Episode 15 - The Aerospace Valley Air Show

WEBVTT 1 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.240 Well, how do you, folks, And good morning, afternoon, or 2 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:14.039 evening, wherever and whenever you may be listening. My name is Tim and 3 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:18.960 welcome to One Day in so Cal. Whether you've lived here your entire life 4 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:23.239 or visiting from across the world, whether you only have one day in so 5 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:26.800 Cal or one month, I want to share some of the coolest, most 6 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:30.960 fun, and most unique things to do right here in southern California, whether 7 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:35.280 that's solo or with friends and family. So join me on my next adventure 8 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:47.520 and hopefully yours. Right now on One Day in so Cal, Welcome to 9 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:52.560 episode fifteen of the One Day in so Cal podcast. It's Friday, October 10 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:59.920 and I'm recording from beautiful right with California. Visit me on the web one 11 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.280 Day and SoCal dot com one Day in solcal dot com for the latest episodes, 12 00:01:03.519 --> 00:01:10.159 photologue videos, interactive map, social media lengths, and more new episodes 13 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:14.159 of this podcast, or at least every Friday morning. Now, let's go 14 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:19.480 on an adventure of the aerospace Testing Universe at Edwards Air Force Face. Everyone, 15 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.640 welcome back, if you've been here before, if you're a first time 16 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:30.799 person on Edwards. This is a place of first and you've now taken your 17 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:34.920 place in that history. This is the first open house we've been able to 18 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:38.519 host at Edwards in thirteen years. Think back to what has changed since two 19 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:46.480 thousand nine. We've launched different platforms, We've changed the world posture. We're 20 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:51.400 pasturing for the future into the thirties. And this air show has been five 21 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:55.280 years in the making. But it isn't just an air show, ladies and 22 00:01:55.319 --> 00:01:57.640 gentlemen. It's an open house because we open our gates to you, the 23 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:01.480 public, to come to you what we do, not just on Edwards, 24 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:06.200 and not just in aerospace, not just the Air Force, but as the 25 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:10.680 Department of Defense and as a community of science, technology, engineering and mathematic 26 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:15.919 experts. It's STEM, folks. It's STEM that drives our service. It's 27 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:21.879 STEM that drives this valley, and it's STEM that drives our nation's leads as 28 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:27.280 we compete in the world out of space for dominance and information, dominance in 29 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.000 defense, and dominance and commerce. STEM is away and that's one of the 30 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:38.159 big big wins for the opening ceremony and the entire world today. Rick, 31 00:02:38.199 --> 00:02:39.240 I want on, I'll got a couple of things that healthy happen. I'm 32 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:43.560 gonna pass that thanks to you, thanks for doing this. It is an 33 00:02:43.560 --> 00:02:46.319 honor beyond the podium in the stage and New y again. It is also 34 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:51.319 an honor and a privilege to be able to talk and thank all the folks 35 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:53.759 that made this happen. The air show crowds, all the volunteers, they're 36 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:57.840 here, and as a Chapman said, even the folks that we're not just 37 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:00.759 volunteering but to ask to be here as well. Thank you. If you 38 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:05.680 had a role in making this happen today, in any form, please accept 39 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:13.800 our deepest rabbite my life. But I also want to send an additional thanks 40 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.439 to the problem. As you were participating in crowd to day and the tens 41 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:22.599 of busons many of you mind up, whell be more for Friday today to 42 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:27.120 get here. You came here for many reasons. I hope that what you 43 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.400 see on the flight line of the air show today impresses you as it does 44 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:35.080 me. Every single time I see airpoints fly, I hear the noise of 45 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:39.319 freedom and I love to see it and watching. But as you are enjoying 46 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:44.360 the flying, don't forget the statics, and also don't forget the science, 47 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:50.840 Technology, Engineer and Math expo we have and building. If you happen to 48 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:53.680 be a kid of all ages, go to stem see what it is. 49 00:03:53.080 --> 00:04:05.240 And if you're a kid three to thirteen, this is for you. That 50 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:12.879 was General Higer Installation commander of Edwards Air Force Base here in sunny southern California. 51 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:16.680 This week I attended the Aerospace Valley Air Show at Edwards Air Force Base 52 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:23.480 now Edwards Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force military base located 53 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:29.399 in the Mojabi Desert between Kern, Los Angeles and sam Bernardino Counties. Edwards 54 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:33.959 Air Force Base has some unbelievable history associated with it. It is literally known 55 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:40.319 as the center of the aerospace testing universe. That's a pretty big claim. 56 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.959 Huh. But what the heck does that exactly mean? Well, I'll tell 57 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:47.800 you what that means. It means that virtually every aircraft the Air Force has 58 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:55.079 ever purchased since World War Two was tested right here at Edwards, from development 59 00:04:55.160 --> 00:05:00.279 to combat ready. In addition, almost every single U S military aircraft since 60 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:04.360 the nineteen fifties has at least been partially tested here at Edwards. That includes 61 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:10.199 the stuff we know about current aircraft being upgraded and stuff we don't know about. 62 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:13.399 Edwards Air Force Base is also home to the U. S. Air 63 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:17.639 Forces Test Pilot School, the Air Force Test Center, and NASA's Armstrong Flight 64 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:26.160 Research Center. Up until recently, the Space shuttles also landed here, mainly 65 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:30.279 when there was bad weather in Florida. Being a test pilot is very dangerous. 66 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:35.040 In fact, the base is named after a test pilot, Glenn Edwards, 67 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:41.360 who tragically tragically died while test piloting the northrope YB forty nine Flying Wing. 68 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.240 I imagine he didn't think when he kissed his wife goodbye that morning for 69 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:49.839 another test flight that he knew he wasn't coming back that day. That's uh, 70 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:54.439 that's what what it's like to serve um, and that's what people who 71 00:05:54.439 --> 00:05:58.639 serve every single day go through, whether military, law enforcement, fire corrections, 72 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:03.959 or or you know, you pick. Coincidentally, there was an explosion 73 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:09.360 of reports of UFOs right around this time, to coincide with the nineteen fifties 74 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:14.959 and UH spoiler alert. Most of those UFOs were top secret aircraft like the 75 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.279 Flying Wing being tested. When you are a member of the general public and 76 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:23.800 only aware of slower moving propeller aircraft, a sleek test aircraft without propellers zip 77 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:28.639 around the skyline is going to turn more than a few heads, And honestly 78 00:06:28.680 --> 00:06:32.480 that's probably where a lot of UFOs come from. But the work Captain Edwards 79 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:40.079 participated in UM with the Flying Wing program wasn't in vain. It eventually culminated 80 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:45.120 in the B two bomber that we know today. What's my theory on fast 81 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:47.160 moving little drones that seemed to fly around and harass our Navy ships in the 82 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:53.079 middle of ocean of the ocean today submarine launched high performance drones. That's my 83 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:57.000 theory. Some of the facilities here are named after other test pots who have 84 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:01.199 died as well, and I have been here aircraft have actually crashed. Fortunately 85 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:05.680 the pilot survives on that occasion. If you don't know Edward's history, you 86 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:12.120 probably have seen Edwards movie Trivia UM or seen Edwards in the movies, whether 87 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:15.800 you knew it or not. Movies that have taken place here at Edwards include 88 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:20.959 Iron Man, Iron Man Too, Captain, Marvel, Transformers, Deep Impact, 89 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:26.279 Man of Steel, I Dream of Jennie, Jay, Lenos