Two Weeks In

I have been working for two weeks at Boeing's San Antonio facility located at Port San Antonio (formerly known as Kelly USA or Kelly Air Force Base). It is relatively easy work and I get better at it each day as I get used to using new planning systems and document requirements. It is remarkable to me that an air craft like the KC-135 (707 air frame) is still such a vital weapon in the air force arsenal. It is a testament to The Boeing Company that these planes have flown so long and are still fulfilling such a vital mission for the air force and air national guard units all over the country.

The original KC-135's and 707's used Pratt and Whitney engines, model JT8D I think, but most of the KC-135's were re-engined with GE/SNECMA CFM-56 engines. When I started working for Boeing back in 1978, my first assignment was doing the manufacturing engineering and planning on the last commercial 707 which was used as a test bed for the CFM-56 engines. The scheme of re-fitting the 707 with CFM-56 engines was never sold to the commercial airlines (I believe there were some DC-8's) but the air force went for it in a big way. It kept Boeing building 707 airframes for several more years. The 707 airframe is the base for KC-135 tankers, navy E6's and E-3 AWAC. So here I am, close to the end of my aerospace career, working with the same airplane and engine as when I started.

Our first week

We arrived in San Antonio about 3 O Clock on Saturday January 16. It Rained all the way from Houston. It had been cold, hard freeze in most of Texas including Houston for a couple of nights. I had driven my truch from Eagle Mountain UT to Houston the week before and hadn't encountered above freezing temperatures until I got well south of Dallas. Trish who dosn't like to travel by automobile, had flown to Houston and spent some time with our grandchildren while waiting for me.

We are staying at one of those motel places that have extended stay rates. It is slightly more expensive than the monthly apartment rent would be, but it is less expensive than having to break a lease. We really got burned last year when we had to break a year lease after only four months due to the Global Aeronautica lay off.

Our most immediate task (and no easy feat) was to establish housekeeping in a small motel size room. It takes some very creative storage schemes. We are using some plastic dressers from Walmart and some storage things from Ikea .

The job that brought us here is a manufacturing planning position with Boeing. I am supporting modifications of the KC-135 refueling tanker. This assignment is supposed to last through April.