Message posted by greatguess on March 12, 2020 at 6:22:32 PST:

One more thing on taxi.... When you taxi on the main ramp you are exposed to all the personnel working other aircraft on that ramp. The exposure is quite "up close and personal" as you taxi past - folks could literally reach out and touch you.

When you use the taxiway between the main ramp and NASA (Contractor Row) you are offset a considerable distance from the buildings to the West. You are only closely observed by personnel supporting activities at the engine run stands, the gun butts, etc. There is less visual exposure there than on the main ramp taxi.

Keep in mind also that you never just taxi out and takeoff. You proceed to "Last Chance (LC)" and do final checks of the aircraft and data systems which can take a LONG time depending on how things go. While at LC you might be parked next to a Test Pilot School aircraft with a non-citizen onboard. All the support folks for all the other airplanes that are going to take off are also milling around LC. Site sensitivity is a joke at that point.

greatguess

In Reply to: Re: Edwards AFB Upgrades Point To Unexpected Home For B-21 Raider, Other Secretive Programs posted by greatguess on March 12, 2020 at 6:11:27 PST:

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