TheList 5273

The List 5273 TGB


Still catching up with email and have some MORE things to share.

Regards,

Skip



The first is the best

Thanks to Shadow. I remember the Apollo13 flight as much as the Moon Landing. How those men worked with the ground folks and solved each problem was like going through the emergency checklist only they were re-writing it as they went back and forth. It was a close run thing to the end and there was never a hint of panic.

FYI... Sent this to Bear this morning after reading his latest... fond memory!

Shadow

Sent from my iPad


Begin forwarded message:

From: Roy Stafford <rwstafford1@comcast.net>
Date: April 13, 2020 at 9:55:54 AM EDT
To: beartaylor@comcast.net
Subject: Lovell

Bear,

The Ritz-Carlton used to rent out my big hangar for special functions... floor to ceiling blackout curtains around the perimeter... we'd dump and pressure wash the hangar in prep... then they'd come in and set up seating, tables, bars and buffet tables, plus a stage... really quite a big deal... tuned my hangar into a ballroom night club. Saw some neat things at the functions. But the best by far was the one done for "Ma Bell".

It was both a day and night affair. We had "Warbirds" on the ramp and would open the show with a skydiver with a giant American flag with Ray Charles singing "America the beautiful" in the background on the PA system. Then we did some fly-by's and Patty Wagstaff did her whole Airshow Routine. After that, they retired back to the hotel for rest and would come back for the big finale and sit down dinner.

Three days before the big event, the Ritz coordinator called and said she was bringing over a couple of VIP's to have a look at the setup... where the stage was, test the mic system and lighting, etc. Well, she comes up to my office with these two miscreants in tow... and by God, it's Jim Lovell and Gene Kranz! Turned out they were the guest speakers at the big show.

Well my office was like a mini museum and they took to it like a duck takes to water. Spent most of the next two days hanging out in my office... swapping tall tales and just having Bubba time. The evening of the event, we were hiding out in my office as the guests were eating and drinking... around 2100, they turned the lights down and asked that everyone be seated. Jim and Gene says... we're on and left to go below to the hangar deck. Jim goes right to the back and Gene goes left toward the stage. Both were behind the blackout curtains so none of the guests could see them.

Once in place and mic'ed up... the place went total blackout... then the PA system plays some eire music and then an announcer (it was Gene Kranz) says... something to the effect that "On April 11th, 1970... Apollo 13 was launched for her journey to the moon"... he then followed that up with saying the flight was nominal until 55 hours, 55 minutes and 20 seconds into the flight, when the whole world heard these words... then Jim Lovell speaks as a spotlight shines down on him... "Houston, we have a problem"!

I swear for the next hour plus, it was the most spell binding, educational, inspirational program I have ever witnessed. Those two went back and forth relating what was going on in the LEM and Mission Control... how they solved problem after problem! How failure was just unacceptable... and they pulled it off threw tireless dedication and teamwork. At the end of the show when the lights came on... these 200 hundred people from all over the country stood up as one and the hangar reverberated like never before! The were cheers, screams, yells and tears... it went on and on! Best motivational presentation I've ever witnessed or heard of! I mean it even moved me to tears! Damned awesome!

Jim came by the next day to say goodbye and I thought of something and mentioned it to him... I said, " After last night, listening to what you guys were going through... I realized that for those two days you guys hung around up here; we didn't talk about one thing concerning Apollo 13... it was all about our experiences in Naval Aviation and the different airplanes we'd flown"... He just smiled.

Those two were a hell of a team. Life time memory! BTW... a week after they left, got this in the mail.

Shadow





Sent from my iPad



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Thanks to Bill

WOW !!! STUNNING !!! F-4 PHANTOM AMAZING BIG RC SCALE MODEL TWIN TURBINE...

https://youtu.be/jRGXwUdllNs



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Thanks to Gary, David and John



Begin forwarded message:

From: Gary Subject: Photos...



That was a great sight for my tired 'ol eyes-lol Fantastic family photo even though I needed a magnifying glass to see everyone-ha! Actually I had laser surgery for cataracts a few years back and opted for what I call "Cadillac Lens" which gave me my fighter pilot eyes back, far, mid, and close range vision. Had to pay out of pocket $2500 for each eye but was damn well worth it and don't need glasses to read even though I use magnifier readers when I read at night as it's a bit more comfortable.

