Did I Really Just Get to Fly in a KC135 for work?

Imagine it’s June in Estonia, and it’s Friday morning. The sun is up, the sky is clear with puffed clouds here and there, the air is full of lilac scent, it’s warm and mild and you are dutifully in the office, tapping away on the keyboard, sending an occasional longing glance toward your window and the summer skies just outside. “There’s a chance we both might get to go,” a colleague of mine says as she makes an appearance on my doorstep and I light up right there. “Really? Like, really-really?” I can barely contain myself from jumping up and down. “Sure,” she says. “Let’s meet in my office in ten, I should know more by then.”

She is talking about an opportunity to fly on board a U.S. Air Force KC135, an aerial refueling tanker, which is at Ämari airbase for the Saber Strike 2013 event. As someone in the Embassy working mostly with cultural and educational affairs, it isn’t often that I get a glimpse of military affairs, much less to fly in an aircraft. I’ve always loved flying, having spent decent amount of time in Ridali glider airfield in South Estonia as a kid and harboring keen interest in planes of all sorts as a dorky teenager. So, naturally, I’m getting more and more excited as I walk towards my colleague’s office to get a confirmation from our military colleague that yes, both of us are welcome on the 2:30 flight from the Ämari airfield. And soon we’re on our way. She is driving and I’m chattering happily away as we approach, tapping my feet and checking the skies every so often. She laughs, as I struggle with trying to figure out how to take pictures with the camera and my iPhone at the same time.

We are accompanying U.S. Ambassador Jeff Levine and DCM Robert Gilchrist as they are greeted at the airfield by Estonian and U.S. military officials and walked through the terminal. As we emerge from the other side, the view is spectacular. The airfield is filled with planes – I can recognize the A-10’s and from the distance I spot the KC-135, which looks even more impressive in real life than in the numerous press pictures that have been floating around in the media these days. Men and women in uniforms are to be seen everywhere and I spot someone wearing a Saber Strike t-shirt. We still have about 45 minutes until the flight and I get to see the planes close up as the pilots explain more about the complicated machinery they are operating on daily basis. 

Ambassador Levine checking out a cockpit. Seems the pilot is a Ravens fan!

In attempt to record as much as possible, I snap pictures and simply cannot resist the temptation to immediately share them with closest friends (thanks, smartphones!) with, I suspect, a slightly annoying caption like “look at me posing nonchalantly with a USAF plane.” But, being loyal friends, they dutifully cheer. Two A-10’s are whizzing past for the take-off.

A few more minutes and the boarding is announced. We climb the stairs and are welcomed on board by the friendly crew, who invites us to walk around and check out the cockpit and the plane before we get ready to be seated and given a security briefing. We’re asked to take seats as the aircraft is taxiing towards the runway. The friendly and cheery crew pilot Major Hilary O. Ayanru explains the history of the aircraft and delivers statistics with impressive data. Suddenly the engines roar, force pulls us deeper into the seats and we are airborne. After climbing to 16,000 feet, we are allowed to roam around, check the view from the windows and snap pictures from cockpit, including of ourselves posing happily with pilots flying the aircraft in background. 

Ambassador Levine in the cockpit of the KC 135

Flight deck and instrument panels are a dizzying mix of controls for someone used to the modest instrument panel of the Blanik L-13 glider. The massive wings, seen from the small side windows, carry the aircraft and its fuel load through the enormous cumulus clouds and occasionally we are asked to return to our seats while passing the turbulent air. The view from the cockpit as well as from the boom operator view is awesome. I spot the coastline and Haapsalu. We keep snapping photos and Major Ayanru shows us some amazing pics of his own taken on a flight over Tallinn.

The pilots announce some bad weather ahead of us and it’s time to return to the base. The descent is surprisingly fast and soon we’re touching the runway. Only then do I glance my watch and realize that we actually enjoyed quite a lengthy flight of almost an hour and a half. We take some more group pictures with the excellent crew and it’s time to leave the military airfield to return to our daily routines. On our way back we constantly keep wondering what it would be like to be a pilot. Daydreaming like kids, really, but now with an actual experience to share.

Post by Cultural Assistant Jane Susi

Photos by Jane Susi and Media Assistant Mairis Tuisk