Topgun2mo

My Feedback: (45)

Mark, I did not go home yet...still in Houston. We are currently trying to get closer to Jackson LA so Cari can get closer to her patients. We are not having any luck finding digs around BR though.

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

My father in law and I are traveling to BR later today. Plan is to go into Gretna to get stuff from his business and house tomorrow, and then I will try for Slidell on Monday and return to Memphis on Tuesday. If you absolutely need anything from your haouse and you know of a way I can get it, PM me and let me know and you can meet me in BR before I return to Memphis.

ShssT Strurrer

We made it through better than others. Lots of damage around us. My roof is nearly destroyed, but nothing like what others have to deal with. I've been running supplies back and forth between Covington/Mandeville. We came to Lake Charles for a few days because we have no power still. Generators are nice to have. That's one investment that I WILL have. Not out of the season yet! Nice to be able to check in with people here. The stuff you see on TV is numb compared to seeing and smelling what is really going on. I never thought I would see this in my backyard. I was going to GSW...then not...then maybe, but with this going on it just doesn't feel right when I can lend a hand here. Choose your charities carefully. Lots of strange things going on with $$ that isn't making it's way here or to the actual victims. If there is anyone that lives in an area hard hit that I can help go pick up stuff/belongings PM me with your phone and I'll be back Sunday night.

Lane

EddieWeeks

Bid Daddy and I took a drive to Diamondhead Mississippi today to bring
my syster food and fuel. In the first pic... what your looking at is the line
for Gas. The picture was taken from the overpass bridge and the line made
it all the way back to I-10

My small generator was WAY to loud.

In one Pic, you can see the path my brother in law made, witch
took 2 days from him to cut so he could leave his house.

Overall, they are fine. They also have a 20kw gen running at night
and water so LOTS of neighbors have been coming over for showers and
hot meals.

Eddie Weeks

David Eichstedt

My Feedback: (17)

Not trying to make light of a somber situation, but I like humor to help brighten spirits in these situations.

If you guys find that kero or Jet A is easier to find right now, maybe you can find a way to hook an SPT5 to a generator and crank out some electricity...would make for great headlines: "model airplane enthusiasts providing much-needed relief..."

Eddie, your Rig experience proves you're enough of a mad scientist to come up with a way to make it work!

ShssT Strurrer

I would love to figure that out. I think it would increase the ambient temperature outside by 10 degrees though!<G>. I quickly forgot what it was like to sleep in heat like that during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. It would be great in a few months though. I looked up some PTO output generators of 10Kw,15Kw and a 20Kw and one of them mentioned that it was certified for turbine output shaft tol.

Only problem is that a 5/6kw Gas generator runs for about 8 hours on a 5gallon take while at half load. I'm sure the turbine would go through 5gallons in much less time, but I'm not sure what the power setting would be on the turbine. The gas generator runs at full throttle. I want a generator like Eddie's dad brought. I remembered that you can also get a dual-altenator setup on the Ford Diesel Dually and the GMC Dooley with an output for powering a camper or field equipment. I looked this up and the FORD has a 145Amp secondary and the GMC has a 165amp secondary. Anyone know what kind of TRUE power can be taken off of one of those setups? I wonder what kind of power it's putting out at an idle.

After being Hot & Funky for 5 days you will think of anything to get power.

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Made a quick trip to NAS New Orleans on 1 Sept 05 with the beginning delivery of 60K MRE's from Nebraska. Not that it matters now but some of the reports that the government and military were slow to respond is off base. The National Guard both Air and Army have been working hard to get supplies, food and water to the people who need it. The fact that New Orleans was under water made it difficult to get to the people who were trapped in the city. NAS New Orleans was basically abandoned, except for troops who were there to help with the rescues and delivering aid, no power except emergency for the tower. Many building on base were damaged. Many aircraft were left behind but couldn't really tell the extent of the damage. When we were there Thursday, the helicopter traffic in and out of NAS New Orleans was non-stop, Coast Guard, Army, Army Guard copters and probably Marine as best I could tell. In addition to the Coast Guard C-130's (2 or 3) Our KC-135's from Lincoln (2 on Thursday and 2 on Friday morning ) I counted 6 different ANG C130 units coming in and out while we were on the ground. (approx 4 hours) There were probably more but was kind of busy with the MRE's to keep track. Maybe the response was slow but the way it was reported in the media made it sound like there was none-- Not true! The National Guard was one of the first responders, working hard in difficult situations.

