by George B.
I joined Lockheed in 1958 to manage its newly formed non-destructive
testing group in the engineering department of LAS-NY at Idlewild Airport, later
rededicated as the John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, New York.
We performed ultrasonic and radiographic non-destructive testing services for
commercial and private aircraft, as well as military Constellation-type
aircraft.
What the public did not know was that we all provided these services on
the presidential fleet of Lockheed Constellation aircraft, which were
undergoing service and modification work in our separate and secure private
hangar at the airport. The Air Force provided 24-hour surveillance inside the
hangar and inside the aircraft using video cameras and Air Force guards. We had
to obtain individual Top-Secret security clearances for our work with
ultrasonic and x-ray testing personnel. We had to sign in at the hangar
entrance and sign in at the aircraft entrance door to work inside the aircraft.
The FBI investigated all of us by contacting out neighbors and people who would
know us personally to grant us this clearance.
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| Idlewild Airport |
