I was an assistant crew chief on ARIA aircraft while stattioned at Patrick AFB. My name is John Lenahan. I was a SSGT there during the years that Apollo 14 and 15 flew. It was a fantastic airplane to work on as well as fly missions on. I wish I could have stayed a little longer at Patrick, but Viet Nam and a EC-47 at Tan San Nhut got in the way. Nice site and very informative. I have a few pictures, some where, that I will look for and send along copies if available. John
Good men of ARIA, hello again. My name is Mark E. Brown and I flew Record Timing with a great bunch of people. Herb, bonesteel, ski, Sanchez, Cabalo are just a few from the record/timing shop. Please contact me at mbrown_087@fuse.net or at work marbrown@na.cokecce.com Cant wait to hear from you.
Hi Randy, I just started looking up info on the aria, after almost 40 years. I love your site. So many good pics. of aria. I worked on the aria antenna system . I flew in support on apollo 10,12 and 13. I flew down range on the c-141. Also flew on the aria at Patick afb to get fly time. I received my missle instrumentation training for 9 months at Lowery afb Denver. Put this page on my favorite list. keep up the good work. Lyle Fuller, Port Huron Michigan
BRINGS BACK OLD MEMORIES. I WAS WITH ARIA WHEN IT FIRST CAME TO WPAFB. I WAS ASSISTANT CREW CHIEF TO RUG ( RICK WILSON) on 55-127. THE ONE WITHOUT THE NOSE. GOT IN ALL THE GOOD TRIPS AND AFTER GOING TO GUAM ABOUT 20 TIMES JUST GOT TRANSFERRED THERE. I LEFT IN 78. BUT NEVER DID FORGET THE ARIA DAYS. GO JOB ON THE SITE. DONN RINEHART. E MAIL DONNR1@ HOTMAIL.COM
Dear Randy My name is Ed True and I believe it was you that I met on 6 may at the museum memorial. I am the friend of Mike Riley, the civilian that was aboard the plane that went down in 1981. Just visited this site for the first time and am very impressed. You have done a lot of work and I thank you. I am still in contact with Mike's family and have advised them about you site. I have also told Mike's wife and she is very interested in attending the annual service that is held at the memorial. I'm sure we'll be there next year. Just sorry we didn't know about this before now. Thanks again and I'll stay in touch. Ed True etrue@woh.rr.com
RANDY, This is Jim Warren, I was in Aria from 1971 till 1980. I was the antenna operator on "328" from 1974 till 1980. I missed the memorial service in Dayton, but just recieved in the mail a letter about a future reunion cruise. Please keep me informed of the progess on this and if I can help. Thanks Jim Warren 321-724-2729 Home phone
Randy, I was just web browsing when I found flyARIA.com. Man did I enjoy reading all the information. I was stationed at WPAFB on 01/01/71 to the 4950th Test Wing. I worked on all the old NKC-135's and was picked to crew the Aria aircraft that we would get from Patrick. I traveled to Patrick and trained for a week with their crew chiefs. I orginally was assigned to 327 but when it went into modification I was reassigned to 328. I flew a bunch of missions with those guys who went down. I thought the world of Larry Middleton and still have the red beret 328 hat that his wife made all of us. I crewed 328 until April of 81 when I was moved to the Senior Controller of Job Control. Have you heard from any of the old aircraft maintenance crews who were on Aria's? I left WPAFB in Jan. 84 and retired from the Air Force in 92. I was a joy to read the site and I want to personally thank you for creating it. Thanks
Randy, I was just web browsing when I found flyARIA.com. Man did I enjoy reading all the information. I was stationed at WPAFB on 01/01/71 to the 4950th Test Wing. I worked on all the old NKC-135's and was picked to crew the Aria aircraft that we would get from Patrick. I traveled to Patrick and trained for a week with their crew chiefs. I orginally was assigned to 327 but when it went into modification I was reassigned to 328. I flew a bunch of missions with those guys who went down. I thought the world of Larry Middleton and still have the red beret 328 hat that his wife made all of us. I crewed 328 until April of 81 when I was moved to the Senior Controller of Job Control. Have you heard from any of the old aircraft maintenance crews who were on Aria's? I left WPAFB in Jan. 84 and retired from the Air Force in 92. I was a joy to read the site and I want to personally thank you for creating it. Thanks. Dave Williams
