Noted we have a few Airwingers. Thought you'd enjoy...

DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINES
A day with the choppers
Eye-opening look at Marine 'wing' responsible for aircraft in treacherous territory
Posted: November 3, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Editor's note: Reporter Matt Sanchez, currently embedding with military units throughout both Iraq and Afghanistan, has been providing WND readers with a glimpse into the Iraq war most Americans have never seen.

By Matt Sanchez
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

At al Asad, one of Iraq's biggest air bases, the skies had just gone red. On the runway that afternoon, the crew of the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, or HMH 464, was waiting for clearance to take off.

Unlike land routes that are vulnerable to roadside bombs and enemy fire, when it comes to helicopters and jets, bad Iraqi weather conditions present the greatest threat to safety.

"Landing in the desert can be very dangerous, it's something we practice as often as possible," said 1st Lieutenant and CH-53E helicopter pilot Joseph Garza of Texas, a former pharmaceutical sales worker before becoming a Marine Corps officer and pilot.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58488