The enlisted are reprobates

[Monello]

The drone of those 4 2800's on 118's lower and slower sang per diem per diem per diem. Coast to coast and many flights in between were ALWAYS a RON. Maybe that's part of why I hated C9's.
Norfolk, Gitmo, Norfolk........... long and boring. 118 flights to Gitmo in the 70's was always a RON. EM Club watch the nightly fights was high on our list. RockemSockem robots guaranteed.
A great trip for me was a single night RON to Yuma....... leaving the next day starter overspeed on the #2 T-56, took almost a week for them to get me a new one. I scored on a cute local squaw night before, she was still in the room by the time I checked back in. Great time! RO 3 N to Belle Chasse, stayed at the Sheridan, had a blast. 2 week cruises to Rota so the slugs could get their 2 weeks in, rent a car, fill with 115/145 free and off we went to Torremolinos while the slugs took the bird. Fun times!
So many RON's not many bad experiences plus the lobster runs to Brunswick logged as a training flight. Couple bucks a pound, I forget.
Cockpit crew first name basis.
Old navy......... it was an embarrassment if the bird shiit the bed and the FE couldn't fix it on his own. New navy with designated A/C ratings I doubt that happens much anymore.

We did Christmas time/ New Year's sleigh rides. Always logged as training flights.

Lobster runs were $4 each in the early 1990s.

London per diem at the time was $91 a day. Unless you went to the swankiest restaurant in London, no way were you spending close to that. A 2 week Europe jaunt had guys buying major appliances with their per diem money.

At 1 of the obscure stops, the hotel didn't take credit card. So everyone pulled out their cash. 1 crew member didn't have cash. When asked about it, he said he prepaid a few months mortgage with his advance. Then he intended on using plastic to fund the trip.

Our 3 VP -3As were hangar queens. They seemed to be leaking something constantly. I know maintenance loved when we were on the road. I felt bad for those guys turning and burning the wrenches so we could make our mission. Lots of late nights for them unfortunately.

While not an airedale, I prided myself on knowing all the systems. I got quite familiar with the big blue sleeping pill. On some trips when I couldn't sleep, I'd sketch they systems. That made it easier for my check rides.

 

[WingsOfGold]

We did Christmas time/ New Year's sleigh rides. Always logged as training flights.

Lobster runs were $4 each in the early 1990s.

London per diem at the time was $91 a day. Unless you went to the swankiest restaurant in London, no way were you spending close to that. A 2 week Europe jaunt had guys buying major appliances with their per diem money.

At 1 of the obscure stops, the hotel didn't take credit card. So everyone pulled out their cash. 1 crew member didn't have cash. When asked about it, he said he prepaid a few months mortgage with his advance. Then he intended on using plastic to fund the trip.

Our 3 VP -3As were hangar queens. They seemed to be leaking something constantly. I know maintenance loved when we were on the road. I felt bad for those guys turning and burning the wrenches so we could make our mission. Lots of late nights for them unfortunately.

While not an airedale, I prided myself on knowing all the systems. I got quite familiar with the big blue sleeping pill. On some trips when I couldn't sleep, I'd sketch they systems. That made it easier for my check rides.

What position did you fly? Where was the VIP P3 out of?

 

[Monello]

What position did you fly? Where was the VIP P3 out of?

I supported CinCLant, CincLantFleet & CNO when I was in VP-30 out of Jax.

I was the inflight executive caterer. I made the admiral's club sandwich. But, you know, if I didn't do it, someone else was going to do that job. As far as work, it was minimal effort. But I had tremendous travel opportunities. I did 2 around the world flights back during the Gulf War. Just over 3 weeks to circle the globe. And the generous per diem was like a part time job. I think the NEC was 8289, which today it's showing as loadmaster. They called it Observer back then. The other NEC was 8202 Naval Aircrewman (special assignments).

I went to over 30 countries in 4 1/2 years there. We went a lot of places that the wet navy never went. We did some side trips to places like Agra, India to see the Taj Mahal. Plus being with the staff, the locals kissed our asses, which was a very different experience for me.

 

[Merlin99]

We did Christmas time/ New Year's sleigh rides. Always logged as training flights.

Lobster runs were $4 each in the early 1990s.

London per diem at the time was $91 a day. Unless you went to the swankiest restaurant in London, no way were you spending close to that. A 2 week Europe jaunt had guys buying major appliances with their per diem money.

At 1 of the obscure stops, the hotel didn't take credit card. So everyone pulled out their cash. 1 crew member didn't have cash. When asked about it, he said he prepaid a few months mortgage with his advance. Then he intended on using plastic to fund the trip.

Our 3 VP -3As were hangar queens. They seemed to be leaking something constantly. I know maintenance loved when we were on the road. I felt bad for those guys turning and burning the wrenches so we could make our mission. Lots of late nights for them unfortunately.

While not an airedale, I prided myself on knowing all the systems. I got quite familiar with the big blue sleeping pill. On some trips when I couldn't sleep, I'd sketch they systems. That made it easier for my check rides.

We used to have a convair 880 on base that made the lobster runs to Maine and a shrimp run to Florida.

 

[Merlin99]

I supported CinCLant, CincLantFleet & CNO when I was in VP-30 out of Jax.

I was the inflight executive caterer. I made the admiral's club sandwich. But, you know, if I didn't do it, someone else was going to do that job. As far as work, it was minimal effort. But I had tremendous travel opportunities. I did 2 around the world flights back during the Gulf War. Just over 3 weeks to circle the globe. And the generous per diem was like a part time job. I think the NEC was 8289, which today it's showing as loadmaster. They called it Observer back then. The other NEC was 8202 Naval Aircrewman (special assignments).

I went to over 30 countries in 4 1/2 years there. We went a lot of places that the wet navy never went. We did some side trips to places like Agra, India to see the Taj Mahal. Plus being with the staff, the locals kissed our asses, which was a very different experience for me.

I'm beginning to see where all the fancy meals got dreamt up.

 

[WingsOfGold]

I supported CinCLant, CincLantFleet & CNO when I was in VP-30 out of Jax.

I was the inflight executive caterer. I made the admiral's club sandwich. But, you know, if I didn't do it, someone else was going to do that job. As far as work, it was minimal effort. But I had tremendous travel opportunities. I did 2 around the world flights back during the Gulf War. Just over 3 weeks to circle the globe. And the generous per diem was like a part time job. I think the NEC was 8289, which today it's showing as loadmaster. They called it Observer back then. The other NEC was 8202 Naval Aircrewman (special assignments).

I went to over 30 countries in 4 1/2 years there. We went a lot of places that the wet navy never went. We did some side trips to places like Agra, India to see the Taj Mahal. Plus being with the staff, the locals kissed our asses, which was a very different experience for me.

I figured something like that when you mentioned Gulfstreams. Not sure I would have liked them, my dream AC to fly would have been the 130's. Rumor in the 80's we were getting them and move to WV. 20 years or so later the squadron DID get them but stayed put. I could have lived with that, cockpit was the size of a living room.

 

[Monello]

We used to have a convair 880 on base that made the lobster runs to Maine and a shrimp run to Florida.

We got our lobsters from New London/Davisville.

At Andrews we'd head to Texas on a training mission to eat Mexican food at a place where we were the only gringos. It was just far enough to get the flight time in and be home by around 1600.