A Bit of Fun

I thought I would end the year with a bit of fun. This is a graphic video representing the world's airline traffic in a 24 hour period. Note the sun rising over Australia and Asia, sweeping over Europe then to the Americas.




HAPPY 2011 FROM PUGGINGHAM PALACE!

To the Moon

Apollo 11 Saturn V Launch (HD) Camera E-8 from Mark Gray on Vimeo.

Fabulous video of the launch of a Saturn V rocket carrying Apollo 11 to the moon, July 16, 1969. Basically old 16mm film slowed to a HD format. Do yourself a favor and watch on full screen.

Those were such exciting and heady days.

Grace and Power:747-8 First Flight

41 years ago, the world became much smaller when the first Boeing 747-100 took off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington on Feb 9, 1969. Just a day before the 41st anniversary, the latest iteration of the Queen of the Skies took off, ensuring that this great airplane will be flying 50 years after its debut.

Emerging from defeat, when Boeing lost the competition to build a large freighter for the USAF (the winner was Lockheed's C-5 Galaxy, but as the cliche goes, Lockheed won the battle and Boeing won the war), the 747 more than revolutionized air travel, it redefined it. More people could fly farther and in more comfort than ever before. Non stop was just not New York to London or Paris, or London to Cairo, but now non-stops New York to Tel Aviv, London to Tokyo or Sydney to Los Angeles, routes only dreamed about with the 707 or DC 8, planes 1/2 the size of the 747.

Over the years, the 747 grew in size, power and range, with the -400 series accounting for 695 of the over 1,500 built. The early 100, 200 and 300 series were quickly replaced with the newer twins, Boeing 767, 777 and Airbus 300, 310 and 330 series. Only the Airbus A340 challenged the Queen with four engines. Just in the last two years, the Airbus A380 double decker has surpassed the 747 as the biggest airliner in the skies.

As the twins and even the new Boeing 787 cut into the 747's market, the old girl found a new life as a freighter. It would probably be safe to say as many as or even more 747's fly as freighters than passenger airliners. Less glamorous, for sure, but still gracing the skies 41 years after the first one flew.

With the new 747-8 series, the Queen has been modernized, made more efficient, quieter and just a bit bigger. Most of the orders for the new model have been for freighters, and indeed today's first flight was of the freight version. Even as a work horse, she is still one of the most graceful machines ever. Like a big Duesenberg auto, the size does not hinder her graceful, elegant motions. IF anything, it makes her even more remarkable.

She is flying as I write, circling near her base of Everett, Washington, making history, continuing the lineage and still inspiring awe at her size, grace and power.

Welcome Home N700TS L-1011

It was a just few months and a couple hours late, but the last (or almost the last) airworthy Lockheed L-1011-100 has landed at Kansas City Downtown Charles B. Wheeler Airport on her last flight. So many airplanes' last flights are to the desert and then a slow rot to the scrap heap. But N700TS C/N 1066 was lucky. Originally to be refurbished and then flown as an airliner, the cost of keeping an elderly plane flying, especially with little technical support available, was too costly. The Airline History Museum was able to buy her for little and add her to the museum along with the current L1049 Super G Connie, a DC 3 and a Martin 404. Problems with the plane's ownership and registration kept her grounded in Roswell, NM almost permanently. But that was resolved and the FAA granted a ferry permit.

Hundreds of people gathered on both sides of the airport, first at around the original arrival time of 1:30 and then for the new one at 3:20.

Unfortunately for me, she landed from the north and thus I did not get to see her actually land. An advertised flyby was not performed either, probably for traffic or safety reasons. I did catch some shots of her roll out on landing. She was big for sure, dwarfing the private aircraft that inhabit the downtown airport. Soon she will be an attraction and education center for the museum. I am sure some more and better pics will be here: Airline History Museum

But meanwhile, here she is; thanks for your years of service and for a lucky break. You look better here than you would as a bunch of beer cans!

Roll out after landing


Finishing her roll out:


Turning to park:


Almost home:

First Flight V

Damn she is beautiful in the air!

First Flight IV

She is ready to go.... taxiing to the runway. Any moment now, we sure hope!

Good Luck!

First Flight III

Engines started... woo hoo!

The Boeing webcast takes forever to load, it is likely being overwhelmed. Be patient

KIRO TV in Seattle has a live chopper cam.

First Flight II

BOE 1 just showed up on Flightaware!

BOE 1

The flight is scheduled 10:10AM PST. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (N787BA) will take-off on runway 32L at Paine Field. The aircraft will be under the command of Boeing Chief Pilot Mike Carriker, and engineering pilot Randy Neville.

Weather looks horrible though.

First Flight

At the end of each of the Bullwinkle the moose episode, the narrator would implore us kiddies to wait for the next adventure: "Be with us next time for 'Bullwinkle's Folly' or 'As the Moose Turns', something like that.

