Anyone else here interested in aviation? I grew up in an aviation-oriented family (grandfather flew in WW2, and trained pilots afterwards, father is a pilot). I've always had a love for cold war era aircraft. I dunno what is was about them, but they just seem so cool. My personal favorite was always the F4 Phantom, which I think to be the sexiest aircraft ever made.
That being said, it really chews me up inside when I see this

Anyone else on board, or am I the only weirdo here?

 

I'm not sure what you mean. Maybe you could explain a little better?

The US gov has been mothballing billions of dollars in planes for a long time now. Is that what you mean?

 

ive always had a fascination with things that fly, id eventually like to get my pilots license and some small aircraft just for my own enjoyment.
But it is a shame to see all those planes and jets rotting there in the desert.

 

Oh I know. I just mean these machines that were once the "cream-of-the-crop-strike-fear-in-the-hearts-of-the-soviets" look so dejected now. Obviously time goes on, they are antiquated and obsolete etc. I guess I'd like to see them all in a museum haha!

I realize many of the aircraft there are mothballed, and can be reactivated if the need arose, but looking at alot of the aircraft there, they are in pieces. And then there is

 

I went to school for aviation mechanics. I volunteered at the mesa wing of the confederate air force before they were forced to be all PC and change the name. I have about 10hrs of fixed wing training and I've flown a robinson R22 helicopter once. My entire childhood was dedicated to being a F14 pilot until they told me asthma ment I could never be in the military.
I myself hate the F4, but to each his own. It WAS a great plane, I can't take that away. I get weak in the knees for WW2 planes myself. Im a piston engine kind of guy, although I would take a F14 over anything else on the planet and would kill many people to have a huey helicopter.

 

Why the hate for the F4?

I did my ground school a few years ago but never got into the air much, other than a few hrs in a 172. However I did fly a S76 with my dad before, that was a blast

Out of high school, I had a job as an apprentice mechanic on old DHC-2 Beavers and DHC-3 Otters (and turbo otters). Love the old school WW2 era radial engines and how robust those things were made.

 

I love aviation, specifically rotary wing aviation. I have just shy of 1000 hours of primary Flight Engineer time in the HH60G (modified UH60 Blackhawk) helicopter. I think fixed wing stuff is great, but there is just something about having the ability to hover (Harriers, etc dont count lol) that is extremely awesome.

 

Im an Air Traffic Controller, does that count lol?

 

sounds like you're primarily focused on the military side of aviation? i have some co-workers who have their license, and one guy is almost done building his own plane. another guy is pretty big into large-scale rc aircraft.
i've got a friend who is a private jet broker, and i used used to do all of his marketing. i've never gotten into the piloting myself, but i enjoying flying in the smaller aircraft and jets -- kinda reminds of the difference you feel between riding a motorcycle and taking the bus

 

I have to fly to work on stinking little jets that the airlines use now. I hate flying now because of being cramped up with my kneecaps rammed into the seat in front of me. Each flight is extremely painful now. I have lawn chairs that are more comfortable than the ones on the stupid little planes.

And, its not just planes, they have ships and tanks and other stuff sitting around.

I watched "the history of flight" on PBS this last weekend. It was very interesting.