Starting Fri., 5/14/10 - Get To Know Ben Sims

[Richard Choi]

Richard, I wonder if those claims are like Russian Hockey or Russian porn... greatly exagerated! 

No, not quite. It is true. Russian requirements are quite different than ours. We actually went through all of the design differences between F-18 and Su-27 that made Sukhoi more damage resistant (such as engine intake guards that faced upwards so that stones on runways wouldn't get sucked in). As they say necessity if mother of all inventions.

[Ben Sims]

Since the putter grip was removed, the bet was never properly repayed. I suggest you change your bottom tag to read: "It's Saturday night in Death Valley". At least until Sept. 4 at 7:00pm eastern.

You will be missed at the Yucca.

You and I both know that the cellebration call on AJ Green was bull honky.  The resulting field position won the game for you guys. 

L S WHO?

[Ben Sims]

RJ,

Here's what you need to remember about the An-225.  Size doen't matter if you can't get it up.   

As to Russian aircraft being more robust than our delicate US made jets. I agree.  In fact, most of those jets can indeed land on poor surfaces, and no one does FOD walks of the ramp and runways.  It is a testament to just how much they fly and it's one of the reasons that the Russian Air Force is universally considered just as lethal and mission effective as the US Air Force.   

Seriously though.  There's a reason we're the best and our jets are considered world beaters.  Sure the Su-27 and The MiG-29 are nice airframes.  But their engines can't tango with ours in terms of reliability.  It's not even close.  And then when you start comparing cockpits and avionics, no one even touches us.  Any jet in the world can ingest a rock...once.  Which is about how often many of those famed Russian airframes have flown.

[Ben Sims]

Ben, I am sure many other people would love to know... is there anyway I can get a ride on that T-6???

My squadron commander is allowed to give 6 Public relations flights a year to civilians.  These are usually reserved for media, celebs, etc.  But if I haven't made it clear enough yet, I live on the edge of the earth down here in Del Rio.

I am sure if one of the many golf writers we had came down here and did a piece on an architecture obsessed instructor pilot, he/she would get some cool ejection seat and egress training combined with a very fun flight in a T-6.  Or if an archie wanted to come by and give some tips on how to improve our dreadful golf course on base, maybe something could be arranged.   

[George Pazin]

Are test rides guaranteed to induce nausea?

Ever fly an F-15?

Any overseas postings afford you the opportunity to play a course no one else on here has?

[Ben Sims]

Are test rides guaranteed to induce nausea?

Ever fly an F-15?

Any overseas postings afford you the opportunity to play a course no one else on here has?

1) I'll do my best. Unless you request no nausea, then I'll be nice....for a minute.

2) Flown in an F-15.  When I was a cadet I got an incentive ride in an Eagle down at Tyndall AFB.  It's absurd how fast and hard that things flies.  But I am a crewdog.  I love the C-17.   No regrets for being a heavy guy.  And as a T-6 bubba, I get to fly formation and pull a few G's in a much more forgiving environment.

3)  Nope.  I really never got enough time to play overseas when on missions.  We broke one time in Rota, Spain.  I used rented blades on the base course there as a tune up for Bandon the next week.  That's about it.

[Don_Mahaffey]

Ben,
The same retired guy who introduced me to crud (didn't let me play, but did partake in the other stuff) also got me onto the f-16 simulator once. I did OK, but every time I took off he was screaming at me for not getting the wheels up quick enough. Is that a big deal?
I only went underground a couple of times. It was hard when he had me fly low in the canyons around Tucson, that thing was fast. Do you enjoy teaching?

What's your favorite betting game on the links? Say you had six with three teams of two, what game should be played?

[Ben Sims]

Ben,
The same retired guy who introduced me to crud (didn't let me play, but did partake in the other stuff) also got me onto the f-16 simulator once. I did OK, but every time I took off he was screaming at me for not getting the wheels up quick enough. Is that a big deal?
I only went underground a couple of times. It was hard when he had me fly low in the canyons around Tucson, that thing was fast. Do you enjoy teaching?

What's your favorite betting game on the links? Say you had six with three teams of two, what game should be played?

Don,

1) On certain jets, the accleration is so fast that you will exceed the limitation speed of the landing gear in 3 seconds or so after liftoff.  The T-6 has a pretty quick gear speed.  So yeah, it's  a big deal.   I love teaching.  Imagine taking a pedestrian and in 5 months, I've got them flying 5 feet from another aircraft at 250 knots and pulling 4 g's.   It would be like taking a beginner and getting them to a 3 handicap in 5 months.   Watching the light come on when they figure something out is a daily occurence, and it's fun to watch them get their fangs out and get really good.

