I am Adam Whiting, organizer of the Ariel Ambulance Rescue Group (AARGanizer, if you enjoy a play on words). I wish to establish this topic as a site for the spreading of information and constructive sharing of ideas, knowledge, and resources pertaining to the restoration, display, and transportation of the Ariel Ambulance (original ambulance prop from the Firelfy episode "Ariel").
Ariel Ambulance Homepage
Ariel Ambulance Yahoo Group


--01/04/07--
The Ariel Ambulance is at Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, part of the Compton Airport in Compton, CA. TAM has an expo on January 26--thousands of people will be there--we hope to spruce up the ambulance a bit by then (replace engines, attach wings, equip the cockpit, etc.)

Work Dates:
Sunday, Jan 13th
Saturday, Jan 19th
Sunday Jan 20th

Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum
961 W Alondra Blvd, Compton, CA 90220
(310) 618-1155
8am-8pm 7 days a week

People of all levels of any expertise (or lack therof) are welcome/wanted/needed!

Contact our Restoration Leader:
Obi-Shawn
310 908 4332
obishawn [at] gmail [dot] com


--11/26/07--
The Ariel Ambulance is in Burbank, CA right now--in an unprotected driveway. I've been looking for securer places to display/store/restore it until it's next appearance (the Browncoat Cruise kick-off party November 30, if space, driver, and tow vehicle are available). Most of the local LA museums haven't called me back, some don't have space (10' tall, 8' wide, 26' long) or interest--an Mi-24 Hind Soviet helicopter mockup modified to look like an futuristic flying ambulance for a TV show doesn't fit scope of most museums! So far, we have 3 options:

-Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum in Compton, CA. Open 8am-8pm 7 days a week. Led by a Hollywood stunt-pilot with a vision (and charisma and gift for publicity), the museum provides volunteer opportunities, after-school tutoring, aeronautical engineering classes, flight simulations, and pilot training to kids! The museum has a man who makes fiberglass replicas of planes--might be persuaded to replicate the ambulance's missing wings. Downside: Compton (according to wikipedia) is the birthplace of gangster rap and has the highest murder rate of any city it's size in the US (gang violence). The museum is inside the Torrance airport which is fenced, gated, and under 24/7 camera and security-staff surveillance.

-Rusty's RV port alongside his house in Lancaster, CA. Rusty restores cars so has tools and a potentially useful area of expertise. The RV port has gates that he can lock.

-Kari has 1 acre of property outside of San Bernadino--there's about a mile of dirt road to her house.

We have a volunteer driver, but he hasn't yet heard back from his friends with trucks, so we're still in need of a tow vehicle.


Once safely stored, we'll need to set a restoration day and get local Browncoats (and friends!) to come. There's lots to work on--something for everyone to help with!
<a href="http://www.arielambulance.org/restoration.html" target="_blank">http://www.arielambulance.org/restoration.html</a>

Then we'll need driver(s) and tow-vehicle to take the ambulance to the Browncoat Cruise kick-off party November 30 in San Diego.

After the party, then what? Some distant conventions and a museum are interested in displaying the ambulance. We'll need some stops (conventions, museums, shindigs, etc.) along the way for this cross-country trek to be at all feasible. And we'll need drivers, lots of drivers.

OmegaCon
<a href="http://www.omegacon.us" target="_blank">http://www.omegacon.us</a>
<a href="http://portal.omegacon.us/" target="_blank">http://portal.omegacon.us/</a>
2101 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N.
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
March 14-16, 2008
Steven Brust will read from his Firefly novel

Browncoat Ball 2008
October ?, 2008
Austin, TX

MileHi Con Science-Fiction / Fantasy Convention
www.milehicon.org
Denver, Colorado
October 26-28th 2007

Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
7711 East Academy Boulevard
Denver, CO 80230-6929
<a href="http://www.wingsmuseum.org/" target="_blank">http://www.wingsmuseum.org/</a>
info@wingsmuseum.org
X-Wing Fighter in museum's collection

Where would *YOU* like to see the ambulance?

