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Tripper
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 05:23 pm: | 
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Ebear
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 05:57 pm: |
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SSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo COOL!!!WE'RE out here havin' fun WITH ya Ferris!!
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 08:06 pm: |
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that's what it's all about, my friend.  |
Spiderman
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 09:40 pm: |
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be sure to come poke around in Beaver.
I don't know if that was intentional but gosh darn it, it was funny! |
Prior
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 11:22 pm: |
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Barchock,
That sounds like something that would come out of your mouth... Funnier than hell though.
Ferris,
As always great pics. I get excited to see them, and down at the same time because I couldn't be there. Suppose my resurrection is that I'm still young and dumb, plenty of time (Lord willing) to keep up these trips. I missed seeing Bartimus too. Hope NM is treating you well, brother!
Baby Bart |
Bbstacker
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 12:15 am: |
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"i'm not a huge fan of diesel exhaust, and i have yet to hear a logical explanation why every frikkin' diesel driver in the world feels it their God-given duty to leave the damn things running all the damn time, even when they're just sitting there."
I gotcha there Ferris. The reason we (truckers) leave our trucks running is as follows: 1. If there is a sleeper with a co-driver in the bunk he/she may need A/C or heat. 2. When the engine is turning about 3000rpm the turbo charger is turning at about 75,000 rpm. if you shut it off the oil will coke up in the passages and block oil flow and the anti-freeze will become super-heated and blow through the seals into the bearings. |
Dbird29
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 12:43 am: |
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Ferris,
I had a hard time waving while watching that truck that was about to hit you!
Ya that's it.
And also that darn Nikon is the slowest picture taking machine in the world.
Too bad Denise didn't get any pics of you smoking everyone in the curves. It was "see ya" and then you guys were gone.
DBird |
Denisea
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 05:30 am: |
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DBird - This was the first time ever I have taken pics while riding on the back - I'm surprised ANY of them were of anything other than helmet or pavement - especially the drone to Nellis. Tis true the blasted wind was a b*tch - I thought the whiplash I was suffering when I got back was from the surprise wheelies (didn't I say BRING IT ON!)? but more probably from the head tossing on that stretch.
Again, thank you and Lori for leaving the light on for us at Grand Junction and being grand hosts!
Littlebuggles - It was a pleasure to meet/ride with you - if only for a bit - if you ever have the opportunity to get a bit further south we'd love to show you some Ferrisville.
D
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on October 12, 2005) |
Denisea
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 06:15 am: |
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Whoops, forgot to change the username - sorry sweetie. (above edited by yours truly) |
Daves
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 10:09 am: |
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Too cool! |
Jb2
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 02:33 pm: |
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Moto-journalists at the AMA are in agreement with our own Ferris Bueller. On page 28 of the new Nov 2005 American Motorcyclist is an article titled "An Epic Machine", it's a short review of the new Uly. I tell you I had to look twice 'cause it first looked like FB1 in his new 'Stitch and Arai but alas it was not. Still, from seeing the photos here I had to look several more times just to make sure. The proof, if not in pictures, came in the text... Bill Wood is no match for Ferris. 
(Message edited by jb2 on October 12, 2005) |
Court
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 03:07 pm: |
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>>>>Bill Wood is no match for Ferris.
That is an accurate statement. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 08:05 pm: |
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BBstacker, at some point one HAS to turn a diesel engine off, what happens then?
geez, there's apparently a fortune to be made if someone can invent a diesel-specific turbocharger such that oil won't coke up in the passages and block oil flow and the anti-freeze won't become super-heated and blow through the seals into the bearings anytime you turn the damn thing off.
sometimes i think it's an ego thing. i drive a diesel, and i'm Bad, therefore i'm gonna leave it running right next to you to prove just how Bad i am.
hear me, smell me, adore me, or something like that.
Ferris, I had a hard time waving while watching that truck that was about to hit you!
yeah, i'm bad about that. you should see me bash my head into sharp-edged street signs in the quest for the perfect pic.
And also that darn Nikon is the slowest picture taking machine in the world.
agreed, but it sure is fun looking at the trip pix afterwards.
This was the first time ever I have taken pics while riding on the back - I'm surprised ANY of them were of anything other than helmet or pavement.
well, there are a FEW of those, too...
Moto-journalists at the AMA are in agreement with our own Ferris Bueller.
that seems rather doubtful.
Bill Wood is no match for Ferris.
i bet he's not TOO tore up over that... |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 03:14 am: |
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Way too cool. You never cease to amaze.
BadWeB owes you bigtime. And I think you are right, I smell a coffee table book in the works.
