Thank you for inspiring a young kid

[Shenzi]

I started this game sometime around 2010-2011 as a very young sim pilot.

I haven't played the game since 2017 or so but I felt inspired to post some pictures of working the dream in aviation. My love from aviation blossomed from the time I spent with you old timers on this game and I really wish I could live those days over again.

I joined the Air Force in 2020 with aspirations of becoming a fighter pilot in the future but fate does not always agree, 2020-2024 I got to work on KC-10s out of McGuire AFB (yuck) and since then Ive floated around companies until I landed a job at American as of recent. Now I get to enjoy working on Airbus A320's and Boeing 737, 787 and 777s.

Enjoy the pictures I might start a trend of randomly posting pictures here and there that I get from my time in aviation.

Buddies relaxing while doing a blade lube


I think this plane hit an albatross if im not mistaken


Me inside of a GE Cf-6 on the KC-10






My hand size comparison to a GenX General Electric Engine (Doesnt do it justice)


Dreamliner Cockpit


My size comparison to a KC-10 


Beautiful sunset caught on the flight line at ABE airport in upstate Pennsylvania 


Flaps full down KC-10 up in McGuire AFB


Chillin on a tire


Antonov spotting at SFB down in Florida!



Ill be sure to take better photos, these are the best sadly I deleted alot of my old photos to clear up space, thanks for the time guys

[icepac]

When someone mentions Sanford, I often see pics of the gate guard A5 Vigilante. 

There used to be a crestar/suntrust/truist bank building near the 417 exit in sanford that had a colony of “red head agama” lizards all over the building.

[Bolt]

Awesome pics Shenzi. Hope to see you back in our skies soon 

Icepac, you talking about Sanford in NC??

[Eagler]

Very cool 😎..thanks for sharing 

Eagler

[Oldman731]

Very cool 😎..thanks for sharing 

Agreed!

- oldman

[xTITANx]

outstanding!  Thanks for sharing...

[SIK1]

Thanks for your service.

 

[ZE]

Agree with all, great pics !! and thanks for your service 
ZE

[mERv]

Best post so far this year

Lets get you back from some pew pews and base takes. Surely you have some amount of free time. You dont need an expensive rig. I play on laptops myself. Not much eye candy but it works just fine.

WTG 

[Peabody]

Great story and pics. Thank you for your service.

[hazmatt]

Very cool. Haven't seen that many cool photos at once in a while.

Just wanted to let you know that real military planes have tailhooks.

[Shenzi]

Very cool. Haven't seen that many cool photos at once in a while.

Just wanted to let you know that real military planes have tailhooks.

Oh trust me I was raised out of NAS Lemoore for 18 years no one was a bigger navy brat than me  the navy really did its best to disqualify me for asthma (which I did not have). Even got a letter of recommendation from a Vice Admiral and no dice. Airforce it was.

[Brooke]

Nice!

If you want some excellent flying but once in a while, come join us in scenarios.  We run them only 2 times per year.

One is underway now, running tomorrow (April 18) and the next 2 Saturdays after that.  Bf 109G-14, Bf 109K-4 vs. La-5, Yak-3, Boston/A-20.

I fly Bostons/A-20's in it, which is great and fun if you are a bit rusty on air-to-air (or are a bomber/attack guy instead of a fighter guy).

[AKIron]

Very cool. Haven't seen that many cool photos at once in a while.

Just wanted to let you know that real military planes have tailhooks.

The USAF A-7Ds and F-4C and D models all had tailhooks. F-111s too I think. Likely some other Air Force jets did too.

[AKIron]

Brother flew with an ex F-18 Navy pilot and the guy set the passenger jet down on the runway like he was landing on a carrier. Brother said he never had a harder landing. Guy looked at him and said "that was pretty good".