Personal Details
Q. Name:
A. Jeff Newcamp
Q. Pilot Ranking ( Student, SO,FO,SFO,Captain,Pilot,Military,etc)
A. Flight Test Engineer
Q. Airline (current e.g. Qantas, Lufthansa)
A. United States Air Force
Q.Aircraft types flown (Airbus, Boeing, helicopter,Seaplane ...)
A. T-38A/B/C, C-12C, F-16B/D, ASK-21, C-17A, HU-16, NF-16D, F-15E, OH-58C, F/A- 18B, NH-500E, MB-339, AN-2, MiG-15, G-103, T-43A, KC-135R, T-6 I, T-6 II, LJ-25, T-1A, T-37B, L-23, SGS 2-33, C-172S, Goodyear Blimp, T-2
Q. How many years have you been flying?
A. 14
Q. At what age did you first fly solo?
A. 22
Q. How many NM have you flown to date?
A. To the moon and back
10 Questions you've always wanted to ask a Pilot
Q1. At what age did you decide to become a Pilot and why?
A. At age 14, when I first attended an air show and saw amazing military aircraft.
Q2. What do you like the most about flying an aircraft?
A. It's mentally stimulating and takes you to a place of heightened senses.
Q3. Is it hard to fly an aircraft? Do you need lots of practice?
A. It's wildly difficult to fly an aircraft, especially a new one. Practice helps calm the nerves and make you a more confident pilot.
Q4. How often do you fly? (commercial or private) What do you do if you are not flying?
A. I fly as flight test missions are required.
Q5. How do you prepare for your next flight? (e.g.time before take off/aircraft inspection/ route/weather maps)
A. We "chair fly" missions prior to flying them in the aircraft. This helps us work out any problems with the mission.
Q6. Do you have a favourite airport/runway/landing and why?
A. Leadville is a particularly challenging airport because of its airfield elevation.
Q7. Have your ever flown an aircraft with your family onboard?Does it feel any different? (e.g children, partner, parents)
A. I've flown my wife but not in a long while.
Q8. Do you have a funny flight story or special flight experience you can share?
A. I was able to fly an HU-16 to Lake Mojave one day. Upon landing on the lake, we were able to change into our swimsuits and jump off the wing for a nice swim.
Q9. Is there an aircraft "secret" you can share?
A. One secret is that the waste from the toilets is stored on board then pumped out on the ground. The toilets (sadly) are not emptied during flight!
Q10. What is the hardest part about flying? (e.g fatigue, leaving family, take off etc)
A.Landing is the hardest part. It takes the most concentration and that's when the most things can go wrong.
Flight Logbook
Do you think a child should own a flight logbook? If yes why?
Oh yes. It helps kids get excited about flying and helps them track where they've been.
Ready to be the next Pilot?
If you could inspire the next generation what would you tell them?
Although flying takes lots of schooling and practice, it's an amazing experience to pilot your own craft.
--------------------------------------
Thank you Jeff for taking part in our very first "Pilots Have A Say!" Blog feature. We're pretty sure they'll be lots of young flying enthusiasts wanting to be a pilot just like you after reading all about your life as a pilot for the United States Air Force!