Here's a link to a video I produced in 2012, I think it was, as a promo to get some backing for TV to produce a documentary of my rescue. Shame on me I never have finished it but hope I get motivated and get 'er done before I go away from here!!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arbo2G607L8



Here it is 4:30 in the morning, guess I'll try and grab a bit of sleep-All the best-SF-G



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Thanks to Harry ….AND DR.RICH



Rafale Ride Leads To Inadvertent Ejection By Overstressed Passenger


A well-meaning gesture gone wrong exposed a previously undetected flaw in the Rafale's ejection system.

Credit: French Military


A ride in a French Air Force Rafale B didn't go as planned when an overstressed, back-seat passenger inadvertently ejected from the two-seat fighter, and the aircraft was saved only because of a previously undetected flaw that prevented the pilot's ejection, a new French military report said.


The back-seat passenger on the March 2019 flight from Saint Dizier, France was a 64-year-old contractor responsible for the test activity of a French armaments company, according to the report published April 6 by the French military's air accident investigation office.


When the passenger arrived in Saint Dizier the evening before the flight, he was unaware that his colleagues had arranged a special, back-seat ride in the French Air Force's most advanced fighter, the report said.


His colleagues, who included a former French Air Force pilot, wanted to make the flight a surprise, but they didn't count on the prospective passenger's reaction.

The passenger "never expressed a desire to carry out this type of flight and, in particular, on Rafale," according to a translated copy of the French-language report.

Because the gesture was meant as a surprise, the passenger was informed only hours before the flight, leaving little time for him to prepare. The passenger did not feel he could decline the gesture, bowing to the social pressure imposed by his colleagues, the report said.


A required, preflight medical examination resulted in a recommendation by the doctor to limit any maneuver forces to less than 3gs. An office electronic system failure, however, prevented the doctor's guidance from being relayed to the passenger or the pilot of the Rafale involved in the mishap, the report said.


The hastily-arranged surprise also meant that the passenger had to hitch a ride on whatever flight was already arranged on that day, which was a routine patrol mission by three aircraft. Such missions include a standard climb immediately after takeoff with loads greater than 4.5gs, the report says.


The passenger appeared enthusiastic to the pilot as he climbed into his cockpit, but there were signs that he was overstressed. The passenger's wristwatch recorded his heart beats per minute. The maximum heart rate for a man of his age is 156 beats per minute, according to the report. His was racing from 136 to 142 as he seated himself.


Perhaps due to the stress, the passenger failed to properly buckle in. The back side of his shoulder strap allowed more motion than necessary, the report said. In addition, he didn't fasten the right leg of his pressure suit, lower the helmet visor or snap the chin strap of his helmet.



The passenger's experience in the back seat of the Rafale would be brief.


As the pilot rotated on takeoff, the Rafale rapidly developed aerodynamic loads over 4.5gs. Within about 10 sec. of rotation, the pilot leveled off quickly, causing the loads to invert to negative 0.63gs. The shocked passenger, whose loose shoulder straps may have allowed him to start floating upward, reached for a handle, which happened to be the mechanism that causes his seat to eject.


Because the passenger had failed to lower his visor and fasten his chin strap, the exposure to the 200-kt. air flow outside the aircraft caused his helmet to fly off, the report says. Besides minor injuries to his face, the passenger landed safely by the runway after his parachute opened at around 2,000 ft.


The passenger's inadvertent ejection command could have been disastrous for the aircraft. The two-seat version of the Rafale allows the pilot to select between two options: "1" allows only a single seat to eject when one handle is pulled, and "2" commands both seats to eject when only one is pulled. The pilot had selected the "2" option for this flight, the report said, meaning the pilot's seat was also supposed to eject.


