I'm outta here!!

[Nick]

Sometime after x-mas the 106 RQW and it's Pavehawks are deploying to the SWA, ( Southwest Asia, not airlines ) This is my first trip and I'm excited to do my part. I can't say I'm nervous, we really have a tight group going which will make things easier. I've slowly let my friends and family in on the trip, and waited til the end to tell mom. Anyhow, I should have net access over there but I wanted to say goodbye for now. If anyone wants to APO addy send me a PM and I'll provide it when I know it!!

[MarkLawrence]

Good luck in your deployment Nick! Stay safe!

[Gerard]

>Sometime after x-mas the 106 RQW and it's Pavehawks are deploying to the SWA, ( Southwest Asia, not airlines ) <

Well first off Good luck and be safe.
And secondly are all the Hawks heading out?

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

Be Safe!!! Best of luck!

[USAF Pilot 07]

Have a good trip... Where are you guys deploying to?

[Jetinder]

Good luck and be safe, keep in touch on the forum with us.

[Nick]

Nicholas Buttgereit
455 EAMXS / HH60
APO AE 09354

:borat: :borat: I'm gettin by, it's gone better than I expected for my first trip. TTY all soon!!

[moose135]

Good luck Nick! Let's be careful out there...

[Nick]

Hey everyone, just checking in to say we're all doing well. It's plenty of work to maintain our acft on alert 24/7 and we already have a save to our credit. You spotters would love the daily traffic here, some stuff I've never seen before, plus a few surprise visitors!!

[USAF Pilot 07]

Nice man! The McGuire KC10s do 2 month deployments to Bagram. I can only imagine the type of air traffic that base sees though!

[Nick]

Nice man! The McGuire KC10s do 2 month deployments to Bagram. I can only imagine the type of air traffic that base sees though!
Saw one land here, also saw one draggin some fighters right over the base!!

[PhilDernerJr]

Glad you're having a good time, Nick. Keep a list of what you're seeing out there. I'll expect a full report on my desk at 0900!

Be safe out there.

[Nick]

Plenty of amateur P&S pics to follow when I can get a decent connection.

[Nick]

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2122/29/124/1321357347/n1321357347_232359_9644.jpg
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2122/29/124/1321357347/n1321357347_232358_9161.jpg

[nikon50bigma]

Nice pics keep 'em comin, that is if your CO or whoever permits
Nick quick question, whats your job in the 106? Mech?
Be safe out there man!

[Nick]

Yeap, crew chief.

[cancidas]

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2122/29/124/1321357347/n1321357347_232359_9644.jpg
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2122/29/124/1321357347/n1321357347_232358_9161.jpg
very nice! you put a huge smile on this -60 guy's face!

[Nick]

http://photos-b.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-snc1/v2283/29/124/1321357347/n1321357347_253625_347.jpg

[nikon50bigma]

I've always been wondering about something like this.
Forgive my ignorance lol. How did the 106 get their helos over there?
Fly 'em over - keep refueling and following the coastline of Asia down to Japan?
To me this seems like the most probable but thats one heck of a long trip there.
Or did they just reposition the personel and assign the helos there?
Or fly everyone over helos and all inside a C-17 (I'm thinking of when they did that with the decommisioned F-14 minus the wings)?

[USAF Pilot 07]

Got any pics of the C17 that landed gear up??? :oops:

[Nick]

I've always been wondering about something like this.
Forgive my ignorance lol. How did the 106 get their helos over there?
Fly 'em over - keep refueling and following the coastline of Asia down to Japan?
To me this seems like the most probable but thats one heck of a long trip there.
Or did they just reposition the personel and assign the helos there?
Or fly everyone over helos and all inside a C-17 (I'm thinking of when they did that with the decommisioned F-14 minus the wings)?

The birds got there by C-5/C-17. The blades fold up.

[moose135]

The birds got there by C-5/C-17. The blades fold up.
Here's a shot of an HH-60 being stuffed into a C-17:
http://www.defenselink.mil/transformati ... 5T-054.jpg (http://www.defenselink.mil/transformation/images/photos/2005-01/Hi-Res/050102-F-9995T-054.jpg)

[Nick]

Yeap, that's Kadena. We usually replace them.

[Nick]

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2676/29/124/1321357347/n1321357347_297670_5572947.jpg

[Nick]

Home!! Thanks to a World Airways DC-10. Went from Asia to Europe to North America in 18 hours roughly. Pics later when I get home, got a quick flight from BWi to JFK later on.

[727C47]

Welcome back, ! Thank you for your service. Crew Chiefs are the salt of the earth ! Godspeed !

[lijk604]

Welcome back Nick! Thank you for your service to our fine country.

[moose135]

Welcome back, Nick. Glad you are home safe and sound!

[MarkLawrence]

Welcome home Nick! Hope you have a few days for R&R at home!

[nikon50bigma]

Welcome back!

[Mateo]

Mabruk! Welcome back.

[Nick]

Thanks everyone. If only you could have seen the ramp at Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan. All sorts of stuff I'll probably never see again.