What a wonderful world and wonderful people. |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 03:20 am: |
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The photos rock, the story is epic, and you have a way of putting us right there with you. Next best thing to actually being there that is for sure.  |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 03:22 am: |
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And D makes many of the photos that much better. What a babe! She is quite the moto-photog herself too. I love the views that also catch a portion of FB's lid. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 08:23 pm: |
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thanks Blake.
i'll talk more about our F-22 encounter at the end of today's thread.
i didn't take any pix of the F-22's we ogled at Nellis, per Josh's request. i DID have my camera on me, but turned it off and put it in my pocket while we watched the three F-22's finish their pre-flight and taxi out onto the runway.
we, unfortunately, had arrived at Nellis tonight JUST after air operations had ended for the day, so during our visit with the F-16's we didn't get to hear ANY jets coming or going, which was a bummer.
so it was an extra-special surprise for us all that these three Raptors had lit up while we were there and were preparing to launch into the black Nevada night.
we weren't allowed to go to the edge of the runway, but we were still close enough to be completely enveloped by the sound of the jets when they took off.
noise, fire and brimstone, in about that particular order.
suddenly, in my hyper-excitement, i had an idea.
as jet #1 lifted off i punched up Jim Corso's phone number on my cell phone. (Jim is Pdxs3t here on BADWEB, a long-time Buell friend and addict who lives in the Portland, Oregon area.)
his wife Shel answered the phone. i could barely hear her.
"Shel, it's Ferris! Is Jim there!?!?! Put him on QUICK!!!"
"Jim, it's Ferris, hurry!!!"
as Jim hustled to the phone jet #2 launched. BIG noise!
"Ferris! Dude!!! What's up???"
i could barely hear my friend over the roar.
"DUDE!" i yelled, "We're at Nellis! Three F-22 Raptors taking off, LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
i held the phone out at arm's length as jet #3 rotated, with the fire and fury from jets #1 and #2 still igniting the air and pounding the ground around us.
i stood there transfixed, absorbed by the spectacle, the pure, raw energy being generated before us, the massive, visceral sound, the lethal lightning in the night sky.
and i knew my friend had his eyes closed and was as transfixed as i.
when the world stopped crackling and popping i pulled the phone back to my ear.
"Dude! How was THAT?!?!?!?!?!!!"
"DUDE! That was ••••••• AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!"
indeed it was.
several moments later someone in uniform strode up to me and bit my backside for making a cell phone call on the flight line, something about the potential for setting off armament.
i honestly didn't know, and apologized. i was asked to turn my phone off and put it away, which i gladly did.
but not before sharing an experience i'll never forget with one of my best friends.
Corso, earlier in this trip i got you a hat signed by Erik Buell himself (along with pix to prove it), and tonight i risked time in the brig to let you listen, realtime, to the sound of freedom.
you OWE me.
Dude. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 08:48 pm: |
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Josh was duly pleased.
as were we.
"Hey, wait here a minute," he said suddenly, "I've got an idea!"
Josh walked out onto the flight line where the F-22's had been hangared. there, before our eyes, was yet ANOTHER F-22, still undergoing maintenance.
several minutes later Josh walked back with an officer in tow. he introduced us to the fellow (sorry, i don't recall his name), who was the chief of the maintenance crew that kept this particular F-22 air-ready.
the crew chief asked us if we'd like a personal tour of "his" Raptor.
Josh had a grin a mile wide.
so did the rest of us!
and for the next 45 minutes or so we got to see about as much of the outside of an F-22 as there is to see, up close and personal, close enough that we touched (not supposed to, we discovered, the high-tech coating on the jet is considered carcinogenic), close enough that we got to stick our heads up inside an open armament door and look around (the wiring and plumbing was INCREDIBLE!), close enough that i kicked one of the tires on the jet (HAD to do it!), close enough that we got to look up the tailpipes and marvel at the twin monster motors and the state-of-the-art thrust vectoring mechanicals.
about the ONLY thing we didn't get to do was climb the ladder and peek into the cockpit, but at this point no one was complaining.
all the while the crew chief explained, with patience and in layman's terms, the high points of the F-22 Raptor, in great detail and with obvious pride.
again, i have no pix, so you're gonna have to use your imagination a bit here.
this tour, unplanned, unexpected, and totally overwhelming, was the highlight of the evening.
how many people do you know who have actually TOUCHED an F-22 Raptor?
i can name at least three. |
Spiderman
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 09:39 pm: |
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FB,
I PMed ya didja get it?? |
Pdxs3t
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 09:55 pm: |
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I remember that call very vividly, TOTALLY AWESOME it was! |
Prior
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 10:47 pm: |
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Ferris and Corso,
You SUCK! So so cool you got the phone call, even so so so cooler that you go to walk around the planes AND hear the mothers take off. Freakin A Amazing!
