The Old Man’s Flight
I stepped into the cockpit
of the Hornet, F-18.
As sleek and powerful fighter plane
that I have ever seen.
I fully extended the throttle, and
the craft soared through the sky.
It reached to thirty thousand feet
In the blinking of an eye.
The nose I then pushed forward,
and as she gathered speed,
she followed my gentle urgings,
this noble, gallant steed.
I did a loop and an immelman,
then pulled a tight chandelle.
For flying naught for forty years,
I was doing fairly well.
On the ground I spotted some targets,
then turned my switches on.
I fired my rockets, dropped my bombs,
til all of them were gone.
I hit some planes with rockets,
the bombs dropped slightly short.
I knew with no more ammo left,
the mission I should abort.
Then with this short flight over,
I couldn’t have felt greater.
I thanked the instructor for allowing me
to use the SIMULATOR.