In that spirit I title this post "First Flight" or "About Damn Time". Hopefully today, around 12noon CST, the long delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner (or Nightmareliner as it has been called) will make its first flight, nearly 2 years off schedule.

Boeing plans on streaming the event online: Boeing's new Plane

The 787 is chock full of new technology, light weight composite construction and greater passenger room and nice big windows. A runaway seller, 840 some are scheduled to be built; alas some orders were canceled due to the delay and airline finances. We should have been able to fly on one by now, as deliveries were originally scheduled in 2008. Now, with first flight approaching, we can hope for 2010 deliveries.

I plan on watching the show at noon, provided Seattle's weather holds. Sadly right now, it looks pretty iffy and the whole show maybe postponed due to weather.

'Look Bullwinkle, a message in a bottle."
'Fan mail from some flounder?"
"No, this is what I really call a message"....

Stay tuned kiddies!

Coupl'a Things XI

1) Happy 100th Birthday American Composer Elliott Carter. What makes this 100th even more special is that he is still alive and well at 100. What's more, he is still composing! He has written at least 24 major works, not just little 2-3 minute ditties, but concerti, song cycles and major chamber pieces, since he turned 90! In his 99th year (2008) he wrote Tinntinabulation for percussion sextet, Wind Rose for wind ensemble, Duettino for violin and cello and a Flute Concerto. He has won many awards including two Pulitzer Prizes for his string quartets. He is supposedly working on a new song cycle.

Sorry to say, however, that I really just can't take his music. Now I love a lot of modern, even pretty avant garde music, but Carter's is dense, dissonant and devoid of any charm or color. Many vehemently disagree with me, but such is the world of classical music.

Anyway, Happy 100th Mr. Carter. Keep on composing... maybe by 103 you'll hit on something I will like!

2) Speaking of 100, I wonder if I will be that age when Boeing finally gets the 787 Dreamliner off the ground. It was supposed to be in service this past summer but now first flight is sometime 2nd quarter 2009. Deliveries??? 2010 maybe.

Quite a fascinating and wonderful airplane, if they ever get it right. New manufacturing methods, world wide risk sharing partners and a long strike have taken its toll. Boeing stands to lose millions, likely billions in compensation for delayed delivery.

Someday, she will be a great plane.... hope I live to see it.

Derrie-Air

No Butts about it, Derrie-Air is a fake airline. The cheeky little ruse was exposed, or the case cracked as it were, after ads for the "airline" appeared in Philadelphia area newspapers. Derrie-Air, the "world's first carbon neutral airline" advertised "by the pound" fares such as $2.25/lb Philadelphia to Phoenix and proudly stated "the more you weigh the more you pay". They promised to plant a tree for every pound of carbon their planes would generate.

Derrie-Air is firmly seated on the ground however. It was simply a one-day campaign created by the papers' owner and its ad agency to "demonstrate the power of our brands in generating awareness and generating traffic for our advertisers, and put a smile on people's faces."

As fat as I am, I would have stuck with Southwest.

Read the website, it is a hoot.

Derrie-Air

Home Sweet Home

Yeah, it is a cliche .... but it is so damn true.

I am finally home after a leisurely trip to Nicaragua. I was so lazy, I didn't even blog much. I have the rest of April's story to tell, nightlife in Managua, a KC Symphony concert to review from this PM, plenty to keep me busy.

But getting home is what is on my mind now. Air travel is nothing but a nightmare anymore. If I was rich, I would spend my fortune on chartered jets just to avoid the hassle. Once a grand adventure and even pleasant in coach class, air travel now is designed for no other reason to torture the passengers.

Service sucks.
Planes are cramped.
Nothing is on time.
No one explains or talks to you when there is a problem.
Airports are huge obstacle courses designed to confuse and exhaust.
Prices are up up up.
You are assumed to be a terrorist or a smuggler until proven otherwise.... this time.
Passengers have no qualms about making their flight more comfortable, at your expense.

Yeah, you can tell it was a rough ride up. Starting with the now expensive taxi ride to the airport in Managua (used to be $5-7 now up to $15 plus tip, gas is out of sight there) the voyage home was a challenge from the very start. The flight was overbooked and the line was long. It seems some people, despite being far from home, do not travel much and never read the rules. Bags over size, over weight, surfboards, paper flowers.... liquids, whatever... all argued about with the harried ground staff.

Hearing "overbooked" put me immediately in the panic mode. I wanted to go home, it was time. When I am on my way home, get outta the way. I morph into a homing pigeon and neither rain, snow or surly airlines will get in my way. I thought we were ok, until they began to ask again for volunteers even after we were seated. Some did, and thus the exodus of old and arrival of new passengers began. Bags put on, bags removed, new ones in their place. Took over an hour. Finally in the air, and homeward bound, seat secure, I felt a bit more at ease.

