Farnborough Air Show is 'something to tell grandkids'

FARNBOROUGH, England -- Nitan Vadher and Seema Chudasama seal their engagement with a kiss beside aircraft No. 8157. Mr. Vadher proposed to Ms. Chudasama on the flight deck of the C-130J "Flying Jennies" aircraft July 20, 2008, during the Farnborough Air Show in England. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Chad E. Gibson)

Farnborough Air Show 'something to tell grandkids'

FARNBOROUGH, England -- Before he popped the question, Nitan Vadher gave a rose to his bride-to-be, Seema Chudasama, on the flight deck of a C-130J during the Farnborough Air Show 2008 in England. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Chad E. Gibson)

Dreams of Flying

Senior Master Sgt. Eric Gassiott of the 815th Airlift Squadron gives Samuel Stevens of Hungary a tour of a Flying Jennies C-130J. Samuel, wearing a C-130J pin on his jacket, loved learning about aviation. "This is why we do air shows," said Maj. Chad Gibson, chief of public affairs for the 403rd Wing. "The dreams of kids are created here." In July, Sergeant Gassiott, Major Gibson and other reservists from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., showcased the transport aircraft at the Farnborough Air Show in England, the largest air show in the world with more than a quarter of a million visitors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Chad Gibson)

AEG drops fire retardant on Corral fire

Slurry pours from the back of a C-130 Hercules aircraft June 28 after dropping a load of fire retardant on the Corral fire located more than 180 miles north of Sacramento, Calif. As of 6:30 p.m. June 28, aircrews had seven missions against the fire, dropping 21,000 gallons of fire retardant. The 302nd AEG is made up of two Air National Guard units, including the 153rd AW, from Cheyenne, Wyo., and the 145th AW, Charlotte, N.C. One Air Force Reserve unit, the 302nd AW from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is the only Air Force Reserve unit in the 302nd AEG. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Martin)

Total Force partners with Soldiers in Operation Toy Drop

Sicily Drop Zone at Fort Bragg, N.C. -- A jumpmaster checks a soldier's parachute during Operation Toy Drop. The exercise also included jumpmasters from Canada, Chile and Ireland, and active duty and Reserve paratroopers and Airmen from the U.S. The 440th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, supported the combined joint exercise with C-130 airlift. More than 1050 paratroopers jumped during the exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Susan Parent)

Total Force partners with Soldiers in Operation Toy Drop

Sicily Drop Zone at Fort Bragg, N.C. -- An Air Force Reserve C-130 flown by 95th Airlift Squadron crews drops paratroopers during Operation Toy Drop. The exercise included jumpmasters from Canada, Chile and Ireland, and active duty and Reserve paratroopers and Airmen from the U.S. More than 1,050 paratroopers jumped during the exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Susan Parent)

Total Force partners with Soldiers in Operation Toy Drop

Paratroopers free-fall to the ground as Capt. Adam Shockley, a navigator with the 43rd Airlift Wing, listens on the ground during Operation Toy Drop. The 440th Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, supported the combined joint exercise with C-130 airlift. More than 1,050 paratroopers jumped during the exercise held at the Sicily Drop Zone at Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Ann Peru Knabe)

Where's the fire?

July - Sep 2000 -- Air Force Reserve firefighting aircraft and aircrews quenched wildfires in California, Idaho and Montana, flying C-130s equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems. Here, an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules MAFFS aircraft assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., drops fire retardant chemicals on the "Big Crow" wildfire in southwestern Idaho. The 302nd, along with the 146th AW, California Air National Guard, deployed to Boise, Id., to contain wildfires there before they could become major fires. The 302nd again fought wildfires in California in 2007.

C-130s fight California wildfires

Approximately 3,000 gallons of fire retardant is deployed Oct. 24 over the Poomacha Fire in North San Diego County, Calif. The C-130 Hercules and crew are assigned to the 302nd Airlift Wing from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The aircraft launched from Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Calif. Air Force Reserve Command officials sent two of its designated firefighting C-130H3 aircraft to help battle the raging wildfires in Southern California. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Roy. A. Santana)

C-130 Transformation

Col. Merle D. Hart, 440th Airlift Wing commander, is a master navigator with more than 5,500 flying hours to his credit. He has flown in many major worldwide contingencies during the past two decades and has served in a variety of enlisted and officer positions throughout his active duty and Air Force Reserve career. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Bagram 'first'

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A C-5 Galaxy, the Air Force's largest airlift platform, landed here without interruption to flight operations for the first time Sept. 21. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Master Sgt. Jamie Cabral)

McChord C-17 popular at Russian air show

A view from the tail of a C-17 Globemaster III shows just some of the thousands of people who visited the Moscow International Air Show Aug. 26 in Zhukovsky, Russia. The C-17, from the Air Force Reserve Command's 446th Airlift Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., was among several U.S. Air Force aircraft featured at the air show that drew more than 500,000 visitors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Pamela A.Q. Cook)

