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From: myers@hplred.HP.COM (Tom R. Myers)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation
Subject: The Ghost of N4042U
Message-ID: <8220070@hplred.HP.COM>
Date: Mon, 04 Mar 91 12:40:31 PST
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 40

"The Dish" refers to the 30 meter satellite dish on the western side
of the Stanford campus. The area, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz
mountains, contains many smaller radioscience dishes, running and
biking trails, and lots of grazing cows. The dishes are operated by
Stanford U, and SRI, Stanford Research Institute.

SRI did some research a few years back on the effects of an EMP
(ElectroMagnetic Pulse, a byproduct of a nuclear bomb blast) on
aircraft. They bought the airframe of N4042N, a Cessna 152 that was
written off when a hard landing screwed up the landing gear and
associated airframe attach points beyond economically smart repair.
The engine was removed, the plane was gutted, bought by SRI, brought
up to the Dish, chained down, instrumented up, and transmitted at by
various large RF (Radio Frequency) sources.

When the research was done, the plane, not being in anyone's way, sat
as an interesting landmark. Last year, some foundation work at the
Dish forced the plane to be moved, so it was unchained, and pushed off
to the side.

Last night, it was raining, with gusts up in the 30 knot range, up
around the Dish. I was up there running as usual (what's a few
raindrops anyway). I didn't know what was different, but from way out,
I could tell that something was different (I've been running the area
since 1981).

As I crested the last hill, the sight of N4042U greeted me. N4042U
was not on the ground. It was upside down, perched on the fence that
surrounds the 30 meter dish site. Imagine my surprise. I didn't get
too close, as I didn't know how stable it was. It was quite impressive,
though. Its night, hailing, blowing like crazy, and there to behold is
an upside-down 152 that's 7 feet off the ground.

After so many years of weather, neglect, and radiation, N4042U decided
it wanted to go flying again. 

TRM   N1005E

(What do you suppose they radiated it with, and where can you get
some ?!!!)