12||0|1460|0|yes
0|0|0|||1||So I was at the AMARC this week...|MOGSY||01:33:56|10/20/2007|or the Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center%2C aka the %22boneyard%22 out by Davis-Monthan AFB.  I%27ll post photos and a short blog burst later this weekend for those interested%2C but I gotta tell ya%2C the whole trip was a mixture of pride %28in the ingenuity and scope of the whole endeavor%29 and sadness - seeing all those planes%2C everything from a B-57 %28believe it or not%2C still have a need for parts because NASA flies a couple heavily modified birds%29 to row upon row of Vipers%2C Phantoms%2C Eagles%2C Hogs%2C A-4s%2C F-5s%2C Tweets%2C Buffs%2C Bones%2C C-5s%2C and now%2C all the Tomcats%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AYou know Gryph%2C a story featuring a Wedge version of the AMARC would be kinda neat....just sayin%27  %3A%29
1|1|0|||||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|Tabasco||10:32:04|10/20/2007|I would%27ve thought the B-1 would%27ve been new enough to escape that so far.  I%27d like to see that.
3|2|1|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|Wedge||12:15:22|10/20/2007|%3EI would%27ve thought the B-1 would%27ve been new enough to escape that so %0D%0A%3Efar.  I%27d like to see that.%0D%0A%0D%0AThey mothballed 33 of them in 2003 for budgetary concerns%2C though they yanked 7 back out the following year.  Which is the whole point of putting them out there in the first place-- conditions at AMARC are such that they can sit out there for years%2C wrapped in protective plastic or paint%2C with little ill effect.  Even if that wasn%27t the case%2C 21 years in service is plenty of time for at least one or two to make it to mothball status for a variety of reasons. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.gweep.net%2F%7Ewedge%2Fufchad_ficon.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5DChad Collier%0D%0ASmirking Kilrathi%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%230000CC%5DThe Captain of the Gravy Train%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
2|1|0|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|Gryphon||10:44:39|10/20/2007|%3EYou know Gryph%2C a story featuring a Wedge version of the AMARC would %0D%0A%3Ebe kinda neat....just sayin%27  %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0ABe a bit dull%2C I would think.  Not a lot going on in a boneyard.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
4|2|2|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|MOGSY||18:31:13|10/20/2007|%3E%3EYou know Gryph%2C a story featuring a Wedge version of the AMARC would %0D%0A%3E%3Ebe kinda neat....just sayin%27  %3A%29 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EBe a bit dull%2C I would think.  Not a lot going on in a boneyard. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E--G. %0D%0A%3E-%3E%3C- %0D%0A%3EBenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin %0D%0A%3EEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AYou%27d be surprised%21  The whole A-10 SLEP %28service life extension program%2C rebuilding all the wings and such%29%2C rewickering the F-4s into the QF-4 missile drones %28the %22viking funeral%22 where we launch SAMs and AAMs at %27em%29%2C AMARC is actually pretty busy...%0D%0A%0D%0ABut%2C a story like this would tend to be a bit melancholy...one of the old light birds who took the tour with us took one look around at one point and said %22my entire aviation career is in here....%22  I figured%2C something along the lines of a melancholy retirement flight for some really old Valks or some Alphas on their way to the boneyard.  Eh%2C maybe this is more of a Babylon Project data entry thingy...%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd as far as the B-1s go%2C well%2C putting 20%2B of them in the %22boneyard%22 is a main reason we actually have spare parts now %28funny thing about Congress%2C they hated the program so much%2C the spare parts for the jet were never funded in usable amounts - a part of the reason for it%27s storied maintenance history%29.  That%2C and retiring a bunch for that purpose is probably a main reason why the mission capable rates finally got above 70%25%2C but I didn%27t say that %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%22A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan next week%22 - Gen George S. Patton%2C Jr.
