The Flight of the Stealth Bomber

Last week I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a B-2 Stealth Bomber and take it for a spin. OK, so it wasn't a real B-2 Bomber, but it was a real life B-2 Stealth Bomber Simulator.

Only three B-2 Simulators exist in the world and they are located at Whiteman Air Force Base near Sedalia, MO. Whiteman AFB is home to the 509th Bomb Wing, which is the only B-2 Squadron in the world.

So, I probably owe you a little background on how I got this opportunity. I belong to the Whiteman AFB Base Community Council. This is a group of folks from different cities all over Missouri who come together each month and support the men and women who live and serve at Whiteman. It is an opportunity for us to come out and meet them and let them know how much we appreciate their service to the country, and we also offer support, especially to the young airmen, at Whiteman. For instance, free tickets to Cardinals games to the airmen each year. Free tickets to the MO State Fair. Free tickets to various concerts, etc. Each month a different community is featured at the luncheon and Council members from that city get a chance to go on the flight line and get an up close tour of a real life B-2. Also, four people from the featured community get to go fly in the B-2 simulator.

Now I've been a member of the BCC for about three years, and my first simulator ride was scheduled about 2 1/2 years ago. A few days before my scheduled flight the B-2 Bomber, The Spirit of Kansas, crashed during take-off from Guam as it was heading home from a training mission. When the crash occurred security was tightened for all aspects of the B-2 program and my simulator ride was cancelled.

At some point the tours and simulator rides were re-opened for BCC members, so all that was left was the waiting. Last month, Columbia was the featured community at the monthly luncheon meeting, but I was not one of the four chosen to go on the simulator ride. I did, however, go on the flight line tour and that was an amazing experience. Now if you've ever been to an air show, and you've seen a B-2 Bomber parked on the ramp, you have probably noticed that you can't get very close to it. And you can also only view it from the front. I found the reason for that is because the back of the plane is the most secret part. You may ask, "What is so secret about the back of the plane?" My answer is, I really don't know, but part of the tour I got was a complete walk around of the airplane, including the back. Now I was privileged to take this tour, as only a few civilians get this opportunity. I also got some time to talk to one of the B-2 pilots and he shared some perspectives on flying the B-2 that was very interesting to me, being the huge aviation geek that I am.

So, fast forward a couple of weeks. I sent an email to the Public Affairs office at Whiteman, which is the standard way to RSVP for the monthly meeting, and I asked if there was any way I could get on the simulator tour, even though my community was not being featured. The answer, of course, was no. I was told I could go on a waiting list, but there was little hope I would be able to go because each featured community never had a problem filling the four available spots.

A week before the April 1st meeting, I got a phone call from Public Affairs. They informed me that there was indeed an open spot for the simulator tour and they wanted to know if I was still interested. My response was, "Let me think about it for a day or two, and I'll get back to you." Now if you believe that's really what I said, then you don't know me at all. I really said, "You bet I'm still interested! Count me in!"

So after the luncheon, four of us were loaded into a van and driven to the 509th Bomb Wing Headquarters Building, which is where the simulators are located. Our phones and cameras were confiscated and we were taken through several layers of security to get to where the simulator was located. If you remember the opening from the old TV show Get Smart, that's what the security layers reminded me of. We were also introduced to Lt. Col. Dave "Super Dave" Anderson, our "Mission Commander" for our flights. Super Dave just happens to be the longest-term B-2 pilot who is flying today. He was actually part of the very first class of B-2 Bomber pilots and he was trained by the original B-2 test pilots. Super Dave was also the guy who dropped the very first "Bunker Buster" bomb in Baghdad during the Iraqi war. He also very much enjoys his job as a B-2 pilot and flying with him, I think, made the whole experience even better.

I was 2nd in line for the simulator ride, and the whole experience was really a "sensory overload." I walked down the stairs and across the catwalk to the simulator and once inside I crawled into the pilot's seat, which surprisingly enough was quite roomy. I was surrounded by all sorts of screens, gauges, switches and knobs, and Super Dave gave me a 2 minute tutorial of the ones I would need to fly this thing. I also had to adjust my seat so the rudder pedals (which really aren't rudder pedals) were at a comfortable place. The "rudder pedals" were actually one of my biggest surprises. The pedals are used for ground steering, but are not needed for flying. Look at the plane and you'll see it doesn't have a rudder, so I guess it makes a little sense. There is also no tiller for nose-wheel steering like a typical airliner. It is all done with pedals.

