Air Force Flight Test Center Tour

[Thane]

If anyone is interested, I can give 3 or 4 folks a quick tour of Edwards AFB and both the NASA Dryden and Air Force Flight Test Center museums. You will need to be a US Citizen and have a photo ID; a drivers' license is fine.

Depending on available time, and your tolerance, we will see 30 or more different aircraft at these world famous test sites. Our tour will take about three hours with an hour commute each way. We will visit both museums and then drive to see two different groups of bone yard aircraft. We won't drive on the flight line, but if there are any interesting aircraft flying, we will have a great view. I am quite knowledgeable about the aircraft and weapons we will see, it will be a fun trip.

The tour will unfortunately be on Friday, 11 August, and I would like to leave the campground by 2 PM, leaving earlier would be better. I expect we will be back at the campground around 7 PM. We are doing the tour on Friday as I need to go pick up a rental Casita for the rally.

Here is a link with some info about Edwards AFB and their museum:
http://www.edwards.af.mil/about_edwards/index.html Note that if you want to take the official Edwards tour, you can arrange that through the website, it won't hurt my feelings if you would rather take the official tour.

Here is a link with info about scheduling tours of the Dryden Flight Research Center http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/a...yden/tour.html I couldn't find a link to their museum, it is a nice place with 6 or so aircraft on display including an SR-71 and an X-29.

Although there can be no flightline photography, you can take pictures at the museums.

[CarolnJim]

Hi Thane

Sign Jim up. He really wants to go and would rather take the tour with you...

Jim and I will arrive on Thursday so he would be ready anytime on Friday for the tour.

Thanks
Carol

[Thane]

I'm glad Jim can go, it will be fun.

I expect we'll see an F-22, CV-22, B-1 and maybe a B-2. Of course there will be plenty of older aircraft like F-16, F-15, B-52s and a couple SR-71s.

[CarolnJim]

Thanks for putting this tour together. Jim, I know will really enjoy it. I hope others join too.

[Chuck-H]

Hi Thane,
Nancie and I would love to go on the Edwards tour! Is there a lot of walking or is there room for her break a part scooter or walker? Or we can follow in our TV. Last time we were on 58, a B1 and chase plane were landing. Thought he was going to get the A/C! AWESOME!
Do we need to bring any food/other stuff for group things? We would be happy to!
Thanks again for organizing this and if we canassist, please don't hesitate to ask
horsefolk

[Thane]

Unless you have military base access, like a retiree ID, then we will need to all fit inside my Ford Explorer. The back is big enough for a walker, I don't know about a scooter. The temps should be in the high 90s to low 100s so we won't do too much walking. The two museums have inside as well as outside displays; nice and cool inside. One of the sets of grave yard aircraft are not accessable to a walker or scooter. If it is too hot, we can do a lot of the tour without leaving the car.

I'll have a big ice chest for drinks and you can bring snacks. I'll leave your for a bit at the bigger indoor museum while I pick up the Casita, but that shouldn't take more than 45 minutes.

[Thane]

We may be able to do our tour earlier in the day. If we leave the campsite in the morning the temperature will be much cooler in the desert. If someone is arriving on Friday, we'll leave after they get their trailer set up. If everyone is arriving Thursday, we'll leave around 9 or 10 in the morning.

If someone has a TV with three rows of seats, we can take a few more folks with us. I'd need to drive on base and we'll be towing an empty 16 foot Casita back to the campsite.

[Maggi Rudy]

Thane,
Please put Wes on the list. He would very much like to go. We are looking forward to Tehachapi!

Maggi Rudy

[Thane]

Great, that fills up my TV. If anyone has a three row TV and wants to go, let me know.

[Chuck-H]

Hi Thane,
Nancie will NOT be going to Edwards but I DEFINATELY want to go..don't know if spelling correect but you catch the drift.
We'll be arriving Thursday afternoon, is there anything we can do/bring to help?
Chuck

[Thane]

Nothing to bring except maybe some binoculars.

If Nancy can't make it then we should have an open seat (though it may be tight)

[Ken&Chris]

Nothing to bring except maybe some binoculars.

If Nancy can't make it then we should have an open seat (though it may be tight)

I would love to go any time , we hope to get up to the rally on Thursday. Chris doesn't want to go so just me. That is if you have room for me at the rally and on the tour. Ken and Chris Hildner 1979 Fiber Stream

[Thane]

We should have room for the tour and a campsite for you.

[Lou & Lora E.]

Hi Thane, have been gone for 5 weeks on a trip back east.
just saw your offer and would very much like to tag along, if there is room

[Thane]

That would be fine. There is a chance that I'll have to work at least part of that day, I'll post any necessary changes.
Thane

[Thane]

I don't have to work after all so the tour is on. We'll leave after breakfast and spend as much time as you can stand.
Thane

[Ted Tuchsen]

Thane,

Is it too late to add me to the tour? If so, add me to the wait list. Thanks,

Ted

[Thane]

At this point I am out of room, my Jeep only fits 5. If someone has a bigger TV we can fit more folks. If anyone has a retiree ID card we can take two cars.

[Thane]

Bring binoculars if you have 'em. I'll have to restrict the taking of photos in some areas but the museum grounds are OK for cameras.

[Thane]

Here is the tour list as I figure it. I have room for four folks so I just applied the first come, first served principle. If you can't make it, let me know.

Jim
Chuck
Wes
Ken

Alternate
Lou
Ted

If anyone has a retiree ID card let me know. If someone has a larger tow vehicle that can fit more than 5 I'd appreciate using it.