It's called "respotting" and sometimes the move crews rearrange the layout more than thirty times in one night.  The action is closely monitored and logged here (right) in Hangar Deck Control.  The night check supervisor, ABH1 Jesus Agurre (right) from El Paso, TX coordinates with a twenty man crew throughout the two hangar bays to keep track of the whereabouts and safety of the moves.  Logging in each respot and elevator move was Airman Arturo Navarrete (below) from Atlanta, GA.   He logs in the time, aircraft number, and where the bird was moved to and from.

Now these small photos were taken from video tonight.  It's too dark for the digital camera to capture anything more than a close-up in the hangar bays, and that's true in the daytime too.  So, since I can gain up on our most excellent video camera, I ran around with it after taking some people shots and then used some fancy-schmancy software & hardware to capture these little guys.  Only, it's not too fancy, because the pictures only look clear at these smaller sizes.  But, you can pretty much see it's a tight squeeze in there, now try driving around a gazillion dollar aircraft and parallel park it between two other birds with roughly the same price tag.   That's what Airman Michael Fernandez (right) from Freemont, CA does roughly twelve to fifteen times a night."After about a month or two it became second nature," Fernandez said.  "It's not that difficult once you get the hang of it."  Fernandez said he mostly challenges himself with completing qualifications to move up in the job nowadays.

AD3 Rubin Inocencio (below) from San Jose, CA was in the middle of DOP on one of VFA 195's birds when I crawled under it to join him. "Actually I'm not sure what DOP stands for, but somehow it's short for corrosion control," said Inocencio.   After a close inspection followed by a thorough cleaning, he does something of a touch-up spray-painting job on the numerous spots and then inspects again.  "I enjoy the job.  There's always something new to do, and I like it that we're here [in the Gulf] for a real operation, not another exercise," he said.  "It feels good to be a part of protecting American interest."

Teaming up with Grist to test the electrical innards of various birds was AE3 Rick McClosky (below) from Houston, TX.  "It's a different experience," he said.  "I would tell someone joining to be sure they take advantage of what the Navy has to offer and make the most of it."  McClosky's been on Indy for two years and two months and said there's never been a slow day at the "office" here.  "We always have a job to do," he said.  "When we get swamped, we just pick up the pace and enjoy the pressure," he added with a laugh.   But after feeling a little pressure, McClosky said he tries to unwind by playing cards or working out.

"I prefer working on the18's," said AMH2 (AW) Frederick Owens (below) from Emporia, VA.  He was conducting corrosion control on an EA-6B, and he said he pretty much knows this aircraft's every secret hiding place.  This is his second tour aboard Indy, after spending time on shore command and the USS Midway. 

When you make your way through the hangar bay it's a duck and dodge obstacle course.   Mostly you weave through the maze of aircraft, but depending on where your turnoff is, you may find yourself dipping below a wing or the underbelly of an F/A-18 two or three times.  Maintenance crews are scattered all over hidden from view as they work inside engine housings, or ten feet above you while standing on top of the bird.  Tucked in-between birds or squatting to work under them, crews are making the needed adjustments to get the planes flying again.

Working on the "shot-light" under an F-14 canopy was AEAN Harvey Grist (above right & below) from New Bern, NC.  "Right now we're testing the electrical system that operates this light," he said.   "The light comes on to indicate to the pilot that he has an accurate track on a shot."  Grist said he worked some as an electrician before he joined the Navy, but he never thought it would lead to working on a multi-million dollar aircraft's flight control system.  "And we work on the navigation and computer systems too," he added.  This is not Grist's first time in the Gulf, he said he was also a part of the Independence crew that steamed here three years ago.  "And it's still hot..."

ABH3 Michael Feliciano (below) from Topeka, KS smiled and thought a minute before summing his job up in one sentence.  "We move anywhere between twenty to thirty planes in roughly a four-hour time period and we just try to get the job done," he said in one breath.  Feliciano has been aboard Indy for the last two and half years and couldn't come up with the number of aircraft he's been a part of moving.  "A lot." 

So, you're finally on the other end of the hangar bay.  The bay is divided in the middle by a VERY large door.  Hangar bay one and two.  When you get to the aft end, you're at the ship's Jet Shop, when you're forward, you're at the beginning of what's called the AIMD tunnel.  It only takes about five minutes to stroll from end to end, as long as you don't get stuck in traffic.  Well, it's was warmer here today.  The humidity feels like it's back to stay.  We received 3,500 pounds of mail and I never made it down to the mess decks for dinner, so I had barbecue flavored potato puffs and a Dr. Pepper.  It's the "on-the-go meal" here.  Our fourteenth ballcap winner responded andddddd the Engineering Bulletin board was updated.  So, until then.