Yellow Rose B-25 News - GET YOUR NOSE ART CAP NOW!!

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

That is brilliant!!

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:00 pm

It is now my understanding that the Yellow Rose will be joined by the B-17 "Thunderbird" for the bomber "heritage" flight with the B-one! We will arrive at Dyess AFB about 0900 on Friday, 30 APR 10, to brief and then fly a few practice passes either just before, or soon after lunch.

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:08 pm

The Yellow Rose held it's CAF mandatory ground school (and FAA ride for hire exemption mandatory as well) this past weekend. We decided it might be a good idea to invite the Devil Dog Squadron to join us as well. Beth Jenkins and about 15 other Devil Dog Squadron flight and ground crew members joined us, filling our Operations Briefing Room.

This was a win-win situation. Basically it is helping standardize the way at least two CAF B-25's operate, fosters the growing spirit of cooperation the CAF is experiencing (as well as the entire warbird community), and we both learned things from each other, including parts sources.

We are very happy to have our sister B-25 back in Central Texas, and are going to do all we can to get her firmly back on her wings!

On a side note, I hear that Rod Lewis' B-25 is about ready to leave Aero Trader for Texas within the next two weeks. Three B-25's so close to each other! Next year we'll invite Rod's crew too!

Holedigger · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:12 pm

3 25's could carpet bomb a large area in flour or watermellons! Of course, knowing how airshows are put together and how they pay....it will probably be rather infrequently that they share the same airspace. But STILL..............It would be fun!

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:24 pm

Yeah, but then again, we might invite both of the other B-25's to our 4th of July BBQ at the San Marcos Airport. Of course we'll have a tower by then, but we hope to get REAL friendly with the operators! Maybe we'll put all three up for some flour dropping from low-level formation! Thanks for the idea Chris!

Holedigger · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:43 pm

Want to see video!!! Though, does FAA have regs against that sort of thing? I know they are out to make things safe and all, but they can be such party-poopers at times! :mrgreen:

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:01 pm

The only thing the regs say is you are responsible to make sure items dropped from an aircraft don't do any damage. If so, you are liable for the damage, or something to that effect.

I checked on that when we were talking about dropping "Murphy" out of the Rose, which we hope to do here shortly. Just need to find someone to make "Murphy"!

Have plane, need dummy!

(OK, no comments about the two already behind the controls!) :roll:

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 4:38 pm

With all the excitement about going to Dyess and flying with the B-one, I think I forgot to mention the Yellow Rose will be going to Brownsville for the Rio Grande Squadron's Air Fiesta!

She will arrive probably around 2pm on Friday, 12 MAR 10, and depart after the show on Sunday, 14 MAR 10.

The mighty U-11A has also been invited, so I'll be flying the "Mockingbird" and not in the Rose's right seat. I'll be hauling a couple of pyro types with me.

The Rose will be selling rides down there as well. Oh, and the good news is...we are going to be able to lower the price of a ride, and actually extending the length at the same time! Ray Clausen has almost finished installing two more seats in the Rose. One is a fold-up seat behind the pilot, for the Flight Mechanic. The other is a regular seat, like the other two in the waist compartment, and it will go aft of the rear hatch, but off-set, to allow easy access to the tailgunner's position. This will allow us to take seven riders at a time, reducing the price per person, increasing the flight time a little to allow everyone the chance to go from nose to tail, and still increase our revenue from the ride!

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:26 pm

bluehawk15 wrote:

Oh, and the good news is...we are going to be able to lower the price of a ride, and actually extending the length at the same time! Ray Clausen has almost finished installing two more seats in the Rose. One is a fold-up seat behind the pilot, for the Flight Mechanic. The other is a regular seat, like the other two in the waist compartment, and it will go aft of the rear hatch, but off-set, to allow easy access to the tailgunner's position. This will allow us to take seven riders at a time, reducing the price per person, increasing the flight time a little to allow everyone the chance to go from nose to tail, and still increase our revenue from the ride!

That's great! OR... you could keep the price the same and offer free rides to WIXers who help you advertise... J/K!

Ryan

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:34 pm

OK, how about this? Book six seats on the Yellow Rose, flying out of San Marcos, at $340 each (plus the $55 Sustaining Membership, because the FAA Waiver requires riders to be CAF members), and the one who books the flight gets the 7th seat free!

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:47 pm

bluehawk15 wrote:

OK, how about this? Book six seats on the Yellow Rose, flying out of San Marcos, at $340 each (plus the $55 Sustaining Membership, because the FAA Waiver requires riders to be CAF members), and the one who books the flight gets the 7th seat free!

I'll work on it - as long as the seat's on the right side of the aircraft and has a yoke with some dials up front... :wink:

Ryan

RickH · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:50 pm

You got him Mike ! He didn't say the seat with the wheels and dials had to be in the front of the plane, he didn't even say that they had to work !

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:05 pm

RickH wrote:

You got him Mike ! He didn't say the seat with the wheels and dials had to be in the front of the plane, he didn't even say that they had to work !

Yeah, but if it isn't the real thing, I won't be fooled! Also, I've already ridden in the back of Pacific Prowler (at a Doolittle Raiders Reunion), so the amount of work I put into it might be directly related to the quality of the experience! :lol:

Seriously, it would be neat to put together some sort of "experience" that would be unique from all other B-25 rides. I may have to give it some thought.

Ryan

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:31 pm

Ryan,

The waiver prohibits anyone other than the pilots listed on the manafest from being on the flight deck. Now that doesn't include the student compartment behind the pilots, where you can observe, but I know what you mean, kinda like watching someone else kiss the good looking girl. Just doesn't do anything towards giving you a thrill.

Now, when we aren't doing a ride for hire, we often let others get a little stick time (yoke time?). You sell enough seats and I'll get you a few minutes in the right seat! How's that? (minutes directly tied to the amount of rides sold, incentive enough?)

And Rick, how'd you know what I had in mind? When I was little, my father made me something that would sometimes be a spaceship, sometimes an airplane. I was thinking we could load it up and put it in front of the right side waist gunner position seat! It's a work of art too. I think the big "instrument" in the middle is a dash clock from a Hudson!

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:35 pm

Oh, I might mention a unique aspect about the Rose. She was modified with the top of the bomb bay being removed just about the top of the student seats. We have a catwalk across the bomb bay opening, with webbing on either side (were we usually stow our bags). This allows easy movement from the front to the rear, so ALL of our riders get to experience both the tailgunner position and the bombardier position in the nose!

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