All Clear to load

Staff Sgt. Shawna Warren, a Reserve loadmaster with the 433rd Airlift Wing, gives a thumbs up to Senior Master Sgt. Gary Hochenberger as he drives a backhoe onto an Alamo Wing C-5A. Senior Airman Ionatana Cipili and Sergeant Warren loaded eight various construction vehicles into the cargo hold of the C-5. The equipment, stored in Hawaii, is being transferred to the Washoe Tribe in Nevada as part of a Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office program to provide much needed equipment to organizations like the Washoe Tribe. Equipment is used for wildfire prevention, infastructure repair and construction and transporting the valuable machinery gives practical, realistic training to military members while they meet the needs of organizations around the country. (US Air Force Photo/ Staff Sgt. Carlos Trevino)

Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 begins

A maintainer looks as National Science Foundation Members get off a C-17 Globemaster III during the Operation Deep Freeze winter fly-in around the Pegasus Runway Aug. 20 in Antarctica. A C-17 and 31 Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., began the annual winter fly-in augmentation of scientists, support personnel, food and equipment for the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. WinFly is the opening of the first flights to McMurdo Station, which closed for the austral winter in February. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 begins

Loadmasters unload a pallet from their C-17 Globemaster III during the winter fly-in for Operation Deep Freeze Aug. 20 at Pegasus Runway in Antarctica. A C-17 and 31 Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., began the annual winter fly-in augmentation of scientists, support personnel, food and equipment for the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. WinFly is the opening of the first flights to McMurdo Station, which closed for the austral winter in February. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 begins

National Science Foundation members get off a C-17 Globemaster III after a winter fly-in mission for Operation Deep Freeze Aug. 20 at Pegasus Runway in Antarctica. A C-17 and 31 Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., began the annual winter fly-in augmentation of scientists, support personnel, food and equipment for the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. WinFly is the opening of the first flights to McMurdo Station, which closed for the austral winter in February. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 begins

Members of the National Science Foundation load onto a C-17 Globemaster III for a winter fly-in mission during Operation Deep Freeze Aug. 20 at Christchurch, New Zealand. A C-17 and 31 Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., began the annual winter fly in augmentation of scientists, support personnel, food and equipment for the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. WinFly is the opening of the first flights to McMurdo station, which closed for the austral winter in February. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Operation Deep Freeze 2007-08 begins

Members of the National Science Foundation load supplies on a C-17 Globemaster III for a winter fly-in mission during Operation Deep Freeze Aug. 20 at Christchurch, New Zealand. A C-17 and 31 Airmen from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., began the annual winter flight in augmentation of scientist, support personnel, food and equipment for the U.S. Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. WinFly is the opening of the first flights to McMurdo Station, which closed for the austral winter in February. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Hurricane Season Arrives

The Citizen Airmen of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" mark the start of the hurricane season on June 1 by keeping an eye on disturbances in the Pacific and Caribbean. The Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, the only operational hurricane reconnaissance squadron in the world, started early this year when they flew Subtropical Storm Andrea in early May. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration predicts 13 to 17 named storms with seven to 10 becoming hurricanes. This season, the state-of-the-art WC-130J will be equipped with the Stepped-Frequency Microwave Radiometer, which continuously measures surface winds and rainfall rates occurring below the aircraft. The data collected by the Hurricane Hunters increase the accuracy of the National Hurricane Center Forecast up to 30 percent. (Air Force Photo/ Tech. Sgt. James Pritchett)

WC-130J "Hurricane Hunter" Aircraft

WC-130J "Hurricane Hunter" Aircraft flies over coastline

Hurricane Hunters Ready for 2007 Season

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" are ready to fly into the 2007 Hurricane Season. The Air Force Reserve squadron is part of the 403rd Wing at Keesler AFB, Miss. This year, the planes will be equipped with the Stepped-Frequency Microwave Radiometer, which continuously measures the wind speed at the surface. The data collected by the Hurricane Hunters increase the accuracy of the National Hurricane Center Forecast by 30 percent. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett)

Djibouti air ops

Senior Airman Mark Victor prepares an HC-130P for take off March 28 at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, Africa, during a recent mission. Since May of 2003, Camp Lemonier has been the staging area for the combined joint task force that has built numerous schools, clinics and hospitals. The task force has also accomplished dozens of medical and dental exercises and humanitarian assistance missions. Airman Victor is a loadmaster deployed from the 39th Rescue Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Daren Reehl)

C-119 a big player in 'Chutes and Cargo'

An Air Force C-119 "Flying Boxcar," once considered the workhorse of the Air Force Reserve, was part of the Continental Air Command's first Airlift Rodeo on Oct. 5, 1956. (U.S. Air Force/file photo)

C-17 Arrival

Brigadier Gen. Buddy Reed presents the Key to Travis's newest C-17 to Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Eckert, 860th AMXS and Tech Sgt. Jesus Garza 945th AMXS (Reserve). The arriving C-17 is the second of thirteen that will be stationed at Travis. Photo by David W. Cushman GS-11