On the other hand, I did just get home from a home made BBQ dinner (not anywhere as good as KC) and sucked down a decent amount of Boulevard Pale Ale to boot.
I know you gotta work, more pics, please!!! I'm living vicariously, these days, with the trip I missed out on!
Prior |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 10:52 pm: |
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Spidey, i got your PM.
Alex, i don't just suck, i suck HARD!
i'll start the Friday 9/9/05 FBRAT thread tomorrow after i get off work.
here are some F-22 pix that i lifted off the internet, in case anyone wants to see what i can't show you from our visit to Nellis Air Force Base.
this is an F-22 Raptor in full afterburner during flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, not far from Ferrisville and the Fabuellous ThunderDome. Corso, altho it wasn't nearly this light at Nellis, this is the general perspective we had of the three F-22's there:
U.S. Air Force photo
this pic was actually taken at Nellis AFB this summer, and is of the fourth F-22 to be assigned there. it's quite possible that THIS is the jet we got to touch during our tour:
U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald
this is an amazing photo of the first operational F-22 Raptor, being delivered to its permanent home at Langley Air Force Base, VA as it flies over Fort Monroe below:
U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on October 15, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 11:03 pm: |
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Mission
The F/A-22 Raptor is the Air Force's newest fighter aircraft. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics, coupled with improved supportability, represents an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities. The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions allowing full realization of operational concepts vital to the 21st century Air Force.
The F/A-22, a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances and defeat threats attempting to deny access to our nation's Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The F/A-22 cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.
Features
A combination of sensor capability, integrated avionics, situational awareness, and weapons provides first-kill opportunity against threats. The F/A-22 possesses a sophisticated sensor suite allowing the pilot to track, identify, shoot and kill air-to-air threats before being detected. Significant advances in cockpit design and sensor fusion improve the pilot's situational awareness. In the air-to-air configuration the Raptor carries six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders.
The F/A-22 has a significant capability to attack surface targets. In the air-to-ground configuration the aircraft can carry two 1,000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions internally and will use on-board avionics for navigation and weapons delivery support. In the future air-to-ground capability will be enhanced with the addition of an upgraded radar and up to eight small diameter bombs. The Raptor will also carry two AIM-120s and two AIM-9s in the air-to-ground configuration
Advances in low-observable technologies provide significantly improved survivability and lethality against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats. The F/A-22 brings stealth into the day, enabling it to not only protect itself but other assets.
The F/A-22 engines produce more thrust than any current fighter engine. The combination of sleek aerodynamic design and increased thrust allows the F/A-22 to cruise at supersonic airspeeds (greater than 1.5 Mach) without using afterburner -- a characteristic known as supercruise. Supercruise greatly expands the F/A-22's operating envelope in both speed and range over current fighters, which must use fuel-consuming afterburner to operate at supersonic speeds.
The sophisticated F/A-22 aerodesign, advanced flight controls, thrust vectoring, and high thrust-to-weight ratio provide the capability to outmaneuver all current and projected aircraft. The F/A-22 design has been extensively tested and refined aerodynamically during the development process.
The F/A-22's characteristics provide a synergistic effect ensuring F/A-22 lethality against all advanced air threats. The combination of stealth, integrated avionics and supercruise drastically shrinks surface-to-air missile engagement envelopes and minimizes enemy capabilities to track and engage the F/A-22. The combination of reduced observability and supercruise accentuates the advantage of surprise in a tactical environment.
The F/A-22 will have better reliability and maintainability than any fighter aircraft in history. An F/A-22 squadron will require less than half as much airlift as an F-15 squadron to deploy. Increased F/A-22 reliability and maintainability pays off in less manpower required to fix the aircraft and the ability to operate more efficiently.
Background
The Advanced Tactical Fighter entered the Demonstration and Validation phase in 1986. The prototype aircraft (YF-22 and YF-23) both completed their first flights in late 1990. Ultimately the YF-22 was selected as best of the two and the engineering and manufacturing development effort began in 1991 with development contracts to Lockheed/Boeing (airframe) and Pratt & Whitney (engines). EMD included extensive subsystem and system testing as well as flight testing with nine aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The first EMD flight was in 1997 and at the completion of its flight test life this aircraft was used for live-fire testing.
The program received approval to enter low rate initial production in 2001. Initial operational and test evaluation by the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center was successfully completed in 2004. Based on maturity of design and other factors the program received approval for full rate production in 2005. Air Education and Training Command and Air Combat Command are the primary Air Force organizations flying the F/A-22.