The ejection sequence proceeded normally, with the canopy of both seats shattering and the back seat firing. However, the explosive charge connected to the front seat never received a command to fire, the report said. As a result, the pilot remained on board the aircraft, albeit with a missing canopy and back seat. The pilot dumped fuel and returned to Saint Dizier to land, the report said. The aircraft was secured for 24 hr. until the front seat's explosive charge could be disarmed.



https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/rafale-ride-leads-inadvertent-ejection-overstressed-passenger









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World News from Military Periscope for 13 April



International—OPEC+ Confirms Agreement To Cut Oil Production To Stabilize Market Bloomberg News | 04/13/2020 Global oil producers have reached a major agreement to cut production and end a price war amid collapsing demand due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports Bloomberg News. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member states and Russia reached an agreement on Sunday to cut global production by 9.7 million barrels per day in May and June. In addition, oil-producing members of the G20 will reduce their production. Sources familiar with the negotiations told Reuters that the overall cuts are expected to cut global supply by about 20 percent as of May 1. The production cuts are expected to run for about two years. The initial cuts will run for two months, with the reductions to decline to 7.6 million barrels per day after June through the end of 2020. The cuts are then slated to fall to 5.6 million barrels per day through April 2022. Nations and investors hope the move will increase oil prices, which have hit their lowest point in 20 years. The COVID-19 outbreak has substantially reduced demand amid a production glut, created in part by a dispute between Russia and Saudi Arabia over prices.



USA—Army Hospital Awaits New Destination After Decline Of COVID-19 Cases In Wash. Army Times | 04/13/2020 An Army field hospital is being redeployed a week after it arrived in Seattle, Wash., to support the response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, reports the Army Times. The 627th Hospital Center, based out of Fort Carson, Colo., was deployed to Seattle two weeks ago to build a field hospital at the CenturyLink Field Event Center. The 250-bed hospital was slated to start accepting patients early last week, but a fall in the number of COVID-19 patients in the region meant the excess capacity was no longer required. The unit is being prepared for a new assignment, which will be determined by U.S. Army North and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Army Corps of Engineers is currently building 17 temporary hospital sites around the country to provide an additional 15,000 hospital beds.



USA—Army Begins Testing Potential Replacement For Shadow Drones U.S. Army | 04/13/2020 The U.S. Army has begun soldier-operated test flights for one of the systems competing for its Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) program, reports the service. On April 7, soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan., conducted the first trials with the Arcturus JUMP 20 uncrewed aircraft system. Maj. Gen. John Kolasheski, the commander of 1st Infantry Division, determined that the testing could go ahead despite the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, noted Breaking Defense. Soldiers were encouraged to wear face coverings to reduce their chances of exposure during the trials. The JUMP 20 is the largest drone taking part in the FTUAS program. It weighs 210 pounds (95 kg) and has a wingspan of 18 feet (7 m). The project is one of three that make up the Army's Future Vertical Lift modernization effort, alongside the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) programs. The FTUAS program is intended to identify a replacement for the Army's RQ-7 Shadow drones. Unlike the Shadow, the new system must be capable of vertical takeoffs and landings. The Army also plans to evaluate the Martin V-Bat, Textron Aerosonde HQ and L3 Harris FVR-90 UAVs. All four systems will be tested by 1st Infantry Division soldiers over the next five months to gain experience, although no schedule has been set due to the complications of the COVID-19 epidemic. Testing is slated to culminate with brigade level field-training exercises and a combat training center rotation.



USA—Air Force Marks Slight Decline In Suicides Over 1st Quarter Air Force Times | 04/13/2020 The Air Force experienced fewer suicides among its personnel in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, reports the Air Force Times. As of March 31, 34 Air Force personnel had taken their own lives, 20 of whom were active duty. An Air Force spokeswoman confirmed the figures, but said that the numbers could fluctuate as suspected suicides are confirmed or ruled out. Over the same period in 2019, 41 personnel committed suicide. This was a significant increase in the number of suicides over the first quarter of 2018, which totaled 17. Overall the number of suicides increased by 33 percent between 2018 and 2019, reaching 137, the highest figure since 2008. Suicide has been recognized as a major issue facing the service. Air Force Chief of Staff Dave Goldfein ordered all wings to stand down for one day in September 2019 to address suicide prevention.



United Kingdom—Sinn Fein Criticizes 'Unilateral' Request For Military Aid To Deal With COVID-19 PA Media | 04/13/2020 The republican Sinn Fein party in Northern Ireland has criticized what it called a "unilateral" request by the health minister for British army assistance to address the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, reports PA Media. On Friday, Health Minister Robin Swann approved a measure that would allow the British military to assist in distributing life-saving medical aid, reported BBC News. Swann also floated opening a field hospital with military help, reported the Irish Times. Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill emphasized that her party would "not rule out any measure necessary to save lives, protect the public and tackle the spread of coronavirus," but that the request had not been approved by the executive. O'Neill said she "raised the sensitivities of British military intervention" with British officials. A member of the Ulster Unionist Party told Reuters that the assistance could be provided by British personnel who remain in Northern Ireland. The number of COVID-19 cases in Northern Ireland reached 1,806 on Sunday, according to the Belfast Telegraph.



