Now this is scary

[TB Roye]

This isn't meant to be political.

That being said, I read in the paper this morning that the FAA can't find the paper work for 119,000 private and commercial air craft. They have no idea of where they are or who owns them.

They worry about the common person and what we might bring on a plane when they don't know who has planes capable of doing some real damage. I know the FAA isn't in charge of airport security but it all falswl under the same blanket, National security. Some bad guy could have a 707 or larger hidden someplace that could be used for something bad.

My feeling is they should go out to the Arizona and Calif. desert storage areas and do a inventory of the surplus planes being stored out there. I know it is a paper work mess up but 119,000.

Bet they don't know about the F16 in my garage.

Tom

[cabinetman]

Bet they don't know about the F16 in my garage.

Tom

There's probably more than 119,000. Not many know this but I have a Mig 25 Foxbat.

.

[herb fellows]

So apparently you guys are wise to JETS 'R US. I thought I was the only one who knew about that store.

[Mr__Bill]

What with the price of jet fuel today I had to sell off mine, luckily at a gun show I met a fellow who wanted it and paid cash.

[TB Roye]

I borrowed mine and forgot to return it. I am trying to repaint it but the empty spay cans are taking up to much room. The EPA won't let me throw them in the trash or incinerate them


Tom

[cabinetman]

I borrowed mine and forgot to return it. I am trying to repaint it but the empty spay cans are taking up to much room. The EPA won't let me throw them in the trash or incinerate them


Tom

If you use invisible paint from invisible cans, that would solve a few problems. Nobody will know you have the plane, and you can throw the cans almost anywhere.

.

[cwsmith]

And that is the sole reason that there's no licensing registrations for tanks. It's just to darn hard for the government to keep track of them. I think once it was discovered that they only come in camo green and sand, the beuracracy just felt it impossible.

We had someone steal a Cessna here in our area several months ago. The owner just showed up after several weeks of non-flying and discovered his rental hanger was empty and the padlock gone. They have no idea when or who stole it, and the last I knew, it still hadn't been found. Maybe those 119,000 planes have all been gobbled up by some enterprising chop shop.

Pssst... anybody want a 747 wing?

CWS

[RAFlorida]

I'm glad you all started

this thread on planes. I had forgotten that Arnold borrowed my Harrier when he shot the movie "True Lies"! I hope he doesn't read the earlier post CabinetMan mentioned about the invisible paint from invisible cans.

[gsmittle]

There's probably more than 119,000. Not many know this but I have a Mig 25 Foxbat.

.

That'll fit nicely in my B-52. Tail number? We don't need no stinkin' tail number!

g.

[chopnhack]

As scary as that is, I find this even scarier:

Food Stamp enrollment:

Presently estimated at over 40 million for this year! or about 1 in 8 Americans

*

In 2005, it served 25.7 million people a month and cost $28.6 billion
*

In 2000, it served 17.2 million people a month and cost $17.1 billion
*

In 1995, it served 26.6 million people a month and cost $24.6 billion
*

In 1990, it served 20.1 million people a month and cost $15.5 billion
*

in 1985, it served 19.9 million people a month and cost $11.7 billion
*

In 1980, it served 21.1 million people a month and cost $9.2 billion
*

In 1975, it served 17.1 million people a month and cost $4.6 billion
*

In 1970, it served 4.3 million people a month and cost $577 million.

[cabinetman]

I heard food stamps taste terrible.

.

[TB Roye]

Cab

I bought 100 cases of blue invisible paint but now I can find them so I am using Plasticote Candy Apple Red over a gold base. The post office doesn't like me using food stamps to mail my bills, and besides it's a pain using my own glue on them. Whats a person to I try to cooperate with the Gov. but I just can't seem to do it right.


Tom

[leehljp]

Worrying about lost planes made me remember the Bede 5. Anyone remember that? After Jim Bede started getting ready for production, up came a plan for small turbines and taking the speed to 400+ MPH. Then some regulatory departments got into the act because of the fear of such a fast but small plane could deliver small warheads almost undetected over several hundred kilometers. And this was 20 - 25 years or so before 9/11.

I don't remember what happened to the Bede after that. I think JB ran into some financial development problems but not sure.

[mpc]

Worrying about lost planes made me remember the Bede 5. Anyone remember that? After Jim Bede started getting ready for production, up came a plan for small turbines and taking the speed to 400+ MPH. Then some regulatory departments got into the act because of the fear of such a fast but small plane could deliver small warheads almost undetected over several hundred kilometers. And this was 20 - 25 years or so before 9/11.

I don't remember what happened to the Bede after that. I think JB ran into some financial development problems but not sure.

There were all sorts of things that came up during the BD-5 program: the original engine company failed, the original V-tail design didn't work, etc. Pretty similar story to quite a few "good idea but not well funded" companies... small and large problems delayed initial deliveries, manufacturing was inconsistent, etc. Lots of BD-5s kits were made/sold, and a fair number of them were built and flown. More than a few crashed though. I got a chance to eyeball one up close at a local air museum a few years ago... one of the turbine/jet powered (most BD-5s were piston-engine driven propeller airplanes) configurations.

There were a couple of famous BD-5J ("J" is the jet-engined version) aircraft:
* the two Coors beer "Silver Bullet" aircraft of the 1980s through 1991
* one was flown as the "Bud Light Jet"
* A BD-5J was used in the opening of the Bond flick Octopussy

Wikipedia has a whole write-up on the BD-5s: Wikipedia BD-5

I never heard the part about government agencies being worried a BD-5 might be used as a warhead platform - that's an interesting tidbit of information... it's certainly easy to understand their concern. The Wikipedia story claims the DoD does use a BD variant as a simulated cruise missile to aim at during training.

mpc

[LCHIEN]

I think life insurance rates are sky high (pun fully intended) for those who build their own private aircraft... whether from kit or from their own designs.

A week ago I mentioned the HMS Invincible aircraft carrier for sale on the internet... if I bought it do I have to tell the FAA I'm importing an airfield?