5|3|4|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|McFortner||19:04:18|10/21/2007|I was thinking of a story around the idea of some group deciding this was a way to get some Valks at a 5 fingered discount....%0D%0A%0D%0AMichael%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.railroadforum.com%2Fupload%2Fmcfortner%2Fsabrina.gif%5B%2Ftd%5D%0D%0A%5Btd%5D%5Bfont color%3D%22black%22 size%3D-1%5DMichael C. Fortner%5B%2Ffont%5D%5Bfont color%3D%22red%22 size%3D-1%5D %0D%0ARCW %232%5Bsup%5Dn%5B%2Fsup%5D%2B1%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22green%22 size%3D-1%5D%22I smoke in moderation. Only one cigar at a time.%22%0D%0A-- Mark Twain%0D%0A%5Bfont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D %0D%0A
6|1|0|||||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|simonz||11:50:39|10/23/2007|Heh%2C DM is a mere couple of miles from my house.  All my life I%27ve driven past DM and wished that my vision was better so I could have been a fighter pilot.  Such is life.%0D%0A%0D%0ASimonz
7|2|6|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|Gryphon||11:55:58|10/23/2007|%3EAll my life I%27ve %0D%0A%3Edriven past DM and wished that my vision was better so I could have %0D%0A%3Ebeen a fighter pilot.%0D%0A%0D%0ABah%2C everybody wants to be a fighter pilot.  When I was a kid%3F  I wanted to fly B-52s.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0Aor C-130s%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
8|3|7|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|Wedge||12:58:30|10/23/2007|%3E%3EAll my life I%27ve %0D%0A%3E%3Edriven past DM and wished that my vision was better so I could have %0D%0A%3E%3Ebeen a fighter pilot.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EBah%2C everybody wants to be a fighter pilot.  When I was a kid%3F  I %0D%0A%3Ewanted to fly B-52s. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E--G. %0D%0A%3Eor C-130s %0D%0A%0D%0AOne of my friends growing up who went into CAP with me dreamed of flying A-10%27s%2C which I always appreciated on that level.%0D%0A%0D%0AI was%2C of course%2C had stereotypical F-15 lust.  Though I%27d%27ve happily taken the Strike Eagle%2C come to it.  The Strike Eagle demo team the Air Force has doing airshows puts on a rocking good show.  %2AAnd%2A they all wear %2Ablack%2A flightsuits%21  Total cowboys%2C it%27s awesome.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.gweep.net%2F%7Ewedge%2Fufchad_ficon.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5DChad Collier%0D%0ASmirking Kilrathi%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%230000CC%5DThe Captain of the Gravy Train%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
9|3|7|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|Pasha||13:18:05|10/23/2007|%3E%3EAll my life I%27ve %0D%0A%3E%3Edriven past DM and wished that my vision was better so I could have %0D%0A%3E%3Ebeen a fighter pilot.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EBah%2C everybody wants to be a fighter pilot.  When I was a kid%3F  I %0D%0A%3Ewanted to fly B-52s. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E--G. %0D%0A%3Eor C-130s %0D%0A%0D%0AI wanted to fly P3s doing ASW.  That seemed like a truely awesome job.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- %0D%0A-Pasha%0D%0A%22I invented Warp Drive%2C whatta ya got%3F%22%0D%0A%22I%27m the Norse God of Mecha.%22%0D%0A%22Well%2C I guess you win then.%22
12|4|9|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|BlackAeronaut||15:08:34|10/28/2007|I actually got to talk to a couple of P-3 guys down here at 32nd street %28nick name for Naval Base San Diego since there%27s about 3 or 4 Navy bases here%29.  Pretty cool guys for being officers and sitting down to talk to an E-nothin%27 like me over lunch.  They were there because they were attending some drug and alcohol prevention course so they could take on the associated collateral duty.%0D%0A%0D%0AYeah...  Those collateral duties you undertake in the service%3F  That%27s what get%27s you advanced.  You only get promoted for doing your regular job if you pull off something truly outstanding.  Doubly so if you%27re commissioned.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bhr%5D%5Bfont size%3D%222%22 face%3D%22Arial Narrow%22%5D%5Bb%5DBlack Aeronaut Technologies%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0ACreative aerospace solutions for the discerning spacer%0D%0A%5Bi%5D%22To the commissary we should go%2C%22 Yoda declared firmly.  %22News of this kind a danish requires.%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
