ST0RM

2 Weeks, duh!?!?!

What? Hot, Hotter and OMG its F-ing Hot! Love your Desert2 though. -S

Thanks again for the assistance. I've got some time tonight, so I'll go back to testing. Cheers!

Maybe FC will be moving to Virginia? Always cool to hear of new squadrons standing up, versus being drawn down. -S

Thanks FC. That makes the numbers a bit more understandable. But based on your info, it doesnt look like we would be able to create an echelon takeoff. #2 and the rest will try and follow my line down the runway and veer to the left or right, instead of staying on center. Bummer. -S

I started tweaking on my own and got mixed results. I did get my aircraft to start on the middle of the left/right of runway, but my wingman always started from the centerline, then taxied to where I was and began his takeoff. What are the offset values? What does each number mean? In this: TakeOffHead=13,1265 TakeOffTail=-13,-1265 I'm taking off on the mid-left side of the runway, but what does the 1265/-1265 represent? Is it distance? Time? I lowered it to 900 and my #2 slowly taxiied down the runway and eventually took off. And on further down, the headings do not correlate with the actual runway headings. TaxiHead[01].Heading=180 ?? TaxiHead[01].Offset=0,1295 ?? I know trial and error, but I'm not really seeing much. I'd just like to get the aircraft to start in a more realistic pattern, then straight behind. -S

Way to go chaps!

Isn't Akrotiri used for live weapons training also? Maybe relocate "The Range" there also.

Interesting bit Dave. Thanks for posting. Just one of the things about NASA and the early space pioneers, that most people never knew. -Jeff

Don't forget the weapons. It can't carry everything inside it's tiny bays and it's got really short legs. So you've got to carry aux tanks or keep a tanker very close to the battle to top you off. All of which are non-stealthy.

The photos from the periscope are awesome. Great catches. The shot with the Norwegian chick making out with the Russian dude is funny. It's typical of a bar girl; cigarette and cell phone in hand. ;)

Long story short, I acquired a used iTouch for dirt cheap. So now I'm only 2 years behind my kids in the technology department and can replace my 4 year old Nano. Anyhow, I keep reading about Jailbreaking and have tried doing some reading on the pro and cons. But all of the replies I seem to read are from "pissed off at apple" iphone customers and can't get a really good answer. So, by "jailbreaking" an iTouch, what do I stand to gain? What more can I get it to do? Will it now run some magical apps? Examples?? Thanks in advance! Jeff

Daves having fun "plinkin" tanks.

When I was in the 58th in 2001, I once made the joke about the Wing getting Vipers in place of the Eagles. The pilots nearly kicked my butt. Hmm, looks like I ended up being right.

What? Your link went straight to the AvWeek front page. -S

The nose is odd. It's missing the FLIR on top and the threat warning antennas on the underside. Definately not a GR.5 nose though. It doesnt have the undernose bulge. Would be cool to purchase it and bring it over the the US and fly it with the FA.2 -S

Check out "OPR Review" and "Reflective Insanity". The latter being especially true at Al Udeid AB. I got "Chiefed" several times. Awesome vids! -S P.S. "Cancer of the dick..." I might have to use that one at some staff meeting.

To All: I salute all of you for your courage to write some very private things about yourselves. As has been said, it's the first step in recovering. Alcohol almost got the best of me. Joining the AF at 18, away from home etc... It wasn'nt until I got married and almost destroying that, did I wake up and see what I was doing. I still enjoy a few beers, but I won't go all out and drink a 12 pack and chase it with shots. Plus I'm nearly 38. It hurts too much. I wish you all the best in your upcoming trials. It will be tough, but I'm sure you'll make it through. -Jeff

A recent report stated that the jet blast of the B-model in VTOL mode was too hot for the current deck plating on the ships. This becomes another issue for the Marines, in that they will have to dump more money into refurbing the ships to accomodate the aircraft. When was the last time the mission required the use of STOL/VTOL? 2003 maybe? The USMC has been attached/assigned to CVWs for years. They routinely replace or augment the USN squadrons. In 2006 VMFA-251 was assigned to the Ike. They split the Det between the ship and a land base. I've seen other units since, doing the same. If one version were to be procured, I'd have to agree that the C-model is the best choice. -S

Sadly, there are less than a dozen left in AMARC. They're disposal was accelerated and they were chopped up quickly. The Tomcat now only lives on in flightsims.

Thats awesome. Time to make sure my ductape rolls are packed for any leaks.

I love it when he says that. Since the quicker takeoff mod reduces the distance between aircraft on the runway, could an right/left offset be added to the parameters? Looks like FC is on to something good though. -S

Indeed! I'm curious to know if the Navy is now second guessing themselves on that decision. The task of swapping trapped out C-models for low-time A-models and back again, plus all of it's logistical qweep, has got to raise a few eyebrows. I wonder how keeping the new-build and low-time F-14s would have eased some of this drama. Getting back on track with the Golden Eagle, the active duty has given them all to the Air Guard, so I'm curious if the active duty will bail them back. Or maybe just stand up another associate unit and share the jets. -S

Very true, and valid points. However, the underlining fact is that Lock-Mart won the contract based on what they said the airplane could do, within the specs and timeline the DoD put out and at the cost they initially quoted per aircraft. So far, they haven't delivered. And who has to pick up the tab? We do, but we aren't in the position to keep dumping money into something that has outgrown it's usefullness. The F-22 has still yet to reach it's full potential due to funding that was earmarked for purchasing more aircraft, having to go toward fixing the OT&E problems. When do you finally say enough is enough and move on? The Army saw the light and pulled the plug on the Comanche after dumping billions into it. We've got the ability to build very modern and capable "legacy" aircraft (F-15E, 16Blk 50+ and 18E/F) but are stuck in the stealth mindset. Low cost UAVs can do the same job for cheaper, and won't place the human into the high threat ring. The manned aircraft can come in behind and finish off the rest. Just my $.02 -S

Wow, much as changed in 10 years. We've no longer got quite the diversity in aircraft types anymore. Thanks for sharing Ant. Even grainy shots are better than none. BTW, they aren't that bad for paper or slide film. Jeff