Written by Sarah Kyle
When professor Mark Elrod stepped out of the bus Thursday afternoon, he stood by an old friend. The P-3C Orion airplane had not changed much since 1980.Last week, Elrod, a Harding political science professor and Navy veteran, was selected by Dean of International Programs Jeffrey Hopper to represent Harding University on a community relations tour of the Luke and Davis-Monthan Air Force Bases in Glendale and Tucson, Ariz., sponsored by the Little Rock Air Force Base.The bus tour, which began at LRAFB, included a briefing from the Luke Air Force Base general about the base’s international training program, in which American pilots train international pilots and aircrews from other countries, like Taiwan.Elrod said the LRAFB has also been heavily involved in international training and hopes to head up training for a new C-130J model, expanding its program.After meeting with Cynde Maddox, LRAFB community relations, Elrod said he hopes to be able to take students to tour the facility and talk with the international pilots about their experiences.”This would help [the international pilots] get more integrated by being with students in the largest private university in Arkansas,” Elrod said.The most memorable part of his experience, however, was the ability to see and stand next to a plane he spent countless hours on during his time in the Navy: the P-3C Orion.”There are probably about 100 models of my plane, the P-3C Orion, and the very first one we saw when I pulled into the facility was the plane that I flew on. And it’s the display model that everybody gets to see when they go to the base,” Elrod said. “I didn’t necessarily get chills, but it gave me a great sense of pride to say,‘There’s my plane.’ I sat on that plane, next to the No. 3 engine.”Elrod came upon the plane at the Aero- space Maintenance and Regeneration Center, nicknamed the “bone yard.” The AMARC is home to 4,200 retired military weapons, many of which were intended for use in the Cold War.”Just to see this facility full of aircraft that never had to be used during the Cold War for their mission, which was to destroy the Soviet Union, and are now retired and out of service, makes me glad these weapons never had to be used,” Elrod said. “I’m glad they’re retired, including my plane.”At the AMARC facility, planes are alsorefitted, sold and used for spare parts, putting money back into the U.S. general budget.”For every $1 that’s spent to maintain this facility, the government gets back $22 in revenue,” Elrod said. “It’s kind of like an airplane yard sale. We’re not selling them for what we originally paid, but we’re getting something back.”Elrod said he is proud to see his plane representing history to AMARC’s numerous visitors. After all, it was the oldest in his squadron, the “Gray Lady.””It was the one that needed the most maintenance, but it was also the one that got retired first. I’m proud of that,” Elrod said. “Now it’s out there for people to see: This is the P-3C Orion. The one Mark Elrod flew on. I would have never gotten to see that if Jeff Hopper hadn’t given me the opportunity.”
