The pilots are civilians but the FARC doesn't consider them any different than the U.S. military and considers them prisoners of war.
What war would that be? Prisoners of war, garbage. Hostages. Political hostages, hostages for ransom. Colombia has the highest kidnap and hostage rate of any country in the world...the chances of being kidnapped there are much higher than ever being "shot down." That effort is applied to civillian, military, clergy, whomever. Anybody that might have a shot at some political leverage or payola.
Of those that were taken, the rest were executed on site. War? Criminals. Drug runners, producers, growers. The job is a crop dusting job, treating weeds. Weeds are any undesirable plant, or any plant out of place...we flex our political muscles, tell growers what they will grow, and then deem the products they're growing to be weeds. We, the people, eliminate the weeds. It's that simple. Don't worry about wrapping your head around what's down there or the politics or risks, because you won't be going down there, and there are no openings to go down to.
Ya... the three plan ONAV we did last week, under 500' and running road reccie was completely terrifying (rolling eyes) I'm especially scared when I get to roll in on a target and kill it... go back to dragging rags or something, since it's such a fulfilling experience for you.
Patmack, you had the sense to drop the previous thread...but you were indeed the one who described your fear of low level operations. But don't take my word for it, brave warrior, killer or rags and cardboard targets...take your word for it:
Dragging rags helps you define your personal margin of saftey... and you'll say "holy sh!t" to yourself more than once. I lost several friends to accidents, and witnessed more than a few. I don't care what avbug says... it's not worth it
I get nervous being single engine below 1000' with an ejection seat under my ass, let along having to do it with no way out. Let me refer you to my dead friends to drive that point home.
When I'm down low, with very few options outside of pulling the handle should the sh!t hit the fan... yes I get nervous..
When I'm down low, with very few options outside of pulling the handle should the sh!t hit the fan... yes I get nervous.. but I also get the job done and try not to think about it. If flying around without and escape plan dosen't raise even a twinge of hair on the back of your neck, I hope for your family's sake your will and insurance are up to date, the day things go to hell on you, cuz it's happened to me when the motor conked out at 200' off the departure end, over a river/swamp. That feeling of no way out is not something I ever want to experience again, and wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. By the grace of god I was able to get it turning again, just long enough to get turned around and land on a closed/abandoned runway.
And for the record yes I do get nervous when my options are few... in a 30 million dollar, impecably maintained jet, running around on a low level, do I get the job done?
I'm a big pu55y because my acceptable level of risk dosen't involve flying a sh1tcan around at 300' dragging a coppertone rag, in something that can barely manage a 200 fpm climb.
Bottom line, I love running around down low as much as the next guy.. ya it's a crap load of fun...
That's really dramatic. And here you are, the one sucking on the horses mouth, who was all set to go down to Colombia with your friendly connections and take that job. I can't imagine that even you might believe you have any credibility as shelter, with some of your other posts...you tend to speak about things you do not know...clearly. I can only imagine how you would be in the field delivering chemicals when you're scared of towing a banner. Or is that nervous? Or was it Puffy? I can't recall. But I'll tell you this: I'm so impressed by your three plan ONAV under 500' and running road reccie, rolling in on targets and "killing" them has me so excited I'll probably need tranquilizers to sleep tonight. I dont know about anybody else, but I'm surely impressed. Takes my breath away.
Why not drop that ONAV exercise and go jump into one of those A-10's that the horses mouth told you about, the one who managed the F-117 program out of obscurity and who now manages Plan Colombia? You'll make more money, and you'll have a "crap load of fun, ya."
Of course, perhaps it's because if you really do know anything about the program as you seem to so loudly proclaim, then you'd know that in truth you would still be flying around in "a sh1tcan around at 300' in something that can barely manage a 200 fpm climb," the very thing that kills your friends and puts fear in the heart of mankind. Perhaps that's not why you're there, but instead killing evil imaginary targets in flight training as you prepare to start your career in the fleet. More than a few posters here have opined in the past that if your superiors had an inkling about some of the things you say here, you probably wouldn't be doing what you're doing right now. Crikey.
For the record, while not the pinnacle of excitement, I find towing a banner quite enjoyable.
