I regret to inform you...

[Wolverine]

I no longer am able to work on Doc. I have received word from Spirit Aerosystems that I can not visit Doc anymore because of my age. Even if I had been able to go, I would not have been able to take pictures, due to the sensitive nature of the hangar (near McConnell AFB and the Mod hangar, if I understand it correctly.)

So Sad....

Last edited by Wolverine on Wed Aug 17, 2005 9:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[TimAPNY]

Bummer, Sorry to hear that.

[CWBuff]

Man, that's a kick in the...

Forgive my ignorance, I'm fairly new to this forum and so don't know everyone... what was your connection to the project? Also, if you don't mind my asking, how does your age come in to play???


Fade to Black...

[Wolverine]

I was just a volunteer.
I have to be 18 to work on Doc, I'm not there...yet.

Doc is expected to fly this fall or early next spring, provided they get an engine.

BTW, there are about 10 R-3350 engines and nacelles as well as a wing, horizontal stabilizers, and a cockpit section (from the pilot's seat forward) at the KAM.

[RickH]

What if your parents signed a release for their lawyers ? You guys are the next generation, you've got to learn somewhere.

Mind you, I'm not giving up my spot yet but eventually we all have to think ahead !

[Jack Cook]

I've heard some stupid/ignorant/shortsighted BS in my time but this is a new one. If someone in a position of responcibility put in some effort here, this could be solved. The idea is to encourage young folks not discourage them. I HOPE THIS WORKS OUT FOR YOU!!

[Cvairwerks]

I would suspect it is more because of OSHA regs crackdown rather than anything else. I know that we had to turn down several excellent A&P students from working on the B-36 a few years back due to age limitations. LM wasn't willing to take the possible chance at getting hit with big fines and bad publicity for allowing underage people onto what is considered by OSHA as a hazardous worksite, even though the volunteers were bussed to and from the hangar and it was in an area where there were no taxing aircraft ever.

[davem]

Well, this is a first for me.

Stereotyping as we all do, I assumed you were kindly asked to leave due to age as in 'too old'. Liability being what it is, sometimes people get nevous about brittle bones.

Having worked on warbirds since I don't know how young, I totally agree with Jack. I cannot imagine a scenario where I would not appreciate a willing hand, regardless of age. But to shut out youth from any project is, in my mind, about as dumb as you could be.

Who do we think will be doing 'our job' in 20 years? The number of young people with an honest interest and enthusiasm to get involved is declining each year. It's hard enough to pay kids to work on projects these days - to shun anyone, paid or not, is as counter productive as it gets.

Wolverine, any time you want to work on my a/c, drop me a line.

Dave

Last edited by davem on Wed Aug 17, 2005 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[JohnH]

I was thinking also you were too old not old enough. Well this is certainly ridiculous.

John

[Brian]

I would imagine that the OSHA regs govern this much the same as they do the fire department. We are not allowed to have anyone under 18 on the dept. (even though I would trust a good 17-year-old more than some of the "veteran" guys I work with now)

[tom d. friedman]

for perspective purposes...how old are you??? regards, tom

[Roger Cain]

I wonder if this is fallout from that accident back east where (correct me if I'm wrong) a DC-3 collapsed killing a young boy and man that were working on it?

[RickH]

Roger that was at Valiant Air Command and the boy was injured, the adult working with him was killed. Either way not a good thing.

My son has been fortunate he has been helping in one capacity or another since he was 7 years old ! He's now 21.

[Wolverine]

Wow, I didn't expect people to get so upset about this.

The reason I can't go has to do with the fact that Boeing Security does not allow people under 18 on their properties. I'm very thankful to Mr. Ziegler. Without his help, I never would have done anything on Doc at all. (arrangement being I could go only if my Dad went) He bent over backwards helping me work there, but was not able to do so after the move.

Doc is now in a hangar which I understand to be on property that is utilized by Boeing and McConnell AFB. It is essentially the "Mod" hangar, where 747s, etc go to get modded/serviced. The aircraft that fly in to Boeing must land at McConnell and taxi over to Boeing. Since this area is more sensitive than the giant "Quonset-hut," there is absolutely no way I could possibly go. (Think about it... One mistake and I'm standing on and AFB flightline.

The oldest guy there is in his eighties or nineties...There is no limit on how old you are as far as I know-It's just how young.

I'm not mad at anybody, I hold no grudges.

Hopefully, I'll get to volunteer at the KAM.

I had intended to take some pictures, but (school) couldn't go on a regular basis, so I would never know when I was going to work on Doc until the day before. Now that it is in its new hangar, NOBODY is allowed to take pictures.

I wish them Godspeed in Doc's return to flight.

Hopefully, I'll meet some of you when Doc goes for the first flight.

BTW, I'm still in their logbooks as a volunteer who has actually worked on Doc.

[bdk]

Thi is all about liability insurance for an underage person. We have a 16 year old high school intern in my group, but he is covered by his school district's insurance. This has all been agreed to over many months through Boeing legal. He also is not allowed to have an ID on the computer system.