Clayton Bigsby

Wasn’t Reagan in the throes of Alzheimer’s during his second term? Nancy allegedly running the show? At least his VP was very capable.

Getting back to what we have… VC-25B was selected for 4-engine redundancy, it was a program requirement for systems and survivability reasons. Electrical generation is a part of the requirement as well. As such that narrows the program down to some variation of the 747, or the A380 or Il-96 and obviously those two aren’t happening. The two aircraft in the process of conversion right now, are both used airframes that were leased to a Russian airline (Transaero?) briefly, but I’m not sure if they ever took delivery/saw service beyond storage at VCV or MZJ. Make whatever jokes you want about Boeing, or the absolute shit state of the DoD acquisitions process (turn DoGE loose there, geez), but there’s a reason that conversion takes a very long time and Boeing is losing substantial money since it was negotiated as a fixed-price contract…not that I feel sorry for them. It’ll be ready when it’s ready, and it’ll be interesting to see how Sierra Nevada fares with converting their acquired second-hand 747-8i airframes as the E-4B replacements as they have similar EMP shielding/power generation/communications requirements. So getting to this Qatari FreeCee-25…yes it’s another low-time 747-8i, this one a BBJ from the outset rather than a conversion, but other than luxurious interior appointments it lacks much of what makes up a VC-25, converted properly to US Head of State requirements it will take just as long as the other two already purchased. So even if it indeed is ‘free’ there’s substantial cost still involved, and oh btw you do need two of them operationally so other than being a third airframe for use, having just one really doesn’t help. Yes the 742s are very long in the tooth, there’s a reason the replacement process has been in motion for like 10 years now (and the E-4 program now as well), but this is just further appeals to impatience and vanity and ego for the gold toilet guy. Or it’s yet another red herring.

Literally thought of this when I read that news

^ something something shores of Tripoli ^

Soooo much quibbling

It’s the Bobs.

We are awaiting guidance on what to do from Agency leadership, so far nothing. I’m sure it’ll come Monday afternoon sometime giving little time to respond, oh btw I’m on leave and have no access to gov webmail, so I would have to drive an hour to the nearest facility to gain access, and I was on my scheduled bid leave all this past week so what would one say? I’m really really hoping everyone blows this off. Look man peeling you guys apart as a job sucks enough as it is, I may well lose my retirement after 16 years of doing this so I’m glad this is all working out for you. This is after serving in Mx and as Aircrew in the AF, I’ve done my time. Apologies, everyone is entitled to their opinions and votes, but we are straight up not having a good time right now. The dripping condescension from the DOGEbois is a bit much.

Mode C information, ADSB is a possibility as well but the primary source is Mode C readout.

What’s all this airplane talk thrunting the ‘taxation is theft!’ discourse?!?

Who smelt it dealt it?

Right. Totally his call.

Vivek overplayed his hands with the holidays H1B visas debate and schism, annoyed T and Elmo, and is being asked politely/put on an ice floe to go be Indian somewhere else.

Traditional fire season for everyone else. Mediterranean climate here, just like Chile, Australia, Spain, France, Italy, and Greece…guess what they all have in common? Big wildfire threats, outside the traditional summer forest fire spectrum. Fall and early winter is when we get the Santa Anas here, which is why Quebec 1&2 (CL-415 super scoopers) were here in the first place, they’re leased on a retainer and fly out of VNY. But on those heavy offshore wind days, all it takes is a spark and people are losing homes. I’ll read Majestik’s posts some more because those seem insightful, but I’ll just say the usual tribal politics being exhibited here are largely missing the point and aren’t helpful. Rake America Great Again is a simpleton take for SoCal. Maybe up north for the redwood forests… 14 helitankers working out of my airport, we’re doing our part.

Trudeau’s just opening himself up for the Governor job. Probably gonna take some days off for a dip in the Gulf of America first.