Howdy All

[ourflat]

Hi, noob to this board. I spent 26 years in the USAF working on very complex aircraft systems and retired in 2006. Since then, I returned to college to earn a few more degrees only to completely retire to enjoy the great outdoors. I am a licensed amateur radio operator (KM4FVI) and have been in the hobby off/ on since my 1st tour to Guam in 1982. I live on Cherokee Lake in TN and enjoy taking my pontoon boat out on the lake with my wife and puppy dogs. My wife and I enjoy having family visit us here at the lake. My recent experience trying to fish off my pontoon boat led me to purchase a used 1999 Ranger 518 VX - Mercury Optimax 200. I’m a little overwhelmed with all the gadgets on this rig but have plenty of folks around me to answer questions. I’m diving into the maintenance of the engine to update/ tune/ change/ replace fluids. I’m hoping to garner experience on this board from folks here as the need presents itself since getting the board in the water is a priority. Any recommendations regarding sourcing parts etc. is greatly appreciated. I look forward in meeting everyone as time goes on...

Frank
USAF Retired

[Macsimus]

Welcome Sir. The Merc may be your biggest challenge and there is a wealth of information plus some incredibly knowledgeable folks in the Merc 3.0 forum. Good luck with your new rig. Fun step up from a pontoon.

[ourflat]

Welcome Sir. The Merc may be your biggest challenge and there is a wealth of information plus some incredibly knowledgeable folks in the Merc 3.0 forum. Good luck with your new rig. Fun step up from a pontoon.

Thanks for the heads-up on the engine and guidance!

Cheers,
Frank

[1stindoor]

Welcome and congrats on your USAF retirement.

[ourflat]

Welcome and congrats on your USAF retirement.

Thanks.

[Jaredn]

What did you turn wrenches on & where? Specialist? Crew Chief? Bombers I’m guessing?

[ourflat]

What did you turn wrenches on & where? Specialist? Crew Chief? Bombers I’m guessing?

Airframe Master Technician (9-level) but started out as an Aircraft Fuel Systems Apprentice in 1980. I was fortunate to work on B-52 D, G & H models; KC-10A, KC-135 A, Q, T & R models; F-16 Block 30 & 52CJ; C-5A & B, C-141, C-130 E & H, RF-111s, and a few others weapon systems. I was stationed at Barksdale, Dyess, Anderson AFB Guam, Travis, Ramstein AFB, Woomera South Australia, South Korea and a few others... TDY all over the planet to fight the good fight!

Frank

[NAMVET1968]

Thank you for your service !!

[mysuzytoo]

Ourflat ... Welcome to the board and thank you for your service. Since you were on Guam I assume you were at Andersen. I was on Guam too (LONG before you). I was at Naval Communications Station just down the road from Andersen in Finegayan. We used to ride up to Andersen for dinner at the NCO Club (mostly on pay day weekends). Good food and classy atmosphere! Again, good to have you here!

[ourflat]

Thank you for your service !!

Your welcome and many “Thank You” for supporting our military!

Frank

[ourflat]

Ourflat ... Welcome to the board and thank you for your service. Since you were on Guam I assume you were at Andersen. I was on Guam too (LONG before you). I was at Naval Communications Station just down the road from Andersen in Finegayan. We used to ride up to Andersen for dinner at the NCO Club (mostly on pay day weekends). Good food and classy atmosphere! Again, good to have you here!

I know exactly where you worked. I would go to the gym at NCS to work out since it was never really busy. I had 2 tours to Guam: 1982-84 and 1987-89. I left a little early on the second tour on a Humanitarian Reassignment when my mother was diagnosed with cancer and landed at Whiteman AFB in Missouri.

I loved Guam for all she was/ is....enjoyed mingling with the Guamanians during Fiestas!

Thank You for your service!

Frank

[Jaredn]

Airframe Master Technician (9-level) but started out as an Aircraft Fuel Systems Apprentice in 1980. I was fortunate to work on B-52 D, G & H models; KC-10A, KC-135 A, Q, T & R models; F-16 Block 30 & 52CJ; C-5A & B, C-141, C-130 E & H, RF-111s, and a few others weapon systems. I was stationed at Barksdale, Dyess, Anderson AFB Guam, Travis, Ramstein AFB, Woomera South Australia, South Korea and a few others... TDY all over the planet to fight the good fight!

Frank

very cool! I started off as a tank rat too...quickly decided that was not for me and started flying them instead.

[OdingyNBugs]

Thank you for your service! Congrats on the retirement

[ourflat]

Thank you for your service! Congrats on the retirement

Thank you

[n2ratfishin]

Welcome to BBC!

USAF Retired

[ourflat]

Welcome to BBC!

USAF Retired

Thanks

Frank

[jigman51]

Welcome to BBC.

[ourflat]

Welcome to BBC.

Thank you

[bassnman81]

Welcome.

[B-47]

Welcome to the forum.

I had a short stay at Andersen in 1966 as part of the ARC Light and Young Tiger mission in Vietnam. When I arrived Col. Johnson (Wing Commander) told me to sit tight in the ops building, he wanted me to go to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa to support the finishing investigation of the May 1966 KC-135 crash at Kadena. Met up with Col. Davis and flew over on a B-52. When Col. Davis introduced himself at Andersen, his first comment was, you do not want to stay on the God forsaken island (he had been there several times before (including WWII). I said, I go where you go and we took off. It was a little scary taking off and suddenly a long fall toward the sea. Made my way to U-Tapao airfield, back to Kadena and then Andersen before returning to the states.