News From Fort Schuyler

December 28, 1999 - Volume 3, No. 60

HURRY - ENGINEERS NEEDED FOR MED CRUISE ON TSES NEXT WEEK - This last-minute notice, forwarded by ED SHEPHERD, Class of 1957, comes from Phil Connors at Mass Maritime: "I am the Chair of the Engineering Department at Mass. Maritime Academy [with an invitation to] any SUNY engineers that might like to go on our upcoming Training Cruise. Due to the extremely favorable job market, we have had trouble finding as many as we would like for the watch and training .......There is one interesting twist that I want to emphasize -- THE PERSON NEED NOT HOLD A CURRENT LICENSE. They could be used in a training-only position and still be valuable to our Programs."

1. Anyone interested (or who wants more info) should contact our Engineering Training Coordinator: Professor Willie Haynes, 508-830-5000 ext 2070 or better use email to whaynes@mma.mass.edu

2. We will be using your Training Ship, the EMPIRE STATE. It is already in Buzzards Bay.

3. The training cruise begins -- Monday, Jan. 3 SAILS -- Saturday, Jan. 8 RETURNS -- Sunday, Feb. 20.

4. Ports: Funchal, Madeira - Gibraltar - Piraeus, Greece - Barcelona, Spain.

5. More info on our webpage- http://ww2.mma.mass.edu/ Then click on the SEA TERM tag in the lower right of the first page.

SEA CADET MENTORS NEEDED - Beaufort High School (SC) is seeking area mariners to participate in its "School to Work Program,' according to JACK HAYES, Class of 1947. Folks are needed to lecture, provide boat trips, serve on program committees, and suggest fund-raising activities. "If you have been a Boy Scout or Sea Scout, or have recreational or professional experience in seagoing affairs, and have interest in mentoring some great kids..." contact Jack for more information at: jackhayes@islc.net

QUICK QUESTION - Sending New Year's greetings, Professor of Engineering Emeritus, DR. JOE McNEIL, Class of 1948, also asks: "What does a signal flag that is white/red on diagonals mean?" Answer anyone ?

MONEY QUESTION - The recent item about the Robert Gove Memorial Collection at the library caused PETER A. JENSEN, Class of 1978, to ask: "Whatever became of the Robert Gove Scholarship Fund that JOE COLELLA, '78, initiated ? I, and others, have contributed a fairly good size sum, but I have not heard where we stand in terms of reaching the $20K goal."

NO STRINGS ATTACHED - There is a new website that covers marine information technology topics such as computing, networking, and telecoms for professional mariners, marine management and the maritime community as a whole. According to its originator, Kevin Burke, "This site ( http://www.marinenav.net ) is neither affiliated with nor supported by any company or organization, and it does not require a subscription or password for access."

LOOK OUT II - The reminiscence of PAUL LOBO, Class of 1969, about an unusual sighting when he was lookout during a training cruise aboard the EMPIRE STATE, prompted the dispatch of this June 15, 1973 excerpt from the American Airlines logbook of DICK BRACKEN, Class of 1956:

"I was captain on a 727 trip from El Paso to Dallas-Fort Worth. It was 0230 on a night of unlimited visibility, and we were cruising at 37,000', Mach .83. With the autopilot engaged, I was chatting with the co-pilot and flight engineer...it was a very quiet, beautiful night with smooth air and very little traffic. As I faced the co-pilot, I saw out his side window that we were being overtaken by a bright white light in level flight, at our altitude. I naturally assumed it to be an airplane, and my first reaction was, 'Who the hell is up here with his landing lights on, going significantly faster than .83 Mach?' The co-pilot and flight engineer both looked out, and none of us could imagine the aircraft type. Obviously high performance military, but with bright landing lights? Well, maybe. Problem was that as the craft moved ahead of abeam, up to our 2 o'clock position, the light intensity did not change! OK, that rules out landing lights. Let's check with ATC. Forth Worth Center's response , 'We have no traffic in your vicinity, but we'll check with Houston Center, which has overlapping radar coverage in the area.' Houston Center response, 'No traffic other than the American 727 in the area'. Swell. By this time the craft is leaving us in the dust, it's bright white light turning red, then pink, due to Doppler effect as it was moving VERY fast. We described this all to ATC, and their response was, 'Do you want to file a UFO report?' I said I thought we just did. We decided there was no point in filing a written report." "A short time later I had dinner with ABC aerospace expert JULES BERGMAN, and told him the story. He had no explanation, but said ' The military is doing things we don't know anything about.' When I asked if he had any idea what it might be, he said no. To this day I have never heard an answer to this riddle, but my old co-pilot and flight engineer remember it just as I do. I'd never claim that it was something from outer space. After all, all we saw was a bright white light. Nevertheless, it remains, clearly, an 'unidentified flying object.'"

BELAY THAT LAST PIPE - According to CHRIS KRUSA, Class of 1962, last week's correction of the identity of the AMO person quoted about the availability of engineering and deck jobs might have been a bit hasty. Chris explains that "Ed Kelly is VP at Large (Washington, DC) and Tom Kelly is VP High Seas (Dania FL.)"

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM FERGIE - Commenting on the NFFS item about Primal Scream, Schuyler's answer to streaking undergraduates, FERGUSON BYARS, Class of 1939, writes: "If God had wanted us to be streakers, we all would have been born naked."