Area 51...

[CorpLearDriver]

Since this is so secret what kind of jobs do they have there?

Probably the kind of job in which you have to keep it a secret......

 

[oldxfr8dog]

That's the above-ground runway

The runway extends out into the middle of the lake and I think it is some 29,000 feet long or more, when all the available length is taken into account. I saw it from over BTY at FL410 one night with all the runway lights on and that is one long runway.

The underground runway is much shorter...

 

[CorpLearDriver]

The underground runway is much shorter...

I heard of that. They also had one of those Glide Slopes that they can raise and lower just like in the movie "Die Hard II" or maybe it was "Didn't Die Soon Enough....."

 

[AA717driver]

No, you wouldn't land, as you'd be shot down well before you hit the dirt..

Actually, no. A few years ago, a TWA MD80 trashed an engine while on the airway nearby. He told ATC he was looking at a 10,000' runway, declared an emergency and landed.

The AF came out, bussed the people to a vacant hanger, fed them lunch and told them if they took any pictures their cameras would be confiscated and they'd be arrested.

Some chartered busses came and picked up the pax and a few days later, the SFO mechanics had replaced the engine and the -80 left. The crew said all the hanger doors were closed and everything looked deserted.

The AF was VERY cordial and no fuss was made about the incident. The same couldn't be said about a similar event at Whiteman AFB. The base commander said any civilian aircraft attempting to land would be shot down. The AF took a dim view of that and the threat was retracted. If I'm on fire and WAFB is right down there, I could care less about your plastic planes that everyone and his brother knows about.TC

 

[psysicx]

Ok but how do you even find out what jobs are available?

 

[Tram]

Actually, no. A few years ago, a TWA MD80 trashed an engine while on the airway nearby. He told ATC he was looking at a 10,000' runway, declared an emergency and landed.

Wow.. I didn't know that.. Kept the people there for a few DAYS, that musta been a trip.

 

[CorpLearDriver]

Actually, no. A few years ago, a TWA MD80 trashed an engine while on the airway nearby. He told ATC he was looking at a 10,000' runway, declared an emergency and landed.

The AF came out, bussed the people to a vacant hanger, fed them lunch and told them if they took any pictures their cameras would be confiscated and they'd be arrested.

Some chartered busses came and picked up the pax and a few days later, the SFO mechanics had replaced the engine and the -80 left. The crew said all the hanger doors were closed and everything looked deserted.

The AF was VERY cordial and no fuss was made about the incident. The same couldn't be said about a similar event at Whiteman AFB. The base commander said any civilian aircraft attempting to land would be shot down. The AF took a dim view of that and the threat was retracted. If I'm on fire and WAFB is right down there, I could care less about your plastic planes that everyone and his brother knows about.TC

I heard another story, probably an urban legend but a Cessna 172 lands at the base, is surrounded and the pilot trucked off and interiggated for a few days. He was lost and couldn't contact the tower and so landed to find out where he was. They believed his story, let him go and told him if he ever came back, he'd go to jail for a long time.

A few days later, the same 172 lands, this time two people in the plane. They guy tells them they can take him to jail but they've got to tell his wife he was there for those three days because she didn't believe him.....

 

[Barnowl]

The AF was VERY cordial and no fuss was made about the incident. The same couldn't be said about a similar event at Whiteman AFB. The base commander said any civilian aircraft attempting to land would be shot down. The AF took a dim view of that and the threat was retracted. If I'm on fire and WAFB is right down there, I could care less about your plastic planes that everyone and his brother knows about.TC

AA717 -- I think that you been watching too many X-files reruns....Whiteman hasn't shot down any civilian aircraft, except for those pesky flying saucers (but then, those aren't really civilian right??).

In fact, they hosted a few emergency diverts of airliners over the past couple of years. The crew and pax are always well taken care of and welcomed in an emergency.

 

[oldxfr8dog]

AA717 -- I think that you been watching too many X-files reruns....Whiteman hasn't shot down any civilian aircraft, except for those pesky flying saucers (but then, those aren't really civilian right??).

In fact, they hosted a few emergency diverts of airliners over the past couple of years. The crew and pax are always well taken care of and welcomed in an emergency.

About ten years ago, I took 5 new f/os to Whiteman (SZL) for their initial bounces. God knows how many approaches and "crashes and dashes" we did.
Not even one bullet hole in our DC-8.
Of course, we had a PPO.

 

[timmay]

I've heard the only reason area 51 is still considered secret is because its an environmental nightmare. The coating they put on the f117 is supposedly very toxic and there's barrels of it buried all over the base. If the site doesnt exist nobody has to answer any questions. At least thats what I heard.