[Racer X 69]

I have built every desktop computer I have from scratch, then installed the operating system and software.

hats off to you sir

Thank you!

Some people would ask me if I did it that way to save money, and I always have to say no. The first few I built cost $800 to $1,000 to build, not including software. The last few have been $1,000 to $1,200.

Those people recoil at the prices I quote them to build one, and of course I have to add on something for the software and my time to build it to the numbers above.

They say they can get a computer at Best Buy or WalMart for $200 to $300.

So I tell them I have machines that will do what I want them to do, only the software on them I want, configured to operate well. And WalMart or Best Buy don't sell that.

But hey, Best Buy has the Geek Squad.

[Racer X 69]

I had a pilot in KY who would harass me for doing a preflight on the Blackhawk I was doing my job in, because I was just the Operator in back/Guy in back, not a mechanic. The only time I didn't we had an unsecured hatch flopping about after engine start. And on another occasion I wondered whos tool kit was missing the screwdriver I found under the engine cover. here is where a screwdriver did some damage but luckily didn't cause a fatal accident. ASN Aircraft accident Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II N158WA Boise Air Terminal, ID (BOI)

Somebody may lose their A and P license for this one.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Company maintenance personnel's failure to remove a screwdriver that was left lodged in the windshield wiper area of the forward fuselage during maintenance and subsequently became dislodged on takeoff/initial climb and collided with a left propeller blade."

So this screwdriver must have been visible from the pilot's view during a preflight. Why doesn't he own part of this?

[bertwert]

Just succeeded in spraying myself with diesel while filling up the skid steer... oops

Apparently I know need 'a wash' or something...

[robtcorl]

Just succeeded in spraying myself with diesel while filling up the skid steer... oops

I now dub thee TRK, The Resident Klutz.
Your nerd title has been revoked.

[robtcorl]

Apparently I know need 'a wash' or something...

Donn't fire up any doobies dude!

[dbs]

Just succeeded in spraying myself with diesel while filling up the skid steer... oops

Apparently I know need 'a wash' or something...

Hope its still daylight

You might have more light than you can handle....and heat.....and melted snow


RK ....has a nice ring to it BOB

Dave

[Racer X 69]

....even though I have been in the industry for almost 40 years, I worked mainly on mainframes.

Are there any mainframes still running?

I was able to go near one once, many years ago. Not long after I started at the PUD (electric utility) I was able to enter the outer room that surrounded their IBM mainframe. The mainframe occupied the entire second floor of the main four story office building. From the outer room I could see into the mainframe room, the huge tape reels spinning, the punch card machine spitting out stacks of punchcards, cat track dot matrix printers reeling out reams of paper that had edges lined with holes that had to be pulled off after the printing job was finished.

[bertwert]

I now dub thee TRK, The Resident Klutz.
Your nerd title has been revoked.

I haven't had that title a while, I'm currently masquerading as TRB.

[bertwert]

Hope its still daylight

You might have more light than you can handle....and heat.....and melted snow


RK ....has a nice ring to it BOB

Dave

Nope, it was getting dark.

[SSGGeezer]

So this screwdriver must have been visible from the pilot's view during a preflight. Why doesn't he own part of this?

Oh yes, the bigger the aircraft, the less the pilots can and will do as part of the preflight. That is obvious or we wouldn't have had several departures of large Jets with their pitot covers still on over the past few months. Still, when someone is performing maintenance, a tool count and supervisory check of job completion, safety wiring, etc. should be done also.

[dbs]

Nope, it was getting dark.

Well don't become a Roman Candle then......ok


Dave

[tim60]

Good morning?
Glad I'm not smoking my bird today instead of next Thursday.

You have a whole week to get rid of white stuff.

[tim60]

I am sure you run into this same this same thing Racer...my brother when working for a company retrofitting CF-18s with newer electronics, had "kit" with places for all his tools, and "kits" that would get emptied of parts to go in the plane and then other "kits" containing bits removed from the plane. Each and every bit had to be accounted for and signed off. If not, the cockpit would be scoured for the "bit". Of course they could not take the chance for something to be flying about during combat maneuvers.

I heard a test pilot talking once about having a spanner left in the plane and moving, loudly, during some manoeuvre.

[tim60]

It is all about the kitting. Accountability for every last bolt, nut, rivet, part and tool.

Don't want any 'souvenirs' taken home.


More seriously, some of the old parts did get into the supply chain of 'new' parts, and eventually were issued into service, including by US forces, who paid the exorbitant prices for genuine mil spec'ed parts.

[tim60]

I paid $1.93 per gallon for gasoline at Costco yesterday, first time under two buck in a good while.
My fresh 17 lb. turkey was $0.99 per lb., and they quit carrying Jim Beam.

If Costco here got some petrol out of that truck and sold it here it would be worth the round trip of 100 miles to buy it. About 1/3 the price here.