TreeA10

True statement. I've never had the displeasure of meeting or working with this doofus so I have to live vicariously through the pain and suffering of others.

Can you fake blindness or brain damage?

I'm torn on the showing the video but I feel the best reason is to show how barbaric these people really are. Right now, we have a CIC that will not use "Islamic" and "terrorism" in the same sentence or paragraph.

The secret was using the AF or Army rule that was most advantageous to your given situation. During an ALO rotation to Ft. Irwin, we did the hurry up and wait thing in convoy formation starting at 9am prior to moving into the field at 4pm. I had the cover and windshield on my HMMWV and the Battalion Exec comes up and asks why we haven't removed those items like our Army brethren. My ETAC quickly pulls the appropriate reg saying we can keep it due to the radio gear. The Exec said, "When in Rome, you should do as the Romans do." My response was "I'm not a Roman." The driving of the Humvee did seem to irritate them so I always drove.

Bill Clinton with a saxophone on his back defending MacDonalds with an intern on her knees, I believe. Bill Clinton rampaging with an automatic weapon, not so much. And what exactly is on the alligator?

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/sex/sex-on-a-kia-sedona-654903 Good deal to be had on a KIA Sedona in south Florida.

Nothing like buying a brand new ten year old airplane.

One card, pay it off each month. House is paid for, cars are paid for, kids college is paid for with money left over for them.

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. - Mark Twain

Hey, here in Texas, "He needed killin’ " is a valid legal defense.

I just can't believe these engineers designed a problem that didn't exist in prior aircraft. The assumptions made on fuel temp or BTU exchange requirement were obviously wrong by a long shot.

Ray Rice fan? (Nice typo!)

New State Department directive: We only fight wars in regions with moderate temperatures.

Try to make something idiot proof and someone always comes up with a better idiot.

I think some of it will be useful but most will be just categorizing and useless efforts to solve a very complex problem due to the human involved. If we could solve human error, experienced golfers would never be off hunting errant golf balls.

IIRC, a proper rotation on a 767-300ER put the tail of the jet only 24 inches off the ground.

I think with enough money to get better sensors and much faster computers, you can do just about anything so if you wanted a TCAS system that could function within the rapidly changing parameters that occur within a fighter scenario it is possible. I don't think it would pass the cost/benefit calculus to warrant those dollars, however. Back when we added the LASTE system to the A-10, we were losing 2.5 airframes per year due to CFIT. That was an easy decision to make. Midairs are just not that common. Thinking about other aspects, when trying to shoot another aircraft, you intentionally point your nose at it. How would you do a head on missile shot without generating a warning? For a gun shot, you have to be in range, in plane, and in lead all of which would be calculated as a midair potential which it definitely would be.

I would question the ability of TCAS to work in the very dynamic, rapidly changing environment in the fighter world with high turn rates, low turn radius and a very small legal clearance bubble. Operating at low altitude throws in an additional layer of difficulty. In a combat environment, it probably isn't a good idea to transmit position, altitude, etc. The A-10 midair referred to was a serious break down in the contract between the two pilots and neither fixed it or noted the error with catastrophic results. That being said, I think TCAS is a good idea. I've done two "no shit" avoidance maneuvers, one on base leg to Newark and one just after takeoff out of Orange County, CA. Nothing like pushing over at 1700 feet towards water to get your attention.

They lied? Not always. "We have to pass it to find out what's in it."

I absolutely agree. I live in Texas just down the road from Fort Worth. Numerous neighbors work for LM, one is a test pilot (flew as a Red Hat, too) and just did the first F-35B hover in Fort Worth. I'm sure the Senators from Texas are not going to shut it down. It'll be the LGPOS II. Jack of all trades, master of none. I just don't want to leave our ground troops settling for 2nd or 3rd best or worse... "just be happy that something flew by and made noise."

I have no problem with the A-10 being replaced. All great aircraft at some point are relegated to history My problem with the F-35 is it a massive compromise of epic proportions. It isn't the best at anything other than soaking up dollars but, like the ugly chick at closing time, somebody is going to take her home.

RAND paper on F35. I think it was linked before but it's a good look at why this Joint Fighter concept, while highly overrated, at least it is very expensive. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1225.html

Sneeze droplets do not carry ebola although the CDC says they do after they said they don't. Regardless, you are safe from such things on a jet since you aren't licking the tray tables. Good article in how droplet travel is modeled on aircraft. http://www.popsci.com/article/science/how-sneeze-particles-travel-inside-airplane

Glad you liked the story. I'll save the $12,200 medical experience for another thread.

Keep track of how often you touch your face during the day. Had an encounter with a rabid fox last year in my back yard. This thing is snarling, growling and charges me 4 different times. I'm wearing just a t-shirt, shorts, no shoes with not much time to do much about it but I manage to wail on this thing and emerged from the engagement with no bites, no scrapes, and no cuts. The fox retreated and was gone before I could get into the house and back out with a shotgun. 45 minutes later, the fox attacked a woman 1/2 mile away and her husband killed this thing and the animal tested positive for rabies. So, I start calling various health experts and they all ask the same question, "Did you have direct contact with the animal?" This led to the "If you touched your face, you may have transferred the virus bearing saliva from the animal to yourself." They all mentioned it was slim odds that I picked up a virus but there were lots of maybe's, if's, it's possible, etc. But it all finished with "This disease is 100% fatal and it's a horrible way to die." Great. So I did the rabies vaccine process. So, it's one thing to read what someone thinks might happen even with slim odds and entirely different when you are faced with that scenario. I'm willing to bet your stance on this would dramatically change if you found yourself in near contact with a person testing positive for ebola but I doubt we'll ever find out so I'll just accept your "freedom or death" stance.