Time Control? We Don't Need No Stink'n Time Control.

--> I was just a 2Lt (or maybe a 1Lt) in a six-ship formation that was supposed to do a pay drop for elements of the 173^rd Airborne Brigade in Italy.   We had flown down from Rhein Main to pick up the troopers at Aviano AB.  Load time was noon, take off was 1330 and drop was supposed to be 1430. 

We had a one-hour route planned, but it really only took about 15 minutes to get to the DZ.  So, we had a number of cutouts where if we took off late we could still hit our TOT.

Loading went smoothly, and we were actually ready to go at 1300.  The lead had this bright idea we would take off early, get approval from ATC to shorten the route and hit the drop zone at 1345.  He checked with the Army and they were all for getting done early.  So off we go.

The only problem was nobody bothered to talk with the Italian controllers.  When we showed up on their screens early they were just a little miffed, and when lead told them the new plan they weren’t buying into this let’s get done early idea.  We flew the route to the IP, but when we got there they said, “Okay you hold now until your scheduled drop time.”

We had 45 minutes of holding at 2,500’ on a hot Italian afternoon.  I don’t think a single trooper on my aircraft managed to keep his lunch down.  We had about 50 guys really happy to leave the plane by the time we hit the green light.

Life was a lot simpler in West Texas where if you were below 3K’ and not in controlled airspace no one cared.