The Genie Grants A Wish
A Jack and The Phantom Aerial Adventure as told by The Phantom himself

One night a few years ago as Jack and I were about to order up another round of brewskis at the Cassville Tavern, a fellow walked over and introduced himself as Major Tom Braxton from the NJ Air National Guard at Pomona. Recognizing Jack from a picture that was hanging in his squadron’s ready room, he just wanted to shake the hand of a genuine legend.

Now Jack, who was never the one to turn down any attention or atta-boys from anyone, invited his new found friend over to our table to join our nightly party. I was introduced as Phantom which used to be my Navy call sign as Tom pulled up a chair and sat down.

That your name, just Phantom? Asked Tom.

Call sign

Air Force?

Navy.

Whadya fly?

F-4’s

Neat.

How about you Tom?

F-16. ANG outta Pomona.

Jack here used to be a Sabre driver. Ain’t that right Colonel?

I know, said Tom.

Jack just smiled and stared towards a pretty young thing that had just walked in the door. Reliving old war adventures just wasn’t the uppermost thing on his mind at the moment. Even though Jack was old enough to be her grandfather, some parts of the man were still eighteen if you get my drift.

So whatta you guys flying these days?

Ultralights I said. That got a wide grin out of Jack who was listening to every word we said. Tom got a quizzical look on his face.

You mean those flying lawn chairs?

Yeah, something like that. You ever fly one?

Actually no, but they sure do look pretty interesting.

Now Jack was never one to offer anybody a chance to fly his beloved Tierra unless he had an ulterior motive cooking up somewhere under those five hairs on top of his head so he invited the major out to our airstrip to see what flying lawn chairs were all about.

Next day we figured that we had seen the last of Major Tom, guessing that he had gone back to his ANG buddies breaking the bad news that their hero had gone completely bonkers in his old age. Around 2 that afternoon, a black Corvette pulled down our entrance road carrying the major and a stunning dark haired woman wearing the tightest pair of jean shorts that any of us had ever seen with legs that went forever.

Tom introduced her as Genie. Like in the bottle Genie.

Interesting name, said Jack. So if I make a wish will you grant it?

Actually, said the major, Genie is her callsign. She flys with me.

Now this really took Jack and I back. None of the guys we ever flew with looked this good. The four of us walked over to where our planes were parked and we showed our guests our pride and joys. Genie had a bit of a mischievous smile on her face as she climbed into my Phantom. Oh boy was she ever hot looking. My old Phantom never looked better with those jeans keeping my slingseat warm. I was really enjoying showing her what did what, especially the rudder pedals. She took everything in and just smiled.

Got a side stick just like what I fly.

So it did. I wonder who came up with the idea first, General Dynamics or Phantom? Meanwhile Jack was showing Tom the finer points of the Tierra including the strut modifications that enabled inverted flight.

Interesting. Has a yoke. You sure this thing is safe?

Now do I look like I would steer you wrong Tom?

Tom just looked at the duck taped wings as he climbed into the seat and strapped himself in. Meanwhile Genie had already fastened her harness and asked me coyly if I would mine pulling her rope. Starter that is. In a couple minutes both ultralights were fired up and taxiing out.

Say good bye to your plane Colonel. Mine too.

Just watch, kid. The Air Force trains their people well.

And the Navy doesn’t?

Well to make a long story short, Tom and Genie not only brought our planes back in one piece, they put on a flying demonstration that even made Jack whistle. I mean loops, rolls, hammerheads, the works. When Genie went inverted with my Phantom, a long white plume came out of the tank vent as the fuel escaped. Luckily she didn’t do that too often. Never did fix that little quirk of the plane even though it wouldn't have been too difficult to do.

After they taxied back in and shut down the engines, they climbed out with huge grins ear to ear.

Wow, we gotta get us a pair of these things! Neat!

They thanked us both for a great time, and said that if there was anything that they could ever do to repay our generosity that we should just name it. Without hesitating and cracking that famous wicked grin of his, Jack said: Fly an F-16. Both of us.

Tom and Genie looked at each other with a smile and said: Absolutely. When?

About 6 that afternoon, we followed the Corvette up to the sentry gate at the ANG area at the FAA Tech Center in Pomona. Tom said a few words to the airman on guard and moments later we were waved through and continued on behind our hosts. Pulling up to the parking area, we looked out to the flightline where several F-16’s were parked. Off to one side was an F-4 with an interesting paint job. Tom pointed towards a doorway on a nearby building and we all went inside. Walking down a short hallway we turned into what was their ready room. Home of the Jersey Devils a sign said. Several individuals all wearing flightsuits were studying a drawing on a blackboard and scribbling into notepads.

