The BIG mish!

A few days ago we got to fly a really important mission with the Afghan National Army Air Corp. The US Ambassador to Afghanistan, his wife, Afghanistan's Minister of the Interior, the Provincial Governor of Herat and some other important people...and the press (they being the opposite of important). 

The Afghan National Border Patrol was opening a new border crossing facility and the US Embassy wanted to high light the ANAAC's success and the successes of the American Mentor aircrews.

So there we were, 3 days out and some people call us and say get ready to do this big mission...super secret passengers. And then they called and said never mind, then someone else called and said 'plan for this big mission...but it's a secret'. Then they said never mind. Then some other people called and asked if we'd heard about the secret mission coming our way...and then they said never mind It was awesome.

Less than 24 hours out...we got the 'for sure' call.

So we went. In a three ship, 2 ANAAC and one Columbian registered Mi-8 contracted by the Army Corp of Engineers. We planned, briefed and flew it...

This me and our Flight Engineer, he's happy now that I've promised to not touch any switches in his helicopter...

Us and the Columbians

We made it, all three on time and to the right location! The parking lot of the new border crossing facility. Me and the pilot. He's a good guy...but always serious looking. So I tell him to smile, at least 17 times a day. That makes him smile.

Mai Tai and our interpreter. We can't show his face. These guys put themselves and their families at considerable risk helping the Americans. They are brave men and crucial to our success in Afghanistan.

This is pretty painted water tower was a few hundred meters to our west...it's painted like a flag.

Oh yeah, that flag...it's the Iranian flag.

So we flew a little too close to their water tower...and threw a ham out the window. It caused an international incident. Please send us food...and beer.

I didn't do it...crazy eyes here, he did it.

Okay, just kidding...we were goofing around in the new Border Crossing building. They had jail cells for smugglers. We took turns locking each other up.  I think the Ambassador assumed he had flown up with a professional crew. But hey! At least we landed on the right side of the border!

Our guys, the aircrews...we're pretty proud of them. It was a great day for the Afghan Air Corp.

This is Crazy Eyes checking out some of Gucci modifications the Columbians made to their Mi-8. We're going to use some their ideas...they set up there bird "The Black Pearl" really nice.

Pictures from the flight home.

The coolest airplane I've seen in Afghanistan. This is not your grandpa's DC-3. It's been pretty pimped out! Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turbo props, glass cockpit, flares and IR dectors, FLIR and smooth paint job!