1 00:00:00,100 --> 00:00:02,759 I'm standing inside of the A wax . One 2 00:00:02,769 --> 00:00:05,269 of the very last ones to be scheduled 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:07,480 for reduction this year , it was 4 00:00:07,489 --> 00:00:10,970 brought into service back in 1983 . And 5 00:00:10,979 --> 00:00:13,146 I bet if these walls could talk , they 6 00:00:13,146 --> 00:00:14,859 would have quite a bit to say 7 00:00:17,159 --> 00:00:19,103 over two decades have passed since 8 00:00:19,103 --> 00:00:21,440 Franz Stevens last stepped foot onto 9 00:00:21,450 --> 00:00:23,728 what's commonly known as the bird cage . 10 00:00:25,129 --> 00:00:27,200 Fran's visit on board . Tail number 11 00:00:27,209 --> 00:00:30,680 triple 09 is bittersweet . Its next and 12 00:00:30,690 --> 00:00:33,639 final destination is retirement in 13 00:00:33,650 --> 00:00:36,270 sunny Arizona when I started in the Air 14 00:00:36,279 --> 00:00:39,169 Force , this was my plane and so it's 15 00:00:39,180 --> 00:00:42,060 always had a special part in my life 16 00:00:42,069 --> 00:00:44,810 and my husband's because he also worked 17 00:00:45,099 --> 00:00:48,319 AX . It was 1981 when Fran first began 18 00:00:48,330 --> 00:00:50,750 breaking barriers working at Tinker as 19 00:00:50,759 --> 00:00:53,709 an A wax radar technician , a position 20 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:55,880 that is one of many held by women on 21 00:00:55,889 --> 00:00:58,139 the A wax . Today , I came into this 22 00:00:58,490 --> 00:01:02,040 field ready to pull my fair share . If 23 00:01:02,049 --> 00:01:04,559 something was a £50 weight for two 24 00:01:04,629 --> 00:01:07,448 people and had to be lifted , I lifted 25 00:01:07,458 --> 00:01:09,625 it whether I was physically able to or 26 00:01:09,625 --> 00:01:12,388 not . It was very rare anybody ever had 27 00:01:12,399 --> 00:01:14,658 to help me . Fran will tell you her 15 28 00:01:14,668 --> 00:01:16,988 year career was one of hard work and 29 00:01:16,999 --> 00:01:19,638 dedication breaking several glass 30 00:01:19,649 --> 00:01:22,039 ceilings for women in the A wax program . 31 00:01:22,049 --> 00:01:24,216 I was the first five level , the first 32 00:01:24,216 --> 00:01:26,160 seven level , the first production 33 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,271 superintendent , the first shop chief 34 00:01:28,271 --> 00:01:31,680 in Kina , that was a woman , the first 35 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,360 quality assurance person that came in 36 00:01:34,510 --> 00:01:36,769 to this field for radar . The end of an 37 00:01:36,779 --> 00:01:39,580 era may be near for the A wax . However , 38 00:01:39,589 --> 00:01:42,139 the future has never looked brighter . 39 00:01:42,150 --> 00:01:44,317 We're going to miss the jet . I have a 40 00:01:44,317 --> 00:01:46,317 lot of fond memories flying on this 41 00:01:46,317 --> 00:01:48,594 aircraft particularly . Uh but uh it's , 42 00:01:48,594 --> 00:01:50,706 it is part of our process as we start 43 00:01:50,706 --> 00:01:52,872 to bring on the , bring the future and 44 00:01:52,872 --> 00:01:54,928 bring the future faster . If someone 45 00:01:54,928 --> 00:01:56,983 tells you , they worked on AX , that 46 00:01:56,983 --> 00:01:59,094 probably means they worked like a dog 47 00:01:59,094 --> 00:02:01,206 and they should be respected for that 48 00:02:01,206 --> 00:02:03,372 at Tinker Air Force Base . I'm Clayton 49 00:02:03,372 --> 00:02:02,870 Cummins .