for those that don't know...

[Dougster]

Dougster,
Just coffee? No dough nuts? Back in the early 80s, I found myself TDY in Fairbanks, Alaska in December working 16 hours a day doing sheetmetal repairs to a helicopter tailboom. I ate 4 meals a day. For breakfast, it was bisquits and gravy. Each morning, after their shift, a snow plow crew for the city came in and ordered steak and eggs.......then they went home. I know the cold saps you of lots of energy and those carbs help. So I can't believe you just had DD coffee.
I do agree with your assessment of FEMA. I had a lot of damage from Hurricane Rita, but nothing to the house. So no dollars for me.
hugs, Brandi

Well, despite my "windfall from heaven"... a magnificent medium size cup of "DD" coffee was my only big spurge of the day! I did finally get up enough nerve to go downstairs and check the gauge on the heating oil tank. Just as I thought, it was below "E" and pretty much running on fumes. I'll be draining diesel fuel out of the Red Beast just to get through to Monday.

Dougster

 

[Bindian]

Well, despite my "windfall from heaven"... a magnificent medium size cup of "DD" coffee was my only big spurge of the day! I did finally get up enough nerve to go downstairs and check the gauge on the heating oil tank. Just as I thought, it was below "E" and pretty much running on fumes. I'll be draining diesel fuel out of the Red Beast just to get through to Monday.

Dougster

Dougster,
What, no Saturday delivery? For an extra fee, I can get weekend delivery of propane. The Big Red Beast would gladly donate some fuel, but it's just dang far to fetch it.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

Dougster,
What, no Saturday delivery? For an extra fee, I can get weekend delivery of propane. The Big Red Beast would gladly donate some fuel, but it's just dang far to fetch it.
hugs, Brandi

Never a Saturday delivery around here. It's like a religious thing almost. Deliveries end on Friday night and do not start-up again under any circumstances before Monday. And you don't need to ask how I know this so well... or why I got so good at siphoning diesel fuel out of the Red Beast.

Dougster

 

[Bindian]

Never a Saturday delivery around here. It's like a religious thing almost. Deliveries end on Friday night and do not start-up again under any circumstances before Monday. And you don't need to ask how I know this so well... or why I got so good at siphoning diesel fuel out of the Red Beast.

Dougster

Dougster,

hugs, Brandi

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Brandi, are you still at work?

 

[Bindian]

Brandi, are you still at work?

Brian,
No, I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights off. Why do you ask? Are you a corporate SWA bean counter undercover?
hugs, Brandi

 

[jbrumberg]

He's probably lonely . Jay

 

[Dougster]

Dougster,

hugs, Brandi

Actually, I think there is a more practical reason for this. I buy from cheap, small, fly-by-night, cash-only heating oil folks who have no storage capability of their own other than within their delivery trucks. Put that together with my understanding that the Providence, RI terminal is closed on weekends and I think that probably explains it.

Dougster

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Brian,
No, I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights off. Why do you ask? Are you a corporate SWA bean counter undercover?
hugs, Brandi

I thought that you had said that you were off vacation and had gone back to work and was wondering if you checked in during your lunch- break while at work, that's all no big deal. Just curious I guess.

 

[Bindian]

I thought that you had said that you were off vacation and had gone back to work and was wondering if you checked in during your lunch- break while at work, that's all no big deal. Just curious I guess.

Brian,
Hehe. I went back Wed. night. If one of our crew's three computers are free, we can get on at any time. We usually have about 4-5 hours of work and the rest is free to do what we want. I have been on before from work, but right now I am taking an online taxi and run up test so I can get recertified to taxi and run the engines. It is rather long and takes a lot of to pass.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

...but right now I am taking an online taxi and run up test so I can get recertified to taxi and run the engines. It is rather long and takes a lot of to pass.
hugs, Brandi

Oh Man!!! Some folks get to have all the fun!!!

Dougster

 

[Bindian]

Oh Man!!! Some folks get to have all the fun!!!

Dougster

Dougster,
It's fun until you turn a 737-500 sideways on a narrow taxiway. hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

Dougster,
It's fun until you turn a 737-500 sideways on a narrow taxiway. hugs, Brandi

Now I can't believe that you have done...or would ever do... anything like that!

If you can drive the Big Red Beast, a mere 737 should be a piece of cake!

Dougster

 

[jbrumberg]

Dougster:

I thought you would be out plowing before the weather changes over to slop . Jay

 

[Bindian]

Now I can't believe that you have done...or would ever do... anything like that!

