Ode to High-G Flight
by Kalikiano Kalei — Read all 118 poems by Kalikiano Kalei
Today's modern high performance fighter aircraft can withstand more Gs than its human occupants and that's not factoring in the 'speed jeans', Valsalva 'grunting', 35 degree canted back ejection seats, and all the range of physiological tricks used by pilots to 'beat G'. Returning from a typical ACM (aerial combat maneuvering) flight can make you feel like you've been beat up and tossed out of Studio 51 by a bouncer. [PS: for a truly hilarious, but true account of what a high-G flight can be like, dial up the URL below the poem for Jack Reilly's story about a 'media orientation' experience he had in an F-14A Tomcat.]
Friday, February 29, 2008
Ode to High-G Flight
Pullin’ Gs,
Feel the squeeze,
Brain somewhere
Below the knees.
Grunt out loud,
Slashing cloud,
Getting sick,
Not feelin' proud!
Valsalva’s fine
But not divine,
Yankin’ stick
An’ flyn dakine!
Redout nears,
So drop the gears.
Flare and land;
Forget your fears!
Shut ‘er down,
Right on the ground,
The O-Club awaits:
A beery round!
A wild high-G flight in an F-14 Tomcat
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Be always safe,
Karen
However, if I may proudly add - I didn't puke and I had a ball!!
Thanks for sharing,
Becca~
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla (USAF)