Why should this B-52 exercise be news?
Posted: 05 Nov 2008, 18:04
From AF Daily Report 5 Nov 08
BUFF Fest: For the first time in more than four years, B-52H bombers and their crews from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., and 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, La., came together Oct. 28 at Minot to participate in a combined, rapid-launch training drill. A total of seven B-52s from the wings gathered for the event, which occurred under the auspices of Minot's Prairie Vigilance 09-2, a week-long series of aircraft generation/employment and aircrew testing/certification exercises to validate the 5th BW's ability to execute its emergency war order mission. "We were able to mass rapid and decisive firepower," Lt. Col. Rolando Diaz Jr., chief of 5th BW plans and programs, said of the joint drill. He continued, "Our combined forces successfully integrated to perform this important mission. It was definitely a team success." (Minot report by Maj. Elizabeth Ortiz)
In the Good Old Days of SAC, this was a routine event for an ORI. It was called the Minimum Interval Take-Off (MITO). It was a graded event and something people would come out to watch. The desired interval was 15 seconds between aircraft. I recall a couple of times when we were #3 in the stream. Turbulence was at its peak for #3. I remember seeing the pilots with the yoke deflected fully and the airplane rolling in the opposite direction. You kept the gear down for stability and just hung on until you cleared the wake of the first two airplanes. Fun!!
BUFF Fest: For the first time in more than four years, B-52H bombers and their crews from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., and 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, La., came together Oct. 28 at Minot to participate in a combined, rapid-launch training drill. A total of seven B-52s from the wings gathered for the event, which occurred under the auspices of Minot's Prairie Vigilance 09-2, a week-long series of aircraft generation/employment and aircrew testing/certification exercises to validate the 5th BW's ability to execute its emergency war order mission. "We were able to mass rapid and decisive firepower," Lt. Col. Rolando Diaz Jr., chief of 5th BW plans and programs, said of the joint drill. He continued, "Our combined forces successfully integrated to perform this important mission. It was definitely a team success." (Minot report by Maj. Elizabeth Ortiz)
In the Good Old Days of SAC, this was a routine event for an ORI. It was called the Minimum Interval Take-Off (MITO). It was a graded event and something people would come out to watch. The desired interval was 15 seconds between aircraft. I recall a couple of times when we were #3 in the stream. Turbulence was at its peak for #3. I remember seeing the pilots with the yoke deflected fully and the airplane rolling in the opposite direction. You kept the gear down for stability and just hung on until you cleared the wake of the first two airplanes. Fun!!