Hey guys, said Tom. I’d like you to meet a couple friends of mine.

Well you would have thought that a ghost had walked in, you could have heard a pin drop. Immediately they all got up and started shaking Jack’s hand, leaving me standing there kinda shuffling my feet.

Oh yeah. This here’s Phantom, a Navy puke.

Soon they were shaking my hand too, because right next to Jack’s picture on the wall among other aviation related articles was a newspaper clipping about an F-4 pilot becoming the Navy’s top ace over Hanoi. The picture showed a younger smiling version of yours truly standing next to my rear seat weapons officer ‘Wild Bill” Marcus whose father just happened to be the ANG squadron commander. The truth was out at last.

A few moments later, another individual with the rank of bird colonel walked in and looked our way.

What is this, civilian good will day?

Colonel Marcus sir, don’t you know who this fellow is standing next to me? Said Tom.

My gosh! Jack, you old son of a gun. I didn’t recognize you without the hair. How the heck are you old friend?

Hi Bobby. Long time no see. This here’s my friend Phantom.

Phantom? That your call sign?

Yes sir. Navy. U.S.S Forrestal 1967

I’ll be damned! Phantom. Two celebrities in one day. My son owes you his life. I just want to shake your hand and thank you. What brings you guys to our little neck of the woods?

Jack chimed right in. Well Bob, we were kinda hoping to get a little ’16 time in just to see if any improvements have been made in fighter aircraft design since our days. Tom here invited us down.

Col. Marcus thought about that for a couple of seconds and said why not. Anybody else would have had to be cleared through the proper channels, but in our case not a problem. I mean they let Yeager fly in his 80’s, why not Jack and me?

Get our guests here suited up and briefed. Tom, you and Genie take ’em up in 4922 and 23. They’re both fueled and ready.

Yes Sir!

Genie smiled at me. Wanna see my bird?

I smiled back. This was going to be interesting indeed. So off we went to sign releases in case either of us had a heart attack or something and to get properly outfitted in G-suits which enabled the human body to withstand the tremendous forces that modern day jet fighter aircraft like the F-16 can dish out.

Awhile later after three briefings, one on ejection seat procedures, one on weather and restrictions and the other on the flight itself, the four of us walked out to the flightline where our two aircraft stood waiting. They both were the newest “D” model which is the 2 seater version of the “C” that is commonly used today which replaced the original “A & B” models.

Aw gee, we let you guys fly solo.

Tom grinned. Hey, if it was up to me I’d say do it to it, but rules is rules. You know what rules are for, right Jack?

Oh, absolutely. We always obey de rules. Right kid?

Absolutely, Colonel.

I followed Genie over to 4923 and stayed with her as she did her walkaround of the aircraft. This brought back memories in a flash. We weren’t at AC airport. We were back on the windswept steamy deck of the Forrestal in the Tonkin Gulf. Wild Bill and I were getting ready for another mission over Hanoi….

Hey Phantom, stop daydreamin and climb up there!

This startled me. Yes maam.

You don’t have to maam me. Just Genie is fine.

Ok Just Genie. I climbed into the rear seat and let the crewchief strap me in. While he was doing all this I familiarized myself with all the doo-dads, switches and controls. Not at all like the F-4 especially the panel display which took me a few minutes of studying to understand. A second Master Sergeant was assisting Genie up front. I looked over and could see Jack and Tom doing the same thing. The seat felt comfortable enough just where it was, sort of reclined. I lightly rested my feet on the pedals just for reference.

Preflight cockpit checks complete, Genie started the engine and lowered the canopy, tuning in the local ATTIS to get wind conditions and the active. The APU cart was rolled away. What a canopy it was, a huge bubble with excellent vis all around. Nothing at all like what I was used to.

Atlantic City ground, F-16's Corvette One and Two ready to taxi with Alpha. Julie called.

Roger Corvette. Cleared to taxi runway one three using taxiway Mike, Hotel, Bravo. Wind direction one four zero at one six altimeter two niner eight three contact tower on one two zero point three when ready

As we taxied out, Jack and Tom in the other plane fell in behind us.

What is this, ladies first?

You betcha!

We reached the end of the runway and Genie called for clearance.

Atlantic City tower, Corvette One and Two ready for takeoff at runway one three. Request unrestricted to one five thousand

Hold short Corvette. Spirit MD-80 on final.

