Our ride is here. It's a C-141, which is basically the jet version of the C-130 transport, but maybe a little larger. Both planes have a big wide hydraulic door/ramp that opens in the rear of the plane. All cargo is loaded through it. You've seen air drops, where they roll big packed pallets out the back of the plane and drop them down by parachute? The C-130 and C-141 are the planes used for that purpose.

Once airborne, the captain invited those of us who were interested to come to the cockpit. Cory, being a former Air Force man himself, enjoyed it greatly, as did the rest of us.

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