Flying USA – September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 FLYINGMAG.COM | 55

Up to that point, when people asked me how it felt to do

the positive-G maneuvers, I would explain that, at first, the

body gets very heavy, as one might expect. The interesting

or even unexpected part is what happens to your vision. As

the G-load increases, your peripheral vision narrows into

tunnel vision. Next, the world becomes white.

For me, it felt like driving a car without sunglasses and

turning into the blinding sunlight. That “white-out” can

be mistaken for sun on your first few high-G experiences.

In reality, it is caused by oxygen deprivation, which leads

to confusion and what appears to be only brightness. If the

G-load continues or increases without proper muscle f lex-

ing and breathing, your vision will darken and go black.

Given the seriousness of the effects, I was determined to

practice and prepare ahead of time.

Two days before the aerobatic training f light with

Farnsworth, I ate only very light meals and did intense car-

dio at the gym. The day of the f light, my diet was purely

liquids. I practiced breathing and muscle f lexing to keep

oxygen and blood f lowing to my head while pulling heavy-G

maneuvers. I knew I was going to be filmed the entire time,

which was also daunting, but I was ready to live my dream.

Wild Ride

Our flight began at Homestead Air Force Base in Miami after

the Thunderbirds completed their performance at a large air-

show. With the cameras rolling, I confidently strapped into

the rear seat of the L-39. We received ground clearance to

proceed to the taxiway following Thunderbird 6. After all of

the ground checks were complete, we were cleared for take-

off to the east. At 2,000 feet, Farnsworth gave me the controls,

instructed me to fly a southwesterly heading and climb to

8,500 feet. Once we reached our desired altitude, I flew along

the coast of Florida and did some clearing turns. Farnsworth

stated “my aircraft” and the “cage match” began. I can’t think

of a better term to describe the aerial battle that ensued.

Within five seconds of Farnsworth at the controls, I

knew this was going to be unlike any other flight we had

ever done together. The jet was moving violently from

left to right, and the direction changes seemed to be hap-

pening instantaneously. Before I could comprehend

what was happening, we were pointed straight down,

and our airspeed was accelerating at an incredible rate.

The ground was coming at us so fast, but with a hard

pull, the G's pinned me to my seat. I flexed my muscles as

forcefully as possible. My preparation paid off, and I made

it through the maneuver. It turned out to be a 4.8- G pull to

straight-and-level flight.

Then, seconds later, we entered a series of very fast

aileron rolls. This maneuver did not G-load the aircraft but

was still an assault to the body because the rolls started

so quickly and ended so abruptly. After another clearing

turn, we gained some altitude in exchange for the airspeed

that we had built up from the initial dive. I was shocked at

how quickly things were happening and how much more

aggressive the maneuvers were compared to the basic

aerobatics we had done in the past in the L-39.

With our altitude much higher now, it was time to start

pulling some very heavy G's, and here is where the experi-

ence became out of this world. From that point forward, I

have no clear recollection of the maneuvers we did—just

the memories of f lexing hard, breathing and fighting for

consciousness. While looking down, I brief ly saw what

I believed to be the Homestead-Miami Speedway. What

seemed like an eternity later, I thought I was driving a car

on the racetrack below us. I hadn’t passed out, but I lost

vision and had a complete “gray-out.” Once Scott unloaded

the G's, I came to and was a bit confused, but I realized

I was still in the jet and not on the ground racing a car on

the track. It turned out that we were not even over the race

track during those maneuvers.

Still, I was ready to continue the flight and get my head

back in the game. With the next few maneuvers, I entered

yet another state of confusion and thought I was at home and

very sleepy. My breathing had faltered. I believed I was in bed

and accepted the fact that I was very tired and going to take a

nap. Just as I started my slumber, we unloaded the G's, and I

fully came to again. By now, my entire body was covered in

sweat, and my flight suit was soaking wet.

Next, we began some less intense maneuvers and climbed

again to gain altitude. Then it was straight back to the heavy

G's. I was more determined than ever to stick with it and

fight through the assault to my body. After several more

high- G maneuvers, my body felt like it was shutting down.

Fortunately, Farnsworth put the airplane upside down and

pulled some negative G's. This was the first time in my life

that I had ever longed to be upside down because it is nor-

mally so uncomfortable in its own right. However, being

upside down with negative G's—allowing the blood to rush

to my brain—proved tremendously relieving after the

confusion and all of the heavy- G maneuvers to that point.

I thought I was driving a car on the racetrack

below us. I hadn’t passed out, but I lost vision

and had a complete “gray-out.”

Opposite top: Jeffrey Alan took this photo from the right seat
of Phillip Bozek’s Daher TBM 930 during a post-Sun ’n Fun for-
mation flight with Lovepreet Singh in the rear of the aircraft.

Opposite bottom: Kowtun is all smiles in the rear of the L-39,
preparing to pull heavy G's.