Garage, 90 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:31.120 and several episodes of California's Gold with Hell Houser, among many others. Funny 91 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.480 story on the Captain Marvel shoot. By the way, let's get it on 92 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:38.959 our our usual off topic little subject. Now I knew an airman here at 93 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:44.839 Edwards that I'm going to call Cadet Kelly that works security for the Captain Marvel 94 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:50.560 shoot. Between it take the main protagonist, Captain Marvel aka Breed Larson herself 95 00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:57.079 comes up to Kelly at complete random and just says hi. She asked Cadet 96 00:07:57.160 --> 00:08:03.079 Kelly if he wanted a picture and maybe an autograph of fan more and uh 97 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:05.920 yeah, more. We'll leave it at that well space Cadet Kelly student attention 98 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:09.439 and told Miss Larson, no, ma'am, I must remain at my post 99 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:13.199 and I'm not allowed to socialize at this time. Okay, Miss Larson walked 100 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:18.120 away. Everyone still makes fun of Condect Kelly for this, but you can't 101 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:22.439 fault the guy for attention to duty. Um who knows where that could have 102 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:26.519 led. But anyways, the opening scene to the film First Man has a 103 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:31.399 scene that takes place at Edwards Air Force Base as well. First Man was 104 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:35.200 my favorite film from and based on a true story of the Apollo Levan Moon 105 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:39.360 Mission. I initially rejected watching it because I was caught up in the controversy 106 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.879 where the film production team decided not to show the planting of the American flag, 107 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:46.159 which infuriated a lot of Americans, including the man that went to the 108 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:52.399 Moon with Neil Armstrong um buzz aldrin um in in protests. He immediately posted 109 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:56.679 a picture on Twitter of the flag he helped plant on the lunar surface after 110 00:08:56.720 --> 00:09:00.720 that decision was made. But I'm glad I gave at a second chance, 111 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.519 and if you haven't seen it, I completely recommend it. It's very well 112 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:07.759 done in the movie does a great job reflecting the entire story, from the 113 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.360 claustrophobia of sitting on top of a rocket to the pulse pounding landing of the 114 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:16.759 lunar module onto the lunar surface. Most importantly, the film accurately accurately captures 115 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:22.799 the entire truth the Apallvan mission. They even studied the script on the moon 116 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:26.360 landing and and everything the actors and Mr Control says in the film was actually 117 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:31.399 set in real life anyways. The opening scene shows test pilots Neil Armstrong being 118 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:35.279 launched from a B fifty two at high elevation after being released by the B 119 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:39.600 fifty two. He successfully pilots the X fifteen to a height of two hundred 120 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:45.759 and seven thousand feet, the highest he flew before GEM eight gemin I eight. 121 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:48.559 Unfortunately, he made the air of holding up the aircraft notes for too 122 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:56.320 longer and descent to demonstrate the MH limiting performance, and the X fifteen balloon 123 00:09:56.360 --> 00:10:01.200 back up to a hundred forty thousand feet a k bouncing off the atmosphere. 124 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:03.919 Neil Armstrong had to deploy emergency thrusters to get the aircraft to a sin, 125 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:09.799 which it thankfully finally did. Um. Otherwise we probably we might have lost 126 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.919 Neil Armstrong then and there. Um. Neil Armstrong then runs out of field 127 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:16.759 and has to make an all urgently landing in Roger Shy Lake bed in the 128 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:20.799 film, and the thing is just really happened in real life, just like 129 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:24.240 the movie portrays. One more side note on the scene. The B fifty 130 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:30.440 two NASA zero zero eight that launched Neil Armstrong in the X fift team Um 131 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:35.039 rocket powered space plane in the scene is located just outside the north gate of 132 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.720 Edwards Air Force Base. If you come see this aircraft, you'll be on 133 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:41.879 Edwards Air Force Base property, but you don't have to have base access to 134 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:45.840 see this incredible piece of history. As long as you don't go past North 135 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:50.120 Gate. Um, you can walk around it. There's a place to park 136 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:54.039 their signs. Um. There's even the cargo bay open or Neil Armstrong was 137 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.720 jettison from. So if you're ever traveling down the fifty eight between I don't 138 00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:01.879 know Bakersfield and Barstow or something like that, UM, pull in here and 139 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:07.399 take a look at this aircraft. And of course Roger's dry lake bed is 140 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:11.279 here. One more film I like to highlight the three film The Right Stuff 141 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:13.879 was based on a lot of what happened here to Edwards Air Fourth Space, 142 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:18.840 as well the US based programs development from the breaking of the sound barriers, 143 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:22.240 a selection of the Mercury seven astronauts from a group of test pilots with the 144 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:26.120 more of a seat of your pants approach and the program's more cautious engineers preferred. 145 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:30.879 Um. A lot of that is based on Edwards. So that's where 146 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:33.960 most of this that film has taken place. This includes many scenes from Poncho 147 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:39.039 Barnes Happy Bottom Riding club. Side note, I'm Pancho Barnes. Poncho Barnes 148 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:43.000 with a female pioneer in aviation and sounder of the movie Stunt Pilots Association. 149 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:46.600 She broke Amelia Earhart speed record, raised in the Women's Air Derby, and 150 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:50.840 was a member of the ninety nine, which is a women's pilot association based 151 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:54.480 out of Oklahoma City. Later in life, she owned the Happy Bottom Writing 152 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:58.679 Club, a bar, restaurant and ranch with an air strip that catered to 153 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:03.320 legendary test pilots and eight theators such as Chuck Yeager, Buzz Aldrin, and 154 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:07.039 Jimmy Dooley Little Doolittle. Yes, that Jimmy Doolittle. Unfortunately, the Air 155 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:11.080 Force wanted to expand Edwards Air Force Base and she was essentially bullied into selling 156 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:16.360 her land for an unfair price. Um, she wouldn't sell, at least 157 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:18.679 not for an unfair price. You wanted the fair market price for her land. 158 00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:22.279 The Air Force thought they could just bully here out of it. They 159 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.360 forbid their paths from going to a ranch, and a mysterious fire burned down 160 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:28.919 a lot of her property in n Um. I think we know what happened 161 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:31.879 there, and that's really tragic, definitely a dark stand in the Air Force's 162 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:39.080 history. UM. I've been fortunate enough to tour the remains of Parcho Pancho 163 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.759 Barnes Happy Bottom Riding Club on a self guided tour. And it's not open 164 00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:46.639 to the public or even most people with basse access to Edwards. In fact, 165 00:12:46.679 --> 00:12:52.320 it's near the end of a shooting range. UM. But I picked 166 00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:54.080 a day when there was no shooting. UM. I'm not gonna lie. 167 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:56.720 I think the statue of limitations has run out this point. UM. I 168 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:00.759 didn't really have permission to go, but I did, and I checked it 169 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:03.679 out and it was It was really cool just to be there walking around where 170 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:07.519 some of these legendary pilots, you know, had stakes and celebrated. They're 171 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:15.440 breaking the sound barrier and another aviation landmark UM landmarks UM. Other first here 172 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:18.639 that occurred at Edwards include Chucky years breaking out the sound barrier in nine, 173 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:24.919 flight testing for America's first bomber UH first jet bomber, the XP forty three 174 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:31.240 during World War Two, the start of rocket technology development in including the development 175 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:33.960 of the Saturn five rocket that took us to the Moon, development of the 176 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:39.279 Minuteman missile, which is the precursor to the Air Force's current global strike capabilities. 