Best Day During Training

We had our best day during training last Friday when we finally got to fire up the catapult and launch the dummy. I can describe it as the coolest experience I've had in the past 2 weeks, which probably isn't saying much considering the circumstances.

It rained the entire day and most of the night before. We weren't sure if we'd be able to pull the catapult out to do anything at the beginning of the day. The initial plan was just to fire up the birds and run through all the startup procedures, then go home. Fortunately the sun came up (even though you can't tell in the picture), and out we went with the catapult.

I was the third to go. In hindsight I wish I had gone first because the dummy was so muddy when it was my turn. Part of the practice launches was to load the dummy on the launcher, which involved handling the awkwardly weighed, muddy piece of plastic. I avoided getting my clothes dirty by holding it like someone would hold a baby that just left a present in their diaper and heaved it on.

While I was standing there waiting for the launcher to be ready to launch this strange feeling of doing something really bad fell over me. I pulled the safety pin with the safety rope and it clanked to the ground. I walked to the back and gingerly pulled the trigger rope off the ground and stood about 5 feet away from the beast. I gave it a little tug and BAM! the dummy went hurdling toward oblivion, which was the muddy grassy area between the taxiway and runway at the airport. I felt like a little kid shooting off fireworks for the first time during the fourth of July.

I'm sure that feeling won't last. Eventually all the coolness will wear off and it will just be part of the job. But until that happens, I'm going to giggle like a 2 year old everytime I pull that trigger rope...