Yes, it's great being here next to the naval air station. As you know, it's
a training base. We see lots of trainers. What I'd like is to have a real
squadron move in so we could see more advanced aircraft other than those who
stop off for gas between the training areas off of Key West and Home Base
(wherever that is). The visiting aircrews don't usually ask for permission
to do a flyby 'cause they are in a hurry to get to the parking lot and into
the restroom. We had a ball when the USS Kennedy was here doing a pre
deployment workup. There were aircraft day and night (to inlude four
Kfirs). Then, following Hurricane Ivan, and later on Hurricane Katrina, the
base went active 24/7 with lots of visitors. More would be better. For
those who wonder how we watch tv.....we record our favorite shows on a hard
drive and then as we watch them we can just pause when there is an aircraft
in the circuit. There are not too many night flights and even less weekend
flights so it's not a big problem.

Going to the museum is fun. We get to meet veterans and all sorts of neat
people. Blue Angel practices bring lots of visitors. I think there were
3800 here last Tuesday. I didn't hear the count for Wednesday.

My wife can now tell what's coming in for a landing.....T-6, T-39, H-3,
Herky (or COD, Hawkeye, P-3), T-1, T-34, etc. She can even tell when it's
an old T-6 Texan from World War II cutting across the neighborhood taking
someone out to the Gulf of Mexico to do a little trip down memory lane
(aircraft is based at the civilian field in Pensacola). I think she can
even identify the Travelair from Gulf Shores when it comes by with some
sightseers.

Hard work but someone has to do it, Tom





"George" wrote in message
t...
Hi Tom,

Boy it must suck big time to have to live so close to an active airfield,
and to have to put up with them darn jets flying so close over head. And
the sun shining on you so consistantly there in Pensacola, that must be
real tough too. Hope you can bear up under the burden vbg.

My wifes uncle, a Marine aviator now deceased, guided us through the Naval
Aviation Museum there at Sherman Field last time we were down there, he
pointed out "his" airplane hanging in the museum, not his type but the
exact plane that he flew in Korea (I believe it was a F6F Panther?) and
told me exactly where each bullet hole had been repaired. He started as an
enlisted man, he rose through the ranks and became an officer later, his
experience went back to props, fabric, and flying wires. A real treat.

Don't let the rough life get to you.

George