177 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:46.440 A k nuclear bombs and a check to Russia and uh nuclear capabilities, 178 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:48.879 which is a check to Russian in China today. So in case you haven't 179 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:52.879 figured it out, I also worked here for a time and got to see 180 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:56.559 some incredible things. You know, those things you really wish you could talk 181 00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:01.159 about. They can't and won't that stuff. Sorry, guys, my loyalty 182 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:05.759 to the USA comes first. Well before the one Day in SOCIL podcast. 183 00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:09.679 All right, now, let's talk about how much it's gonna cost to get 184 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:13.799 into an air show like the Aerospace Valley Air Show at Edwards Air Force Base. 185 00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:22.120 Well, close that wallet, it is completely free. Those fellow American 186 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:26.000 citizens listening. Consider it a demonstration of what you helped buy with your tax 187 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:31.759 dollars. There was some premium options sitting options here that you could purchase for 188 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:35.320 an extra charge. But the air show is courtesy of the U. S. 189 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:39.120 Air Force and the participants that brought out their aviation toys for you to 190 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:43.720 enjoy. So next air show, which will hopefully be next year at this 191 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:48.519 time, come out and enjoy and uh, you know, see what you 192 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:54.200 bought and see what's help and defend your freedom and the freedom mora allies. 193 00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:58.519 I know something you probably disagree with that statement, but that's okay. Now, 194 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:03.639 the experience of coming here, Edwards Air Force Base is seventy square miles 195 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:11.320 UM of just open desert, and uh it does have a few different entrance 196 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:15.399 gates UM. The main entrance gate on base is the West Gate. The 197 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:18.480 second largest gate on base is North Gate, which is where I entered. 198 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:22.360 I arrived at North Gate at am. Gates were set to open at eight 199 00:15:22.440 --> 00:15:26.960 thirty and there was already a huge line to get in UM from here. 200 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:31.080 We had a few miles to get the parking. Once the gates open, 201 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:35.679 Edwards Air Force Base opened both sides of the two lane roads into the base, 202 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.360 and it was still stopping go sometimes dead stop traffic. There was just 203 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:43.759 so many people trying to get in here. Let me tell you, let 204 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.159 me tell you this is when it's really handy to actually have a tesla. 205 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:50.000 Let the car just handled the stop and go for you while you relax and 206 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:52.559 in my case, show off the base where you used to work to your 207 00:15:52.600 --> 00:16:00.360 friends. We finally got to park at around UM ten or four am, 208 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:03.840 so that was about That was over an hour and a half of just of 209 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:10.440 just driving in traffic UM probably about I don't know six or seven miles. 210 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:15.039 So if you come here, you know, bring your patients. UM, 211 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:18.960 it's gonna be worth it, I promise. One cool thing about the chosen 212 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:23.320 parking lot was the fact that it was on Roger's dry lake bed. Roger's 213 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.960 dry lake bed for the rest of the year that there isn't an air show 214 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:33.600 is strictly and I mean that exclamation point strictly AWFU limits to everyone military, 215 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:37.720 civilian, General Higer unless you want to run a foul of the FA of 216 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:41.919 the Department of Defense. Uh, you do not step one ft on the 217 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:45.159 lake bed. This is because most of the lake bed here are lake beds 218 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:49.759 here UM, and there are a few are considered active runways twenty four hours 219 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:55.480 a day, seven days a week. It's serious enough that base security forces 220 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:59.360 and civilian police will roll Code three and detain you. You may even get 221 00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:03.519 to enjoy a thorough interview with the Office of Special Investigations, particularly if you 222 00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:08.319 are for national UM. I have always wanted to drive out in the lake 223 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:12.440 bid, but never had the opportunity until this air show. And uh, 224 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:15.559 I don't think most people could appreciate what kind of pride it was to actually 225 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:19.200 drive park and walk on the lake bed. It just it really was so 226 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:26.160 much aviation history has occurred on this dirt soil. UM. But any case, 227 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:30.000 after parking, you proceed to a checkpoint UM where there are armed security 228 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:33.920 force airmen and metal detectors. Sadly, this is the world we live in 229 00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:37.920 now, metal detectors everywhere, everywhere, every day, even I should say 230 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:41.279 uh, um, or or should I say especially at an air show on 231 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:47.240 a US Air Force base uh, probably the most secure place you know within 232 00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:51.759 so call today. Um. But after passing through metal detectors, you you 233 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:57.160 reach a long apron where paved aprin where there was literally an army of contracted 234 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:02.279 school buses to shuttle you between park and the flight line. School bus drivers 235 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:07.599 were pulled from all over so Cal, including Asperia and Bakersfield and everything in 236 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:10.920 between. If you come to the next air show, don't stand in line 237 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:15.359 at the closest bus pickup spot. Keep walking and the lions will get shorter 238 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:18.880 and you'll get on a bus faster. Or if you need the exercise, 239 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:22.880 you can actually make the two mile walk down according off path to the entrance 240 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:27.000 of the air show perimeter. UM. I suggest taking the bus, though 241 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:30.079 It's a definitely a long walk. There's not much to see, and even 242 00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:33.480 here and fall, it's pretty warm out Edwards. It was getting hot. 243 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.599 Like I said, so I elected for the unair conditioned school buses. Uh. 244 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:41.559 The short five minute bus ride finally brought us to the entrance of the 245 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:44.960 air show, which is located at one of the biggest hangars on Edwards Air 246 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:49.160 Force Base, Building six at approximately thirty five am. We jumped out of 247 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:53.400 the bus and just after two hours after arriving at Northgate, we were at 248 00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:59.279 the air show. I stated, Building six D is one of the biggest 249 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:03.920 hangers on the base. This is convention center size, so it's hardly surprising 250 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:10.000 that they had a convention center size stem expo here. There was some fantastic 251 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:12.960 top of the line vendors here too. Some of the vendors at this air 252 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:21.279 show included Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Northrope, Gremmin, PPG for 253 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:25.880 twelve, Test Pilot School for twelve, Civil Engineering Group for twelve, Security 254 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:32.279 Forces, Air Force Research Laboratory, Aviation Magazine, California State University, Bakersfield, 255 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:37.599 Civil Air Patrol, Coffee for Vets, Droid Builder, Mercy Air, 256 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:42.160 and Scale. What the heck is Scale? No, I don't mean the 257 00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:47.480 thing that you don't want to get on after taking a shower because you're afraid 258 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:49.519 of what it might say. Scale is the builder of the Strato launched the 259 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:56.880 world's largest airplane at least by wingspan and located in neighboring Bhabe about twenty miles 260 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.279 away. Google that Goliath if you ever get to get the as the Scale 261 00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:04.279 straddle launch um. I actually have a friend that worked on this thing got 262 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:08.000 to see it up close and personal at a friends and family day event sponsored 263 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:12.079 by Scale uh and that was what a unique opportunity that was. I just 264 00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:15.920 sometimes I get lucky and get to go do cool things like this. So 