A post over at Cockpit Conversation got me thinking about the 787 Dreamliner, a new all-composite airliner from Boeing. That post referenced a British newspaper article whose title was a bit sensationalistic. “Passenger aircraft rivals clash over safety of fuselage built from plastic”. Airplanes are not built out of plastic, they’re made of carbon fiber. The two are both composite materials, yet interchanging them… Read more →
Category: Other
Freaky Friday
Did you know there’s a name for those who fear Friday the 13th? Paraskevidekatriaphobics. Try saying that three times fast. Some sources say it may be the most widespread superstition in the United States. Some people won’t go to work on Friday the 13th; some won’t eat in restaurants; many wouldn’t think of setting a wedding on the date. Just how many… Read more →
Go Sell Crazy Somewhere Else
I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. I was on my way to work a few days ago – cruising down Alton Boulevard at about 45 mph – when a small geriatric Asian woman suddenly jumped out in front of my car.  Her left hand went up, palm out, making the universal symbol for “stop” as though she was a traffic cop managing a… Read more →
Going to Church
The new year is starting off right at work. My boss just had a front page article published about him in the Orange County Register. The Register is the largest newspaper in Orange County, with a daily circulation of about one million copies. Unfortunately, the Register requires online users to register before reading the article, but you might be able… Read more →
Randy “Duke” Cunningham
I flew into Montgomery Field in San Diego yesterday with a student pilot who’s preparing for his checkride. We shutdown the SR22 and decided to debrief the flight over lunch at Casa Machado. On our way out, I was perusing the wall-to-wall photos in the lobby and noticed a black and white picture of two guys sitting in an F-4… Read more →
Washington ADIZ Proposal
If you’re an aviator, aviation enthusiast, or are connected in any way with the aerospace community, then this should be of interest to you. The Federal government is proposing a permanent ban on general aviation flying in the Washington, D.C. area. The crippling Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) would cover approximately 3,000 square miles and set a precedent almost sure… Read more →
Fuel for the Fire
Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one that sees the “big picture” the way I do. Recently, a fellow pilot in Arizona took the time to write about the escalating fuel prices and what this rise in energy costs is doing to the economy Groceries are already going up in price here, it’s in small increments but if you… Read more →
Foo Fighters Good; Sony Bad
Some of the most relaxing moments of the San Carlos dive trip were had during surface intervals on the boat. A ‘surface interval’ is a period of time spent on the surface in between dives. This time allows the body to naturally rid itself of excess nitrogen accumulated while breathing compressed air at depth. Without an appropriate surface interval, a… Read more →
Cancer Sucks
A few years ago, most of my donations were to Angel Flight, a very worthy aviation-based charity which provides medical transportation to those in need. I also did a lot of flying for AF. Lately, though, most of my charitable dollars have gone to organizations fighting cancer. It wasn’t a conscious change, but one that I now see was prompted… Read more →
…Down Mexico Way
I’m back from Mexico and can report that no animals were harmed in the making of this dive trip. No non-human animals, at least. Er… well, we did catch quite a few trigger fish during the surface intervals, but I don’t count those because they make for such tasty ceviche. I’ve got quite a few pictures to post in the… Read more →