Digger-RCU

Greetings all,
I wanted to give an update to all my buddies here on the board that I have been missing as of late!

First, Unfortunatly, I will not be able to join the fun in this years design contest. The recent changes in my situation will exclude my being able to participate.

second, it is unlikely I will be able to get out to the smalls in littlerock this year. (I am gonna hate missing that!)

Here is the big news:

I have been selected for the Navy Aviation Optometry program. As such I will be moving to Pensacola for 6 months to go through flight training. (the new AT6 II's I am told). Once the training in FL is done, I will move to Lemoore CA. to be the flight Optometrist at the Naval Air Station. They fly super hornets out there.
I have been working on these orders for about 6 months now, and I am glad that it is finally happening. I am sorry that I have been so absent lately, and will have to continue my absence for a while longer, but I will be back.

Once we get settled in CA, I expect to get back to building. I am not sure how being around and flying in the fullsized planes will change my RC hobby, but I cant imagine it lessening.

Good luck to all on the design contest, and I will really miss being involved.

Be back next year.

Randy (Digger) Birt

fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

Let me be the first to congratulate you, then. That's a big deal!

Brian

av8rsodt

My Feedback: (23)

Digger,

Let me be the second to congratulate you... Wow, that would be a dream come true for me.

I worked on the carbon-carbon brakes as they were being developed for the Super Hornet at the Bendix division of AlliedSignal back in 1996. I have some great pics of the F-18 E/F, identified by its square intakes versus the round intakes.

Be sure to take some pics for us and ENJOY!

Brian (Av8rsodt)

R. C. Day

My Feedback: (7)

Digger,

I hope you like NAS Lemoore, I was stationed there with A-7's (72-74) and with F/A-18's (83-89). You will become an annual guest at NAS Fallon as well, great oppertunity!

R. C.

mr_leffe

Congrats my man. Now we have to get a SMALL meet on the West coast so Digger can get to see some of his old buddies and get a SMALL fix

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Congrats Digger, sounds like a great opportunity for you,,best wishes man...Rog
send me the blue angel jet if theres no room for it on the moving van

DICKEYBIRD

Wow....congratulations Digger! You da man! We'll miss you around here and at the L.R. S.MA.L.L. as well. Just fly one of them jets over to Little Rock and buzz the field.

Good luck and stay in touch dude!

Bipe Flyer

Congratulations Digger! It's nice when your real job is as enjoyable as your hobby.

Andrew

Good news, indeed -- it's great that folks have the opportunity to realize a dream come true. Best of luck -- at least orientation won't be a problem with your new planes.

bsindel

Congrats Digger,

Just a little info about NAS Lemoore. I was stationed there for a few months back in 69 and in those days it served as an 0/0 instrument landing training center. One of the things that made it attractive for this purpose is something they called "tule fog" which, if you've never seen it, is a low lying ground fog that is amazingly dense. You have to watch out for it even when driving your car as it tends to lay in the bottom of low spots on the road well into the daylight hours. You'll be driving along the road and then drop down into this stuff and suddenly you can't see anything!!! As you might imagine, they have quite a few accidents down there as a result. I don't know what the town of Lemoore is like these days, but back then is was a very small rural farm town which was located in the middle of nowhere. Due to the remoteness of its location, aircraft in distress were often directed to land there. That may be why I always felt that it was an extremely accident prone airstation. While there I personally witnessed a P3 Orion crash and burn at one end of a runway while I was working on the PAR at the other end of that runway(they are long runways), and a mid-air between an A5 and an A7(one pilot actually managed to eject). There were two other crashes that occured into the surrounding mountains while I was there, and in one case a mechanic managed to set off the ejection seat of a jet that was parked in the hangar. The good news, the chute opened. The bad news, it opened after he and the seat penetrated the ceiling.

Anyway, good luck down there and I hope they have their act together these days.
Bill S.(the other Bill)

phuffstatler

My Feedback: (20)

Congrats, Dude! Hope all goes well with your training. Sounds like fun!

phil in georgetown

Tim Wiltse-RCU

Digger,


WOW that sounds awsome! It must be great doing something for a living that you enjoy. I know it's still work in a sence but a joy all at the same time. I made the mistake of listening to a now ex-girlfriend and moved here to NC instead of goning to OK to go to A&P school. I sometimes wonder where I would be if I had followed my real heart instead of my pants if you know what I mean. But hey I now look at my wife and 2 little girls and realize everything happens for a reason. I have been wanting to go after my private pilots license for a long time. This year we used part of our tax refund for the wifes...ummm new "rack"...next year hell or high water it's my turn at the yoke with my Dads old log book right there with me. May your taxiway lead you to clear skys and many happy landings.

Later,
Tim

Bipe Flyer

Hmmm Tim... It sounds like all the money gets spent on toys for you.

R. C. Day

My Feedback: (7)

Ya know,

the best part of those rebuilt "Racks", is their constant need for adjustment.

R.C.

Digger-RCU

Greetings all, I hope I am still known here!

I recently finished my t-34 nd h-57 flights. (Awsome), and am only a month or two from finishing the whole program here in Fl.

I couldnt stay away from r/c like I thought I would though. I bought an arf little extra and a parkzone rtf Mustang, and am flying about twice a month.

I really like the mustang. I know that is strange coming from me ( for those of you who know me) It is just too easy to fly a ready-built electric when you are living out of your RV like Sara, Corbin And I are.

I really enjoyed the Arobatics flights I took in the T-34s here. It gave me a new appreciation for what we put our plane through. It was all very similar to flying a model, except for the G's. You cant imagine how much a split S squishes you in your seat!
Also, the spin feels nothing like you might imagine!

I hope everyone is doing well, and I look forward to getting back into building discussions with y'all very soon

Randy (Digger) Birt

Bipe Flyer

It's good to hear from you Digger. It sounds like you're enjoying yourself. I guess we can forgive you for flying an ARF; it's better than not flying at all.

fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

I'm so jealous![>:][>:] However, I do have a ride in a 1943 Stearman coming up!

Good to see you again, Digger.

Brian