Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/10/12

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Fw: aircraft tires
From: Adam Bridge <abridge@mac.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 20:04:52 -0700

On 2003-10-12 jerryleh@pacbell.net (Jerry Lehrer) thoughtfully wrote: 

>That's a lot better!  I've looked at too many airplanes in my 50 years
>in the game to want to look at any more. (My former employer, Goodrich
>Aerospace, makes all the landing gear for commercial aircraft, having
>bought out all the competition).

I grew up about a half-mile from one of the Goodrich brake facilities. I
remember they had this huge flywheel with some monster motors and could test
aircraft brakes to destruction. They designed and tested the B-70 liquid cooled
brakes. When I was in high school - this is the mid-60s - we got to see a film
they made of that destruction test. It was amazing with foundtains of sparks and
burning metal pouring out of the brake assembly.

The wonderful part - the plant was built ajacent to the old Waco airplane plant
that still had a grass strip. I waxed and washed airplanes in exchange for
rides, especially an insurance agent's Aircoupe with it's dural finish and
dayglow wingtips. Boy I polished that sucker all summer.

Now the airfield is an industrial park, the Waco hangers were a part of Chemlawn
and there are acres of soccer fields. But no more fabric covered Taylorcrafts,
or UPF-7s or J-3s fly in over the trees to the east to land a field of
dandylions so white it looks like snow.

Another age.

Adam
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Replies: Reply from "animal" <s.jessurun95@chello.nl> (Re: [Leica] Fw: aircraft tires)