So Super Dave gave the simulator operator the command to unfreeze the simulation and I proceeded to taxi to the runway. I realized quickly that the pedals were very responsive and it seemed pretty easy to handle on the ground. As I pulled onto the runway I got the nose gear on the center line and I then applied full brakes. Super Dave had me hold the brakes tight and I pushed the throttles to full power. This was where I got the real sensation that the full motion simulator was just like the real thing. I could not only hear the four engines spooling up, but I could also feel the aircraft shaking as it was ready to get moving. At Dave's command I released the brakes and off we went down the runway. The realism in what we saw out the window was unbelievable. I could even feel the seams and bumps in the runway as we were performing our takeoff roll. Super Dave said not to worry about anything except to keep it straight on the runway and pull back on the stick when he gave the "rotate" command. Before long we were airborne and the landing gear was on its way up. I immediately was told to put the Bomber in a hard right turn as we climbed out. I turned about 270 degrees and we flew back over the runway we had just lifted off from. In this hard right turn I was again reminded that this was a full-motion simulator. I could even look out the window to the right and see what was behind me as we were making our turn.

The B-2 Bomber is equipped with a short stick that sits on a pedestal between your legs. The stick is easy to operate and it is all you need to steer the aircraft once you're airborne. Remember what I said about the "rudder pedals?" Each pilot also has their own throttle control on the left. Again, this differs from most airplanes with a shared throttle in the center of the two pilots.

I climbed to an altitude of about 1000 feet and kept the throttles at full power. We then proceeded to do a low high speed pass over the nearest city. That meant we went down to about 300 feet. At this point I have no idea how fast we were going. My job at this point was to avoid crashing into buildings.

After the low pass we climbed to 5000 feet and we then went looking for a KC-135 tanker so we could get some fuel. The process of getting attached to the tanker was not easy. A series of light commands on the KC-135 told us how close to get and how far forward we needed to be. Again, the realism was unbelievable. As we tucked ourselves under the tanker you could hear its engines. About the only thing visible through the windshield was the KC-135. With help from Super Dave I was able to get connected to the tanker. Once connected the task of keeping the B-2 in this small area was overwhelming. I quickly realized that I was over-correcting the airplane and tragedy would soon ensue. Super Dave grabbed the stick and got me back on track. With all his years of piloting the B-2 this was just another day at the office.

What remained of the flight was done at night as the simulator operator switched things up on us a little. It was a full moon and lots of stars present as Super Dave talked me through a touch and go back at home base. He allowed me to work the throttles and the stick and I lined it up for a final approach. He talked me through what to look for and whether to add more or less speed brake controls. It seems when landing there is not much if any throttle adjustment. You control your speed with the speed brakes. I was able to touch down on the 1000 foot mark on the runway and Super Dave said that I "greased it in."

Now that we were on the ground I had to retract the speed brakes and push the throttles back to full power, all while keeping the airplane on the center line with my feet. Super Dave called out my speed and when he gave the "rotate" command we were once again airborne. We circled back around the field and came back in for another landing. This time it was a full stop landing. My landing the second time was not quite as smooth, but it was still pretty good for a guy who had never flown a plane before.

As I was climbing out of the seat, Super Dave commented that I looked like a kid in a candy store. I told him he had no idea how great a privilege it was for me to fly the B-2 simulator. And it truly was a privilege. I'm sure there are many things I have left out of this experience, but it was such an overload of the senses that there is just no way I can do it justice here in just a few words. The one thing I do know for sure is that we have the greatest military in the world. It's good to know that guys like Super Dave are sitting in the cockpits of airplanes like the B-2. These are the guys who help keep us free and safe in the U.S. and I know I don't thank them enough.

True/False Closing Night Video

True/False 2010 Closing Night Video from Boxcar Films on Vimeo.

Recap video from the 2010 True/False Film Fest. Boxcar Films worked all weekend to finish this video and premiere it before the closing night film "Last Train Home" on Sunday night. The song in the video is "Birthday Song for Bridgegirl" by Capybara.

Late Evening Ramblings of a Tired True/False Volunteer

True/False Film Fest 2010 - "Miniature City" from Boxcar Films on Vimeo.

So it only took me a little over four years as a Columbia resident to figure out that the True/False Film Festival is pretty darn cool. This past weekend Janice and I were neck deep in the festival, and we had a great time.

Before this weekend if someone were to ask me about True/False I really would have no idea how to answer. I never had any idea just how engulfed our city becomes with the True/False madness, but after experiencing it for the first time, I can say now that I understand.

For those of you that don't know, True/False is a film festival that focuses on documentaries. While other film festivals have documentaries as part of their festivals, True/False has ONLY documentaries. The film makers that make documentaries prefer this environment for a couple of reasons. First, at other festivals their films are usually over-shadowed by feature films and the stars that show up at those festivals to walk the red carpet for the cameras. People will see the documentaries while they're there, but oftentimes they watch the films when there is nothing else better to do. At True/False the festival-goers are there specifically for documentaries. Second, the film makers love Columbia. They love the small town and the community that welcomes them in with open arms. They love the feeling they get when they see that over 600 volunteers are there pulling this festival together. They love walking down the street and being asked by festival-goers to tell them why they made their film.

