot, veteran of Viet Nam, flew an A4 and then a Phantom, a very interesting guy and definitely all Navy all the time. His line about the Air Force was that (and do not take this personally, it's just a joke) the Air Force's idea of formation flying is two planes going the same way on the same day. Ba dump bump. TF

The other classic Navy Aviator line is:

Flare to land....
Squat to pee!!

BTW - the Navy does not have pilots. They have Naval Aviators!!

Good luck Sam. Plan on lots of IFR sorties!!

[!Spike!]

Right on Sam. It has been great flying with you and flying in our first Shootout together. You were flying bad azz in Vegas. Thanks for the great contest memories and good luck with the move. Will you be at Bakersfield this weekend?