B747IP

Thank you for the "Welcome" Born in New Orleans, LA a hundred years ago it seems. Dropped out of high school to join the Air Force in 1955. I became an aircraft mechanic. Obtaining my GED within the first year of service, I spent the next four years as an aircraft mechanic in places such as Texas, Florida, Spain and Michigan before going to school to become a Flight Engineer. Assigned as a Flight Engineer on C-124, C-130, C-141 and eventually C-5s, I spent the next 21 years flying the line and obtaining my Pilot's License. Upon retirement from the Air Force October 1st 1981 and completing college work for a BBA-Management degree under the Vietnam Veteran's G.I. Bill, at Kennesaw College (Now Kennesaw State University) in Marietta, GA I went to work flying and teaching the B-727 for Flight International, Inc. in Atlanta GA. The day that company was sold I was hired by Continental Airlines in Houston, Texas 1984. I became the Chief Ground School Instructor for the B-727 in the Flight Training Department at Houston Intercontinental Airport. UPS started its airline in 1988 and hired me in April of that year as part of the Initial Cadre to start up a B-747 Pilot Training Program. We had the program up and running in September of 1988 and the first 108 UPS Pilots to fly the UPS B-747 were trained in my classroom. I retired from Aviation in 1998

I waited over a year before I posted here because I wanted to get a "feel" for the posts and responses here before I dipped a toe in. So, I post what I thought was a simple post about possible abuse that could happen to an electronic item. To answer some questions concerning my knowledge of iPads I can say this: After aging out of aviation I returned to school to obtain an MS in Computer Science. Then I was hired at a hospital as Manager of the MIS Office and later at a major finance company in the same capacity. In those positions we repaired and replaced many computers, iPads, Electronic Readers both Kindle and Fire that was furnished to certain employees. If you believe these items can not be "worn out" or broken and scrached screens then you are in for a surprise. I am not much into profanity at my age since I've out lived that behavior so I won't be bothering you youungsters any more with my "poor" knowledge of iPads.

Glad to see the Air Force entering the 21st Century. There was a time during my career that you were not able to use a 4 function calculator on the flight deck. To save wearing these units out quickly they should be checked in and out at crew briefing as we had to do with weapons during my time. Taking them home and playing with them will simply wear them out faster and eat up all the memory. If stored properly with a person in charge of them that could keep them up to date and charged to be ready for flight would be the best way to go..