265 00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:18.880 come hungry if you want, because there are a ton of pop up vendors 266 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.160 here and food trucks to choose from. The food is typical of what you 267 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:26.119 might find out a county fair or rodeo or other street food, everything from 268 00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:30.839 hot dogs the street tacos to barbecue. As long as you bring money for 269 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:33.240 the inflated prices, you are not going to starve here. Sorry, no 270 00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:37.519 chow hall or mr experience. I have eaten the child hall here many times 271 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:41.680 and uh, those of your marines listening, I will say yes, the 272 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:45.279 Air Force chow halls are definitely better and they always will be now if you 273 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.079 bring your kids here. There was so much for kids of all the used 274 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:52.240 to do, particularly in the STEM category STEM being short for Science, Technology, 275 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:56.519 Engineering and Maths just in case you didn't know. Lots of hands on 276 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:00.160 stuff too, including an F twenty two flight simulator, aircraft walkthroughs, a 277 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:04.519 drone simulator UM and by flight simulator. I don't mean like there was a 278 00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:08.000 joystick in a screen in front of I mean you're you're actually entering like a 279 00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:12.599 simulator stimulated cockpit and enclosed space, the door closing behind you, and you're 280 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:18.119 like you're flying around and F twenty two. UM, that kind of stimulator, 281 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:22.000 like the stuff the test pilots use train uh your kids to get to 282 00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:26.640 actually do some of that. So really really cool stuff, you know, 283 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:32.359 multimillion million dollars stuff that you get the play around with as a toy. 284 00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:36.440 UM. So there's a lot of STEM stuff if you want to get your 285 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:40.000 kids the inserted in in the STEM sciences early, and I think you should, 286 00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:45.200 um, because you know, we gotta keep up with our foreign adversaries. 287 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:47.440 You know, trying to is getting close to a beating us if they're 288 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.519 not already there. So we need to get get our kids really interested in 289 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:52.200 in science, technology, engineering, and math. Um. You know, 290 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:56.319 consider maybe Harvey Mud College down and Claremont Colleges. I'm actually right now, 291 00:21:56.359 --> 00:22:00.359 I'm actually considering applying for not considering what am I saying. I'm actually going 292 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:06.559 to apply and have applied to Graduate University part of the Claremont Colleges. So 293 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.559 if you've got your kids interested in STEM, you know, hey, Harvey 294 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:14.480 MUD's there if you we gotta we gotta train our next generation of engineers, 295 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:19.920 mathematicians, computer scientists and uh, science all around. UM, I really 296 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:23.559 hope we can make a you know, we've kind of lost a lot of 297 00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:27.960 ground. I hope we can make a um, make up for a lot 298 00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:33.279 of loss time and uh and bring science back to the forefront and just like 299 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:37.559 we did in the fifties. Um, as far as security goes, security 300 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:41.480 planning for this event went back years from current Canic sheriff deputies on patrol to 301 00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:45.559 metal detectors to airmen with m force. You are going to be just fine 302 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:49.480 here, UM, no need to be concerned and there's no need for a 303 00:22:49.480 --> 00:22:55.480 safety and security briefing on this episode like I usually do. All right, 304 00:22:55.640 --> 00:23:00.319 So after you leave the STEM Expo Center, you walk out onto the actual 305 00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:06.799 flight line of the Edwards Air Force Base and they just had dozens and dozens 306 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:10.319 and dozens of aircraft all out, all out, all on display for you 307 00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:15.599 to walk. Um sometimes walk right up and under and underneath and around and 308 00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:18.680 sometimes they were ripped off, you know, depending on what it was. 309 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:22.240 UM. I know CHP had a helicopter here. There was just a ton 310 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:26.359 of static aircraft and in fact, um, you know, everything from World 311 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:30.960 War two to feature a futuristic concept designs that were not top secret and allowed 312 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:33.200 to be displayed. UM. But I want to actually go over some of 313 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:36.759 that the aircraft that we're here, Some of them you could get in and 314 00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:40.680 climb around on too, UM you know, really cool experience. Those had 315 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:42.000 really long lines by the way, so you and pack your patients if you 316 00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:48.680 actually want to get into a UM basically like a cargo aircraft from Australia. 317 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:52.160 UM, you know, one of their Australian Air Force airplanes wor was on 318 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:55.880 display. You could walk through and see how the Australian military does cargo, 319 00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:02.839 UM operations and everything else. UM. But here's a list and brief explanation 320 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:06.799 of the static aircraft I got to see, um and what you might get 321 00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:08.000 to see at the next air show. Here. Keep in mind this is 322 00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:12.200 just a shortened list because there was plenty more I could talk about, UM, 323 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:17.680 but I don't want to bore you non aviation geeks. But for example, 324 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:22.160 there was the Bowing f a F A teen super Hornet, which is 325 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:25.960 lied widely used by the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps. This 326 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:30.720 jet is used in multi role combat capabilities such as precision guided weapons, fighter 327 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:34.640 escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defense, maritime strike reconnaissance, 328 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:40.480 forward air control, and tanker missions. No flipping wonder The Marines used 329 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:45.359 as the heck out of this thing. Um. It's basically a next to 330 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:48.319 the A ten. This is pretty much a the ultimate infantry support fixed wing 331 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:52.000 aircraft, is it not? Speaking of it A ten? They had an 332 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:56.680 a tense thunderbolt to here um, also known as the flying bathtub because of 333 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:03.480 the bathtub shaped titanium armor that protects the pilot. These things are like terminator 334 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:07.519 in the sky. They can take so much damage and keep terminating the enemy. 335 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:11.000 Uh. And that's exactly what they're designed to do. They're designed to 336 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:17.039 loiter around the battlefield at low altitudes and pound the enemy over and over again, 337 00:25:17.079 --> 00:25:18.920 no matter how much flak you so I throw at it. Uh. 338 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:23.839 This thing is designed to keep flying manually even after it's lost its hydraulic system. 339 00:25:23.880 --> 00:25:26.799 I think you're gonna take it down in the missile Yeah? Nice. 340 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:32.559 Try the latest infra red and electronic countermeasures on board handle surface to air threats. 341 00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:36.279 It's thirty millimeter gattling gun can fire three thousand, nine hundred rounds per 342 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:41.000 minute. Short story long, you don't want to be on the wrong side 343 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:45.359 of this thing, so don't make an enemy of the USA. The C 344 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:48.519 twelve j here here on was here. The C twelve is a twin turboprop 345 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:52.200 aircraft used by the Air Force, largely for cargo and passenger airlift. I've 346 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:56.599 seen these things going between Edwards and Nellis in Las Vegas pretty much all the 347 00:25:56.640 --> 00:26:00.160 time, and that's largely what they use in for here. Uh. There 348 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:03.960 was a convert BT thirteen A which was used by the U. S Army 349 00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:07.359 Air Corps, the US NADY and our allies during World War Two. This 350 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:11.000 aircraft was primarily used as an aircraft trainer during World War Two, hence the 351 00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:15.599 name BT, which stands for Basic Trainer. My favorite jet fighter aircraft of 352 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:19.599 all time has always been the F six Team Fighting falcon Um, and it 353 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:23.480 was on SAT display here as well, and it's definitely showing its age now. 354 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:27.839 But think about it, this aircraft has been flying since nineteen seventy. 