FLIER CONTROLS LAME FIGHTER CURTIS CITED FOR ACTIONS.Byline: Daily News PALMDALE - An Antelope Valley High School Antelope Valley High School is located in Lancaster, California and is part of the Antelope Valley Union High School District. It was founded in 1912[1]. It is located in the Mojave Desert. graduate who is now an Air Force fighter pilot was presented the Air Force Aviation Well Done Award for bringing a malfunctioning F-15 jet safely back to his base. Capt. James J. Curtis' recognition was announced in the April edition of an Air Force publication, Flying Safety. ``Capt. Curtis demonstrated superior airmanship Air´man`ship n. 1. Art, skill, or ability in the practice of aerial navigation; aircraft piloting. Noun 1. airmanship - the art of operating aircraft aviation and skill in handling an unusual and complicated emergency situation,'' the commendation said. ``His knowledge of aircraft systems and flawless execution prevented the loss of a multimillion-dollar Air Force combat asset.'' The award is presented for outstanding airmanship and professional performance during a hazardous situation, the Air Force says. Curtis, a 1987 Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley High graduate and son of retired Lt. Col. Donald Curtis and Gloria Curtis of Palmdale, was flying out of Okinawa, Japan, in August 2000 when his jet's rudder malfunctioned, getting stuck in a left-turn position. The jet suddenly rolled and veered to the left. Curtis got the jet straightened out, but had a hard time keeping it flying straight and level, the Air Force said. With the rudders deflected to the left, right turns were almost impossible, so Curtis had to maneuver back to his base by making left turns. At the same time, his main radio broke, complicating communication with air traffic controllers while weather conditions were worsening at Kadena Air Force Base in Japan, the Air Force said. Curtis brought the plane back to Kadena safely, landing among heavy crosswinds, turbulence and low clouds on a wet runway, the Air Force said. Curtis attended Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. and California State University, San Bernardino California State University, San Bernardino is a state-funded university in San Bernardino, California, part of the California State University System. The university was founded in 1965. Enrollment annually tops 16,000 and is on pace to reach more than 20,000 by 2010. , while attending ROTC classes at Loyola Marymount University Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university whose main campus is located in Arlington, Virginia. History Marymount was founded in 1950 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) as Marymount College, a two-year women's school. in Los Angeles. He has been designated for promotion to major. |
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