"Tom Callahan" wrote in
:

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

We'll say a prayer for you...

;^}