Turkey—Defense Ministry Considering Freezing Conscription Due To Coronavirus Hurriyet | 04/13/2020 The Turkish Defense Ministry is looking at changing its conscription requirements due to the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, reports the Hurriyet Daily News (Istanbul). On Monday, the Cabinet is scheduled to discuss temporarily halting the draft and retaining current conscripts while alternatives measures for mandatory and contract service are determined. These could include enhanced distance learning for contract troops. The military discharged 60,000 conscripts on April 1, while the latest cohort was brought in on March 19. Ankara reformed its conscription system last year, reducing the service obligation from 12 months to six and permitting conscripts to serve an additional six months with pay.



Russia—Rosoboronexport Touts Assault Boat Sale In Sub-Saharan Africa Tass | 04/13/2020 Rosoboronexport, Russia's arms export agency, has begun implementing a contract to deliver assault boats to an unnamed country in Sub-Saharan Africa, reports Russia's Tass news agency. The deal covers BK-10 assault boats developed by the Kalashnikov Group, the agency said on Friday. The value of the sale and number of boats involved was not made public. The is the first sale of Russian naval products to Sub-Saharan Africa in 20 years, noted Rosoboronexport officials. The BK-10, also known as the Project 02450 assault boat, is designed to transport personnel; land troops on improved shores; provide fire support to forces ashore; fight piracy and terrorism; and conduct search-and-rescue missions. The boat can carry 10 troops as far as 400 miles (640 km) with an armament of four 7.62-mm or 12.7-mm machine guns.



South Korea—2 More Global Hawk Drones Expected This Month Yonhap | 04/13/2020 South Korea anticipates taking delivery of two more RQ-4 Global Hawk uncrewed aerial vehicles by the end of the month, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). Seoul took delivery of its first Global Hawk in December 2019. The last of four air vehicles ordered in 2011 is expected by mid-2020. A final handover date for the second and third drones has not been set and the delivery schedule is subject to change, government sources said. South Korea established a reconnaissance squadron late last year to operate its Global Hawks. The UAVs are expected to begin operations by the end of the year.



Taiwan—Chinese And U.S. Militaries Continues To Operate Near Taiwan Central News Agency | 04/13/2020 Chinese and American military assets continue their operations in the vicinity of Taiwan, reports the semi-official Central News Agency. On Saturday, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, two destroyers, two frigates and a supply ship passed through the Miyako Strait north of Taiwan before sailing south and passing east of the island on Sunday, reported the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense. The flotilla is on a long-range training mission, the ministry said. No unusual activity was detected, said Taiwanese defense officials. The state-run Global Times (Beijing) touted the deployment as proof that the Chinese fleet could still operate despite the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Separately, U.S. RC-135W Rivet Joint and P-3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft conducted operations south of Taiwan on Monday, according to an aircraft monitoring group. This was the 10th time U.S. aircraft had been reported near Taiwanese airspace since March 25.



India—4 Die In Cross-Border Shelling In Kashmir Al Jazeera | 04/13/2020 At least four people have been killed in an exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces in the disputed Kashmir region, reports Al Jazeera (Qatar). On Sunday, Indian artillery fire struck civilians in the Baroh, Chirikot, Dhunial and Rakhchikri sectors, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the Pakistani military's media arm. A child was killed and four civilians injured in the attack, said a military statement. Meanwhile, Pakistani artillery hit civilian areas in the Kupwara district, killing three civilians, Indian defense officials told the Hindustan Times (New Delhi). Both sides denied initiating the attack and accused the other of shelling civilians. Tensions over the disputed region have increased since August, when India withdrew the autonomy of Kashmir and divided it into federally administered territories, noted Reuters.



Pakistan—2 Pilots Die In Training Crash In Punjab Geo News | 04/13/2020 A Pakistani army training aircraft has crashed in the northeastern Punjab province, killing both crewmembers, reports Geo News (Karachi). The PAC MFI-17 Mushshak went down during a routine training mission on Monday near the Gujrat district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations. The instructor and trainee pilot onboard were killed, reported the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). The cause of the crash is under investigation.