Hi there my friends,enjoy reading all comments and stories of all my fellow Airman and civilians that were involved with the Aria program.As I wrote before I was a crew chief on 328 and 375(the Moon Rocks Express 1&2.Were were in Hickam HI.when we heard about the Apollo 13 coming back early,we did not know why but we soon found out. On the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission the last station to have contact with the returning spacecraft before reentry blackout one of our aircraft and, we waited we had telemetry and voice heard after blackout were received and relayed by our ARIA aircraft in the reentry area. Ventura Franco vfranco@optecs.com www.futuretekonline.com username---aria password---aria
Good site! I was in the second group of airborne instrumentation technicians to transition from the C-130s to ARIA. I was assigned as a timing/recorder operator to the Black Roosters crew under Maj. Jim Aiken and MS Gifford (who is missing from the Alumni roster). I replaced Jim Stangl who was leaving the service. I left ARIA for AECP. ARIA was the best job I ever had. Darrell Ernst
Randy - Gary Jordan USAF 1967 - 1971. Patrick AFB right after Missle Electronics School at Lowry. 6549th CEEMS Antenna Specialist. I loved my time with ARIA and the duty itself wasn't bad either. I have a good deal of Patrick and ARIA memorabilia. Even an old 1/4 wave stub antenna. I was there for Apollo 11 and I am still proud of the experience. Would love to talk to you and others about the adventure. I also have the drawings from Smilin' Jack cartoon strip that I was fortunate enough to get from the cartoonist daughter. I am not sure if you remember the ARIA plot line that was in the cartoon for several months. My e-mail is gjordan1949@comcast.net - Love to hear from you and thanks for the great site - Gary
Wonderful website!! I enjoyed my time with Aria and I often think back over all the wonderful times I had while I a part of it. Thank you for helping keep the memories alive!! Al Brown (Antenna shop / 780 room). albertgbrown@aol.com
Randy - Though I do not know you I am familiar with the ARIA program as I was a member of the Antenna Shop from May 1982-May 1985. I had always felt blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such fine individuals as my shop supervisor Jacob Newman and my fellow airman including Albert Brown, Kevin Brown, Fred Vanke, Ken Lowry, Steve Michaleski, Karl Geotz, etc. God Bless them all and I hope that they are all doing well these days. I have nothing but good memories of my time spent with those fine people and feel extremely honored to have had the opportunity to have had such a great duty to perofrm during my time in the United States Air Force. (Jim Deemer, Mwolve1977@aol.com)
I KNEW THE GUYS ON 328 AND THINK OF THEM OFTEN. DON BRINGMAN 4950TW/ PROGAMS/ AIRCRAFT MOD CENTER. 1976-1993
Randy, had to reformat my PC and lost all data for the e-mail and to enter the portal. here is my e-mail.it's a new one. vfranco@optecs.com Ventura Franco
Thank You Randy L. Losey for making this site its been a tough time after losin dad he loved Aria 374 when he was stationed in Ohio he always said you put me 30.000 40.000 thousand feet in the air im in hog heaven.I would love to help preserve that plane.Again thnk you for what you have done sincerly, son of TSGT RONALD H.POOLER RONALD C.POOLER
Hello Randy. I used to work in the phase docks under Bob Decker and my name is Lee Toll. I stsrted work back in 1980 until the test wing closed. Work on them all from the T-37 to the C-18's. I have some pictures in info on the aria's on my web page http://geocities.com/tolllj and miss working on them. I am still on the base working as a phone operator now. Keep up the good work on the site. My e-mail is ltoll51@hotmail.com
This is a great site!! My first assignment was WPAFB where I worked in the Communications Center that supported the ARIA mission. That was 1978-79. Seeing pictures of the plane brings back memories. MSgt(Ret) Cedric Jones
Hi Randy, I have enjoyed reliving some good time and remembering the sad time we all had with ARIA. Thanks for the site. Makes me wish we could go back to those days. Tom Bacon Msgt Ret. ARIA 1980-1994
My thoughts and prayers are with the families. My older brother was on board. He was Senior Master Sergeant Larry D. Middleton. My name is Valerie and I live in Chattanooga, TN.