Re: On the Ramp Right Now!

Kim Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:36 pm

More Heavy Metal on the ramp ! These Hercules/Chinook CH-47 Helicopters were picked up by their crews in Savannah, Georgia, and are on their way to Wainwright, Alaska...a trip that they estimate will take them 7 days.

They were loaded heavy with crew gear, and trying to manage the aircraft's weight, so each took only a measly 700+ gallons of our fine Jet-A fuel. Really thirsty Chinooks can empty our 2200 gallon truck REAL fast, and make us do runs to the fuel farm between fill-ups!

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Along with the CH-47's, we also had this Air Force T-6 "Texan 2" drop in for a refuel. The guys were headed for Niagara Falls, on a training mission from Shepard AFB in Texas. This turbine-engined trainer is replacing the familiar T-34c in all 3 service branches.

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andrew Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:36 pm

Great pics. This morning, two Chinooks flew over in a wide trail from the SE headed WNW. Could very well have been the same two on your ramp. They weren't close enough for me to see any markings.

**Cribbs74** Fri Apr 06, 2012 11:32 pm

That's funny Kim,

My last duty station was Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls TX. The Texan II was phased in during my last year there. Thank Goodness ! As they replaced the T37 "tweet" And those things would fire off at 0630 with a shrill whine that would darn near burst your ear drums. Imagine 50 of em doing run ups at the same time........

Not sure what service has T34's but, I haven't seen any in the AF inventory.

Kim Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:18 am

cribbs74 wrote:That's funny Kim,

My last duty station was Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls TX. The Texan II was phased in during my last year there. Thank Goodness ! As they replaced the T37 "tweet" And those things would fire off at 0630 with a shrill whine that would darn near burst your ear drums. Imagine 50 of em doing run ups at the same time........

Not sure what service has T34's but, I haven't seen any in the AF inventory.

OH SHOOT !!! Thanks Ron, the Air force flew the -37! I was typing this up in the restaurant after work and wasn't watching what I was writing !!! I MEANT to say the the Texan-2 was gonna be USED by the three branches...and now, better go check that statement !!!

I send our local newspaper occasional photos with short articles about happenings at the airport, and may now have the Air Force after me !!! Time for a correction !

Yeah, I believe we had a Tweetie Bird at one of our airshows here, and seem to remember the shrill screech of the engines.

Not long ago, we had a Saita-Jet trainer (Spanish design, I think) here that was about the loudest single-engined little plane I'd ever heard. I took some photos and when he left, we were all trying to "will" the plane in the air as he roared along, gulping up most of our North-South runway with only a hint of wanting to fly. When the plane DID lift, it just stayed, nose-up, at about 30 feet above the pavement, closing in on Crowley's Ridge just south of the airport.

He did clear the ridge, but I told Rory that I wish I'd been parked over there for some great photos of his belly rivets!

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As an aside, and don't know the details, there was some form of Commemorative Activity celebrating the T-34c's long service life that involved them being painted in the Navy's 1930's scheme.

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Kim Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:50 am

andrew wrote:Great pics. This morning, two Chinooks flew over in a wide trail from the SE headed WNW. Could very well have been the same two on your ramp. They weren't close enough for me to see any markings.

Betting they were the same...they showed up at KCGI around 1030. My boss was helping me park and fuel them, and while he's a great guy, he has to spend a lot of time in his office, and gets a little out-of-sync and excited when we get these big dogs approaching: "It's OK...We can handle it! We got 'em! I'll park 'em here!!!!" I think the fresh air makes him hyper, and he kind of reminds me of an excited Barney Fife at these times! I have to watch that I don't trip over him or hang him up in our ground wire.

Anyway, the guys were real hungry, so we sent them over to Sandy's Restaurant (Catfish Friday!), and they came back groaning and so full, they didn't even want any of the scratch-made cookies that our receptionist bakes!

Great guys...wish them God Speed...