Afghanistan—Taliban Releases 20 Government Personnel TOLONews | 04/13/2020 The Taliban has released an initial group of government personnel it has held captive, reports the Tolo News (Afghanistan). On Sunday, the Taliban said it had released 20 government prisoners to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province. Separately, the government released a third group of 100 Taliban prisoners. Both sides were supposed to swap prisoners under a Feb. 29 deal between the U.S. and Taliban. The prisoner release was intended to build confidence between the sides ahead of possible peace talks. Kabul maintained that it was not bound by the U.S. agreement and has sought to add its own conditions to the release. Analysts say that the slow pace of the prisoner exchange has reduced the possibility of substantially reducing violence before a major outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.



Chad—Military Claims To Have Killed Nearly 1,000 Boko Haram Militants In Lake Chad Op Anadolu News Agency | 04/13/2020 The Chadian military says it killed around 1,000 Boko Haram fighters during a 10-day operation in the Lake Chad region, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). Operation Bohoma Anger began on March 31 and concluded on April 8, the army said last week. The Chadian army deployed five teams to cross-border areas in the Lake Chad region, destroying five bases, including two on islands, reported Reuters. Chadian troops would remain on the shores of Lake Chad in Niger and Nigeria until forces from those countries could arrive, an army spokesman said. In addition, 50 motorized canoes called pirogues were destroyed, said an army spokesman cited by Agence-France Presse. Fifty Chadian soldiers were killed and 196 injured, said the spokesman.



Chad—Foreign Ministry Confirms Support For Regional Military Missions Reuters | 04/13/2020 Chadian officials say they will continue to participate in regional military operations, reports Reuters. On Sunday, the Chadian Foreign Affairs Ministry said that previous statements by President Idriss Deby had been misinterpreted. Chad remains committed to regional and international operations, including the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), the G5 Sahel joint force and the U.N. mission in Mali (MINUSMA), said a ministry statement. In a speech on Friday, Deby said that Chadian troops would no longer take part in external military operations. Deby was merely referring to unilateral operations beyond Chad's borders in the Lake Chad region, said the ministry. President Deby has previously expressed concern that Chadian troops bear a disproportionate burden in the war against Boko Haram and other ISIS- and Al-Qaida-affiliated groups in the region.



Cameroon—President Launches Reconstruction Program In Insurgent-Hit English-Speaking Regions Voice Of America News | 04/13/2020 President Paul Biya has launched a program to rebuild areas in Cameroon's Anglophone Northwest and Southwest regions despite rebel threats, reports the Voice of America News. In early April, Biya unveiled the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the English-speaking regions. The effort aims to rebuild infrastructure destroyed by fighting between the government and Anglophone separatists, including roads, schools, hospitals, public buildings, markets, private homes and villages. The separatists immediately rejected any projects implemented by what they called the foreign government in Yaounde. Since the announcement, the militants have attacked at least seven villages, burning local council offices and schools in the administrative areas of Bui, Donga Mantung and Nogi in the Northwest region and Lebialem and Manyu in the Southwest. The Cameroonian military confirmed attacks in the northwestern villages of Vekovi, Tatu and Mbiame as well as Kumba in the southwest. The military claimed to have killed 13 rebel fighters, while the separatists said they had killed a greater number of government troops. Those claims have been denied by the military. As a result of the attacks, workers abandoned several road construction projects. Government officials said the work would continue despite the attacks.



Brazil—Defense Minister Labels Medical Device Production A Strategic Issue Bloomberg News | 04/13/2020 Defense Minister Gen. Fernando Azevedo e Silva has warned that Brazil must increase its domestic production of key medical goods in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reports Bloomberg News. Brazil is dependent on China and India for medical supplies and equipment, with 90 percent coming from India, the minister said in an interview. Brasilia also faces issues procuring key medical equipment and supplies, including one case where an order of 600 ventilators was halted and apparently diverted to the U.S. In response, the Brazilian government has banned the export of ventilators, masks, gloves, hospital beds and medical glasses during the outbreak, although President Jair Bolsonaro has yet to sign the measure. Going forward, medical supplies must be considered a strategic area and domestic production increased or sources diversified, Azevedo e Silva said. This could lead to the government supporting the medical industry the same way it supports Brazilian defense industry, he said.