Posted: Feb 1, 08 8:57pm
tried to sell this one to Reader's Digest 'Humor in Uniform', they didn't bite. so here is the improved, longer version:
The guys and girls who maintain aircraft electronics are called 'avionic technicians'. I was one of them. After nine months of intense schooling at Keesler AFB in Biloxi I was sent to my duty station and proudly exchanged an olive drab cap for a blue one with the letters AMS on it.
I arrived at the shop along with other newbies, together we would cover the needs for radar, radio and instruments on the KC-135. We were eager to please and show off our skills.
One night, during a launch,(several aircraft leaving on a mission) we were gathered in the shop around the dispatch radio, tool boxes ready, waiting for any emergency services needed. It was a quiet night until a master sergeant burst through the door yelling about a redball (aircraft on runway with malfunctioning equipment). While someone rushed out to fix the problem sarge asked why we didn't hear the call on the radio. We swore to him no call came, it had been quiet.
With the big guy just standing there and us with nothing to do, we decided to check the radio. The radio test failed, no transmit light, could it be the mike switch? Tool boxes were opened. Someone tried a new mike, no go. Power! No power? Fuses good, 120v at the receptacle good. Sorry sarge we don't know what's wrong, we need a new radio.
We wondered off to another corner of the shop to sulk but the master sergeant lingered over the radio. Suddenly the shop was filled with loud voices from the dispatch operators, the radio had come back to life! We ran over to ask what that electrical wizard had done.
" I turned the damn thing on!"
