Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Monday morning on Eyewitness News Today, we'll begin a series of news reports on the recent deployment of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base to Iraq.
Our colleague, Kerry Barrett, is married to an F-16 pilot in the group. She has chronicled the intensive preparations for the mission, from the viewpoint of not only a journalist, but a spouse.
Tonight, she begins the series with an up-close look of the rigors of flying.
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot: "You should feel the afterburner there. That should push you back in the seat a bit"
"Here we go up to 10- thousand."
"This is a little harder than it looks."
Kerry Barrett: "I can imagine."
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot: There's actually only about three feet of space between us."
Kerry Barrett: "How long could you go without refueling? I mean I know it depends on how fast you're going..."
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot:"Ah.. We can go two and a half.. Maybe three hours at regular cruising altitudes."
Kerry Barrett "I'm gonna get out a vomit bag.. Just in case (laughs)."
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot: "Ok... I'm gonna yaw just a little bit... Isn't that cool...
Kerry Barrett: "Very cool."
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot: "Ok.. We're gonna do a g-check.. We're gonna turn 90 degrees to the right,
Kerry Barrett: "Ok."
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot: "4 g's ok, here we go.. G's coming. (breathing) You doing ok? Coming back ok. Whew"
"Ok.. What you're feeling you normally wouldn't feel this in a 737, those tiny little bumps. But, this is such a light load aircraft it's like the difference between Cadillac and a Porsche."
"What an unrestricted climb will do is sit you on your back. We're gonna sit almost straight up, ok."
"Ok. Here we go. Ok, now you can look outside.
Kerry Barrett: "Wow .."
Lt. Col. Thomas "Nogas" Reichert, Pilot: That's an unrestricted climmb. That's an unrestricted climb. You can't do that in a 737!"
"How was that?
Kerry Barrett: "Awesome. Thank you"
Kerry's series will also give a unique opportunity to meet two families, both going through the deployment, but from very different perspectives.
Monday morning on Eyewitness News Today we'll introduce you to the Gerlings.
