MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- The flight line at MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, was a welcome sight to a Patrol Squadron 2 senior chief flight engineer as his P-3 Orion descended, successfully logging his 10,000th flight hour, Feb. 1.
When Senior Chief Mike Allen reached a "year in the air," or 8,060 hours aloft, in August 2002, he never imagined that the next big milestone for aviators was less than two years away.
Airmen from VPU-2, family members and well-wishers were on hand to congratulate Allen on his entrance into the "10,000 Club."
"Now, reaching 10,000 hours is a rarity," said Senior Chief Ted Gallinat, flight engineer with VPU-2; "it's huge."
Receiving a certificate and lapel pin from Lockheed Martin Corporation for his achievement, Allen was congratulated by all present before cutting a cake commemorating the flight.
"Flight engineers are incredibly valuable to a flight crew and pilot," said Lt. Cmdr. Eric Seib, a P-3 pilot with VPU-2. "Their expertise is unquestionable, especially if anything ever goes wrong with the aircraft."
Allen didn't expect to hit the mark before he left flight status for good.
"I figured my flying career would be over long before I hit that mark," said Allen. "We're not flying the P-3s as much as we used to, but with more going on, we've gotten to be more active."
Allen's next tour will take him to Pensacola, Fla., where he's slated to be an instructor at the Naval Aircrew Candidate School.