beautiful sound then sight

[Opcom]

Does the old HF radio equipment work and could someone make a QSO with it? That might make for some interesting contacts, a special QSL card, and would be second only to a session with the space station or that guy with the balloon that rises to the edge of space.

[AJ1G]

Apparently the radio installation on FIFI is in fact a WORKING system.  Found this link featuring a great photo of the setup, including the BC-348 donated by John, W0ENE of the Florida AM group.

http://flamgroup.com/

Other googling turned up that the bulk of the stuff was donated by the Rockwell Collins Radio Club who originally put together the system and operated it as a museum based setup several years ago. It was installed on FIFI late last year.

http://www.w0cxx.us/b-29/index.html

[Opcom]

As I understand it, when the aircraft is moved from one place to another the flights are lengthy making a great opportunity for a passenger to use the equipment, if the owners would agree to it.

[kb3ouk]

you should hear the sound of a backup diesel engine under load for a Virginia Class when it's in dry dock. 

Ah yes! Fairbanks Morse 38 8 1/8 opposed piston, super-charged two-strokes.

Pretty much the same engine that the WWII diesel boats used, except that we had 4 of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbanks_Morse_38_8-1/8_Diesel_Engine

The missile boat I went to later had a 5 cylinder version and the newer nukes have a 12 cylinder version.

There is no sound like all ahead full on 4, either in the engine rooms or topside.

Diesel Boats Forever!


I became a commercial pilot after I got out of the Navy, so I'm loving the sound of round engines too!

VIrginia class has a Caterpillar 3512B turbocharged, high-speed V12 instead of the F-M.

[WA1GFZ]

You guys have me thinking. I have all my Dad's old WW2 training manuals on differend ship engines. I know he also did a coal boat during Korea when they chased Russian subs along the East coast.

[N4LTA]

I heard the other day from an ex USAF Col and ex pilot, that the FAA is considering a moratorium on allowing experimental planes to give rides for pay. Story is that there is no reason, no accidents ect, just the FAA being a jerk. All of the vintage aircraft are classed experimental and there has been an exception allowing vintage warbirds to give rides for pay. This is the only way the owners can afford to keep them flying.

If it is true, it is a sad day.

Pat
N4LTA

[WB2EMS]

just the FAA being a jerk

We don't call them the F'nAA for nothing. Their motto is apparently "We're not happy, till you're not happy."

I spent a bunch of money getting a 2 seat ultralight trainer setup, getting my training credential, etc so I'd be able to be an ultra light Basic Flight Instructor. Got to do it for one summer, then the F'nAA decided that instead of using the homebuilt ultralight aircraft that 2500 instructors had been using successfully for 20 years, that now we could only instruct in factory built ultralights, the cheapest of which run north of $50k, many over $100k. Nobody could afford that.

With the stroke of a pen they cut the pool of instructors from 2500 down to around 170, effectively killing the entry point for new GA pilots. Ultralights were the most active segment of general aviation until that rule change, now it's nearly moribund. Apparently by design. The idea of people building their own planes and flying around freely just gives a certain breed of regulators the vapors.  It had to be stamped out.

This is just another example of a regulatory agency gone wild.