View Full Version : Landing in OKC (personal video)



AFCM
05-03-2009, 09:10 PM
The following is a copy/paste from the video description section:

On the 4th of April, I was returning from a tour of duty in Israel. The trip was kick-a**, but something really cool was in store for my return back to my home of OKC. My uncle was the crew chief aboard the USAF KC-135 and he arranged for me to sit in the cockpit during the last 45 minutes of the flight, to include the landing.

As you can imagine, my disk space was nearly empty after shooting so many photos in Israel. So, as we approached the metro, my camera indicated it had only about two and a half minutes of video (or about 100 +/- left). I timed everything perfectly and was able to shoot the landing, just before the camera terminated the recording. I wish I could have taped more. :( Anyways, the weather was a little gloomy outside and we were landing about 9pm, so it is a little dark.

For those of you who might be concerned, the video contains no sensitive information. I cleared my recording with the aircraft commander and was given permission to post the video on YouTube. So, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. Please return to your designated seat, fasten your belt and enjoy your descent as we land in Oklahoma City.

YouTube - Oklahoma City Landing (Cockpit of KC 135) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LJfUvZPASo)

This is a view many might never see: a shot from the cockpit of a KC-135. I apologize about the poor quality, but YouTube uploads seem to come out worse than the originals. I believe a code exists that one can type at the end of the url to view the video in HD. Enjoy!

theabg
05-03-2009, 09:35 PM
Wow thats cool - the closest I'll ever to come to that is MS Flight Simulator.

Karried
05-03-2009, 09:40 PM
That was awesome.. the only view I ever get is out the side windows!

Thanks for taking the time to share that with us.

AFCM
05-03-2009, 09:44 PM
Thank you for being nice. I know it's not the most exciting video on YouTube. However, that the footage of my favorite city was shot from the vantage point of a KC-135 makes it unique -- boring, but unique.

Doug Loudenback
05-03-2009, 09:44 PM
Very nice ... the annotations were helpful.

Is this the aircraft?

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/transport-m/c135/kc135r_01.jpg

Thunder
05-03-2009, 10:00 PM
There is a HQ button to view it. The quality looks just great to me and smooth.

That was an awesome view of the landing.

AFCM
05-03-2009, 10:19 PM
Very nice ... the annotations were helpful.

Is this the aircraft?

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/transport-m/c135/kc135r_01.jpg

That's it! In fact, that's a photo of a "heavy" that belonged to my old base, Mountain Home AFB. Note the "MO" (which stands for Mountain Home) on the tail. Usually, tail identifiers and location are considered sensitive information, but the aircraft is no longer stationed in Idaho. Back in 2002, Mountain Home was considered an Air Expeditionary Wing, which meant the base could pick up from Idaho and transplant everything -- from fighter jets, cargo planes, refuelers, to bombers-- to our deployed location. Shortly after my arrival to the base, we lost the cargos, refuelers and bombers to BRAC and were left with fighters. I'm sorry for getting all nostalgic on you, but seeing those tails brings back a lot of memories.

Doug Loudenback
05-03-2009, 10:41 PM
Odd that I selected an image that had history with you. I merely googled KC-135 for images and picked one of many that were available. Ohmmmm.....

Karried
05-03-2009, 10:48 PM
doooo doooo do do

(that's supposed to be Twilight Zone music.. lol )

AFCM
05-03-2009, 10:55 PM
Odd that I selected an image that had history with you. I merely googled KC-135 for images and picked one of many that were available. Ohmmmm.....

It certainly is odd. What's funny is the aircraft seems to have followed me from Idaho to Oklahoma, because of BRAC. We (the Oklahoma Air National Guard) gained the KC-135 after losing our C-130s to BRAC. I think the KC-135 is fitting because it looks like our state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, when it extends its fueling attachment.

NativeOkie
05-04-2009, 12:22 AM
Okay,
I am horribly homesick now, I have traveled that path hundreds of times in a C130.
Nothing like the One Seven approach coming home.

Thanks for the memory I must be honest i miss the turbo prop noise.

kevinpate
05-04-2009, 06:34 AM
Enjoyed the ride.

Martin
05-04-2009, 06:51 AM
that was pretty cool. -M

workman45
05-04-2009, 04:22 PM
It does bring back memories. Reminds me of when I got to spend some time in a B-52 simulator. The only thing better would be a figher sim, talk about the ultimate ground bound toys. I even got it on the ground in one piece once, not bad for a 'grunt'.

atlanta159
05-10-2009, 06:30 PM
I enjoyed that. Thanks.

BoulderSooner
05-11-2009, 09:14 AM
That's it! In fact, that's a photo of a "heavy" that belonged to my old base, Mountain Home AFB. Note the "MO" (which stands for Mountain Home) on the tail. Usually, tail identifiers and location are considered sensitive information, but the aircraft is no longer stationed in Idaho. Back in 2002, Mountain Home was considered an Air Expeditionary Wing, which meant the base could pick up from Idaho and transplant everything -- from fighter jets, cargo planes, refuelers, to bombers-- to our deployed location. Shortly after my arrival to the base, we lost the cargos, refuelers and bombers to BRAC and were left with fighters. I'm sorry for getting all nostalgic on you, but seeing those tails brings back a lot of memories.


great video .. that is a great experience that i have enjoyed a couple of times ..

just a note in no way are tail identifiers "sensitive information"

air force tail descriptions .. Weapons (http://www.af.mil/news/airman/0106/tail.shtml)

DaveSkater
05-11-2009, 12:01 PM
AWESOME!

At 13 seconds into the video, you were flying right over my head. My shop's on the CL of 17r/35l.


Thanks for sharing!

OUman
05-13-2009, 05:55 PM
Great video, I've always wondered what it's like landing at TIK. I always see the 135s, F-18s, AWACS and other military transports flying over my neighbourhood when the winds are northerly (traffic pattern's south to north) and thus require RWY 35 approaches. Nice to see one from the flightdeck though, good stuff!

Kerry
05-13-2009, 09:26 PM
Wow thats cool - the closest I'll ever to come to that is MS Flight Simulator.

Very cool indeed. On a related note, I always forgot to put the landing gear down on MS Flight Simulator and usually landed in Lake Michigan after missing the approach at Meighs Field.