Ski-equipped LC-130

As if you can't tell from my website, I have a fetish for flying. Identifying World War II vintage aircraft is a second vocation and I rarely miss an airshow (nerd alert, nerd alert). Today, I made a quick sortie to the Stratton Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in Scotia, New York, home of the 109th Airlift Wing for a meeting with the Telecommunication department. Stratton is the only base in the Air Force that possesses the ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft and crews often fly to Greenland and Antartica for science support missions and training on the frozen tundra. 18-year veteran Willy gave me a tour of the facilities and studio and let me test out their newest purchase, the lightweight Canon XL-H1 with 20x lens. It's a beauty. A few years ago my CBS-TV reporter and I flew aboard one of the C-130's to capture a staged medical rescue of injured soldiers. While in flight one of the 4 engines blew and the scenerio suddenly turned real. The pilot had to cancel the practice run, change course and fly us back. Emergency crews were waiting on the tarmac when we landed. That earned the 2-part series additional accolades and recognitions and a little thrill for us as well. I wonder what my chances of being deployed as a civilian to the icecaps might be? I'd love to sneak aboard the next military operation... and incase of that rare possibility, I gave Willy my business card, size for fitted fatigues and insurance that I can shoot in subzero temps!