2)  2 man-no scotch with air presses.  It goes like this.  Say you and I are a team.  You play the hole like this.  You tee off, I tee off.  I then proceed to go hit your ball, and you go hit mine.  We switch like this until one of us holes out.  Match play among teams.  We play for 2-2-2 nassaus.

The air press comes in on the tee.  You're allowed 3 per 9.  So say I tee off, and it looks okay.  You then tee off and one of the teams says while your drive is in the air, "press".  That just added a 2 dollar side bet to that hole only. 

Once you see it played for one hole, it's super eay.  And the air presses make it fun. 

[Marty Bonnar]

Ben,
you do know how close Leuchars is to St Andrews, right?

I think we should have some US flyboys test fly the new Typhoons. I mean it's only fair...

Nice story: me and Principal Dodd were playing the Eden a couple of years ago when we got a VERY low diamond-nine flypast by the Leuchars Tornadoes. Took me AGES to organise. The fact that it was the Queen's birthday that day had NOTHING at all to do with it

cheers,
FBD.

[Bill_McBride]

Ben,
The same retired guy who introduced me to crud (didn't let me play, but did partake in the other stuff) also got me onto the f-16 simulator once. I did OK, but every time I took off he was screaming at me for not getting the wheels up quick enough. Is that a big deal?
I only went underground a couple of times. It was hard when he had me fly low in the canyons around Tucson, that thing was fast. Do you enjoy teaching?

What's your favorite betting game on the links? Say you had six with three teams of two, what game should be played?

Don,

1) On certain jets, the accleration is so fast that you will exceed the limitation speed of the landing gear in 3 seconds or so after liftoff.  The T-6 has a pretty quick gear speed.  So yeah, it's  a big deal.   I love teaching.  Imagine taking a pedestrian and in 5 months, I've got them flying 5 feet from another aircraft at 250 knots and pulling 4 g's.   It would be like taking a beginner and getting them to a 3 handicap in 5 months.   Watching the light come on when they figure something out is a daily occurence, and it's fun to watch them get their fangs out and get really good.

2)  2 man-no scotch with air presses.  It goes like this.  Say you and I are a team.  You play the hole like this.  You tee off, I tee off.  I then proceed to go hit your ball, and you go hit mine.  We switch like this until one of us holes out.  Match play among teams.  We play for 2-2-2 nassaus.

The air press comes in on the tee.  You're allowed 3 per 9.  So say I tee off, and it looks okay.  You then tee off and one of the teams says while your drive is in the air, "press".  That just added a 2 dollar side bet to that hole only. 

Once you see it played for one hole, it's super eay.  And the air presses make it fun. 

The air press is also known as the "flying press."    Love it.

The "Pinehurst" is a two person alternate shot like that but quicker.  Both drive, both play partner's ball once.  Pick the one you want and alternate shot to finish out each hole.  Good game.

[Dale Jackson]

The air press comes in on the tee.  You're allowed 3 per 9.  So say I tee off, and it looks okay.  You then tee off and one of the teams says while your drive is in the air, "press".  That just added a 2 dollar side bet to that hole only. 
 

Ben et al.  the air press is tremendous fun.  We play it slightly differently because calling an air press as you describe does not have much down side.  Usually the air press comes because someone hits a bad drive.  Try this version.  The air press is for the 9 holes but whoever calls the air press has to win it, if the press is tied after the 9 holes, the other person wins.  That requires some thought before calling the air press.  My opponent has hit a bad shot but is it so bad he can not make par?  Am I safely in the fairway or have I yet to hit my shot?  It gets quite complicated.  We do not allow air presses on a hole where anyone gets a stroke, that would just be piling on!

[Dan Herrmann]

Ben,
Would a civilian version of the C-17 be successful? 

[Ben Sims]

Ben,
you do know how close Leuchars is to St Andrews, right?

I think we should have some US flyboys test fly the new Typhoons. I mean it's only fair...

Nice story: me and Principal Dodd were playing the Eden a couple of years ago when we got a VERY low diamond-nine flypast by the Leuchars Tornadoes. Took me AGES to organise. The fact that it was the Queen's birthday that day had NOTHING at all to do with it

cheers,
FBD.

FBD,

I have a legitimate--though small--chance of getting stationed at RAF Mildenhall (it's near Newmarket) on my next assignment.  Other than flying a U-2, I think a US Air Forces Europe tour would be pretty sweet. 

I should be participating in a 4-ship flyby at an Air Force football game this fall.  Oh, and I was the co-pilot of a C-17 demo at an airshow in Sacramento once. 

[Ben Sims]

Ben, I am sure many other people would love to know... is there anyway I can get a ride on that T-6???

