Official Aviation Thread...

[FLYNAVY]

Congrats dude, I'm sure the E2C2 life isn't too bad either. Especially CODs. Do you know a guy who used to be a nuke instructor prior to a lat transfer to SNA? Our new guy was just talking today about a friend that just picked up E2C2, and he fits that general description.

[gkurey]

Yeah, should be Koch...I know he just finished up the chuck rag not too long ago! Tell him I said yo if that's who you're talking about! Thanks for the congrats guys...I'm stoked to be given a great opportunity.

[FLYNAVY]

Yeah, should be Koch...I know he just finished up the chuck rag not too long ago! Tell him I said yo if that's who you're talking about! Thanks for the congrats guys...I'm stoked to be given a great opportunity.

Yep, that's him. I'll tell him hai for you. Have fun at the boat!

[tttoon]

Congrats gkurey, I'm extremely jealous. This is the best my job got this month:



Other than that, teaching people instrument approaches and holds, nice change from the vfr stuff.

[gkurey]

Nice!! The grand canyon must be awesome from the air!

[BlackbirdM3]

Look what I found today.


So, who can tell me what is special about this picture? I shot it this afternoon.

Will

[!kid]

they are right around the corner from skunk works? thats palmdale area right?

[MAXELHOFF]

super-human!

Congratulations! That is bad-ass. Let me guess- 5'10" 1/2, 183 Pounds, 20/10 vision, high IQ? Super coordinated? Have you landed on air-craft carriers?


DSC_0171PS by gkurey, on Flickr

[BlackbirdM3]

they are right around the corner from skunk works? thats palmdale area right?

Yes it is at the Skunkworks, but that really isn't whats special.

Will

[Albuquerque30]

Look what I found today.


So, who can tell me what is special about this picture? I shot it this afternoon.

Will

Mmm! Two Blackbirds! What's the cart under the right one? Never seen one like that.
What's special is neither of them are leaking. :giggle:

Also, do you work on base? I think I've seen your m3 a couple times in passing.

[FLYNAVY]

My guess is that the one on the right is a re-painted A-12, and not a Blackbird/SR-71. Maybe?

[Albuquerque30]

Good eye, FLYNAVY!

http://roadrunnersinternationale.com/a-12s.html

[Eric]

Mmm! Two Blackbirds! What's the cart under the right one? Never seen one like that.

probably an engine start kart.

[Albuquerque30]

I'm a heavy guy, so that's definitely not in my territory. Haha.

[BlackbirdM3]

My guess is that the one on the right is a re-painted A-12, and not a Blackbird/SR-71. Maybe?

The one on the right is the first A12, Its where it all began. http://www.habu.org/a-12/06924.html

the cart under the wing is one of the "Buick" Start carts. Originally there were two Micky Thompson built V8s in there used to spin the J58 engines up to 3000 rpm where they would light off. Eventually they blew up all the Micky Thompson motors and replaced them with big block Chevy motors. The program used these up into the mid '80s as the main power source to start the engines, then at the three bases (Beale, Kadena Okinawa, and Mildenhall in England) the hangers were equipped with an air start system. The start carts were kept around for use at airshows and when ever they needed to fly one from a remote operating location.

The SR-71 on the left is #973 and I think its one of the hand full of airworthy airframes (In other words one that didn't have the wing spars cut.) I thought I heard that it suffered some sort of structural damage at an airshow in Europe, but I haven't been able to verify this.

I've got some other pictures that show the differences between the A12 and the SR. I'll post them when I get home later tonight.

No, I don't work at Palmdale, but I have to admit, it would be pretty darn cool to be working in Plant 42.

Will