355 00:26:29.559 --> 00:26:33.519 This technology is over forty six years old, and this thing is still taking 356 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.720 the fight of the enemy today and used by our allies such as Israel. 357 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:41.160 Like the Airbus, the air F six Team fly by wire technology UM uses 358 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:45.680 fly by wire technology, I should say, which means electric wires, relay 359 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:52.160 commands UM relay commands to the controls, replacing cable and linkage UM. The 360 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:56.960 Air Force continues to update the F six Team and despite its multi rollability to 361 00:26:56.039 --> 00:27:00.440 drop bombs, it can stand toto toe with most of what the enemy throw 362 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:03.960 tries to throw at it. Today. It's currently in the C slash D 363 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:08.440 version. The F thirty five Lightning was on display. The thirty five A 364 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:12.799 is the Air Force's newest toy, a fifth generation fighter which is set to 365 00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:17.960 replace the F six team and the eight Tan Thunderbolts. That's because this thing 366 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:22.160 is so high tech it can pretty much do it all. It's capable of 367 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:26.119 stealth and situational awareness, much of which is top secret. I'm sure it 368 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:29.599 could take out vertically. Even the helmet is so high tech. With complete 369 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:33.519 mission information displayed on the helmet visor in conjunction with the rest of the flight 370 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:37.880 deck and basically things that are going on around the aircraft as far as enemy 371 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:42.200 aircraft and everything else, this aircraft can provide the pilot with unsurpassed, unsurpassed 372 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:48.279 situational awareness, positive target identification, and precision strike capabilities in all weather conditions. 373 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:53.359 How much situational awareness does it give the pilot. I'm not sure the 374 00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:57.200 real data is public, but the speculation as of now is this aircraft being 375 00:27:57.240 --> 00:28:02.440 able to find an enemy target or air craft and destroy it from thirty to 376 00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:06.880 eighty miles away before it even knows it's in the area. You might want 377 00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:11.319 to think twice Russia, you too, China. What was especially cool about 378 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:15.920 the F thirty five program is how many of our allies are working with us 379 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:19.119 on this on this aircraft. That includes the United Kingdom, God Save the 380 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:25.039 king, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Australia. 381 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:27.039 That was one cool thing about working at Edwards is getting to meet a 382 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:30.839 lot of basically pilots from all over the world from the countries I just named. 383 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:34.559 Um. Largely, most of the pilots from foreign countries that I saw 384 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:37.519 here were from the United Kingdom, and it was kind of fun to talk 385 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:41.519 with them about what was going on at home and my ancestry from you know, 386 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:45.559 a lot of ancestors came from England to the United States, two of 387 00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:49.559 them on the Mayflower by the way. Um and uh I know a lot 388 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:56.319 of people say they have ancestors on the Mayflower, but I've actually tracked ancestor 389 00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:00.480 by ancestor painstakingly with all the data all the way back. But anyways, 390 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:06.200 uh um. It's just really cool that. You know, usually when we're 391 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:08.359 creating a new fighter aircraft, it's top secret and nobody can know about it 392 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:11.880 and nobody can have it for years to come. But in this case, 393 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:15.880 you have thirty five program. It's a it's a uh co corllaboration between all 394 00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:21.799 these countries that are allies. Um, so really cool. Stuff. UM. 395 00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:25.880 Other aircraft that we're here on STATU display includes the fair Child PT Tree 396 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:30.599 this first prototype. The first prototype of this aircraft flew in nineteen thirty nine 397 00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:36.559 after Japan attached Pearl Harbor. Demand for military pilots obviously skyrocketed and fair Child 398 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:41.079 ramped up production and it became a mainstain training new aviators for combat. The 399 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.440 Howard to fifty is another aircraft staged here. This was basically a military version 400 00:29:45.480 --> 00:29:48.440 of the Model fourteen Super Electra, which was previously used in passenger air service. 401 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:55.880 NASA's fifteen d F eighteen Hornet and T thirty four Turbo Mentor was also 402 00:29:55.920 --> 00:30:00.559 featured here. UM. These are basically military aircraft that were converted to chase 403 00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:06.240 planes. Chase planes are basically escort test aircraft or other um. They basically 404 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:11.319 escort test aircraft or other missions, and the pods and side can remain close 405 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:15.640 to the test aircraft and relay information as an extra set of eyes. So 406 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:18.640 you've probably seen pictures of different test aircraft. Let's say, for example, 407 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:22.279 the y BE forty nine flying wing that Glenn Edwards piloted. UH sometimes in 408 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:25.759 the pictures will see in the background at the wire planes flying around. They're 409 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:27.880 basically just watching it and make sure there's something going on or if there's a 410 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:30.920 problem, they can relay it, you know, stuff like that. And 411 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:36.720 a lot of cases are filming too. Speaking of filming, uh, these 412 00:30:36.759 --> 00:30:41.640 aircraft that NASA uses here at the Armstrong Flight Research Center are also capable of 413 00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:47.359 photomissions to extensively monitor or verify various aspects of research projects. NASA also had 414 00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:49.839 a TAG four team here, which is a small, single propeller aircraft. 415 00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:55.960 They plan to use this for as a chase plane for helicopter tests. North 416 00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:00.359 Grope Northrop grum And had their Firebird here, which is a manned on amous 417 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:06.359 and optionally piloted aircraft that features a plug and play payload integration system. This 418 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:12.519 aircraft has the ability to fly for thirty hours at should say excuse me? 419 00:31:14.359 --> 00:31:18.359 Uh. There was also a static display of a Pratt and Whitney F engine 420 00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:22.119 a K the engine of the F thirty five jet. I'm sure enemies would 421 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:25.440 have had spies here photographing this thing inch by inch if they didn't already still 422 00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:29.000 have the plans over the internet in anyways, so um now the public can 423 00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:33.079 see it, but in any case, what a beast this engine is. 424 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:37.440 It's basically like a small little rocket. UM next air show check it out. 425 00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:41.440 It's an incredible piece of technology. And r K for Global Hawk drone 426 00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:45.279 was on full display here. One thing you'll notice about the drones if you 427 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:48.440 get to see them up close, is uh how huge their wingspan is. 428 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:53.039 The Global Hawk is used largely for surveillance operations and it can fly at high 429 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:57.319 altitude and all weather dare Night, has long endurance and is remotely piloted. 430 00:31:57.759 --> 00:32:04.680 This aircraft has an opera sailing out sixty. There's only a known inventory of 431 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:07.680 thirty three of these aircraft, and they had one on display here, which 432 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:10.960 I thought was pretty cool. Scale, the maker of Straddle launches previously mentioned, 433 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.880 also had their Proteus UH, which is a high altitude, longer derance 434 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:21.720 telecommunications relay aircraft. This thing has some really cool and unique designs. Check 435 00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:25.079 it out as you ever get the chance. Uh the scale Proteus p r 436 00:32:25.160 --> 00:32:30.759 O t e U S. It looks like a basically highly futuristic UM aircraft 437 00:32:30.839 --> 00:32:36.359 with multiple wings and tails. UM. There's also the T third eight talent. 438 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:39.440 The T third eight talent was here. It is basically the trainer aircraft 439 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:44.519 of today, training a whole new generation of US military pilots for jets. 440 00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:47.839 The T thirty eight is a high altitude and supersonic capable aircraft and has high 441 00:32:47.880 --> 00:32:52.720 performance along with an easy maintenance schedule. Even though it's not used in combat. 