Tiger conquers G-force

Winning a golf tournament in a sudden-death playoff a year ago apparently wasn't exciting enough for Tiger Woods. So golf's biggest superstar decided to go for the ultimate thrill in his return to Las Vegas.

Woods traded his Nike shirt and golf spikes for a drab olive-green jumpsuit and military-style boots Monday and went for a 35-minute flight in an F-16 with the Air Force's Thunderbirds.

"I had fun doing it (but) I don't know how these (pilots) do it," a breathless Woods said after the flight. "It was a blast ... we pulled nine (G-forces) up there. I'd love to do it again."

Woods, who shakily climbed from the red-white-and-blue F-16, was considerably more talkative before the flight, which took him northeast of Las Vegas, near the Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, where the Thunderbirds regularly train.

In town this week to defend his title in the $1.8 million Las Vegas Invitational, Woods said flying in an Air Force jet was something he has always dreamed of -- no doubt after listening to his father's war stories. Earl Woods, a retired Army colonel, was a Green Beret who served two tours of duty in Vietnam and was awarded a Silver Star.

"It's something I've always wanted to do because I grew up in the military and my dad retired from the Green Berets and I know a lot about the (planes) he used to jump out of," an obviously excited Woods said as he stood on the tarmac at Nellis Air Force Base prior to takeoff. "He has flown a couple of these and I've always wanted to do it."

Woods said he wasn't nervous about the flight -- even after being briefed about emergency procedures prior to hopping in the two-seat aircraft.

"No, I'm not nervous at all ... I won't have a problem with that," Woods said. "I've been bungee jumping and I think that's more scary than flying in this government aircraft. I wouldn't say it's butterflies -- it's more excitement."

Woods and pilot Major Randy Lane wasted no time putting the jet through its paces, making a steep vertical climb to 13,000 feet upon takeoff. After belching out three puffs of smoke to signal that everything was "A-OK" with the aircraft, the F-16 disappeared into the clear blue skies at about 500 miles per hour.

"His reaction (to the takeoff) was 'Wow,' which is the typical reaction," said Lane. "He said he loved that part of the flight."

Near the end of the flight, Lane said he and Woods pulled nine G's during a descending left-hand turn over Indian Springs and reached a maximum speed of 570 miles per hour.

Lane said the 21-year-old handled the flight -- and the acrobatic maneuvers -- quite well, even taking the controls of the $24 million aircraft on the way back to Nellis.

"He was pretty much a natural pilot so we didn't have much problem with him at all," Lane said. "We went out and showed him all the maneuvers that we do during a show and he wanted to do some of them again, so he's very aggressive, very outgoing. It was a pleasure to fly with him.

"He did real well flying the airplane and we did some vertical rolls which sometimes make people a little disoriented and he did real well. I think he's got a lot of pilot in him. He actually took the airplane and said, 'Can I fly home?' Not too many people do that, most people are very content to sit back and ride but I let him fly, with just a little bit of help, about half the way home."

Following the flight, Woods seemed to be most proud of the fact that he made it through the experience without having to use one of the air-sickness bags he was handed before takeoff.

"It's empty," he said as he quickly made his way to a more conventional mode of transportation -- a limousine that whisked him back to his hotel.

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