c130

I've been having a little trouble getting on the computer this week as we have some visitors. . .

Remember the F-18's that made an emergency landing last week? Well, they are still here. AND 30 Marines came in on a C130 to fix the broken jet. It took them all of an hour to fix the problem yet, They are all still here!!! They are actually very nice, they are just a bit bored. As one Marine told me; "no offense, Ma'am, you've got a bunch of mechanics stuck on an island." For an island with limited resources, this is a big impact. It looks like the two jets will actually leave tonight and the rest will leave tomorrow.

But, one cool thing is, Louis (of course) and I got to go into the cockpit of the big plane while it was being started up. (Apparently you have to start it after it sits for a few days!?)

The C 130 is a big plane!

We got to sit in the cockpit. Louis sits in the co-pilot seat.

I sat in the jump seat.

Louis got to steer.

Louis starts up two of the engines.

I just watched.

Louis and the pilot (he's not really the pilot but the "enlisted ground pilot" or something like that) rev the engines up to really loud.

I watched from my jump seat.

This is the view of the F-18's from the window of the C-130



Louis got to bring down this glass visor, you could see

the instrument displays through it. Very cool.

I watched.


But I did get to wear this cool head set so I could hear Louis and the pilot talking to each other!!

Then they showed us the night vision goggles!

Very Cool! Later that night, they took Louis out to the Cargo pier and he got to use the goggles looking for things along the beach. He really liked that.

This is a picture of the inside of the plane (where the soldiers sit)

through the night vision goggles.

Big propeller.

The two F-18's did a little circle while the C 130 was revving up the engines.

The airport manager came speeding out to remove some birds that were

enjoying the strong breeze the planes produced.

Louis found a Bonin Petrel - has nothing to do with the C 130.