442 00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:55.880 It's a very capable trainer with the ability to take off on a runway 443 00:32:55.880 --> 00:33:01.200 as short as two thousand feet and climb from sea level to thirty feet and 444 00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:06.440 only one minute. It's a two seater, so instructor and pilot can sit 445 00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:12.000 together and fly. Um again, these were some of the static aircraft that 446 00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:15.960 were on display, and certainly not all the aircraft they had on display. 447 00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:19.319 And I don't want to burn bore you non aviation nerds out there again, 448 00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:22.519 UM, I know something of you are just like I'm putting out numbers and 449 00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:24.920 stats and you're like, yeah, yeah, get get to the cool jets 450 00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:29.960 planing around. I get it. Um so two more, actually three more 451 00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:34.160 aircraft and then will move on from static to the flying aircraft. There was 452 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:37.000 a C forty seven cargo plane here. What's the C forty seven? You 453 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:43.839 say, okay, pauses the podcast and go haze yourself. I'll be here 454 00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:47.799 when you're done, go haze yourself. H A Z E haze, Go 455 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:55.799 haze yourself. The C forty seven think BANDA Brothers the night before D Day, 456 00:33:55.960 --> 00:34:01.279 that airplane the one that launched the Para rivers and behind enemy lines before 457 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:05.599 D Day. Uh, they had one of those here you could see and 458 00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:13.239 check out. There was also the Mitchell Bomber. What's at Mitchell Bomber again? 459 00:34:13.480 --> 00:34:16.639 Go haze yourself. Pause the podcast and go haze yourself and learn your 460 00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:21.559 history. Uh. I'm just messing with you guys. Don't hate, don't 461 00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:23.400 harm yourself, don't hurt yourself. But I don't want you guys to know 462 00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:28.559 what these aircraft are because these things, uh are just incredible pieces of history. 463 00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:31.960 They really really are. I think to Dolittle raid after Pearl Harbor, 464 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:36.519 when a bunch of daring Potts took off on a bomber planes off aircraft carrier 465 00:34:36.840 --> 00:34:39.679 Bomb Tokyo, ran out of field and crash landed in Chinese controlled China's paid 466 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:44.800 back for Pearl Harbor. Uh. They've done this scene in a couple different 467 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:47.199 I think they did it in Midway. They also did it in the movie 468 00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:52.320 Pearl Harbor. Um, you actually get to see this scene. Um, 469 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:58.320 but the coolest thing here at Edwards Air Force Space at the Aerospace Valley Air 470 00:34:58.360 --> 00:35:04.159 Show, in my ever so humble opinion, was the Dark Star. Yes, 471 00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:08.320 the Dark Star, Yes, that Dark Star. Yes, yes, 472 00:35:08.599 --> 00:35:15.199 I I mean really yes, that Dark Star. Yes. The airplane China 473 00:35:15.239 --> 00:35:20.920 got scared was real and devoted tons of resources to monitor from spice to satellites, 474 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:24.440 even though it was just a movie prop. That Dark Star top Gun, 475 00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:30.639 No Mavericks Dark Star and all its glory minus Tom Cruise. Um. 476 00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:36.199 Wow, this thing, even though it's just a movie prop. Um, 477 00:35:36.320 --> 00:35:39.880 this thing was cool just to look at the design and the architecture of it 478 00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:44.039 and how sleek it was. Like you stay in front of this thing and 479 00:35:44.280 --> 00:35:47.840 it goes from like super wide to like looking like five inches. It's just 480 00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:52.719 I'm definitely gonna have photos on the website of this one day at SOCIL dot 481 00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:54.719 com. Um, it's looking a little more gray than it did in the 482 00:35:54.760 --> 00:36:00.440 movie, which one was all black. But wow, what an incredible uh, 483 00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:06.760 what an incredible concept aircraft they had here. By the way, my 484 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:10.239 friend has a theory. When we saw that Dark Star, what if instead 485 00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:14.440 of hiding a top secret aircraft design, like, let's say the Dark Star. 486 00:36:15.320 --> 00:36:17.079 We just put it in plane sight and pretended like we actually we're not 487 00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:21.320 working on an actual dark Star at all. Then laugh at China when they 488 00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:23.400 committed lots of money, time and resources to try and to study it. 489 00:36:24.199 --> 00:36:29.519 What if in any case, who knows what they're working on now? Honestly, 490 00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:34.360 there is some stuff I wish I could talk about, but you'll never 491 00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:37.239 get these lips to talk. I'm on Team USA, and if a spire 492 00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:39.639 comes to me with millions of dollars or some other bs, I'll be on 493 00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:43.880 the phone with the FBI in the next minute. Um. I believe in 494 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:46.719 the American exceptionalism. I know we've had our mistakes, are growing pains even 495 00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:51.360 today, but I think America has largely been a force for good for most 496 00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:52.960 of the world and continue to be a leader of the free world, even 497 00:36:53.000 --> 00:36:59.119 with threats from Russia, China, North Korea, certain Middle East countries um 498 00:36:59.159 --> 00:37:04.199 that try to threaten that freedom. And largely it's thanks to our incredible aircraft 499 00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:07.880 inventory. All right, before we get to the live demonstrations, I know 500 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:14.119 I've been a little tough on China this episode considered a friendly rivalry. We 501 00:37:14.159 --> 00:37:16.679 are competitors on the economic world stage, and I bleed red, white and 502 00:37:16.679 --> 00:37:22.559 blue, so naturally I'm gonna pick any folks a bit. Nothing gets the 503 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:28.960 Chinese people and their incredible history, from amazing philosophers like Confucius and allosi Um 504 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:31.639 that I studied, to the romance of the Three kingdom saga, to incredible 505 00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:37.719 inventions like gunpowder. I hope one day we can become friends, but unfortunately 506 00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:42.800 communism and freedom just don't mix. Um. Still, the journey to a 507 00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:46.800 thousand miles begins with one step. Let's see what the future holds. We 508 00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:50.840 have to live on this earth together. Now back to the air show, 509 00:37:52.719 --> 00:37:57.280 So regarding the flying aircraft. Sadly I did have to leave a little early, 510 00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:00.639 so I couldn't see all the live demonstrations, but some of what I 511 00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:04.840 did see included, uh, the start of the show, which was a 512 00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:08.960 kickoff of a sonic boom. Basically, you could tell for many people here 513 00:38:08.960 --> 00:38:14.519 at the air show that they had never experienced a sonic boom before, or 514 00:38:14.840 --> 00:38:17.400 they haven't experienced it very often. But when that boom took, you know, 515 00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:22.400 shook the whole place. Uh, A lot of people kind of ducked 516 00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:24.440 and got scared at first, some people already knew what it was. I 517 00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:30.119 certainly had experienced many sonic booms working at Edwards. UM, but that was 518 00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:32.079 cool for a lot of people, a lot of kids, a lot of 519 00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:37.639 people to feel and experience a sonic boom and aircraft going supersonic up in the 520 00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:43.199 sky right above you. UM. The first time I heard a sonic boom 521 00:38:43.239 --> 00:38:47.639 was probably sixth grade, and I remember doing some schoolwork, doing a quiz 522 00:38:47.719 --> 00:38:51.320 or something like that. All of a sudden, the whole building just shook 523 00:38:51.360 --> 00:38:54.440 like it was an earthquake. But it was like instant, and obviously everybody's 524 00:38:54.440 --> 00:38:57.679 scared, like what the heck was that? And the teacher knew what it 525 00:38:57.719 --> 00:39:00.119 was, and she explained it as what a sonic booms and explained to us 526 00:39:00.119 --> 00:39:02.880 what was happening. Basically, the air Space Shuttle, she explained, was 527 00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:09.559 landing at Edwards and had flown over near us. UM. Well that's what 528 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:15.679 she explained anyways. But other other live demonstrations included the cargo parachute demonstration, 529 00:39:15.800 --> 00:39:22.159 where a C forty seven flew overhead and dropped off some cargo with parachutes, 530 00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:25.360 some heavy boxes, and other items. UM. The Golden Knights parachute team 531 00:39:25.400 --> 00:39:30.000 demo here. Uh, one for each of the air of the services. 