 Or if an archie wanted to come by and give some tips on how to improve our dreadful golf course on base, maybe something could be arranged.   

Ben,

I played it once and just remember a deep green grass and lots of blinding, white sand. The highlight was San Felipe CC, I enjoyed that course.

Thank you for your service to our great country.

KBM,

It was very cool to see you post a picture of San Felipe CC.  It's a neat little course.  They might be the smallest pushup greens I've ever seen.  The routing is suspect only once.  And that's pretty good considering what they had to work around.  Rumor has it that they are shopping for an additional 9 holes. 

[Ben Sims]

Ben,
Would a civilian version of the C-17 be successful? 

Dan,

I suspect it wouldn't.  The fuel costs are just too prohibitive.  The design of the C-17 is such that it can do things that normal big airplanes can't.  It takes a radically different airfoil to remain that compact and support all that weight at such low airspeeds for our short field capabilities.  That just doesn't make it very fuel efficient at cruise like an airliner would be.   With that said, some foreign investors are getting a bit cheeky.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Qatar---Air/Boeing-C-17A-Globemaster/1686877/&sid=6b7fde71f69b289fd36a19be2f239f6b

[Chip Gaskins]

Ben

You are my hero....fly airplanes for a living and love GCA.  AND you live in west Texas where my wife is from so she really would love you.

I am taking my 3 year old son, Wade, to the Joint Forces airshow tomorrow here in D.C. at Andrews Air Force base to see the Blue Angeles.

A few questions:

1)  Any aspirations of being an astronaut?
2) Why did you choose the Air Force Academy over Navy or Army or a big engineering/ROTC school like Texas A&M, Purdue, etc?
3) Do we sell the same airframes and engines to the rest of the world that we keep for ourselves here in the U.S. (not trying to start a debate, just wondering)?
4) Ever even remote close to crashing OR even being scared shitless flying?
5) What couple of courses would you most like to play?
6) Ever "floated down the river" on the Frio River outside of San Antonio, if not, then you you should.
7) Do you play a 60 degree wedge?
Did you see the football game flyby at Ga Tech this year?  Was that too low?
9) What is your favorite bar be que?  Texas? Eastern NC? Kansas City? etc...
10) How amazing was it that Cap Sully figured out how to save 100+ folks lives after losing power on ascent out of LGA?

You are the man!
Chip

[Kenny Baer]

As a lifetime Dawg we have alot to talk about especially since we are around the same age.

Favorite game you saw in person?
Favorite game period?
Biggest heartbreaker?

Favorite player from the Richt era, offense and defense?

Are you able to make it back to Athens for any games?

[Ben Sims]

Ben

You are my hero....fly airplanes for a living and love GCA.  AND you live in west Texas where my wife is from so she really would love you.

I am taking my 3 year old son, Wade, to the Joint Forces airshow tomorrow here in D.C. at Andrews Air Force base to see the Blue Angeles.

A few questions:

1)  Any aspirations of being an astronaut?
2) Why did you choose the Air Force Academy over Navy or Army or a big engineering/ROTC school like Texas A&M, Purdue, etc?
3) Do we sell the same airframes and engines to the rest of the world that we keep for ourselves here in the U.S. (not trying to start a debate, just wondering)?
4) Ever even remote close to crashing OR even being scared shitless flying?
5) What couple of courses would you most like to play?
6) Ever "floated down the river" on the Frio River outside of San Antonio, if not, then you you should.
7) Do you play a 60 degree wedge?
Did you see the football game flyby at Ga Tech this year?  Was that too low?
9) What is your favorite bar be que?  Texas? Eastern NC? Kansas City? etc...
10) How amazing was it that Cap Sully figured out how to save 100+ folks lives after losing power on ascent out of LGA?

You are the man!
Chip

Chip,

You guys are going to LOVE the Joint Forces show.  I have to admit that the Blue Angels might be a smidge better than the Thunderbirds.  Also, try and see if you can get in the cockpit of the C-17 that'll be there.  And the T-6 that'll be there too.  Those are my offices.

1)  None whatsoever.  There are many requirements that I just have no interest in accomplishing. 

2) I chose USAFA based on two things 1) It was an Ivy league education at zero cost.  But all service academies were.  So...2) Around half of the graduates any given year at USAFA go to pilot training.  Only about 100 from Navy and none from West Point fly. 

3) There are many countries with F-16's.  The C-17 is now in the UK, Australia,  Canada, and Qatar.  But I'd be lying if I said--at least n the sale of fighters--that there aren't a few differences in avionics and armament.