Thoughts, opinions, suggestions?


--General Information--
Display/storage/restoration locations should ideally be free, secure, public-access, and central to an active Browncoat community. Local museums are easy to find with maps.google.com (go to a city, search businesses "museum"). Lists of aviation museums are here:
<a href="http://www.aerofiles.com/museums.html" target="_blank">http://www.aerofiles.com/museums.html</a>
<a href="http://www.aero-web.org/museums/museums.htm" target="_blank">http://www.aero-web.org/museums/museums.htm</a>
<a href="http://museum.flight-history.com/museum/" target="_blank">http://museum.flight-history.com/museum/</a>
<a href="http://history.arc.nasa.gov/ca_aero_archives.htm" target="_blank">http://history.arc.nasa.gov/ca_aero_archives.htm</a>

Transportation requires at least one volunteer driver and a 1/2-ton vehicle (truck, SUV, or suburban) with class-III hitch (rated for 500lbs tongue weight, 2" square hole under the rear bumper) and 4-pin flat light connector (pretty standard). The ambulance's trailer takes a 2" tow ball, available at any auto parts store or super-store auto department--we may buy one to travel with the ambulance. No special driver's license required--just a standard driver's license (i.e. Class C) is necessary. The ambulance is fiberglass; the trailer is also sturdy but light--it tows smoothly and straight. Gas expenses will be reimbursed--save the receipts from the pump.

Conventions need to have a sufficiently large display space accessible to a trailer (10' tall, 8' wide, 26' long with ambulance) and tow-vehicle, preferably indoors or sheltered. Request 2-4 convention passes for driver(s) and volunteers and permission to sell AARG merchandise (t-shirts, buttons, St Lucy's Hospital ID badge replicas, On the Drift CDs, Done the Impossible DVDs/CDs/posters). Any help the convention can give finding driver(s) and covering gas costs is greatly appreciated.


Thanks for your help and support,
Adam Whiting, AARGanizer
www.ArielAmbulance.org
Ariel Ambulance Yahoo Group

that whirring noise you hear is the minds of Browncoats everywhere thinking of how best the can help.

thank you for posting this-- Browncoats WILL respond
we just need to be reminded from time to time (I hate when real life gets in the way of my fandom!)

Let's go Browncoats! Lets make sure the ambulance gets treated like the star of the show she is!

(asside: Adam- I sent you a PM re: this topic)

Here are a few quick-and-easy ways Browncoats all over the world can be a tremendous help:

Spread the word--Browncoats are remarkably generous, resourceful, well-connected people; when we need something, someone will almost certainly know someone who can help, we just have to get the word out! Please share pertinent information with fans and friends, on other boards, yahoo groups, at shindigs, etc. and report back. For specifics, please see news updates in this thread, visit our website, and/or join the AARG yahoo group.

Suggest conventions, museums, shindigs, etc. for the ambulance to visit--please provide as much information as you conveniently can: name, location, dates, URL, contact info, description of event and available space, etc.

Volunteer drivers and tow-vehicles--become an Ariel Ambulance Angel (divine blessing or champion in the fight--your choice) and get reimbursed for gas, a free convention pass, and be at the center of attention (unless you'd prefer to melt into the shadows)! If you are interested in driving and/or have a tow-vehicle (1/2+ton truck/SUV/suburban with class-III hitch rated for 500lbs tongue weight), please list yourselves here:
http://www.frappr.com/arielambulance

Donations--visit our website's +AID+ page for paypal and other options to help us pay for transportation and restoration of the ambulance, but also consider...

Shopping!--we get a portion of the sales from these stores:
-TCM's AARG shop
http://www.cafepress.com/10thcrew/1403776
-Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect...peratiorescu-20
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/redire...peratiorescu-21
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/redirect-...peratiores0f-20


Thanks,
Adam Whiting, AARGanizer
www.ArielAmbulance.org

A note on drivers:
No special driver's license is required to tow the ambulance--just a standard driver's license (Class C) is necessary. The ambulance is fiberglass; the trailer is also sturdy but light--it tows smoothly and straight. Gas expenses will be reimbursed--drivers should save the receipts from the pump to scan-and-email or snail-mail to me. If the ambulance is going to a convention, we'll do our best to get him/her/them free convention passes.

