Hello everyone! I'm thrilled to make my debut in the 93rd squadron! Last night, I successfully completed my pilot check ride, and to my delight, I've been welcomed as one of the three newest members of this exceptional group. I'm eager to contribute my passion and expertise to our collective success. It's a fortuitous twist of fate that I stumbled upon ED's announcement about the 303rd, just when I was searching for a squadron that shares my interest in flying virtual vipers employing realistic tactics.
My interest in flight simulation dates back to the '90s when I first dipped my toes into Falcon 3.0 on a friend's trusty 486 computer. Though life's demands temporarily grounded my flight simming in the early 2000s due to career and growing family, it came back life in 2018 when I discovered the immersive world of VR and DCS. It was a revelation! Im an inactive member of the DCS 362nd FS, a WWII-focused group specializing in the P51 Mustang. The camaraderie, training, and team tactics of the 362nd were awe-inspiring and made my time there truly enjoyable. However, as time passed, activity within the squadron dwindled, especially after the closure of the Storm of War server. Consequently, I joined forces with a small unincorporated group of enthusiasts to sharpen my skills with the Viper. Inspired by events like https://dcsredflag.com/, we've been steadily adding realism to our operations. Still, we were hesitant to create a new squadron, knowing the tremendous effort it entails. So when the 303rd announcement came along, I leaped at the opportunity. A shout-out to Pappy, one of my regular wingmen, who's gearing up for his interview later this week. Best of luck, Pappy!
A bit about me: I call Omaha, Nebraska, my home, where I work in Information Technology, focusing on AWS (Amazon's cloud). Approaching 50, I'm a proud husband and father of four adult children. My journey in aviation includes service in the USAF as an F16 electrical and environmental systems specialist, stationed at Misawa, Japan (14 FS), and Hill AFB (421 FS). After my active service, I continued as a reservist in the 419 FS at Hill AFB. An unforgettable highlight was a TDY to Eglin AFB, where I scored an incentive ride in a Viper, experiencing the full spectrum of its capabilities, from Mach 1.1 to 9.4Gs—truly awesome! I'm also an instrument-rated private pilot with over 1200 hours of flight time, primarily in a Bonanza A36, which I reluctantly parted with a decade ago. During my ownership of the Bonanza, I reveled in the joy of formation flying with a group of like-minded enthusiasts that regularly few Bos in formation, an experience that I'll always cherish. Though my real-life flights have become sporadic these days, my passion for flying remains unwavering.
edit - I forgot to mention that I am a motorcycle nut. I love it all - offroad, adventure and long distance cruising. Including that in case anyone else shares that hobby.
I'm eagerly looking forward to taking to the virtual skies with all of you, and I can't wait to share our flying adventures together. Here's to exciting missions and camaraderie among the clouds! Cheers!
My interest in flight simulation dates back to the '90s when I first dipped my toes into Falcon 3.0 on a friend's trusty 486 computer. Though life's demands temporarily grounded my flight simming in the early 2000s due to career and growing family, it came back life in 2018 when I discovered the immersive world of VR and DCS. It was a revelation! Im an inactive member of the DCS 362nd FS, a WWII-focused group specializing in the P51 Mustang. The camaraderie, training, and team tactics of the 362nd were awe-inspiring and made my time there truly enjoyable. However, as time passed, activity within the squadron dwindled, especially after the closure of the Storm of War server. Consequently, I joined forces with a small unincorporated group of enthusiasts to sharpen my skills with the Viper. Inspired by events like https://dcsredflag.com/, we've been steadily adding realism to our operations. Still, we were hesitant to create a new squadron, knowing the tremendous effort it entails. So when the 303rd announcement came along, I leaped at the opportunity. A shout-out to Pappy, one of my regular wingmen, who's gearing up for his interview later this week. Best of luck, Pappy!
A bit about me: I call Omaha, Nebraska, my home, where I work in Information Technology, focusing on AWS (Amazon's cloud). Approaching 50, I'm a proud husband and father of four adult children. My journey in aviation includes service in the USAF as an F16 electrical and environmental systems specialist, stationed at Misawa, Japan (14 FS), and Hill AFB (421 FS). After my active service, I continued as a reservist in the 419 FS at Hill AFB. An unforgettable highlight was a TDY to Eglin AFB, where I scored an incentive ride in a Viper, experiencing the full spectrum of its capabilities, from Mach 1.1 to 9.4Gs—truly awesome! I'm also an instrument-rated private pilot with over 1200 hours of flight time, primarily in a Bonanza A36, which I reluctantly parted with a decade ago. During my ownership of the Bonanza, I reveled in the joy of formation flying with a group of like-minded enthusiasts that regularly few Bos in formation, an experience that I'll always cherish. Though my real-life flights have become sporadic these days, my passion for flying remains unwavering.
edit - I forgot to mention that I am a motorcycle nut. I love it all - offroad, adventure and long distance cruising. Including that in case anyone else shares that hobby.
I'm eagerly looking forward to taking to the virtual skies with all of you, and I can't wait to share our flying adventures together. Here's to exciting missions and camaraderie among the clouds! Cheers!
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