10|3|7|||||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|VA_Wanderer||14:28:19|10/23/2007|%3E%3EAll my life I%27ve %0D%0A%3E%3Edriven past DM and wished that my vision was better so I could have %0D%0A%3E%3Ebeen a fighter pilot.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EBah%2C everybody wants to be a fighter pilot.  When I was a kid%3F  I %0D%0A%3Ewanted to fly B-52s. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E--G. %0D%0A%3Eor C-130s %0D%0A%0D%0APersonally%2C I just wanted to command a tank like Daddy did when I was a little child%0D%0A%0D%0AMy friends %28anime fans%29 all wanted fighters watching Macross once I hit. I wanted a MAC. And once we all got into BattleTech%2C I was the happiest man on earth piloting an old Unseen Archer.%0D%0A%0D%0AAirplanes%3F If I ever had dreams about flying one%2C it was the A-10. Those things are tanks with wings. %3A%29%0D%0A
11|4|10|||1||RE%3A So I was at the AMARC this week...|MOGSY||19:43:02|10/23/2007|%3E%3E%3EAll my life I%27ve %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Edriven past DM and wished that my vision was better so I could have %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Ebeen a fighter pilot.%0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EBah%2C everybody wants to be a fighter pilot.  When I was a kid%3F  I %0D%0A%3E%3Ewanted to fly B-52s. %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3E--G. %0D%0A%3E%3Eor C-130s %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27d thought about trying for AC-130s for a while%2C two good friends of mine from some small nondescript technical school in Colorado are gunship dudes now.%0D%0A%0D%0ASomehow%2C the very thought of putting field artillery %28the 105mm%29 on an AIRPLANE restores my faith in American ingenuity %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EMy friends %28anime fans%29 all wanted fighters watching Macross once I %0D%0A%3Ehit. I wanted a MAC. And once we all got into BattleTech%2C I was the %0D%0A%3Ehappiest man on earth piloting an old Unseen Archer. %0D%0A%0D%0AThe triple-punch of anime %28Star Blazers and Robotech that is%29 %2B Top Gun%2C and even%2C Iron Eagle %28bleagh%29 are what made me want to fly%2C and then want fly fighters.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAirplanes%3F If I ever had dreams about flying one%2C it was the A-10. %0D%0A%3EThose things are tanks with wings. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AI spent some formative years of my air force career as the intel bubba for an A-10 squadron.  A couple things I learned%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A1%29 The Hog bros had this sweet music video of various A-10 footage set to %22She Sells Sanctuary then straight into %22Fire Woman%22 by The Cult %28seemingly Hog themesongs near as I can tell%29- I%27ve been trying to find this thing on the internet - the B-1s seem to have an affection for %22Hells Bells%22 by AC%2FDC %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A2%29 Never%2C ever get into a slow speed turning fight with a Hawg if you%27re a Strike Eagle %28because the Hog%27s nose can track in that circle%2C and the HUD footage will show a nice gun funnel with the pilot lazily saying %22guns%2C guns%2C guns%2C guns%2C GUNS%2C guuunnnssss%2C GUNS%21%22 %3A%29  - the Strike Eagle bubbas %28also known affectionately as the Mudhen and the Dark Gray%29 don%27t like that one %28MOGS awkwardly tries to shoot his wristwatch%2C fails miserably%29 - %0D%0A%0D%0A3%29 Don%27t walk under the plane in the dark %28too many antennae and shit hanging off it%29%0D%0A%0D%0AAs far as flying goes%2C I should have realized it wasn%27t in the cards when I was slow to solo in gliders%2C then in Cessnas%2C and then finally got to Tweets and just couldn%27t grasp it fast enough.  I did realize after my first G-check or so that 5gs was plenty thanks%2C so C-model Eagles and F-16s were no longer at the top of my list%2C defaulted back to the A-10.  I then later realized that wanting to fly as a means to an end%2C namely%2C hurting bad people and breaking their stuff%2C wasn%27t enough on its own to get through pilot training %28rules%2C airspace control%2C stuff like that%29%2C that I didn%27t love _flying_ for its own sake enough %28to this day%2C the thought of just tooling around in a Cessna bores%2C rather than interests me%2C no offense to any private pilots out there%29.  I didn%27t enjoy flying itself enough to look forward to heavies %28sorry for the chauvinism%29. %0D%0A%0D%0AHowever%2C I learned to appreciate bombers and helicopters later in life.  If I had to do it again%2C I would have gone straight for helos.  Oh well %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AIf I _could_ fly any tactical airplane at all%2C it would probably be the A-1 Skyraider to tell you the truth%2C as an old school %22Sandy%22 pilot %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ll get those photos up soon - some technical issues.%0D%0A