Thanks

Mark Basel

NEANG

ShssT Strurrer

Has anyone heard from Dave Bertrand or David Pippen from New Orleans? I don't know their email or phone numbers.

jonkoppisch

My Feedback: (162)

Hi guys,
Here at Mobile things seem to be coming along pretty good. All of the local jet guys came out OK, minor damage, of course there's the long gas lines, piles of trees, damaged homes etc etc, but overall we were very lucky. The water front property like usual took some pretty good hits.... We live around 30 miles inland so the wind was the main thing that we had to deal with. Here's our neighbor's yard... Some trees across the road and into the houses..


Some pics of our flying field... The roof off of one wing... Missing a couple of bays...

A tree down in front of the neighbors house, my son Kris is standing in front...

Went over to a friends house to help empty his garage, he went in to the hospital 2 days before the hurricane and had a stint put in...

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Hi Mark,

I sent you some info yesterday, I hope you got it. My PMs have been filling up.

Good luck,

BlackCloud

My Feedback: (12)

Mark pretty much said it. I had the opportunity to fly refugee flights out of New Orleans MSY airport to Lackland/Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio Friday.The military seems to be in full swing. Helicopters everywhere. Military C-17 transports C-2's and all sorts of stuff among the other airliners participating in refugee flying. Difficult times and definately hardship organizing things but they managed the lights on one runway so we could could still get people out at night even though it was the shorter one. There was a lot more streetlights and areas with power than I would have ever imagined after a storm like that but then there were also dark areas too. Things are progressing but slowly. There are a lot of thankful people there. One of our flights was the LSU medical team. One I did was a mix of everyone from the young to the old with little belongings. Mostly about 1 bag each. There were some that were so thankful for helping them and then those that took advantage. We had one group of about 6-10 on board that I wouldn't want be near an alley if you know what I mean. When we arrived at the AFB, military police came on and made an announce ment to leave any contraband on board as everything will be search before they are allowed to go to the shelters at the base. Supposedly these folks were all searched. Unfortunately things got by. One of our flight attendants found 2 pounds of marijuana in a gallon size ziplock bag wrapped up in one of our blankets. The as they lined up all the bag on the ground and the passengers watched the drug dog went down the bags one by one and then sat at one. The police then dumped the contents out and out comes stacks and stacks of cash. Some bundled 3 inches thick. I have never seen anything like it in real life. Just like COPS on TV or some burglar movie. The crowd lets out with an "uh-oh" and the others burst out laughing while one collapses but it was just from laughter. I was told the sum was about $100,000.

Basically life moves on and I am glad I was able to help in some way for these folks. There are always going to be a few bad apples but lets try to remember that there are a lot more good people out there than the bad. They are the ones that need our help.

If you are trying to reach folks via cellphone we were able to get calls inbound while at the airport and some calls out but mostly got the all circuits busy type of tones. However there may be no way for some folks to charge their phones. Not to be a commercial but the ones that were working most was Verizon.
by the way I had ATT/Cingular [] hence "Black Cloud" LOL

Mark

ShssT Strurrer

I heard second hand that Vince Hayward(heli Pilot) had 17 people living at his house in Covington. Anyone else here know VinceH. I think MarkP remembers him...


MarkP...Did you get back into your house/neighborhood yet?

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

Yeah Lane, I just returned. I have been without internet access since Saturday when me and my father in law went back in. He is renting a house and buying another in Baton Rouge. I spent two days in Slidell. We have wind damage, but no water. No power yet.

I just drove back to Memphis. Passed Winona (and Vaiden, if ya know what I mean) 4 hours ago.

I have not heard from Vince in years. How's he doing???

seanreit

My Feedback: (60)

Hey Mark, glad to hear all seems to be ok and coming together. It's late, be careful.

Sean

ShssT Strurrer

Haven't heard in a while...Trying to find out. I think Bill Meador made it through also...When can ya'll go home for good. PM me with your phone numbers and info...
Lane

Bob_B

My Feedback: (11)

Bill Meador emailed me. They had damage but the family is safe.