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own separate flight, Biker One. I rolled out four miles in trail of Dusty One just as they beganthe penetration.I reported the initial approach fix and Arrival clearedme for the high dive. Throttles retarded to just above idle, I could hold 300 KIAS for the 30-mile descentto Tyndall’s overhead pattern. The storm ahead appeared to be just north of the runways but I couldn’t perceive any movementfrom that distance.Just then, the SOF-in-the-box announced that arrivals would be on hold beginning in two minutes while the active runway was switched from 31 to 13. Great, I thought, that probably means the storm is passing to the east.Tyndall Arrival began issuing vectors to the west to the flights ahead of me. A 270 heading would put them on a wide right downwind for landing 13. One by one we were handed off to Tyndall Approach for sequencing into the overhead pattern.“Tyndall is now IFR,” announced Approach on the common frequency.“All aircraft expect PAR approaches to full stop.” The only ILS Tyndall had was 31R. I began slowing to 250 knots, radar pattern airspeed. Ahead of me, Dusty One told Dusty Two (Wilsbach) to fly his own radar pattern while he (Bambi) followed in two-mile trail. Approach gave Dusty Two his own discreet squawk and vectored him 240. The flight ahead of Dusty Two was turned to 030 for the radar base leg.I leveled off at 2,000 feet, about four miles offshore abeam the airfield. From my angle, it didn’t appear that the storm had moved to the east at all. It looked like it was just spreading out, growing wider at its base. In fact, I couldn’t see anything of Tyndall except afaint outline of the hangars. Tyndall Approach told Dusty Two to turn right to 030, base leg. I watched him make the turn six miles ahead of me on the radar display and thenpicked him up visually in the turn. I crossed my fingers.Half a minute later, Dusty One was given a vector to 030. Simultaneously, the SOF announced that Tyndall was now closed due to winds and visibility, and all aircraft should expect to hold for fifteen minutes or proceed to alternates. By alternates he meant our divert bases. None of our flight plans that day required alternates. Approach repeated his words verbatim a moment later.“Dusty Two, go cheap suit.” Bambi was sending Wilsbach to their pre- briefed discreet frequency, one he hadn’t told me about! “Shotgun” I knew – thirty-ought-six, or 300.60. What the hell is a cheap suit? Had to start with a 2 or a 3...$29.95! I spun my frequency to 299.50 just in time to hear the end of Bambi’s query,” – state?” “About a thousand,” Wilsbach answered.About a thousand pounds of fuel, I thought. What does that mean? If he had eleven hundred wouldn’t he say that? I looked at my own fuel gauge: 2,100. Wilsbach had a thousand less than me when we left the area. Maybe he does have 1,100 pounds remaining. No, he’s been flying on Bambi’s wing since we left the area. If he had 950 or 920 he might answer “about a thousand,” not if he had more than a thousand.I switched back to Approach in time to hear Bambi transmit, “Dusty Two, come left to 300. Approach, Dusty One and Two are proceeding direct Eglin, emergency fuel, cancel IFR.” Caught by surprise, Approach hesitated a second and I jumped in. “Bambi, Waldo. He doesn’t have the gas to get there! Take him into Panama City. It’s right there in the clear. Tower is two fifty-seven nothing.” Fanin Field’s longest runway was over 6,000 feet, plentyfor the F-15. “’Kay, thanks.” Bambi didn’t sound too grateful for the advice, though.Well, they made the local news that night. Not for heroically saving the taxpayers $54 million dollars’ worth of combat flying equipment, but for causing some $15,000 damage to the Panama City airport. Wilsbach made it down just fine with at least enough gas to taxi to the ramp. Bambi, concerned about landing on Brick One, dragged it in and took out some approach lights with his wheels. Hero to goat in five seconds flat!Nobody ever claimed that great fighter pilots have to be naturally great pilots. The fighter pilot’s job, ultimately, is•killing people we don’t like and breaking their stuff. The flying part, that’s just the commute to the job site. But maybe we should work on that. T&TGary Peppers is a 15,000-hour ATP who holds CFI, CFII, heli- copter, and B-737 type ratings. He served 29 years on active duty from 1971, flying Army UH-1 and OH-58 helicopters and Air Force F-15s and OV- 10s. Recalled to active duty in 2009, he flew MQ-1B Predators in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Retired in 2013 to Cape Coral, Florida, he owns a Piper PA-31 Navajo and a PA-24 Comanche.APRIL 2015TWIN & TURBINE • 23