Huh, earlier in the comic Sweetheart threatened to let Unity go apple bobbing in Nick’s brain tank. On that note, it looks like Nick has trouble admitting that he has friends.
Yes. Yes I would.
While the Baron is still a vain little troll dealing with his anger (and hopefully bound for redemption), Nick is no longer his partner in crime and has grown into quite the mensch in schmuck’s clothing.
No doubt she has already internally visualized many of those unfortunate ladder situations, which is why she so upset in the first place.
Some people may think Sweetheart suffers from a dearth of imagination. I suspect she suffers from an excess of imagination. However, since Sweetheart is a pessimist, she doesn’t like much of what she imagines.
They’re a Black organization. Even the people funding Skinhorse don’t know it’s gone rogue, especially if they cover expenditures on a rotational basis just to cover their tracks. It’s likely the only way these things get defunded is through lack of use.
Nick can use standard commercial jet fuel. Or diesel or #2 home heating oil in a pinch, but that’s aeronautically non-kosher. Filling his tanks at my local airport would cost $9,047 (at today’s prices and assuming a standard V-22 fuel system), and would give him a one-way range of about 1,800 nautical miles. The pumps are self-serve and take credit cards, for convenient dead-of-night refueling.
So if they’re not using his services too often, they could probably pay out of pocket from their accumulated savings. But, as Sheik notes, “rogue black ops” covers a multitude of slush-fund sins. And after this mission Nick may be converted to run on springs anyway.
I’d be more worried about maintenance, but Dr. Lee is omnicompetent and if Nick is certified under experimental rules I think she’s allowed to serve as his A&P.
I suppose they’re probably high volume pumps, but how long does it take to pump $9K worth of jet fuel? Maybe as long as it takes to charge my electric car?
I believe the Jet-A pump is fifty gallons per minute, so probably about an hour considering the need to set up a stepladder (there’s usually one at the pumps) and move the hose between multiple fill ports. Unless the V-22 isn’t set up for overwing refueling, but that would be an easy mod than any properly mad scientist should be able to retrofit in an afternoon. Six months if you get the FAA involved.
If you’re in a hurry, airport fuel trucks are usually good for 200 gpm or better and can do single-point fueling, but then you’d have to be there while the airport is open and attended.
The diesel pumps at a truck stop are also typically good for 50+ gpm, though I’m not sure the hoses would be long enough for Nick. Though if you’re willing to shell out $9K in cash, you can probably recruit a jerrycan brigade for not too much extra,
Though it is the punchline of this strip, ladder safety is no joke. Working in construction, it is one of the most important and most ignored considerations on the job site.
Please be mindful taking down those Christmas decorations this week.
ngmatt, perhaps you are in “The Islands”? I have noted in previous trips to the Caribbean that Christmas decorations were up far later in the year than expected, and I do wonder sometimes if anyone every takes them down. Not that that’s a bad thing – I love all kinds of Christmas decorations, etc., so I would be OK if it were Christmas all year. I would probably have Christmas decorations up all year if I could get away with it. (Except when it’s Halloween, of course. Halloween has to be its own thing.)
While I can sympathize with Nick to a point, he is still flying them there. Maybe hold off on the booze until they’re back at base. And then make sure Dr. Lee has him under observation, just in case. A building doing a drunken stagger boggles the mind.
Meh, as long as Nick isn’t drinking, it should be fine. Even better, maybe, if the passengers are too drunk to do anything effective. That way they’re entertaining themselves without bothering the pilot.
There are several times more deaths by stepladder than deaths by plane crash per year….
Do the statistics show whether it’s more dangerous to stand on the top, or stand on tiptoes on the rung below?
What about if you get three stepladders and balance one of them on top of the other two?
Is this with or without ductape connecting the ladders feet to the other 2 ladders creating 6 ductape joins?
Image is of stacked ladders.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/429249408230503119/
You’d need 4 step ladders on the bottom, because the base of a step ladder is considerably wider than the top.
Huh, earlier in the comic Sweetheart threatened to let Unity go apple bobbing in Nick’s brain tank. On that note, it looks like Nick has trouble admitting that he has friends.
Would you want to admit that Baron M was your friend?
Would you want to admit that Nick Zerhakker is your friend?
Yes. Yes I would.
While the Baron is still a vain little troll dealing with his anger (and hopefully bound for redemption), Nick is no longer his partner in crime and has grown into quite the mensch in schmuck’s clothing.
