Friday, May 8, 2009

I love Jets



Among the many things I wanted to be when I grew up, (astronaut, garbage man - I mean sanitation engineer, army sniper...) I wanted to fly fighter jets. Jets are just so cool!


I didn't become a fighter pilot, (or an astronaut, or a sniper) I'm an electrical engineer. I design electronics that go into missiles. On a scale of separation, that's actually a lot closer to fighter jets than most people... but I still sit in a cubical.

When I came down to interview with the company I work for, they put all of us hopefuls on a bus to tour the plantsite - which happens to be right next to the airport that is home to the state air national guard. On our way, four F-16s in succession flew over us to land. It was the coolest thing I saw during the whole trip.


I see similar sights a couple of times a week. The building I work in faces the runway at about a 30 degree angle so I can see the jets if they are taking off or landing as I arrive or leave. I never get tired of it.

Picture from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2078/2496587496_0de872625b.jpg?v=0 This picture is actually taken at my airport. I work in the building in the background.

Last night I had to work late. When I came out of my building, a flight of four F-16s was taking off... at night... with afterburners.



Picture from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2059/2048963560_f4ae2b58f1.jpg?v=0

I still want to be a fighter pilot when I grow up.

Many thanks to the photographers who took these pictures and posted them on flickr.

4 comments:

Sheri E. said...

If you become a fighter pilot, can you have your own plane and fly to visit us whenever you want? That would be cool! I wonder if they make baby "car" seats for jets....? I'm checking babies r us.

John said...

Dang! Now I want to be a fighter pilot too. Then I can join the rebel alliance!

Karen C. said...

A sniper?? You wanted to be a sniper??? I'm a little cold and frightened by that.
Now being a fighter pilot is a noble goal. If you ever grow up...and become one... you'll have to take me for a ride in one of your cool planes. I've always wanted to do one of those "roll" maneuvers. Do you think you could handle that??

neil said...

Oh, I could handle it all right. It's you vomiting all over the back of my head that I'd have a problem with.