Adrenaline Rush

How about a trip out to an aircraft carrier? We'll get to see our fine young men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps in action on board the USS John C Stennis. We'll get to eat what they eat, see them at work, and even spend the night on the ship. Sound like fun? I think so! We'll be landing on it though. Yep, that little postage stamp in the huge Pacific. Catching a little wire strung across the carrier deck with a little tailhook bolted onto the back of an airplane. So, come on, let's go!!

First, you have to put on a horse collar, since the plane we are flying on doesn't have seat cushions for floatation in the event of a water landing. Then you get to put on these cute little hats. They call them cranials since that is what it protects, your cranium. You also need ear and eye protection.

Don't I look adorable?

Here is our plane. It's called a COD, or Carrier Onboard Delivery, and also known as a C-2.

It's small, and cramped, and has no windows so it's dark too. Oh, and we are riding backwards.

All strapped in! And I mean strapped! It's a 5 point harness keeping us in our chairs. I gotta put my camera away though. Remember, we are landing on the carrier. It's gonna be bumpy!

We're there! The landing wasn't too bad! There were two flight crew in the back with us, and they gave us a warning by shouting to brace ourselves. We cross our arms and hold onto the shoulder straps. It's very rough for about 5 seconds, then we taxi for a minute before they open the back door and we can see the carrier deck. How exciting!!