We were recruited by Rob Gaskin to be part of the "Rob Squad." (aka "The Tourniquet Team") We were a group of nine who were ready to jump in at any venue that needed help with anything. I found myself doing everything from finding a roll of tape, to ushering people to their seats, to carrying a 300 pound projector up the back steps (3 flights!) of the Missouri Theater with five other guys. (That was the highlight of the weekend! No joke!) We were armed with radios and comfortable shoes ready to go to any venue when the call came. We worked quickly to solve problems and to use our crystal balls to see into the future to try and stop problems before anyone knew there were problems. This was the first year there was a team like this at the festival, and I think some veteran staff members were a little skeptical. But I think we impressed a lot of people.

So Rob is a friend of mine that goes to Karis Church with me. I've known Rob since we first met at Karis over two years ago. As a matter of fact, I think he was the first person I met at Karis. Rob was hired by the Festival this year to head up this "Tourniquet Team," and his thought was to staff it with Karis folks. This was important for Rob because we, as Karis, are located in the downtown area and we feel a close connection and a real love for our City, and when you love something you want to serve it, and serve it well. So what a better opportunity to serve our City by serving at the Festival.

I didn't really understand the importance of this, or really even think about it, until early Sunday morning. I volunteered to make a couple of airport runs during the festival along with serving on Rob's team. I got to pick up a film director in St. Louis on Friday evening and I got to take a festival celebrity to Kansas City Sunday morning. So, at 5:15 am on Sunday, I picked up Jonathan at the hotel so he could make his 8:30 am flight to Los Angeles. When he got in my car he immediately thanked me for volunteering to drive him two hours one way at 5am. Then he asked me, "How did you get involved with True/False and why are you doing it?" So I told him about Karis Church and the "Rob Squad." I told him that we were a group of people that loved Columbia and we just wanted to be there to serve our City. His response was probably one of the funniest things I've ever heard. At first he just sat there with his mouth wide open. Then he said, "You mean a church is out doing practical things and serving a film festival? No f*****g way! Whoops, I guess I shouldn't cuss in front of you!" He then went on to tell me about Los Angeles where he lives and how churches there are so self-focused and that there was no way any church there would ever do what we were doing. Now who knows if that is really true, but that is at least his perception. Then he thanked me for being part of a church who was not afraid to step out of our own little comfortable box. (Not his exact words, but that was what he said in a nutshell)

So I'm hoping that Jonathan got a little better view of Christianity on Sunday morning. Not that I have it all figured out, but I feel like somehow he got to see something a little different than what he is used to seeing.

The bottom line I think is this: I don't know that most of the people involved with True/False would be folks that I would normally hang out with. Many of them probably have a whole different set of views than I do in many areas. Many of them are probably much more liberal than I am, and there are probably many social issues that we wouldn't see eye-to-eye on. But, this weekend none of that mattered. All weekend we had this "we're in this together" attitude. While carrying the 300 pound projector up the narrow staircase of the theater our views about the world didn't matter. My goal was to serve these folks, and to do it well. By doing this I think a lot of respect and trust was earned and it undoubtedly has given us some credibility with many folks. Now that many have seen us in a different light this weekend, hopefully their thoughts about us are something like, "Those Rob Squad guys are from that cool church that meets in the Tiger Hotel," instead of "Who are those weird people who meet at the Tiger every week?"

These words are probably poorly written, and they probably don't make a lot of sense because after a long weekend I am very tired, but I wanted to capture some thoughts while they were fresh on my tired and weak mind. Here are some words from Chris Tomlin to kind of tie all this stuff together:

You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

787 Dreamliner Takes Flight

After many years of designing, planning and building, the Boeing 787 finally took flight yesterday in Everett, WA. Here is a video highlighting a few minutes of the flight that lasted 3 hours and 4 minutes. If you want to see the flight path click here.

Here is a great article about the flight.

Book Review of The Heart of Mentoring by David A. Stoddard

I must say that this book was kind of a let-down for me. I started this book with high expectations but I quickly realized that this book did not run too deep in its thoughts and it seemed to make many obvious points. I was also disappointed that a book from NavPress would lack spiritual content. It also seemed as if the author used this book as a commercial for his company which focuses on mentoring, which I guess is his prerogative as the author.

On the positive side, I will say that if you have never been involved in mentoring, either as a mentor or as someone being mentored, this book would be a great place to start as it gives the basics of the process.

