Stress relief

[Hoser John]

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Airplanes Vs Women ....



Airplanes can kill you quickly; a woman takes her time.

Airplanes can be turned on by a flick of a switch.

Airplanes don't get mad if you 'touch and go.'

Airplanes don't object to a pre-flight inspection.

Airplanes operate inverted.



Airplanes come with manuals to explain their operation.

Airplanes have strict weight and balance limits.

Airplanes can be flown any time of the month.

Airplanes don't come with in-laws.

Airplanes don't care about how many other airplanes you

have flown before.



Airplanes and pilots both arrive at the same time.

Airplanes don't complain if you hose them down.

Airplanes don't mind if you like to look at other airplanes.

Airplanes can get high without throwing up.

Airplanes expect to be tied down.



Airplanes don't comment on your piloting skills.

Airplanes don't whine unless something is really wrong.



However, when airplanes go quiet, just like a woman, it's a bad thing.

[russau]

[Ornery Cuss]

I see a pilots license in Johns future.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder....


OC

[Hoser John]

Our company had a nice little single engine Cessna and I was learning how to fly for awhile, till partner stole me blind. Take offs EZ to do but landing hahahaha a bit more daunting John

[libertydave]

Leonard...I agree on you needing a pilot's license. You'd love small airplanes and flying...and flying can be a great stress reliever.

Maybe like some of you, my life has been spent around airplanes and I've flown on so many different airplane types that I can't remember them all. My first ride was at age 12 in the front cockpit of a PT-17 Stearman biplane. Last week I flew on a new 787. Amazing how airplanes have evolved since the Wright's first flight back in 1903.

I've also worked for a company that values its aviation legacy...and has sustained a commitment into preserving its aerospace history...The Boeing Company. Got out of college at 22 and came to work here as an engineer...still here over fifty years later.

This year Boeing is celebrating 100 years in the aviation business. For the last thirty-some years I've been leading teams that have recovered and restored a number of historic Boeing airplanes...put many back into the air. Most of these airplanes are in air museums today all around the country. My favorite airplane project? Well...it is 'SAM27000'...the 1980s "Air Force One", a Victor Charlie-135 (707) that was used by President Reagan. We moved it in 2003 to the Reagan Presidential Library in CA...took it apart and transported it 106 miles via freeway to the Simi Valley Library location, then reassembled it onsite.

This project was important to me because it honored the legacy of a truly great President who flew in it...Ronald Reagan. Great memories!! As I said flying is great fun. All the best.

Liberty Dave

[russau]

Dave I also worked for McDonnell Douglas / Boeing for 27 years here in St. Louis Missouri as a maint. electrician and a air conditioning guy . I sure saw a lot of interesting projects!! My wifes uncle by marriage was a enginer and worked on the space shuttle and environmental chambers .

[libertydave]

Hi Russ,
Hey...we hade the same employer. We'll have to share some notes offline. You have my email? Sold the old Liberty Resources Co. a couple of years ago so others have that connection. Truth told I am nearing the end of my Boeing adventures but have a couple of projects/events I am managing as my exit plan. As for summer mining I have a small high-banker (new Keene MAXX) and a gold cube trommel that I will enjoy this summer. In my years of gold dredging I am going backwards...from an eight incher in the 1980s and now down to a 2" combo, mostly because of health reasons. We are all getting old. Regards!!! LD

[russau]

Dave I sent you a PM with my email addy. I also sold my 4 inch dredge and moved down to a very light weight 2 inch dredge that I built and haven't tried out as of yet. This Summer when it gets warmer and the Mississippi River finnaly goes back down Im going to put it in and see how it works. Your correct ! Health reasons are forcing me to limit what Im "wanting " to do !

[Hoser John]

I'll never forget my dads stories on building war planes down in Glendale/Burbank. Massive plants all over and he was small so they greased him up, slid him into the wings to rivet/weld/whatever in the blazing summer sun in LA. Amazing pics he had of MASSIVE camo tarps over the complexs that showed a city scene to protect them from the yellow menace bombing the facility. Personally I much prefer to soar engineless as really amazing, quiet and much less cost and work. Parasailing, handgliding, huge gliders in Menden Nevada were the best though. BUT jumping out of a perfectly good airplane was a stunt I tried ONCE and nevermore. Too old anyhow as brittle bones and back say no no no-John

[russau]

Veit-Nam was the same and probly WW2 solders know as Tunnel Rats that went down into these dug tunnels where the VC stayed . I had the priviledge to meet one such person on Veterans Day at a local restaurant. He was a E7 and loaded with medals for his service to our Country! We shared stories over lunch ..............They crawled down into tunnels with nothing but a flash light and a DEEP BELEIF of their training and GUTS to do the job! They looked forward to poisionious snakes,spiders , boobie traps, and of course VC intent with killing you. Man they had big b^lls to do that job! SALUTE!