Respect!

Boss Mongo has had two recent articles regarding Army Aviation in Iraq. In particular, he says that he really loves the support given to him by the local OH-58D Kiowa Warriors. I've always given the OH-58D community a good sense of healthy ribbing--after all, theirs is the only single-engine aircraft remaining in the fleet (aside from the LUH-72 Lakota, but that won't see combat). Nevertheless, I have great respect for those who fly the small, underpowered aircraft, with no doors, over hostile areas looking for trouble. I think most people do, too.

While in flight school, I spent some time flying in the OH-58C (a Kiowa which was used in the Vietnam War), and, honestly, I don't see how people do the whole doorless flying thing. If you thought I had a hard time keeping track of my wallet in an aircraft with doors, wait till you hear about me flying without doors. I lost my kneeboard clock somewhere near Geneva, Alabama back in flight school. I probably paid about $50 for it at Wings in Daleville, too. (Even though the "special pilot's kneeboard clock" was probably only a standard egg timer)