I do like the way that Stoddard ends the book with his advice on how to get started with a mentoring relationship. His advice is, “Just do it.” Yes, it is simple, but some people need this kind of simple push to get started.

This book would be great to use with a group of co-workers as a way to break the ice with them if you’re interested in building relationships at the office. But, if you’re looking for some deep and meaningful discussions with a small group at church, this is not the book for you.

Fall Firearms Festival

Back on November 17th I had the opportunity to attend the annual Fall Firearms Festival which is hosted by Todd Burke of Tactical Specialties. My brother Mike and nephew Jonathan came up from Tulsa and accompanied me to the event. We had a full day of training and shooting and we had a whole lot of fun.

One of the highlights of the day was shooting Todd's H&K MP5 fully automatic 9mm assault weapon. This photo shows me and Jonathan with our loaded magazines waiting for our turn to shoot it.

We went through 5 different training events and many of them we got to do more than once. Here is a breakdown of what we did:

EVENT 1 will be a static shooting line emphasizing marksmanship skills and familiarity with your pistol. This is not a scenario and everyone will begin at this event.

EVENTS 2, 3, and 4 are scenarios that simulate real-world self defense applications in your home or in a public place.

EVENT 5 will be a scenario that simulates personal defense with a shotgun.

Jonathan wants to go into law enforcement so he really enjoyed the day and he is also pretty good with his gun.

Todd had a whole group of instructors there to teach us in all the events and each one of them gave us some new insight on how to be a better shooter. I was glad to be able to attend and I'm looking forward to joining Todd for more training in the future.

Imagine (No, not the John Lennon Song)

Imagine having to flee from your country because a corrupt government was going to arrest you due to your religious beliefs

Imagine fleeing to another country where you knew no one and living in a refugee camp where you were served one small meal each day.

Imagine living in this camp for up to 15 years with thousands of other refugees while you were waiting for another country to accept you as a refugee.

Imagine standing in a line each day with thousands of other refugees and only 300 per day are chosen to be moved to other countries.

Imagine being chosen one day and the next thing you know you’re on an airplane and being sent someplace you have never heard of, where you knew no one, and you didn’t speak the language.

Imagine arriving in this new city and all you have are the clothes on your back and the family members with you.

Imagine that you’re moved into a small apartment and told you have been given 5 months of rent, and after that you are on your own.

What would you do? Can you imagine this happening to you?

For a sizeable group of people here in Columbia, they don’t have to imagine this scenario because they have lived it. Most of us probably don’t know that we have a population of Burmese Refugees here in Columbia. What I have described above is the story that I was able to piece together from a conversation some of us had the other night while we had dinner with four of these families who have recently arrived in our city. Fortunately one of the guys spoke pretty good English so we were able to communicate with him. The other folks spoke no English and this gentleman was able to translate for us.

My heart was broken for these people and I really feel despair for them as I think about what the future holds for them. From what I understand the State of Missouri works with the federal government and allows some of these refugees to move into our state. But, they are only given help with rent for 5 months. They also receive food stamps and Medicaid. During this 5 month period, they are expected to get a job so they can fend for themselves. But, how do you get a job in a place where you don’t speak the language? Not to mention the fact that the job market right now is in bad shape.

So all of this begs the question, what can we do?

I think there are all kinds of ways to help out these folks, but I think we should focus on some really easy practical things. I will offer 2 suggestions:

1. Hang out with them and work on teaching them conversational English. This is a practical thing we can do and it will help them work toward self-sufficiency. If they know English they will have a much better chance of getting a job.

2. Spend time showing them around Columbia and introducing them to the culture. For instance, get them a bus pass and show them how the city bus system works. Or, take them to Wal-Mart and show them how to shop in America. Any “life-skill” you can show them would be helpful and practical.

I had lunch with my pastor and friend Kevin Larson yesterday. One of the things we discussed was “Lifestyle Shalom.” What does that mean?

At our church, Karis Community Church, we have what are known as Community Groups. Community Groups meet throughout the week all over town and share a meal, study the Bible, and pray for each other. Also, once a month, each group participates in a Shalom Project. These projects vary from group to group, but our group’s Shalom Project is meeting with these refugee families each month. But, the point of Shalom is not to do a project once a month to check off the list, but to be actively involved with a project all the time. This could mean different things for different people, but the idea is to be involved in your community in a meaningful way throughout the month. It means making Shalom part of your life.

My whole point is that we live in a city where we have several opportunities to serve and make a difference. Working with these refugees is just one way to be involved. I would urge you to find something you’re passionate about and get involved. It is easy to have fun while you’re making a difference.