Carrier Landings

[wompus]

Flying into a Middle East airport, my co-pilot and I
reviewed our flight plan for the trip back to the USS
Enterprise. We were to pick up a Navy captain, and
experience had taught me that even seasoned vets turn
white-knuckled during carrier landings.

Once the captain was strapped in, I turned around to welcome
him aboard. "Sir," I asked, "will this be your first carrier
landing?"

Looking at me with disdain, he opened his inflatable vest to
display gold wings above five rows of ribbons. "Son," he
said, "I have over 500 carrier landings in jet fighters."

"That's good to hear," my co-pilot said, winking at me,
"because this will be our first."

.