Commendations to the LAPD

[Streakn1]

Last week we were dispatched to a customer at LAX. Unfortunately, the customer directed us into the wrong entrance to their facility for T/Ts. Once in the fenced area of the property, there was no turning our almost 80' long rig around.

Since we were in the area that they unload straight trucks, they went ahead and unloaded us. Then the problem was how to get out! There was a gate directly ahead of us that would have taken us alongside and to the rear of the hangar where we could have turned around. Not a chance due to security reasons. Funny thing is, thats the very spot we would have unloaded if we had been directed to the right gate to begin with. Unfortunately it has to be accessed through another gate.

Long story short, we were forced to blindside back out of a very narrow driveway onto a very busy four lane highway. A very dangerous move to say the least! As my wife with walkie-talkie in hand was setting me up to begin backing out into the highway, an un-marked LAPD cruiser pulled up and asked if she needed help. Within minutes we hand three LAPD motor cops blocking traffic and telling us to take as much time as we needed to safely back out. They were extremely nice and even showed an interest in our large sleeper tractor.

For all the bad PR that LAPD gets in the media and elsewhere, I think they deserve some good PR for the good things they do!!!

While I'm at it, thought I would share some more cool pics of a recent run transporting a fully dressed Pratt & Whitney CF-6 engine from a DC-10 cargo jet. All thats missing is the nose cone and protective cowlings that cover the engine. Oh, and of course the DC-10 to hang it on! LOL

 

[baracade]

nice pics!!

 

[chefdennis]

good story also....

 

[arkjarhead]

Ya'll have the tarps on that thing tighter than a band-aid on a sore thumb. To me nothing looks better than a flatbed or step deck with a nicely tarped load.

 

[Streakn1]

Ya'll have the tarps on that thing tighter than a band-aid on a sore thumb. To me nothing looks better than a flatbed or step deck with a nicely tarped load.

Thanks for the compliment! We take a lot of pride in our work. Actually that was one of our sloppier tarp jobs on an engine.

All eight of our tarps are custom made for aviation freight and range from a few hundred for standard rectangular tarps to several hundred dollars each for fitted engine tarps. The engine in the photo was whats called a "naked engine". Most are transported in a shipping bag which we then tarp over. This bag offers protection from rips and holes occurring in our expensive tarps. We take it a step further for additional protection and pad over their bag before placing our tarp on the engine.

You can see in the un-tarped photo all of the sharp points on the engine that will distroy a tarp in one trip. We had to pad wrap this engine and used one of our less expensive non fitted tarps in case it got damaged or distroyed. Note the blue and black movers pads on the ground arounds the engine in the photo after we had un-tarpped.

Keep in mind, just like when we were in White Glove, all equipment used in tarping and securing our aviation freight has to be purchased and provided by us.