PV Pilot Sat Apr 07, 2012 8:53 am

Was reading a Clive Cussler book and it mentioned a Turbine Legend plane. Just had to look it up with my comp phone. I guess it is a military trainer that other countrys have purchased. I had heard and seen one before, but couldn't picture it until I looked it up.
http://turbinelegend.com/flying%20gallery.htm

Mudhen Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:27 pm

**Cribbs74** Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:30 pm

Mudhen wrote:
cribbs74 wrote:That's funny Kim,
My last duty station was Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls TX. The Texan II was phased in during my last year there. Thank Goodness ! As they replaced the T37 "tweet" And those things would fire off at 0630 with a shrill whine that would darn near burst your ear drums. Imagine 50 of em doing run ups at the same time........
Not sure what service has T34's but, I haven't seen any in the AF inventory.
Heathen...Pharasee!!!
The Tweet was a great jet. Turned on a dime. Full spin capabilities, including upright and inverted flat. (The A.F. used it for years as a spin trainer at EDW.) A blast to fly.
Okay...the cast-iron, drop forged J-69 was a "tad" loud. But not any louder than a Tee Dee .049. Well...maybe a little louder, but but nothing that wearing several pairs of ear protection couldn't muffle. "shrill whine..." You should be spanked!
btw - the A.F. did fly the T34A/B in the fifties, but not the turboprop variant.
Mud

You would have to look from my point of view, I spend hours on an airfield and listening listening to that racket hour after hour wears on you.

I did like the "tweet" but, compared to the sound of the props of the Texans they were annoying.

That being said I have heard louder but, not in quantity though like when I was stationed at Sheppard. The U-2 comes to mind. Nothing like hanging off a Glideslope tower and listening to one of those roar off without being able to cover your ears!

All in all the AF has some cool stuff, just over time they become a hinderance when you work on the ground.

**RknRusty** Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:57 pm

Kim wrote:Three Bad Boys (and one Bad Girl ! ) picked up about 350 gallons (each) of our finest Jet A, and headed out !

And then, they left !

You're damn lucky you didn't get quietly vaporized by a phaser while taking those pictures! Laughing

Kim Sat Apr 07, 2012 4:06 pm

RknRusty wrote:]

You're damn lucky you didn't get quietly vaporized by a phaser while taking those pictures! Laughing

[/quote]

True, but it demonstrates the risk I'm willing to take...just to bring photos of these great folks to my fellow aircraft fanatics !

PV Pilot Sat Apr 07, 2012 4:08 pm

Fill er up son,,put it on the Govt visa,,,

andrew Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:03 pm

PV Pilot wrote:Fill er up son,,put it on the Govt visa,,,

I think the Gov't Visa must be linked directly to my taxes this year -- apparently they're sending the bills to me now. Sad

PV Pilot Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:38 am

andrew wrote:
PV Pilot wrote:Fill er up son,,put it on the Govt visa,,,

I think the Gov't Visa must be linked directly to my taxes this year -- apparently they're sending the bills to me now.

Yes, you have no choice,,pay now!!.

Kim Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:17 pm

And finally, the Navy arrives !

P-3c Orion Anti-Submarine Aircraft

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andrew Mon Apr 09, 2012 2:43 pm

Not fair!!! Not only do a lot of cool aircraft land at CGI, but you get to be "up close and personal" with them.

Kim Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:44 pm

andrew wrote:Not fair!!! Not only do a lot of cool aircraft land at CGI, but you get to be "up close and personal" with them.

'Tis true...but I must contain my wild-eyed enthusiasm 'till later hours...lest my boss decides that I'm enjoying my job too much !

PV Pilot Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:11 am

The props on the Orion are a work of art. Alot going on there, even sitting still.

Kim Mon May 14, 2012 2:51 pm

I finally got a photo of Rush's magnificent Gulfstream 550 as it dropped in today to pick up some of his relatives and whisk them away to a family function.

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I also got some photos of the G-550's full-glass panel cockpit...no "Steam Gauges" ( the classic round gauges). The black and white map-like displays are called "Approach Plates", and list all of the specific information needed for a landing at a given airport. They are normally sold as a thick booklet for different regions of the country, but with a glass panel cockpit, the pilot can call them up without having to sift through pages of very thin paper.

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WingingIt74 Mon May 14, 2012 2:55 pm

Glass cockpits are changing aviation as we have known it. Much lighter then their mechanical counter parts and can display a vast amount of information.

Cool pics Kim!