Air force secretary gets sick flying with Thunderbirds

The Washington Times ^ | 6/28/2014 | Rowan Scarborough

[markomalley]

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James became “violently ill” during a ride with the storied Thunderbirds aerial acrobatic team this week.

Commanders at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., thought it would be good PR to invite the relatively new secretary for a flight with its most famous squadron. Amid tight defense spending, there is pressure to demonstrate the worth of the Thunderbirds, which is back in the air show business after having been grounded last year when sequestration took hold.

But Tuesday’s F-16 flight did not go as planned in the cockpit for Ms. James, a former House defense staffer, Pentagon official and defense industry executive.

“Someone got the bright idea to invite her on the airplane,” said a source familiar with the incident. “She got violently ill.”

[Old Yeller]

Yeah, take Barry up and then have the pilot eject.

[Born to Conserve]

From what I have heard, a good acrobatic pilot can induce motion sickness upon his passengers at will. I once went up, telling the pilot he could not make me sick; he smiled, and said “maybe not, but I can make you pass out and —— your pants”.

[mabarker1]

LOL!

[Old Yeller]

I feel safer knowing that our Air Force Secretary is named Debbie.

[huldah1776]

ROTHFLMAO

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

As long as they don’t bang chicks or make jokes about someone being queer...then they can fly all they like using jet fuel made from sea plankton excrement while performing over gay pride events and Muslim outreach expos.

[Tupelo]

Agree with feeling sorry for the Crew Chief, but I would bet dollars to soggy donuts that most of the pilots and crews were having great fun.

[huldah1776]

Loved it, thanks.

[KarlInOhio]

I've heard fighter pilots brag they can make anyone (even cargo and passenger pilots) barf in the back seat. It's merely a matter of how hard they try. Toss on a couple of negative gees and lunch is pushing out with more force than nature ever intended.

[az_gila]

I can’t find a picture, but I remember one of these celebrity ride-alongs had barf bags stuffed in every pocket of their flight suit.
A person’s got to know their limitations. I admire that.

---

I found that brown paper grocery bags were much better when I took folks up for glider rides.

The larger opening is easier to aim for in a hurry...:^)

[Flick Lives]

LOL!

[Vaquero]

Any chance that the Secret Service would allow the POTUS to get his own demonstration flight?

some POTUS would not mine.

[mabarker1]

Welcome- that one is always good.

[Vendome]

Don’t eat and go on thrill rides...

Chunky Monkey....

[virgil283]

Interesting...

Only thre or four people would have ever known about this, so it would have been kept quiet....IF this was someone they respected......

[Shannon]

I feel safer knowing that our Air Force Secretary is named Debbie.

Laughed Out Loud.

[SgtBob]

I’d’ve punched out, and left another smoking hole in the Nevada desert.

[yldstrk]

idiot forgot her bonine

[Chode]

at least you weren't in it...

[driftdiver]

They gave me a bag to puke in when I was given a ride on an f16. I used it.

It is hard to hold the bag up to your mouth while under g loads.