Avionics News February 2015 - 47

THIS WAS THE 1950s, AND SCHOOL
BEGAN WITH A POOL OF CALM
WATER AND A ROCK BEING DROPPED
IN THE WATER. MOST AVIONICS
TECHNICIANS PROBABLY BEGIN
THEORY INSTRUCTION WITH THE SAME
ILLUSTRATION - THIS IS A WAVE.

This room was our first lab, and it had benches with
electrical outlets for practical teaching rather than just
theory. I was sitting between two benches on a stool
with one arm on each bench and felt a disturbing tingle
in my arms. I must have raised my arms quickly, and the
instructor saw it. He asked what I was doing, and I told
him I got a shock between the two benches. Without any
concern, he pulled a miniature screwdriver from his shirt
pocket and held it between the metal parts of the two
benches. It almost lit up the room with the arc. He said
no more about it, but as he lectured, he found a small file
and proceeded to file the shape of the pitted screwdriver
tip as close to normal as he could.
Periodically, we would be tested both on theory and
practical troubleshooting. I consistently scored the highest on the practical exams, and another student scored
the highest on the written exams. I loved the challenge.
The practical tests included broken radios at each bench.
We had to troubleshoot them; we found things like tape
over relay contacts and so forth. As we progressed
through the training, we were schooled on actual radios
being used such as the ARC-33, a UHF communications
transceiver, and the ARC-27, an earlier model comm.
We also had an A-26 bomber parked outside. This was
a twin-engine nonflying aircraft, but the electrical system
and radios were all operational. We were taught flight
line maintenance, including using ground power units.
We also were taken to an area with high fences around
the perimeter and guards. Inside the area was a building with a classroom where we were trained on the first

transponders. The unit was top secret, and we could not
take any notes with us. I believe the box was an APX-6
IFF - "Identification friend or foe." We were at war with
North Korea at the time, and this was a great weapon
that allowed us to know whether aircraft were ours or not.
Now the transponder is in nearly all aircraft.
After my classroom training, I stayed at Scott Air Force
Base as an instructor, and I now had my second stripe.
We also taught nuclear radiation survival and Geiger
counter operation. It was different being the teacher,
but I grew to like it. I learned the ARC-33 radio inside
and out because it was one of my lectures. It must have
weighed 30 pounds, a little different from today's comms.
It also was pressurized like the ARC-27. A thin "O" ring
between the case covers maintained the pressure, which
was checked and regulated with an air compressor and
chuck-like on an automobile tire.
Our first child was born at this time, my darling daughter, Pam. There was no hospital on the base, so she was
born in a Catholic hospital in Belleville a few days after
the armistice was signed with North Korea.
Then, from nowhere, came new orders for me. I guess
I wasn't that good of an instructor or was so good I was
needed elsewhere. My new assignment was to Bryan
Air Force Base in Texas. I reported in July, and it was
extremely hot. Poor Pam - we had to cut her hair as she
was breaking out in a rash from the heat, and her long
hair was not helping.
Continued on following page
avionics news

*

february

2015

47



Avionics News February 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News February 2015

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View from Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
Rotorcraft Avionics
Member Profile
Cool City Obsession
Staying Power
Member Profile
What’s Working?
My Life in Avionics (part 2)
Business Basics
Before & After
A Conversation With...
Tools and Test Equipment
What’s New
Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News February 2015 - Intro
Avionics News February 2015 - Cover1
Avionics News February 2015 - Cover2
Avionics News February 2015 - 1
Avionics News February 2015 - 2
Avionics News February 2015 - 3
Avionics News February 2015 - Point of Communication
Avionics News February 2015 - 5
Avionics News February 2015 - AEA Now
Avionics News February 2015 - 7
Avionics News February 2015 - 8
Avionics News February 2015 - 9
Avionics News February 2015 - 10
Avionics News February 2015 - 11
Avionics News February 2015 - The View from Washington
Avionics News February 2015 - 13
Avionics News February 2015 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News February 2015 - 15
Avionics News February 2015 - 16
Avionics News February 2015 - 17
Avionics News February 2015 - Rotorcraft Avionics
Avionics News February 2015 - 19
Avionics News February 2015 - 20
Avionics News February 2015 - 21
Avionics News February 2015 - Member Profile
Avionics News February 2015 - 23
Avionics News February 2015 - 24
Avionics News February 2015 - 25
Avionics News February 2015 - Cool City Obsession
Avionics News February 2015 - 27
Avionics News February 2015 - 28
Avionics News February 2015 - 29
Avionics News February 2015 - 30
Avionics News February 2015 - 31
Avionics News February 2015 - Staying Power
Avionics News February 2015 - 33
Avionics News February 2015 - 34
Avionics News February 2015 - 35
Avionics News February 2015 - 36
Avionics News February 2015 - 37
Avionics News February 2015 - Member Profile
Avionics News February 2015 - 39
Avionics News February 2015 - 40
Avionics News February 2015 - 41
Avionics News February 2015 - What’s Working?
Avionics News February 2015 - 43
Avionics News February 2015 - 44
Avionics News February 2015 - 45
Avionics News February 2015 - My Life in Avionics (part 2)
Avionics News February 2015 - 47
Avionics News February 2015 - 48
Avionics News February 2015 - 49
Avionics News February 2015 - Business Basics
Avionics News February 2015 - 51
Avionics News February 2015 - 52
Avionics News February 2015 - Before & After
Avionics News February 2015 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News February 2015 - 55
Avionics News February 2015 - Tools and Test Equipment
Avionics News February 2015 - 57
Avionics News February 2015 - 58
Avionics News February 2015 - 59
Avionics News February 2015 - 60
Avionics News February 2015 - 61
Avionics News February 2015 - 62
Avionics News February 2015 - 63
Avionics News February 2015 - What’s New
Avionics News February 2015 - 65
Avionics News February 2015 - 66
Avionics News February 2015 - 67
Avionics News February 2015 - 68
Avionics News February 2015 - 69
Avionics News February 2015 - Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News February 2015 - 71
Avionics News February 2015 - 72
Avionics News February 2015 - Cover3
Avionics News February 2015 - Cover4
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