The base has had a steady growth in population since 2007, mainly due to the addition of the 69th Bomb Squadron, the base's second B-52 squadron.Economic impact to local economy:
- 2011: $493 million
- 2010: $514 million
- 2011: 5,232 lived-base (base's family housing project completed)
- 2010: 5,885 lived off-base
Note to My Granddaughters
I can't recall the language requirements any more, but suffice it to say I took one or two years (I forget) of Latin in middle school and two years of German in high school. In college I took two years of German. I signed up for and started first year French after the second year of German. Both Latin and German "made sense." Latin was a "dead language" so we didn't have to learn to speak it; that knocked off about half the challenge, for me. German was easy in that one pronounced words pretty much like they appeared. But, wow, French. It seemed like half the letters weren't pronounced. I never got it. On top of that my instructor was a mousy little Frenchman with a speech impediment. French was his native language but teaching was not his forte. I dropped out before three weeks was up to prevent from getting an incomplete (or worse) if I dropped out later.
And that is what led me to post this little note and embed. Had Marie Laforet been my French instructor I might be fluent in French today. Or not. Her enthusiasm would have been contagious. And no speech impediment.
The B-52 is an amazing machine. It is quite a sight to see it fly over the city of Minot on occasion. It's beauty and ability to carry 70,000lbs of weapons is beyond my imagination. Obama probably hates them because they don't get good enough miles to the gallon and it doesn't run on algae. I'm sure he wants an electric "Volt" plane that makes peace not war.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to comment. Years ago (1982?) I had the opportunity to take a ride in a B-52 flight out of Grand Forks AFB, ND.
DeleteIt was an 8-hour, all-night mission, flying low-level through the valleys of the Rocky Mountains. We sat on the runway for one hour breathing 100% oxygen to get ready for the flight. And then another three hours while maintenance trouble-shot an engine problem. It was a long evening, but we finally got airborne.
The B-52 was using early versions of terrain-following radar. Because it is a lumbering bomber, not noted for acceleration like the fighters, it was amazing to "see" how early the pilot/co-pilot had to start ascending to get over the mountains. I remember the radar operator, or the weapons system operator, or whoever it was watching the radar, repeating in a crescendo, more animated voice: "pull up ... pull up .. pull up . pull up pull up pullup. pulluppulluppullup."
Whew.
Thank goodness it wasn't built by the GM Chevy Volt folks. Smile.
Flew the BUFF for almost 15 years. Quite the machine way ahead of it time then, and with all the new upgrades, there still isnt anything in its class that even comes close. At takeoff with full munitions you have to be refuled within the hour because of the heavy t/o weight
ReplyDeleteI did not know that about the refueling.
DeleteI think the average American would be amazed what airmen can do regarding air refueling -- I have always found it incredible that the process works.