Nobody show her the search results for “worst ladder”
No doubt she has already internally visualized many of those unfortunate ladder situations, which is why she so upset in the first place.
Some people may think Sweetheart suffers from a dearth of imagination. I suspect she suffers from an excess of imagination. However, since Sweetheart is a pessimist, she doesn’t like much of what she imagines.
He’s a friend.
Raspberry beret. Like the kind you’d find in a secondhand store . . .
…which is exactly how Tip can afford his fabulous wardrobe, though it appears to be more of a newsboy cap.
Yeah I know. Ginny is the one wearing the beret. But Prince never sang about a khaki beret.
If they have gone rogue, where do they get fuel for that bird? Also, how do they pay for it?
They’re a Black organization. Even the people funding Skinhorse don’t know it’s gone rogue, especially if they cover expenditures on a rotational basis just to cover their tracks. It’s likely the only way these things get defunded is through lack of use.
Nick can use standard commercial jet fuel. Or diesel or #2 home heating oil in a pinch, but that’s aeronautically non-kosher. Filling his tanks at my local airport would cost $9,047 (at today’s prices and assuming a standard V-22 fuel system), and would give him a one-way range of about 1,800 nautical miles. The pumps are self-serve and take credit cards, for convenient dead-of-night refueling.
So if they’re not using his services too often, they could probably pay out of pocket from their accumulated savings. But, as Sheik notes, “rogue black ops” covers a multitude of slush-fund sins. And after this mission Nick may be converted to run on springs anyway.
I’d be more worried about maintenance, but Dr. Lee is omnicompetent and if Nick is certified under experimental rules I think she’s allowed to serve as his A&P.
I suppose they’re probably high volume pumps, but how long does it take to pump $9K worth of jet fuel? Maybe as long as it takes to charge my electric car?
I believe the Jet-A pump is fifty gallons per minute, so probably about an hour considering the need to set up a stepladder (there’s usually one at the pumps) and move the hose between multiple fill ports. Unless the V-22 isn’t set up for overwing refueling, but that would be an easy mod than any properly mad scientist should be able to retrofit in an afternoon. Six months if you get the FAA involved.
If you’re in a hurry, airport fuel trucks are usually good for 200 gpm or better and can do single-point fueling, but then you’d have to be there while the airport is open and attended.
The diesel pumps at a truck stop are also typically good for 50+ gpm, though I’m not sure the hoses would be long enough for Nick. Though if you’re willing to shell out $9K in cash, you can probably recruit a jerrycan brigade for not too much extra,
Tigerlily probably retrofitted Nick with a perpetual motion machine made of springs at some point.
Though it is the punchline of this strip, ladder safety is no joke. Working in construction, it is one of the most important and most ignored considerations on the job site.
Please be mindful taking down those Christmas decorations this week.
…who am I kidding?
Mine will still be up on Groundhog’s Day.
people take down Christmas decorations?
People put up Christmas decorations?
When they don’t take them down, no, they don’t put them up. Because they’re still up.
ngmatt, perhaps you are in “The Islands”? I have noted in previous trips to the Caribbean that Christmas decorations were up far later in the year than expected, and I do wonder sometimes if anyone every takes them down. Not that that’s a bad thing – I love all kinds of Christmas decorations, etc., so I would be OK if it were Christmas all year. I would probably have Christmas decorations up all year if I could get away with it. (Except when it’s Halloween, of course. Halloween has to be its own thing.)
While I can sympathize with Nick to a point, he is still flying them there. Maybe hold off on the booze until they’re back at base. And then make sure Dr. Lee has him under observation, just in case. A building doing a drunken stagger boggles the mind.
Meh, as long as Nick isn’t drinking, it should be fine. Even better, maybe, if the passengers are too drunk to do anything effective. That way they’re entertaining themselves without bothering the pilot.
Aww, that’s our Sweatheart! She’s grown so much since her first self-admitted rampage!
“Unleash the dogs of war”
More like the dogs of compliance. To the rules, that is. Rules are there for a reason. (Etc.)
For Sweetheart, it’s a war against apathy and anarchy.
Ginny perks up at Nick’s promise to start the beverage service early – thirsty in more ways than one!
Sweetheart would clearly be a paladin if they ever fell into a Bender’s Game scenario.