We watched as the commercial jet came in and touched down. A few moments later it turned off onto a taxiway.

Corvette Flight cleared for takeoff to one two thousand. Unrestricted.

Roger tower. Cleared to one two thousand. Corvette Flight departing runway one three.

We rolled onto the centerline and Genie brought the power up to 28,000 lbs of thrust and then she kicked in afterburner. What a kick in the pants! Being launched off a catapult is also quite a thrill but it had been some time since that familiar feeling of raw energy was at one’s command. In seconds we reached 160 knots, lifted off and retracted gear. Genie put the plane into a gradual climb as we reached 450 knots in no time flat.

Ready Phantom?

You go girl!

Genie pulled back on the stick and we went vertical to 10,000 feet in seconds. My G-suit reacted to the sudden 4 g load on my body and constricted momentarily. Busting through the assigned altitude we nosed over and went weightless. In an instant she rolled the Falcon over on it’s back and pulled back towards the earth. It had been awhile since my body had become accustomed to the strenuous forces that such a maneuver can apply and I was using muscles that I forgot I had to keep from banging my helmet on the canopy. Same thing applied to my stomach. I wish we hadn’t stopped at Mickey D’s on the way down. You have to do this all the time to get used to it.

Still with me Phantom?

Oh yeah. This little buggy has got some serious performance. Not like the F-4 a’tall.

Yeah, they kinda fixed a lot of the shortcomings your bird used to have.

Did they ever!

Soon the other Falcon came up alongside us on our left. I looked over and Tom had his hands on his helmet.

How’s it handle Jack?

Interesting. This little side stick takes some getting used to.

Genie came on. Ok Phantom, she’s all yours.

I grabbed the stick and took over control of the aircraft. Jack had moved off about a couple hundred yards so we had a little room to maneuver. I tried a quick roll to the right. The plane responded instantly and I overcorrected. Although relatively easy to handle because they don’t want the pilot to go into task overload with all the weapons systems and such, the Falcon is still an aerodynamically unstable fly by wire aircraft. In other words all control inputs go to a quadruple redundant computer which then decides how much surface deflection is needed for such and such maneuver and sometimes overrides the intensity of control inputs. The computer will not let you overstress the aircraft or your body in maneuvers. If for instance, I had slammed the stick over hard instead of merely moving it, the roll rate would still be the same. Also, if the computer were to totally fail, the aircraft could instantly self destruct due to airframe loads but the engineers say that has only happened on the simulator, never in real life. Makes me feel real secure with that knowledge. I guess I’m just an old school pilot, with control sticks connected by cables and stuff. This new stuff is like Buck Rogers to me. Flying level is interesting tho. Because of the way the aircraft is balanced, level flight requires a bit of forward stick and the computer does the rest. Neato!

Not bad Phantom, let’s head out over the ocean so you can wring this thing out. I’m just along for the ride for now, it’s your airplane.

I called over to Jack. How about it Colonel, a little game of tag?

Now we had done this with our ultralights many times in the past but here we were flying at more than 500 knots at 12,000 feet. I broke off to the right and came back up and behind the other plane.

I’m at your six Colonel, locked on.

Not for long, kid.

And that’s how we spent the next hour. Jinking, twisting, rolling and turning all over the sky yelling tag you’re it until Tom finally came on and said uncle uncle! Genie never said a word except Wheeee!

Ready to head back home? Sun’s going down and fuel doing the same.

Not really but I guess all good things have to come to an end. With all the twisting and turning our position was approx. 35 miles offshore and north of Atlantic City. I turned the aircraft on to a heading of 240 which would bring us home. Jack was right off our left wing, a few feet out. In no time flat we were back over the field.

Go ahead, Genie called back. Land the aircraft.

I called out Atlantic City tower, Corvette One and Two request landing instructions. Jack was right alongside us.

Enter left base runway one three. The tower replied.

I made a wide sweeping 90 degree turn to the left while decending and brought the airspeed back and speedbrakes on while dropping flaps and gear. Even from the rear seat, forward visibility was good. Jack followed suit. We were both lined up on final when the tower came on.

Ahh, F-16’s fly runway heading and climb to three thousand. Stand by for info.

I immediately applied power, retracted gear and flaps and climbed straight out over the ocean, the lights of the casinos passing by off our right wing. Looking left I could see that Jack was still with me.

Wonder what’s up?, he said.

The tower came back on.