532 00:39:31.400 --> 00:39:35.280 Um. So they flew off with each of their flags, and the last 533 00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:39.320 flag coming down with the with the parachutist was the American flag, in which 534 00:39:39.320 --> 00:39:45.360 case they did the national anthem. And as always, it's just amazing to 535 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:50.199 see everybody you know, stand up right, hands across their hearts or standard 536 00:39:50.199 --> 00:39:53.280 attention if you're in a uniform, and and just pay tribute to this amazing 537 00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:59.599 flag of this amazing country. UM gets me every time. Um So, 538 00:39:59.639 --> 00:40:02.440 anyway, the Golden Knights parachute team came down. There was also a refueling 539 00:40:02.480 --> 00:40:10.800 demo in which basically, uh, a refueler aircraft and a I want to 540 00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:14.159 you know, I want to say it was an F twenty two, but 541 00:40:14.199 --> 00:40:19.119 I could be wrong on that one. But basically it demonstrated the aircraft getting 542 00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:22.599 refilled, you know, right above us, and what it looked like and 543 00:40:22.639 --> 00:40:25.880 how much precision had to be done to refuel the aircraft on the refueler. 544 00:40:28.199 --> 00:40:31.079 Um. The coolest thing I think as far as demonstrations go, was um, 545 00:40:31.119 --> 00:40:34.679 I mean, these are all these things were cool, but one thing 546 00:40:34.760 --> 00:40:38.760 I really I never actually saw it Edwards was a mock dog fight between two 547 00:40:38.840 --> 00:40:43.679 F six teams and F twenty two. Uh. That was cool because, 548 00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:46.960 as I explained earlier, the F twenty the F six teams are really really 549 00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:52.840 capable aircraft. They're showing their age now, but they're still highly capable aircraft. 550 00:40:52.320 --> 00:40:54.719 And to see them struggle, as you know, they're trying to fight 551 00:40:54.760 --> 00:40:58.800 in F twenty two or pretend to fight in F twenty two right above your 552 00:40:58.800 --> 00:41:02.000 heads, you know, probably a couple of the feet above you. Wow. 553 00:41:02.199 --> 00:41:06.599 Um, it was. It was really cool to watch, and a 554 00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:09.280 really cool demonstration of of our current technology and how we're trying to keep ahead 555 00:41:09.320 --> 00:41:15.199 of our adversaries. Um, as you might imagine, the two F sixteens 556 00:41:15.360 --> 00:41:20.360 couldn't couldn't beat the F twenty two. But um but I don't know you 557 00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:22.920 put it, you put some prey capable sixteen pilots in there and a less 558 00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:27.840 capable pilot, and I don't know, those F six teams could probably uh 559 00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:30.119 coordinate together and try to get down at that point two. But even with 560 00:41:30.159 --> 00:41:34.840 two of them trying to work together, um, yeah, they couldn't. 561 00:41:35.239 --> 00:41:38.199 They couldn't actually have twenty two for speed and agility and everything else that goes 562 00:41:38.239 --> 00:41:44.320 with that kind of new technology. Um, but yeah, really really cool. 563 00:41:44.320 --> 00:41:49.480 This is probably definitely my favorite part of the live demonstration was the the 564 00:41:49.880 --> 00:41:52.599 dog fight. You know, that's something you only get to see if you 565 00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:55.000 actually go to war or or in a movie. You don't get to see 566 00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:59.000 it live demonstration right in front of you. Um. It kind of did 567 00:41:59.039 --> 00:42:02.360 feel like I was like, maybe maybe I was a janitor at some it's 568 00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:07.519 some Libyan or Persian Air Force base or something, and all of sudden to 569 00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:09.920 see these aircraft coming out and like, oh man, I gotta get home. 570 00:42:12.280 --> 00:42:15.760 Um. The other the second coolest thing I saw was mock bombing demos 571 00:42:15.800 --> 00:42:21.000 with the F sixteen and the B one Lancer. Now the B one Lancer 572 00:42:21.320 --> 00:42:23.480 is starting to get a little older, but it is a bombing aircraft, 573 00:42:23.840 --> 00:42:30.480 and um it's one of our only nuclear capable, supersonic capable bombers that we 574 00:42:30.519 --> 00:42:35.159 have in our arsenal, Which is why they haven't gone away yet until they 575 00:42:35.199 --> 00:42:37.880 come out with the next thing, or they release information on the next thing, 576 00:42:37.880 --> 00:42:43.000 I should say. But um, yeah, the aircraft getting a lot 577 00:42:43.000 --> 00:42:45.920 older, but there's a reason why they keep that around because it's new. 578 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:51.719 It's supersonic capable and it's nuclear capable. UM so obviously it's a it's a 579 00:42:51.880 --> 00:42:57.840 highly highly strategic importance to our to our air force. UM. One kind 580 00:42:57.840 --> 00:43:00.360 of cool thing about like especially when the B one, Now, like the 581 00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:04.000 six teams were dropping single bombs by the way, they were actually they weren't 582 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:07.199 actually dropping bombs because it was pretty close to the crowd. What was actually 583 00:43:07.239 --> 00:43:10.440 happening was the aircraft was I don't mean to ruin the magic, but the 584 00:43:10.480 --> 00:43:15.760 aircraft was flying really low over an area and there was actually um a team 585 00:43:15.840 --> 00:43:19.679 over there that was you know, in pits and everything, but they were 586 00:43:20.119 --> 00:43:24.760 they were setting off explosives to make it look like the the they're plane just 587 00:43:25.239 --> 00:43:30.000 dropped the bomb or something like that. So it was all pyrotechnics and everything. 588 00:43:30.119 --> 00:43:35.239 But these were some incredible pyrotechnics because especially when the B one came down 589 00:43:35.320 --> 00:43:43.440 and launched its payload, UM just a huge fireball like uh like like like 590 00:43:43.920 --> 00:43:47.559 a thousand feet of fire, just like you know, a thousand feet up 591 00:43:47.599 --> 00:43:52.400 and like a thousand a couple hundred feet wide, and you could just I 592 00:43:52.440 --> 00:43:55.800 wasn't that close to this. I definitely wasn't at the front of the viewing 593 00:43:55.840 --> 00:44:00.239 area. But you could feel the heat off of that, like like a 594 00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:04.239 volcano just went off. Um, you know, it was like it was 595 00:44:04.280 --> 00:44:08.400 like wow, you could see it and feel it. Really incredible. Another 596 00:44:08.400 --> 00:44:10.400 one of those aircraft you don't want to be on the wrong side of. 597 00:44:10.559 --> 00:44:17.039 But there was also some stunt pilots. Unfortunately I was leaving when they when 598 00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:22.480 they started doing the stunt pilot stuff in them and the propeller aircraft, but 599 00:44:22.719 --> 00:44:25.039 I did get to see some of it as I was walking out. Um, 600 00:44:25.159 --> 00:44:29.559 some of these stunt pilots. They really defied the laws of physics. 601 00:44:30.039 --> 00:44:34.119 In fact, this pilot that I was I was witnessing completely pointed at death 602 00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:37.320 and laughed at his face and uh over and over and over again. Because 603 00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:40.679 this thing was just like doing things I didn't even know it was capable out 604 00:44:40.679 --> 00:44:45.119 of an airplane. Um, just skyrocketing up and then just turning off, 605 00:44:45.199 --> 00:44:50.239 like turning off you know the engine O Nobles looked like and just kind of 606 00:44:50.280 --> 00:44:52.960 like heetering up a little bit and then kind of slowly fading down like it 607 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:58.239 was. I mean, I don't know how to describe it. You're just 608 00:44:58.280 --> 00:45:00.159 gonna have to kind of watch the replay, which are on YouTube, by 609 00:45:00.199 --> 00:45:05.800 the way, or go to the air show yourself just to see, um, 610 00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:08.920 what some of these propeller planes and these incredible pilots are capable of doing. 611 00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:13.519 They definitely put on a show. And Uh I could sit there and 612 00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:16.960 watch them all day doing these stunts and acrobats and uh getting you know, 613 00:45:17.159 --> 00:45:21.800 like you know, a couple hundred feet off the ground and pulling up and 614 00:45:21.800 --> 00:45:23.800 and just like I was actually pretty scared for the pilot. I was like, 615 00:45:23.840 --> 00:45:28.199 oh man, this is how our show up crashes happened. But now 616 00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:30.880 he was on top of it and well trained and everything else. Um and 617 00:45:30.920 --> 00:45:37.679 probably well practiced. UM. Sadly I missed the thunderbirds. I really really 618 00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:39.639 wanted to see the thunderbirds, and so did my friends. Uh the Air 619 00:45:39.719 --> 00:45:44.639 Force. The Air Force thunderbirds are basically the answer to the Navy's Blue Angels. 620 00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:46.920 UM. But I did see it on the live stream thanks to the 621 00:45:47.159 --> 00:45:53.599 Edwards Media team off which streamed it on YouTube. UM. If you thought, 622 00:45:53.880 --> 00:45:58.039 you know, my suggestion to see a stunt pilot was cool. UM, 623 00:45:58.119 --> 00:46:00.000 if you could only see one thing out of all this, UM, 624 00:46:00.039 --> 00:46:06.039 I would say definitely see the thunderbirds. UM. Precision is everything with these 625 00:46:06.079 --> 00:46:09.440 guys. And I won't ruin anything about the thunderbird performance, but those close 626 00:46:09.519 --> 00:46:17.599 flybys between two aircraft are they really seem impossible? Like, uh, like 627 00:46:17.639 --> 00:46:22.599 there's robots controlling it or um. I mean I if I, if I 628 00:46:22.639 --> 00:46:27.199 didn't know better, I would argue that they have to be computer controlled down 629 00:46:27.199 --> 00:46:31.039 to the inch because that's how close these fly bys are between like they do 630 00:46:31.159 --> 00:46:35.599 these Uh, they have a couple of different things. They have some aircraft 631 00:46:35.639 --> 00:46:37.280 flying around doing one or two things, and they have like a group of 632 00:46:37.320 --> 00:46:44.320 aircraft doing precision moves all around each other. And um, they have aircraft 633 00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:47.760 like coming from two different directions and passing by with each other like seemingly within 634 00:46:47.840 --> 00:46:52.360 feet And it's just I just don't know how they how the human brain is 635 00:46:52.360 --> 00:46:55.800 certainly not capable of doing that. There's got to be something more of this, 636 00:46:57.639 --> 00:47:02.920 and if there isn't, I mean these people are gods their robots or 637 00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:07.079 machines. They really are, because I just don't know how they can get 638 00:47:07.079 --> 00:47:10.320 that close. Like watching them get that close, I was like for sure 639 00:47:10.320 --> 00:47:15.880 they clipped each other. Um, and you know there's gonna be a crash 640 00:47:15.880 --> 00:47:20.519 of an ejection. Um. But there wasn't. I think the Thunderbirds since 641 00:47:20.559 --> 00:47:22.599 they they've been going since their early fifties, and I think they've only had 642 00:47:22.679 --> 00:47:30.719 one crash or something like that. But um, wow, Uh, if 643 00:47:30.760 --> 00:47:35.320 you ever see Thunderbirds on on calendar somewhere, they're coming to town, the 644 00:47:35.360 --> 00:47:37.440 beach, They're coming to an air show. Go that. I mean, 645 00:47:37.480 --> 00:47:42.119 it's worth it just to see the Thunderbirds in themselves. UM watch the YouTube 646 00:47:42.199 --> 00:47:45.480 video replays of of this performance and you'll see what I mean. Um, 647 00:47:45.800 --> 00:47:49.760 I'm still wrapping my head around it. Uh. You know, a week 648 00:47:49.840 --> 00:47:53.880 later, I still don't know how how they were able to do some of 649 00:47:53.880 --> 00:48:00.320 these crazy moves. Um, but in any case, they also did some 650 00:48:00.360 --> 00:48:02.239 buzzing and drive by the craft, fly by the crowd and everything else. 651 00:48:02.280 --> 00:48:06.400 And um, some little sneak a sneak attacks on the crowd, not like 652 00:48:06.480 --> 00:48:07.920 attacking them, but I mean just like flying by a really quick out of 653 00:48:07.960 --> 00:48:10.760 nowhere when you weren't expecting it, and it was just like wow, you 654 00:48:10.760 --> 00:48:16.039 know I mean, I mean, the Thunderbirds are basically magic. Harry freaking 655 00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:20.760 Potter magic. Don't miss an opportunity to watch the Thunderbirds fly if you ever 656 00:48:20.840 --> 00:48:23.880 get the chance, and go ahead and thank me later. All right, 657 00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:30.280 A couple of missed opportunities. That's a nice corporate word, isn't it missed 658 00:48:30.280 --> 00:48:35.719 opportunities? Um. One thing, I one thing I think that Edwards has 659 00:48:35.760 --> 00:48:38.800 to do here at the air show is bathrooms, bathrooms, bathrooms, bathrooms 660 00:48:38.880 --> 00:48:42.719 or in this case, porta potties, porter potties, porter potties. They 661 00:48:42.760 --> 00:48:45.920 need more porta potties in the parking lot and at the bus loading zone on 662 00:48:46.000 --> 00:48:51.519 the apron um after the security checkpoint. Now, I'm not complaining. This 663 00:48:51.559 --> 00:48:57.039 event was free and it had been in on the works for years, and 664 00:48:57.159 --> 00:49:00.000 let's just say, I know for a fact that General Higer, Edwards based 665 00:49:00.039 --> 00:49:02.360 commander, made this a personal project, and with that kind of leadership, 666 00:49:02.400 --> 00:49:06.960 I'm not surprised everything went so well. So I'm more than happy to cut 667 00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:10.360 Edwards plenty of slack. They had not put on an air show on base 668 00:49:10.400 --> 00:49:14.400 for years, and I'm actually surprised it went off as well as it did. 669 00:49:15.119 --> 00:49:20.719 But nonetheless, what Edwards needs to do for sure is because remember Edwards 670 00:49:20.760 --> 00:49:22.880 is in the middle of the Majabi desert, far from most cities and most 671 00:49:22.880 --> 00:49:29.719 people where they live, and that long drive on top of the two hours, 672 00:49:30.239 --> 00:49:32.760 Um, it takes really to kind of get in and park and walk 673 00:49:32.840 --> 00:49:37.880 into the show. Um. I think there was only a handful of bathrooms 674 00:49:38.519 --> 00:49:42.159 in the parking lot and a handful on the bus apron, and that was 675 00:49:42.199 --> 00:49:45.599 just was not enough. Everybody, including me, including my friends, um, 676 00:49:45.639 --> 00:49:49.920 including every other person at park had to use the restroom by the time 677 00:49:49.960 --> 00:49:52.400 they got out of their cars. And if anybody from Edwards is listening and 678 00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:55.400 putting on the air show next year, um, if you just throw some 679 00:49:55.440 --> 00:50:00.679 more restrooms out there in that area, um, you know this will be 680 00:50:00.719 --> 00:50:05.639 the perfect ultimate air show, no flaws, no issues, no problems. 681 00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:10.800 Um. But because of the lack of restrooms, the lines were really really 682 00:50:10.840 --> 00:50:16.239 long in the parking lot and at the bus loading apron. And because of 683 00:50:16.280 --> 00:50:22.360 that, people had a choice. They literally could wait in line to use 684 00:50:22.360 --> 00:50:28.039 the restroom for thirty to forty minutes, uh maybe more, or they could 685 00:50:28.079 --> 00:50:31.400 go out in the brush and take a leak. And that's what a lot 686 00:50:31.480 --> 00:50:36.840 of people chose to do. Um. They chose to take a take a 687 00:50:36.920 --> 00:50:40.119 leak on hollowed Roger's dry lake bed. And I couldn't be mad at them, 688 00:50:40.159 --> 00:50:44.679 because I really had to go I decided to hold it until I got 689 00:50:44.800 --> 00:50:47.079 off the bus a little longer, but I really had to go and it 690 00:50:47.159 --> 00:50:52.920 sucked. Um. So anyways, hopefully Edwards, I I sent the I 691 00:50:52.960 --> 00:50:57.719 sent the the base and you know, uh suggestion on that, and hopefully 692 00:50:57.719 --> 00:51:00.119 they take it to heart and put some more restroom hims in the parking lot 693 00:51:00.199 --> 00:51:06.000 because that long ride, you're gonna have to go by then, and if 694 00:51:06.000 --> 00:51:10.000 not, you people in your car are definitely gonna have to go. Um. 695 00:51:10.039 --> 00:51:15.880 In fact, uh um, my friends pretty high class. You know, 696 00:51:15.880 --> 00:51:19.760 he's not going to go take a leak out in the desert in front 697 00:51:19.760 --> 00:51:22.880 of a bunch of people. But you know, when you gotta go, 698 00:51:22.920 --> 00:51:28.599 you gotta go. And he had to go, so he did. I 699 00:51:28.679 --> 00:51:30.280 was kind of embarrassed about it, but you have to do what you gotta 700 00:51:30.320 --> 00:51:34.800 do in that situation. You know, you can't you're about to you know, 701 00:51:35.360 --> 00:51:37.960 wet yourself when you're when you're really waiting that long and traveling that far 702 00:51:38.079 --> 00:51:43.480 to go to Edwards. So hopefully they'll they'll put some more restrooms at the 703 00:51:43.480 --> 00:51:49.400 parking lot and at the bus loading zone and around security checkpoints and uh um, 704 00:51:49.440 --> 00:51:52.519 that'll solve that issue. Um. But yeah, I got pictures of 705 00:51:52.519 --> 00:51:58.360 people walking out out in the brush, you know, different different distances that 706 00:51:58.400 --> 00:52:02.119 they feel more comfortable and and obviously you know outside the secure zone area, 707 00:52:02.800 --> 00:52:06.920 UM to use the restroom because they had no traice and you know, the 708 00:52:06.920 --> 00:52:09.320 the airman pulling security are watching them and they're not stopping them because they know 709 00:52:10.800 --> 00:52:15.639 so you know, they're not faulting them for that. But in any case, 710 00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:22.079 Um, despite that, all that this was, this was such a 711 00:52:22.079 --> 00:52:25.519 fantastic show. I'm glad I went. I really considered. I was not 712 00:52:25.599 --> 00:52:29.519 going like I've already seen, you know, despite the fact that I worked 713 00:52:29.519 --> 00:52:32.480 at Edwards for years and I've seen everything from drones the secret stuff. I 714 00:52:32.519 --> 00:52:37.039 thought I was gonna I was gonna be overly impressed coming to the air show. 715 00:52:37.800 --> 00:52:40.199 Um, but I was absolutely floored. But some of what I saw 716 00:52:40.280 --> 00:52:45.960 here, um, everything from you know, just the airplanes flying around to 717 00:52:46.079 --> 00:52:51.920 static fake aircraft like the Dark Star. It was just wow, um, 718 00:52:52.000 --> 00:52:55.079 absolutely floored. There are numerous numerous air shows that take place all over Sokale. 719 00:52:55.079 --> 00:53:00.360 So um, if you're coming to SoCal on a trip or coming here 720 00:53:00.400 --> 00:53:04.559 for college or whatever else you're doing, UM, you know you'll have an 721 00:53:04.559 --> 00:53:07.679 opportunity to see some of the stuff. But um, one fun, one 722 00:53:07.679 --> 00:53:14.320 fun air show that occurs just really briefly yearly is in hunting Huntington's Beach where 723 00:53:14.360 --> 00:53:17.280 you can basically kick back on the sand and watch jets perform over the ocean 724 00:53:17.280 --> 00:53:22.800 and do different stunts and and uh, um that's a really cool experience. 725 00:53:22.840 --> 00:53:24.880 You know, it's kind of hang out on the beach and watch jets down 726 00:53:24.920 --> 00:53:30.880 at Huntington Beach. But nobody, and I mean nobody on Earth performs an 727 00:53:30.920 --> 00:53:38.239 air show like the United States Air Force. So if they do do this 728 00:53:38.320 --> 00:53:43.199 next year. Because of the pandemic, they ended up doing a virtual air 729 00:53:43.199 --> 00:53:47.599 show where they basically flew planes around cities around southern California for people to look 730 00:53:47.679 --> 00:53:52.159 up and see. Um it was a nice gesture, but nothing beats going 731 00:53:52.199 --> 00:53:57.320 to an actual air show and like literally touching like some of these amazing pieces 732 00:53:57.360 --> 00:54:01.360 of history and climbing through them and viewing them up close, and uh, 733 00:54:01.480 --> 00:54:06.039 you know watching this stuff. Um, nothing, it's going to the actual 734 00:54:06.079 --> 00:54:07.280 air show. This was such such a success for the U. S. 735 00:54:07.320 --> 00:54:12.039 Air Force that I'm pretty confident they're gonna do this again next year. So 736 00:54:12.199 --> 00:54:15.119 when they do around this time in the fall when it's a little cooler. 737 00:54:15.800 --> 00:54:20.360 Uh, you know, go go do it. Um, And I hate, 738 00:54:20.400 --> 00:54:22.519 I hate to attract you out there because I'm for sure gonna be going 739 00:54:22.559 --> 00:54:25.719 again. Uh, and stay in the whole day of this time because I 740 00:54:25.719 --> 00:54:29.840 had to leave earlier, like I said. But if you go, um, 741 00:54:30.079 --> 00:54:32.400 you know, bring your patients and uh, even though I'm inviting you 742 00:54:32.480 --> 00:54:35.639 to go, it's gonna kind of suck. You're gonna be another person in 743 00:54:35.679 --> 00:54:37.800 front of me in line. But I want you guys to see this because 744 00:54:37.840 --> 00:54:40.840 this is just um, this is stuff you see on TV, right, 745 00:54:42.159 --> 00:54:45.880 or you hear about or you read in a book, and then you actually 746 00:54:45.880 --> 00:54:50.440 see it in front of you. It's just it's almost unbelievable. All right, 747 00:54:50.480 --> 00:54:53.400 folks, Now that I geeked out over aviation for an hour, Um, 748 00:54:54.039 --> 00:54:57.639 that's gonna do it for episode fifteen of the One Day and so Cal 749 00:54:57.760 --> 00:55:01.800 podcast. Join me next week because I visit another amazing place full of history. 750 00:55:02.800 --> 00:55:08.039 As always, here's the hint in piano fashion, I've given lots of 751 00:55:08.039 --> 00:55:13.760 attention to the air Force. Let's go give some attention to We'll leave it 752 00:55:13.800 --> 00:56:39.239 at that. Here's the piano hint. The the the in the in the, 753 00:56:45.800 --> 00:57:06.119 in the d m H. Thanks for listening, folks. Please visit 754 00:57:06.159 --> 00:57:10.320 the website one Day in so Cal dot com and if you enjoyed this podcast, 755 00:57:10.360 --> 00:57:14.480 consider subscribing. Feel free to leave me tips and info on how I 756 00:57:14.480 --> 00:57:22.920 can improve. Thanks again, Back the Blue