Pilots did (and still do) fly cross-country sorties/missions. Usually on
the weekend. Typically the crews are asked to 'put on' a certain number of
hours/sorties prior to returning to home base. Benefits unit in that they
get the additional flying time for their crews but the maintenance folks
don't have to support the sorties (usually transient maintenance at enroute
and final destination handle the chores of refueling, paperwork, etc)

What the pilots/crews did at the 'end of the day' was pretty much up to
them.... Take in the local sights, visit relatives/friends assuming they
lived nearby, or take care of personal 'chores'. Guard typically had more
flexibility than active duty wrt how long aircraft were out and where they
were allowed to go.... Sounds like this MAY be the case here...

Mark



I have a question: what was/is the policy on use of ANG airplanes? I
have seen several bios that stated George Bush used an F-102 to fly to
Florida for a plant business he was involved in. I presume he did the
usual flight plan and landed at a military installation. What would
be the policy, local or ANG, to a Guard pilot using one of the unit's
planes for something not demonstrably Guard duty? And does/did it
happen as a regular thing?