General Characteristics
Primary Function: Air dominance, multi-role fighter
Builder: Lockheed-Martin, Boeing
Power Plant: Two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines with afterburners and two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles.
Thrust (each engine): 35,000-pound class.
Length: 62 feet, 1 inch (18.9 meters).
Height: 16 feet, 8 inches (5.1 meters).
Wingspan: 44 feet, 6 inches (13.6 meters).
Speed: Mach 2 class.
Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet (approximately 15 kilometers).
Empty Weight: 40,000-pound class (approximately 18,000 kilograms).
Armament: One M61A2 20-millimeter cannon with 480 rounds; side weapon bays can carry two AIM-9 infrared (heat seeking) air-to-air missiles and main weapon bays can carry (air-to-air loadout) six AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles or (air-to-ground loadout) two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAMs and two AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles.
Crew: One
Inventory: Unavailable. |
Unibear12r
| | Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 - 01:15 am: |
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The targeting equipment in the pilots helmet and the newer models of the sidewinder missle are supposed to allow the F22 to hit an aircraft directly off to its side.A few (or one!) Russan planes have been able to do this for awhile but their helmet equipment was heavy & bulky enough to injure or kill the pilot on ejection.
I read somewhere where they put up two F22s against six F15s in a simulated fight. According to one of the F15 pilots they never knew where the F22s were until debriefing after all the F15s had been "shot down"! Note that the F15 has hundreds of real air to air kills and has NEVER been shot down in air to air combat. A few have been lost to ground fire. |
Unibear12r
| | Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 - 01:28 am: |
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Oops! Forgot to mention that the F22s life support system allows for the pilot to make 12g manuvers for the same amount of time that the F15 pilot could handle 9gs. Thats unmatched. Or somethig like that.
Ok, the F15 is still faster at full afterburner. They had to put a governer on the F22 because if it flew as fast it would MELT! LOL it's skin is like plastic for stealth. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 - 07:43 pm: |
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Glenn, i think it's exceedingly cool that the Raptor can fly supersonic without being in afterburner (i.e. "supercruise" ).
pretty heady stuff, this F-22 business, and seeing three of them running and flying in the flesh, and a fourth so close you could count the nubs on the tires, was a real treat.
this day, like every other on the trip so far, had been a long one, up very early, to bed very late, with a ton of livin' stuffed in between.
hmmmmm, there's probably a moral in there somewhere...
mileage today: 2289.0 start, 2829.0 end, 540.0 total |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 - 07:49 pm: |
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ok, ok, one more to go:
An F/A-22 Raptor from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., heads out for an operational test mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald) |
Unibear12r
| | Posted on Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 10:19 pm: |
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Yep, I REALLY wish I could have made it there as planed. You lucky $***!
Alas not to be. Just VTC Jerry. |
Charlieboy6649
| | Posted on Sunday, October 16, 2005 - 11:02 pm: |
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FB,
How super cool that you stopped in Green River, UT. I went there every summer of my youth. My aunt owned a truck stop cafe there called Ben's Cafe. Still have family there.
"several moments later someone in uniform strode up to me and bit my backside for making a cell phone call on the flight line"
He was just being "hard", if you want to call it that... The ordinance is but a paperweight until the aircraft goes to the Arm/dearm area. But alas, rules is rules. Air Force boys are funny about that stuff.
I loved hearing about the Raptor though. She's a beaut! Can't wait till we get the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter). Watching the video of that thing transferring to VTOL (Vertical Take Off & Landing) is amazing!!! |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 01:40 am: |
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Now that I read about Nellis I wish I could have stayed on with you a bit longer. Rat Bastard right back at ya FB
It was good to ride with you, Denise and the Birds. I hope I can ride as far south as you folks some day.
I should not have sat down in Mesquite, I was beat. First ride of the year for me, bike was apart from Nov '03 until the night before I met you.
take care,
-Mike |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 07:53 pm: |
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First ride of the year for me, bike was apart from Nov '03 until the night before I met you.
pretty impressive, Mike, thanks again for keeping us such grand company. |
Dbird29
| | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 12:42 am: |
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That Mike is a good guy isn't he? |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 06:11 am: |
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indeed. |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:21 am: |
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Thanks guys!
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Bertman
| | Posted on Monday, November 07, 2005 - 10:22 pm: |
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Just got back from a trip to Mesquite after a convention in Vegas, and I have sad news to bestow upon the brethren. I looked high and low but could not find existence of our beloved Brother Spiderman. The flock will be happy to know that I made an ample contribution in his memory. |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 - 09:55 pm: |
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bummer! |
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