thedrifter
07-27-06, 08:36 AM
McChord pilot recounts flying Americans out of Lebanon
ANGIE LEVENTIS; The News Tribune
Published: July 27th, 2006 01:00 AM
Air Force Capt. Chris Mazzei has flown all around the world.
But the 27-year-old McChord Air Force Base pilot is now on the most important mission of his career so far: Helping American evacuees from war-torn Lebanon get home safely.
“This really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me,” he said Wednesday from his position in the Middle East. “This is some of the most rewarding flying you can do.”
In two separate missions, the airman from DuPont flew about 200 evacuees in C-17 aircraft from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Ramstein Air Base in Germany. From there, evacuees were taken by other Air Force crews to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, where they could make their own travel arrangements home.
He said none of his passengers was injured, though most were exhausted and stressed. Many were of Lebanese descent and likely worried about family members left behind, he said.
One mother of two said the Navy and the Marines had already helped her escape before she flew with the Air Force. She joked that all she needed was an Army tank ride home to Michigan to complete her military tour.
“It’s definitely been a multiservice operation,” Mazzei said.
The C-17s are noisier and less aesthetically pleasing than commercial aircraft, he noted. On the upside, there’s more space, so passengers could move around and lie on the floor. Children were also encouraged to check out the cockpit.
“I think we took a lot of the pressure off the parents and helped keep the kids occupied,” he said.
He said each mission – the roundtrip flight, plus loading and unloading everyone – takes about 15 to 16 hours.
Mazzei is assigned to McChord’s 10th Airlift Squadron, which is deployed to the Middle East for about 120 days. He’s been in the area for about three weeks.
Thirty-two McChord pilots, loadmasters and aircraft maintainers were sent Saturday to help with the evacuation. Other McChord air crews are aiding the operation by conducting airfield assessments and delivering supplies.
Angie Leventis: 253-597-8692
angie.leventis@thenewstribune.com
Ellie
ANGIE LEVENTIS; The News Tribune
Published: July 27th, 2006 01:00 AM
Air Force Capt. Chris Mazzei has flown all around the world.
But the 27-year-old McChord Air Force Base pilot is now on the most important mission of his career so far: Helping American evacuees from war-torn Lebanon get home safely.
“This really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me,” he said Wednesday from his position in the Middle East. “This is some of the most rewarding flying you can do.”
In two separate missions, the airman from DuPont flew about 200 evacuees in C-17 aircraft from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Ramstein Air Base in Germany. From there, evacuees were taken by other Air Force crews to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, where they could make their own travel arrangements home.
He said none of his passengers was injured, though most were exhausted and stressed. Many were of Lebanese descent and likely worried about family members left behind, he said.
One mother of two said the Navy and the Marines had already helped her escape before she flew with the Air Force. She joked that all she needed was an Army tank ride home to Michigan to complete her military tour.
“It’s definitely been a multiservice operation,” Mazzei said.
The C-17s are noisier and less aesthetically pleasing than commercial aircraft, he noted. On the upside, there’s more space, so passengers could move around and lie on the floor. Children were also encouraged to check out the cockpit.
“I think we took a lot of the pressure off the parents and helped keep the kids occupied,” he said.
He said each mission – the roundtrip flight, plus loading and unloading everyone – takes about 15 to 16 hours.
Mazzei is assigned to McChord’s 10th Airlift Squadron, which is deployed to the Middle East for about 120 days. He’s been in the area for about three weeks.
Thirty-two McChord pilots, loadmasters and aircraft maintainers were sent Saturday to help with the evacuation. Other McChord air crews are aiding the operation by conducting airfield assessments and delivering supplies.
Angie Leventis: 253-597-8692
angie.leventis@thenewstribune.com
Ellie