Ahh, we have a Piper Aztec headed to Martha’s Vineyard that seems to have experienced a partial electrical failure off of Cape May. He doesn’t respond to our calls and is headed straight out away from the coast. Request you intercept and guide him back to ACY.

Roger that, tower. Give us vectors for intercept.

Turn right to a heading of one three five. Target is four two miles on a heading of zero niner zero. Altitude four two zero zero

We need fuel.

Roger, there’s a KC-10 in the vicinity returning to McGuire. We’ll set up a rendezvous.

Now it had been awhile since I had stopped at a flying gas station and the Air Force uses a slightly different air to air refueling method than the Navy does which involves a drogue. I let Genie take over again. As we approached the KC-10 I marveled at what a huge aircraft this thing really was. Strobe lights along the belly guided us in. Genie handled the Falcon with a light smooth touch, guiding us right up to the refueling probe and made contact. Soon we were topped off and we dropped back and away to let the other Falcon do the same.

Hey Jack, who’s flying?

Tom is. I may be crazy, but I’m not that crazy. This kinda stuff takes practice. Especially at night time.

Roger that.

Moments later the other Falcon dropped away and we both headed towards the lost Piper. Genie handed control of the aircraft back to me. What a girl!

She came on the intercom.

Got a radar contact 18 miles dead ahead. Start slowing down, Phantom. Did you copy that Corvette Two?

Copy, Jack’s flying.

Copy.

Now at our airspeed it would only be a matter of moments before we overtook the slower Piper so we swung around a bit to help bleed off airspeed so we could come up alongside. The Piper was flying straight and level with no navigation lights but was clearly visible in spite of the fact that there was no moon to light up the sky this evening.

Jeez! This guy’s headed for Europe! Must have been a complete navigational failure along with his lights.

Yeah, one of those $89 GPS units they sell at WalMart like we use should be a part of every pilot’s flight bag. Cheap insurance.

No kidding.

Jack eased up alongside the left side of the relatively slower moving twin and waggled his wings.

Piper Aztec, this is Corvette Two, ANG F-16 on Guard at your nine o’clock do you copy?

No response. Jack tried again on the AC approach frequency and still no response. The Piper continued straight ahead.

Either this guy’s flying with tunnel vision or he’s asleep on autopilot.

Having an idea, I dropped under the Piper and pulled ahead of him a hundred yards or so before I increased power to afterburner. It lit with a whump as the Falcon surged forward.

If he don’t see that, he’s definitely asleep at the switch.

With that the Piper suddenly waggled it’s wings as I came back around on his 3 o’clock. Jack was still out there to his left. Just then the full moon came out from behind a cloud, and I could clearly see the lone pilot swiveling his neck looking left and right at us. Jack made a hand gesture that said follow us and the Aztec pilot acknowledged in the affirmative. We both pulled up slightly ahead and below the Piper as we made a long sweeping turn back towards Atlantic City. As we came within site of the airport we both broke off and let the Piper enter the pattern to land, which he then did without further incident. Not long after that we both touched down ourselves and taxied back to the ANG area. The Piper had stopped in the GA parking area not far from where we were about to shut down.

Well done guys. Came the message from the tower.

About 20 minutes later as we were all sitting down in the ready room with a hot cup of coffee and talking about the day’s adventure, a tall striking redheaded woman wearing a leather flight jacket walked in accompanied by an enlisted sergeant..

Where’s the two F-16 drivers who just saved my life? She asked.

Actually there were us four, ma'am. Tom, Genie, Jack, and myself stood up.

Thank you so much. I lost everything right after Cape May. Damn flashlight quit working too.

You were headed for Europe you know.

Oh my God. I had no idea. Thank you again.

Not a problem, I said. This here’s Tom, Genie, Jack, and my name’s Phantom.

Just Phantom?

Just Phantom. Call sign….uh......Navy thing.

Mine’s Julie. Her hands were still shaking from the incident.

How about a cup of coffee Julie?

How about a cold beer…or two.

Jack chimed in. Now you’re talking! The five of us piled into Jack’s old van and headed to the nearest tavern and that’s where we spent the rest of the evening together. Since that day Julie and I got to be such good friends that we ended up getting hitched with Jack being my best man. Tom got to be ring bearer and Genie aka Jean was maid of honor. We’re all friends for life. I love it when a plan comes together.

Tom and Jean later picked up a couple of Kolb ultralights that they fly down in the southern Jersey area. Both are still in the ANG and fly for Spirit Airlines.

Jack? Well that’s another story for another time. Til then. This is Phantom, over and out!

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