Abstract Rants:
The Sky as Never Before
by G.C.Stiehl


A military jet soars past, just overhead—close enough to see the pilot waving down at us little humans. We, the giddy anticipatory crowd, wave back at the hero in the g-suit, unequivocally qualified to fly this amazing vehicle, this silver bullet—the F-18 Super-Hornet, the U.S. Navy’s upgraded, two-man version of the F-18 Hornet. A split-second later, the deafening sound of its monster engine, with 44,000 pounds of thrust, rattles our bones. Children cry. Women scramble for earplugs. Vets salute. It’s a beautiful, crisp morning at the Miramar Air Show in San Diego—and I’ve got front row seats.

Why an Air Show? Strip away the utilitarian use for this death machine and you uncover years of discipline, creativity and problem solving on an unimaginable scale. Many of these projects are fast-tracked and developed under what is referred to as “extreme engineering”—basically design and production are happening concurrently. Try painting a giant incomplete canvas while you’re still growing part of the cotton.

These flying machines are simply, awe-inspiring. Just about everything on this vehicle was made from scratch, including the tools to put them together. Having an opportunity to walk right up and touch them reveals the mastery of human artistry, raw talent and imagination. This is art, in or out of a military context. Pointing a finger at the fallible warlike human is understandable but imposing a label on an inanimate object is completely unfair. Are guns inherently immoral? Does engineering impart a soul? Is titanium more “evil” than a flower petal? It seems they can both be lethal.

“Serious business”, I think to myself, as I stuff my face with press-tent craft services.

My good intentions are immediately reciprocated by a cute, young military officer who asks if I would like to take a ride with the U.S. Army’s Parachute Team, the “Golden Knights.” Crap. I want to go up in an F-18 or an F-111 Stealth Fighter, or at least a Vietnam era Bell Huey. Whatever. Surprise me.

As I am whisked away to the Marine Base tarmac, my pessimistic, jaded brain anticipates being over-protectively strapped to a boring skydive prop plane. Well, I did get the props right, but the rest was freaking anything but “civilian” safe. After signing my life away and jotting down the name and number of the person who was to pick up my burnt flesh chunks, I am loosely strapped in for the ride of my life.

We zip up above the clouds, rip-snorting about the sky and I’m inches away from both jump-doors that remain open the entire time! Props growling. Wind howling. Hands frozen. The positive and negative g-forces playing havoc with the little apple strudel in my belly. I fumble with my new Canon 40D like it’s a hot potato. Live camera. Smoke canisters. Ribbon check. Thumbs up? Thumbs up. Snap. Snap. Snap. And the parachuting sky raiders are gone.

Silence… it’s just the daring pilots, a hungry crowd, and us. But before we could get a moment’s breath, the plane dives towards the earth REALLY FUCKING FAST. The plane screams past the crowd, strafing the bleachers with a barrage of bullets. Attendees run in terror. Empty jackets bounce around the smoking fuselage. Lifeless bodies amass on the tarmac still clutching their overpriced souvenirs. We hit the ground, and I’m dead.

As I’m being lifted to heaven (was there any doubt?), I realize this plane, originally built for combat, is offering me a life changing experience—granted I’m dead, but my death is undoubtedly poignant and relatively meaningful by those who read this piece. Who knew that inspiration would come from the sacrifice of a dedicated group of the generally unknown engineers and designers who have brought us from the age of the Wright brothers to the F-18, the F-111 and whatever else the Skunk Works team is conjuring up.

Hopefully, somewhere down the line these vehicles can be enjoyed by other civilians who choose to revere such magnificent machines—for it is these works of art which have personally given me the chance to appreciate the military’s creativity and experience the sky as never before.



-GCS