If you can drive the Big Red Beast, a mere 737 should be a piece of cake!

Dougster

Dougster,
We had just replaced the nose steering collars for scheduled overhaul. We suppose to taxi two different directions on the same taxiway and check to see if the steering drifts or stays straight while momentarily taking our hand off of the steering wheel. We are allowed to taxi with 2000 pounds of fuel minimum in each wing tank to keep the fuel pumps cool. The -500 has the same engines as the bigger -300 and can turn real easy with less than 5000 pounds of fuel in each tank. I didn't know about the 5000 pound quick turn characteristic. We had about 2500 pounds in each tank. So I throttled up from a stop to cross the active runway. When I got across runway and lined up on the taxi way, I let go of the steering wheel to check for steering drift. Next thing I knew I was headed for the grass and mud, so I jumped on the brakes. I then taxied back to the hangar telling Ops we were going back to the barn with a MX problem. In the hangar we checked steering again with the nose wheels sitting on a grease plate and all was fine. While talking it over with the inspector, I learned about the less than 5000 pound "rule". Since we taxi with the brake anti skid in the off position, I locked the brakes and had about a 4 inch flat spot on all 4 main tires! Oh the fun we have. Like anything done enough...........you get tired of it. But it is a kick in the pants throttling up with an empty weighted airliner.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

Dougster:

I thought you would be out plowing before the weather changes over to slop . Jay

Oh trust me Jay! I've been out plowing all day long!

Can you say GREEN MONEY ???

But still not quite enough for me to afford Starbucks coffee.

Dougster

 

[Dougster]

Dougster,
We had just replaced the nose steering collars for scheduled overhaul. We suppose to taxi two different directions on the same taxiway and check to see if the steering drifts or stays straight while momentarily taking our hand off of the steering wheel. We are allowed to taxi with 2000 pounds of fuel minimum in each wing tank to keep the fuel pumps cool. The -500 has the same engines as the bigger -300 and can turn real easy with less than 5000 pounds of fuel in each tank. I didn't know about the 5000 pound quick turn characteristic. We had about 2500 pounds in each tank. So I throttled up from a stop to cross the active runway. When I got across runway and lined up on the taxi way, I let go of the steering wheel to check for steering drift. Next thing I knew I was headed for the grass and mud, so I jumped on the brakes. I then taxied back to the hangar telling Ops we were going back to the barn with a MX problem. In the hangar we checked steering again with the nose wheels sitting on a grease plate and all was fine. While talking it over with the inspector, I learned about the less than 5000 pound "rule". Since we taxi with the brake anti skid in the off position, I locked the brakes and had about a 4 inch flat spot on all 4 main tires! Oh the fun we have. Like anything done enough...........you get tired of it. But it is a kick in the pants throttling up with an empty weighted airliner.
hugs, Brandi

Great story! Did those tires have to be replaced? Did they take it out of your paycheck??? You know that if I did that, I'd still be paying it back... $10.00 a month!

No wonder you are so good at running that Big Red Beast of yours! By comparison to that airliner, it's a mere kid's toy!

Dougster

 

[Bindian]

Great story! Did those tires have to be replaced? Did they take it out of your paycheck??? You know that if I did that, I'd still be paying it back... $10.00 a month!

No wonder you are so good at running that Big Red Beast of yours! By comparison to that airliner, it's a mere kid's toy!

Dougster

Dougster,
The tires were not replaced, as the rubber is about 2 inches thick. We had just replaced all four tires, so they were brand new before I hit the brakes.
Our old 737-200s, with the Pratt & Whitney engines and the -500 are the same length with 122 seats. At empty weight, both of these Boeings could accerrate at idle thrust. But it took a little bit of open throttle to get them rolling. No, they didn't take it out of my check. Just out of my pride.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

No, they didn't take it out of my check. Just out of my pride.
hugs, Brandi

Frankly, it's amazing that someone didn't walk up after your little incident and say: "It's all Dougster's Fault"!!!

Or does that fundamental rule of life only apply on NTT???

Dougster

 

[Bindian]

Frankly, it's amazing that someone didn't walk up after your little incident and say: "It's all Dougster's Fault"!!!

Or does that fundamental rule of life only apply on NTT???

Dougster

Douster,
Ah....this was 13 years ago. I could go back into aircraft records and stamp........Dougster made me do it........on the log page.
hugs, Brandi