Bush visits namesake carrier for cat test

[unhappycamper]

Former President George H.W. Bush signs his name to the 50,000-pound dead-load used to test the starboard bow catapult.


Bush visits namesake carrier for cat test
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jan 25, 2008 17:30:14 EST

Shipbuilders and Navy engineers tried out the aircraft catapults aboard the carrier George H.W. Bush for the first time Friday in Newport News, Va., and the ship’s ex-naval aviator, ex-president namesake was on hand to watch.

“I’m thrilled to be back here with you guys,” Bush told the sailors and shipbuilders, according to an announcement from Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. “In case you’re wondering, it’s still hard for me to comprehend this fantastic honor, having this ship named for me. ... One key way this ship will be no different than the one I served on in World War II is the pride and the patriotism and the commitment to duty and honor of the men and women serving aboard it.”

With a big black marker, Bush signed his name to the 50,000-pound weight, called a “dead-load,” that was hooked up to the ship’s starboard bow catapult. Later, Bush signaled for crew members to fire the catapult, which flung the orange weight at 175 miles per hour more than 300 feet, end-over-end, into the James River.

Shipbuilders and Navy crews will test all four of the Bush’s catapults this way to be sure they can handle the load of a fully loaded F/A-18 Hornet or, in the future, an F-35C Lighting II, among other naval aircraft.

It was Bush’s first visit since 2006 to the carrier that bears his name, the last in the Navy’s 10-ship, 90,000-ton Nimitz-class — and the last Navy carrier designed from the keel up with steam-powered catapults. Starting with the Navy’s next ship, the carrier Gerald Ford, Navy catapults will be powered by electromagnets.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/navy_bush_cattest_080125w/

[flordehinojos]

1. bush the elder got emotionally stuck somewhere back in WWII.

he idealized war and his son resuscitated his father's dream of war and conquering and all that crap.
too bad they did not sink the GHWB carrier before they even tried it out ... as far as i am concerned the name bush will forever live in the infamy and lies till you die section of my history book.