4) Oh heck yeah.  I teach students everyday.  You'd be surprised at how the concept of self-preservation isn't very natural for humans while in the air.  Teaching the situational awareness aspect of flying is by far the hardest thing.  Also, there's been a few times over Iraq and Afghanistan where I had a moment of pause.  But I'm still here!

5) The National and Cypress are my holy grails by my two favorite classic archies.   Other infatuations include Eastward Ho! and Yeaman's Hall.

6) I have floated the Comal and Guadalupe in New Braunfels and Gruene, TX.  There is not much more fun than a day on the river.

7) No. I have a Vokey 58 (bent to 57) that I use for bunker shots mostly.  I just feel more comfortable keeping my shots low or on the ground if I can.  Call me a hack, but I have the strength and the shaft angle to hit the ball high, I just prefer keeping my shots low.

It's not too low until  you're picking leaves out of your landing gear

9) I like brisket when done right with some onions and pickles and a little bit of sauce.  But NOTHING compares to whole hog, chopped all together with some vinegar based goodness poured on it.  Some of my favorite places include Sprayberry's in Newnan, GA (Lewis Grizzard's favorite) and Lexington BBQ #1 in Lexington, NC.

10) Sully is a hell of a pilot.  I tell my students--everyday--that you are only one faulty wire or one flock of birds away from being a hero.  That's the standard we have to train to.  But that decision, and more importantly his execution of that decision were textbook.  People call it a miracle.  It wasn't.  It was simply him doing his job.  I hope that's the way all pilots look at it. 

Enjoy the airshow Chip!  And please go talk to the C-17 crew.  Chances are they know me.   

[Ben Sims]

As a lifetime Dawg we have alot to talk about especially since we are around the same age.

Favorite game you saw in person?
Favorite game period?
Biggest heartbreaker?

Favorite player from the Richt era, offense and defense?

Are you able to make it back to Athens for any games?

Kenny,

I think we may surprise a team or two this year.  

1)  Hmm.  The 2004 LSU game.  45-16. I was in the student section just in awe that we jumped on 'em like that.  But the "Blackout" at home against Auburn in 2007 was pretty special too.

2) 2001 Tennessee. "We just stepped on their face, with a hobnail boot and broke their nose.  We just crushed their face"

3) I would have to say the 2008 Alabama game.  I just didn't see that freight train coming.  That game has lived with us for two years.  A close second would be the 2006 Sugar Bowl in the Georgia Dome due to Katrina.  

4) David Greene.  But boy, Knowshon sure was fun to watch wasn't he?  Defense has to be David Pollack.  But Thomas Davis could bring the lumber.  

5)  The last game I went to was 2008 Tennessee.  I didn't make it any last season.  That'll be remedied this year I hope.

[Bill_McBride]

I am taking my 3 year old son, Wade, to the Joint Forces airshow tomorrow here in D.C. at Andrews Air Force base to see the Blue Angels.

Chip,

You guys are going to LOVE the Joint Forces show.  I have to admit that the Blue Angels might be a smidge better than the Thunderbirds.

Ben, since I live in Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels    , I am a big fan.  I am under the impression that the Blues fly a little closer to the edge than the T-birds.  Anything to that?

The fact that I am a former Navy officer has nothing to do with this question, honest!

[Ben Sims]

Bill,

I wouldn't say they fly better formation or closer together. They just seem to push it a little further than the Birds do.

Just returned from the Texas Open at the new TPC San Antonio. I'll fill you guys in later on the course

[Dan Herrmann]

Ben - looks good on TV.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

I wouldn't say they fly better formation or closer together. They just seem to push it a little further than the Birds do.

Just returned from the Texas Open at the new TPC San Antonio. I'll fill you guys in later on the course

I have heard, sad if true, that this goes back to the Thunderbirds' disastrous crash years ago.

[Ben Sims]

Bill,

I wouldn't say they fly better formation or closer together. They just seem to push it a little further than the Birds do.

Just returned from the Texas Open at the new TPC San Antonio. I'll fill you guys in later on the course

I have heard, sad if true, that this goes back to the Thunderbirds' disastrous crash years ago.

Bill,

Gotta defend the 'Birds here.  The Blue Angels had a crash in 2007 at Beaufort, SC in the final minutes of a show there.  I think the reason their shows are more exciting is simply that they push the envelope more.  Sounds weird, but institutionally, they Navy just doesn't care about safety as much as we do.

[Bill_McBride]

Well they fly off those carriers, right?

The Blues have lost 3 planes and pilots in the 15 years I've lived here, all single aircraft crashes.  Didn't the Thunderbirds have a major multi-craft collision years ago?

All those guys perform unreal maneuvers at unreal speeds.