HTLI-Kikwetu Airport, Lindi,Tanzania

An exciting day (for me at least - lol). I finished my 100 flight hours (actually 103 hours) by landing at HTMT--Mtwara Airport, Mtwara, Tanzania. I also completed the last 3 World Heritage Sites (including the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara) in Tanzania. So as I was getting along the shoreline heading to my landing, I pondered that for a Navy trainer, I haven't gotten carrier qualified, and by happenstance The USS Gerald Ford is cruising off the coast.... hmm. So I did a flyby in honor of the Texan's history and I was invited by Captain Rick "Powder" Burgess to get Carrier Qualified before I pack the Texan up and ship it back to Hawaii for lots of mechanical TLC! STOKED!!!!!!!

We agreed on a bit of an abbreviated qualification process because there are no IFLOLs which is the Improved Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System (IFLOLS) Mk 14 in Tanzania. So they are going to loan three of their LSOs (Landing Safety Officers) to rotate flying in the back seat and we will coordinate some land practice runs at HTLI-Lindi Airport (not as busy as HTMT), and if all three approve, I will get to then begin carrier qualification which includes: a maximum of 16 Day landings... 4 T&G and then I have to score 10 arrested landings. If I pass that then they will add 8 night arrested landings of 12 attempts. It's "close" to their current standards but because of several factors... including that this is an old aircraft and old pilot, they won't pound me too hard.Read more