Big Brother is Watching
“Hey, I’m not paranoid. But everyone is out to get me…” In the 21st century, nary a day goes by that a security camera, paparazzo, web cam, smartphone photo, Twitter post, or e-mail doesn’t undo a celebrity, politician, or executive somewhere. An entire industry of magazines and low-budget television shows (TMZ, anyone?) testifies to the fact: we are always being watched. Did you stop by the bank or eat at a restaurant today? Smile — you’re on candid camera! Driving in your car? Cameras abound on highways and streets. Law enforcement vehicles have them built-in. If you used a credit card, proximity key card, or access badge, your location has been logged. At work and at home, computer and/or phone usage leaves a trace,...
Read MoreThe Real Fun
It usually begins with a shrill, pre-dawn alarm clock. That’s never been my favorite part. Then a slow trudge to the shower to shake off the sleep. Breakfast? Nah — I almost always trade it for a few extra minutes of rest. Once “up and at ‘em”, there’s also the trip to the airport, the weather check, the preflight inspection, fueling, catering, baggage, paperwork, clearance, FMS programming, and a big bill to pay. We might even throw a few passengers in there for good measure. But once that’s done? Then the real fun begins. (Recommend watching this in full-screen, 720p or...
Read MoreSTOL Flying
Few people outside the aerospace sector are aware of the breadth and depth of our admittedly insular little world. If it’s not an airliner or fighter jet, it’s pretty much off the radar for the general public. I’ve been fortunate to partake in a wide variety of different flying activities throughout my career: aerobatics, sea planes, instructional flying, tailwheels, antiques, formation, skywriting, experimentals, warbirds, crop dusting, and now the rarefied world of high-end jet charter. But there’s one particularly tantalizing segment of aviation I’ve yet to delve into: the low level back-country “bush” flying you’ll find in places like Idaho, Alaska, and Canada. There you’ll find aircraft with astounding...
Read MoreCheapo Airlines
Flying seems to be getting more painful every day for those confined to the airlines. If you think it’s bad here in the United States, take a look at Irish-based Ryanair. They take cheapness to a new level, both in terms of airfares and amenities. Ryanair is quite famous for this. Far from being embarrassed by their reputation, they actually take pride in it. The fares may be low, but walk aboard their aircraft you’ll find less leg room than on any other airline. They’ve even gone so far as to remove the seat-back pockets in order to save weight and space in the cabin. But that’s just the start. Ryanair charges passengers extra money if they are too heavy (a so-called “fat tax”). You’ll also get dinged if you need to...
Read MoreFortune Cookie
I think there was a mix-up somewhere and I got this guy’s fortune by mistake.
Read MoreThunderbird Crash
Last September a Thunderbird F-16C crashed just after takeoff during an airshow performance in Idaho. The pilot managed to eject 0.8 seconds before impact and walked away with only minor injuries. As one might expect at an airshow, there were many cameras trained on Thunderbird #6 when the accident occurred. Even so, this photo showing the $21 million jet just before impact is quite remarkable. Even more remarkable is this video clip from an on-board camera showing the split-S maneuver and subsequent ejection from inside the cockpit. It’s a 4.1 megabyte mpeg, but if you can swing the bandwidth I highly recommend watching it. As a side note, the accident investigation report was issued this week. It concluded that the accident was caused by pilot error. The...
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