D-M award winners receive incentive flights during HFC

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jake Richmond
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  While hundreds of spectators flocked to the flight line here to gaze up at this year's Heritage Flight Conference aerial demonstrations, 12 D-M Airmen had a slightly different vantage point.

The Airmen had two things in common: They were all wing-level or base-level award selectees during 2008, and they all jumped on a rare chance to take an incentive flight. 

Since D-M's primary aircraft, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, is a single-seater, opportunities to ride in a fighter jet are few and far between. But when the HFC brought F-15s and F-16s here for demo practices, base leadership coordinated the effort to reward some of last year's sharpest Airmen.

"When I got the e-mail notification, I was thinking, 'What's an incentive flight?" said Senior Airman Heather Maldonado, a member of the 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron here and the 355th Fighter Wing 2008 Airman of the Year.

"I thought it was talking about a 'flight' - like a group of people marching in formation," she added, smiling. "And even when my supervisor told me what it was, I still didn't believe it."

That disbelief disappeared March 6, as she listened intently to pre-flight briefings, strapped on her G-suit, and got a walk-around orientation brief at the jet. Less than an hour later, she was up in the air with Lt. Col. Todd Hamilton, an F-16 pilot visiting from Shaw AFB, S.C. 

"Incentive flights are always a lot of fun," said Colonel Hamilton after they landed. "This is what we do in the Air Force - we fly jets. So it's amazing to get the opportunity to share that experience with people like Heather."

Sitting in the back seat of the F-16, Airman Maldonado felt exactly what it was like to fly upside-down, barrel-roll, pull G's, and even take control of the aircraft herself for a few minutes.

"It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Airman Maldonado said. "The view was just beautiful."

The other D-M Airmen who received incentive flights during the HFC were:

Capt. Anthony Vieira of the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron - 355th FW Company Grade Officer of the Year

Maj. William Jelks, commander of the 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron - 355th FW Field Grade Officer of the Year

Capt. Daniel Kananen of the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron - Desert Lightning Team CGO of the Year

Senior Airman Michelle Lucero of the 25th Operational Weather Squadron - Desert Lightning Team Airman of the Year

Capt. Kevin Koren of the 355th AMXS - 355th FW CGO of the 4th Quarter

Tech. Sgt. William Enos of the 755th AMXS - Desert Lightning Team NCO of the 4th Quarter

Capt. Christopher Esterline of the 42nd ECS - Desert Lightning Team CGO of the 4th Quarter

Airman 1st Class Phillip Acord of the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron - 355th FW Airman of the 3rd Quarter

1st Lt. Henry Shen of the 355th Contracting Squadron - 355th FW CGO of the 3rd Quarter 

Maj. Paul Yenter of the 355th Aerospace Medicine Squadron - 355th FW FGO of the 3rd Quarter

Senior Airman Blaine Richardson of the 41st ECS - Desert Lightning Team Airman of the 3rd Quarter

All awards listed are from 2008.