The weather has been c**p for photography for weeks now. I hate that dull, grey overcast we have been having and I am begining to realize why you chose your name Grey Area!. Great shots in miserable conditions.

Rgds Cking

Used to do it at MAN a few years ago on the J41’s. It was done to save money.
To push one back normaly takes three men and a tractor.
1. Bloke on headset(me)
2. Tug driver
3. Bloke to stop traffic behind aircraft
To do a power back it still takes three men as it was deemed necessary to have two blokes to stop the traffic. Since the two safety men always arrived in a tractor aswell it didn’t save any money at all!!!.
It was stopped a MAN because they were affraid of sand blasting any passengers walking out to other aircraft. They didn’t give a damm about me though!.
I didn’t have any quarms about doing it but loads of others did. Nobody though could give me a rational reason why they were un happy about it either, apart fron “It ain’t natural”!!!!!

Rgds Cking

I was told years ago that the Navy considered anywhere within eight miles inland of the coast had salt laden air. They would add extra corrosion inhibitors accordingly. I know that’s not what you wanted to hear!
I think that your treatment of the paint is on the right lines although it will need repainting eventualy due to the effects of the washing and UV light. Your hand polishing is an exellent idear as not only are you adding a layer of protection you are getting “up close” to it and will notice and touch up any dammage to the paint work.
The tyres are another thing. If you can it would be a good idear to jack it up and put it on axle stands. This will prevent any cracking to the side walls and stop you having to top the wheels up every now and again. With the tyres in this condition a layer of tyre black every year will keep them looking good. The only thing with this is the aircraft becomes un-movable. I dont know what your situation is at Speke and that might be a problem!!!. Other than that Keep them topped up and turn the wheels every few months to try to stop the flat spots becoming too flat. The thing that you have got going for you is that the tyres for the J41 are still being made so to change them every few years, whilst expensive is an option too!
I wish you well in your endevors.

Rgds Cking

I read somewere that Alaskan Airways “lose” 1/3 of there life jackes every year. They put it down to the fact that so many Alaskans have boats!

The landing gear and engines have fuse pins that are designed to fail under impact loads. This is to prevent the wings being ripped open, releasing the fuel. Also if you have a bad landing it limits the damage to the airframe so you can repair it.

Personaly life jackets are a waste of money. If you survive the initial crash, if the aircraft holds together, if the aircraft floats long enough, if the doors are not jammed closed by the impact, if you can get past the old folks clutching their duty free, IF THE LIFE JACKET ACTUALY INFLATES!!!! you are going to freeze to death in a matter of minutes because there is no such thing as warm water at sea. The airlines would be better spending their mony on preventing the crash in the first place.

Any way nobody ever pays attention to the safety briefing the cabin crew give, so they would not know were to find the things in the first place

Rgds Cking

Hi Grey. AA have been trying to get the airport to put up a “solid” wall there for years!. They are very sensitive about security as you can imagine. The next time I see a photographer there I’ll give you a Moon!!!! :dev2:

Rgds Cking

Yes, been threre, done that!!!! I changed a F.F.G. (Fuel flow govenor) on a 737 a few years back. The manual told us to drain the presevative oil from inside the unit berfoe fitting it,we did. The manual then said to do a “wet cycle” of the engine, i.e. turn it over on the starter at starting speed with the fuel on but the ignition OFF. There would be a plume of thick vapour for a short while followed by fuel vapour. We were then to shut off the fuel keep the engine turning untill all traces of vapour stopped, then go for a normal engine start. The manual warned us that it was normal to see a small jet pipe fire as there was always a little residual preservative left in the jet pipe. So I went for the start and the CFM gave it’s normal boom as the fuel ignighted. the small jet pipe fire happened and got worse and worse until I chopped the fuel and tried to blow it out by keeping the engine turning. My collegues out side then discharged a fire extiguisher around the jet pipe to put the fire out. The next embarrassing thing was that the fire service, who were just passing,all joined in!!. We just about managed to stop them from covering the whole aircraft in foam!!!.
In the supsiquent inquiry it was found that the FFG had been delivered with a faulty solenoid that caused the unit to over fuel the engine on start. This unit was changed and after various other checks carried out to the aircraft and engine, the aircraft was back in service the next day. I went into work the next day expecting my plums to be squeezed but , as I had done everything right, was in the clear.

Rgds Cking

BA haven’t trained apprentices for years!! When an economic downturn occurs the first thing to go is training and the first bit of training to go is apprentices.
Various retired BA staff help out on projects around the country but they do this “off their own bat”.

Rgds Cking

NWH left MAN today at 09:00 and has been replaced by NWO.
The weather was C*** and it left to early to get any fairwell shots!!
I hope it come back, I owe that aircraft a lot!!!

Rgds Cking