Alan C. Mack

So what we did is we had these little tiny chem lights, right? They look like maybe an inch, inch and a half long. You'd break those and you'd tape them into place over key instruments. And you had what was called blind cockpit drill. So every switch in the cockpit, you had to be able to find without looking at it because you've got these things on your face.

So what we did is we had these little tiny chem lights, right? They look like maybe an inch, inch and a half long. You'd break those and you'd tape them into place over key instruments. And you had what was called blind cockpit drill. So every switch in the cockpit, you had to be able to find without looking at it because you've got these things on your face.

And so you do that, and then you go do terrain flight that way, and terrain flight navigation. And so you're doing this whole progression. And what's interesting is the students from my timeframe We're kind of like the first ones to do this, not literally the first, but you know, that first year. And so when you get to your unit, all the old guys don't want to do it.

And so you do that, and then you go do terrain flight that way, and terrain flight navigation. And so you're doing this whole progression. And what's interesting is the students from my timeframe We're kind of like the first ones to do this, not literally the first, but you know, that first year. And so when you get to your unit, all the old guys don't want to do it.

And so you do that, and then you go do terrain flight that way, and terrain flight navigation. And so you're doing this whole progression. And what's interesting is the students from my timeframe We're kind of like the first ones to do this, not literally the first, but you know, that first year. And so when you get to your unit, all the old guys don't want to do it.

Like they're qualified to do it, but they're not proficient at it and they don't want to do it, right? And that's a whole story I'll get into with Desert Shield, Desert Storm. But so that's how flight school kind of goes. And when you finish up nights, and we used to fly unaided nights as well, they call it Nighthawk. So you'd fly at whatever safe altitude was, 300 feet, something like that.

Like they're qualified to do it, but they're not proficient at it and they don't want to do it, right? And that's a whole story I'll get into with Desert Shield, Desert Storm. But so that's how flight school kind of goes. And when you finish up nights, and we used to fly unaided nights as well, they call it Nighthawk. So you'd fly at whatever safe altitude was, 300 feet, something like that.

Like they're qualified to do it, but they're not proficient at it and they don't want to do it, right? And that's a whole story I'll get into with Desert Shield, Desert Storm. But so that's how flight school kind of goes. And when you finish up nights, and we used to fly unaided nights as well, they call it Nighthawk. So you'd fly at whatever safe altitude was, 300 feet, something like that.

You knew how tall the tallest obstacle was, and you flew at least 200 feet higher than that. And you'd fly around, and this is what the guys in Vietnam used to do. You'd fly in the dark without being able to see. You'd get to your fix, or maybe a Sandy would put a rocket down for you, and you'd go, oh, that's the LZ, right? and you go in there with a white searchlight on. And it can be tough.

You knew how tall the tallest obstacle was, and you flew at least 200 feet higher than that. And you'd fly around, and this is what the guys in Vietnam used to do. You'd fly in the dark without being able to see. You'd get to your fix, or maybe a Sandy would put a rocket down for you, and you'd go, oh, that's the LZ, right? and you go in there with a white searchlight on. And it can be tough.

You knew how tall the tallest obstacle was, and you flew at least 200 feet higher than that. And you'd fly around, and this is what the guys in Vietnam used to do. You'd fly in the dark without being able to see. You'd get to your fix, or maybe a Sandy would put a rocket down for you, and you'd go, oh, that's the LZ, right? and you go in there with a white searchlight on. And it can be tough.

And we did stuff without the searchlight, and they'd have chem lights in the LZ or maybe strobe lights or something like that. And as you came in on your approach, if you got any kind of blinking, That meant there was foliage between you and the object, and you would hold off on the descent until you could see it again, and you'd go in.

And we did stuff without the searchlight, and they'd have chem lights in the LZ or maybe strobe lights or something like that. And as you came in on your approach, if you got any kind of blinking, That meant there was foliage between you and the object, and you would hold off on the descent until you could see it again, and you'd go in.

And we did stuff without the searchlight, and they'd have chem lights in the LZ or maybe strobe lights or something like that. And as you came in on your approach, if you got any kind of blinking, That meant there was foliage between you and the object, and you would hold off on the descent until you could see it again, and you'd go in.

And it's funny because that's kind of a lost art now with everybody being so used to goggles.

And it's funny because that's kind of a lost art now with everybody being so used to goggles.

And it's funny because that's kind of a lost art now with everybody being so used to goggles.

Night vision hovering. Because you had to maintain a three-foot hover. And you did that, you didn't have a radar altimeter, right? A digital readout in the cockpit. You looked out through the chin bubble or the side door, and if you saw individual blades of grass,

Night vision hovering. Because you had to maintain a three-foot hover. And you did that, you didn't have a radar altimeter, right? A digital readout in the cockpit. You looked out through the chin bubble or the side door, and if you saw individual blades of grass,

Night vision hovering. Because you had to maintain a three-foot hover. And you did that, you didn't have a radar altimeter, right? A digital readout in the cockpit. You looked out through the chin bubble or the side door, and if you saw individual blades of grass,