Obviously, previous towing experience (boats, RVs, horse trailers, etc.) is greatly appreciated, but not necessary--just make careful wide turns, allow extra distance for braking, and drive slowly and steadily.

I'm not much help being in Florida, and barely being able to drive my car without people grabbing the oh shit handle, but I'll donate some money.

BTW is this cross posted to FF.net? And I'll talk to a mod about getting this posted as a topic in chat.

Thanks for wanting to donate! Stop by the +AID+ page of our website www.ArielAmbulance.org for one-time and subsciption payment options.

Not cross-posted to FF.net, that I know of, yet. Would you be willing to keep a cross-post updated and bring back key responses by browncoats? Key... the minds behind every volunteer, display, and restoration agenda in the world, and we need a cross-poster to put them in a chat-room with. (Was that too wacky?--I just woke up.) Anyway, that would be a HUGE help!

I don't know my way around FF.net but when I get home I'll ask the chatters for help. (Before I left for work, one of the Mods put this thread in the topic of chat btw.)

bump

NEED a volunteer DRIVER this Friday/Saturday to get ambulance from Burbank to San Diego for the Browncoat Cruise Kick-Off Party (Friday 7pm Marriott Courtyard San Diego Downtown, 530 Broadway Street) then back to LA (Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, 961 W Alondra Blvd, Compton, CA 90220).

Must have a valid driver's license (standard Class C). Towing experience greatly appreciated, but not necessary--just promise to drive slow and make careful, wide turns. The ambulance is on a modified boat trailer--it's light and tows smoothly.

Must own, borrow, or rent a tow vehicle: 1/2+ton truck/SUV/suburban with class-III hitch (rated for 500lbs tongue weight, 2" square hole under rear bumper with or without 2" tow ball and mount).

$$$ - Gas and tow-vehicle rental costs will be promptly reimbursed! - $$$

I've found a few good parking lots near the Cruise party and docks--just need to get the ambulance there!

Contact me please!
Adam Whiting, AARGanizer
www.ArielAmbulance.org
216-225-8430
ArielAmbulance [at] iinet.com

Thanks to our last-minute hero Scott (driver with a truck, taking the day off to drive the ambulance), we're going to make it! Burbank to San Diego for the Browncoat Cruise Kick-off party to Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum for display and restoration!

Thanks also to Brien for asking around and finding us our willing driver amongst gaming friends!

The Ariel Ambulance is at Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, part of the Compton Airport in Compton, CA. TAM has an expo on January 26--thousands of people will be there--we hope to spruce up the ambulance a bit by then (replace engines, attach wings, equip the cockpit, etc.)

Work Dates:
Sunday, Jan 13th
Saturday, Jan 19th
Sunday Jan 20th

Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum
961 W Alondra Blvd, Compton, CA 90220
(310) 618-1155
8am-8pm 7 days a week

People of all levels of any experience are welcome/wanted/needed!

Contact our Restoration Leader:
Obi-Shawn
310 908 4332
obishawn [at] gmail [dot] com

Compton has a bad reputation (birthplace of ganster rap, highest murder rate for a city its size in the USA), but Robin Petgrave, the Hollywood stunt pilot who runs Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, told me that despite Compton's bad reputation, adults are safe--most of the airplane owners as well as an aviation group of 40-50 are middle-aged white guys, and they come and go at all hours of day and night without incident. Those at risk are kids age 13-21 wandering alone (without adults), wearing blue, red, or purple (gang colors) in non-corresponding gang turf.

TAM is inside the Compton Airport--fenced-in with 24-hour airport security and surveylence. While en-route, keep the kids close, don't wear gang colors (blue, red, purple), and lock the car doors--basic safety.