Nicaragua is still very poor, thus it is a prime destination for church groups to meddle and do some feel good projects. But since the country has become more of a tourist destination, infrastructure is better and become relatively safe, the church groups are no longer composed of just the adventurous and hardy, but chock full of kids. A whole damn herd of them were in front of me, giggling, bouncing, singing, taking pictures like they were on a damn field trip bus to the rival town football game. The 74th time the brat flashed her camera flash in my face, I bellowed for her to please refrain from the activity. From her look, you would of thought I told her to fuck herself... but she got the message.

All was tolerable aboard our Boeing made flying prison, until we got close to Atlanta. Rain, delays, holding pattern... but not to worry...yet.. we had a 3 1/2 hr layover. Finally landing, we sat on the tarmac and waited, our gate given away since we appeared to not want it.

Time slipped by and I was beginning to get anxious. This homing pigeon was not too thrilled about roosting as a guest in someone else's porch that night. We got in and thankfully immigration was not too bad, officially back in the USA, safe and sound thanks to the TSA, INS and our government's best at work.

Baggage claim was a war zone. We waited almost 45 min for the bags to arrive, no one telling us what the problem was. Passengers, formally just stupid, became unglued. Bags in hand I then rushed through customs, thankfully not asking me about anything I bought. I always bring back too much liquor and despite my nervous face, they always let me pass.

If baggage claim was a war zone, then baggage recheck was Hiroshima. People screaming, crying, what is happening??? No one telling anyone any reason for the mess, just barking orders. Chaos rained. I did as instructed by the pushy, surly and I am sure as frustrated as I was baggage fellow and pushed my red bag into the sea of luggage, waving it a forlorn good bye as if a loved one was going off to war, not sure if I would ever see it again or in the same shape. So long, brave son.

The 3 1/2 hour layover was all but consumed by the whirlwind of anxiety and thus we got from terminal E to terminal B with only moments to spare. I was exhausted, sweaty; adrenalin pumping, I was sure not to relax on the flight or even sleep when I got home.

BUT DAMN IT I WAS HEADING HOME.

Luck was no lady tonight, she was a roaring bitch. The man sitting next to me was all happy and chatty, a sure annoyance for me as I was not in the mood to hear see, smell or communicate in any way with another human being. Period, paragraph.

"40 to 19". He told all in earshot and me as well, showing me a screen on an hand held communication device that had print and buttons too small for me to see. I assumed it to be a sports score but the unusual spread confused me.

"What is that, a football score?"

"Silly!! (but his face read "oh my God") KU and North Carolina..the Final Four, my son is sending me updates on my Blackberry."

He was all but sure I was from another planet or worse just released from Solitary at Sing Sing. Explaining I had been out of the US for a bit did some to help allay his fears about my planetary residence or my parole status. Deciding I was safe, he began to yap but thankfully he could not negotiate his digital camera and show me his pictures from New York, otherwise I would be heading to the Pen.

The flight to KC was the only one on time and actually halfway pleasant. The passengers were thrilled to hear that KU won, I was thrilled to know I was home.

Of course our bags were not there so we had to make a claim for them. B had both of his delayed so he had no keys to his car or to his house. His condo door man would let him in so he was spared the ignominy of having to stay at a hotel so close to being home.

Throughout the whole ordeal, I could count on the loyalty and reliability of two of my greatest treasures; the Queen Mary started right up and took us home in style and Puggles, upon seeing me, wagged her little pug butt so hard that the energy powered a city block.

Home Sweet Home.

Big Plane Over Illinois

Flightaware.com is an online service that allows you to graphically track commercial and private aircraft. It can be fun to watch your loved ones (or not so loved ones) plane inch closer to its destination, thus preparing you for their arrival.

It seems that a Cessna Citation X aircraft registered to Cessna drew a huge Cessna corporate logo spanned four states during a 4.5 hour flight. Wait! Or is it a Flightaware logo? it looks like the little logo that identifies flightaware.com on your address line or list of favorites on line. Was it a marketing stunt, done for a few aviation buffs who even look at Flightaware? Did they get copies blown up and mounted? Was it an accident? A hoax?

What is apparent is that the plane left Wichita, traveled across Missouri and when over Illinois commenced a flight plan that left a track resembling the Cessna logo over Illinois, Michigan, Iowa and Indiana before returning to Wichita.




Maybe the pilots had some time on their hands, maybe they were bored, or more likely were out on a proving flight and were just having some fun. Nonetheless, it is a neat image!

In a Field Near Bazaar; The Knute Rockne Memorial

March 31st, 1931, a young Easter Heathman heard what he thought was the sound of automobiles on the crude country roads of Chase County Kansas. Instead he was a witness to a tragic event that came to change his life until his death this week at 90.

The local telephone operator soon called and reported that a plane apparently had crashed near their farm. Easter Heathman, his dad and brothers went out to look for the site. 3 miles southwest of the small town of Bazaar they saw the wreckage of a plane, most of it buried in the soft ground.

They found the bodies, 8 in total, and helped load them into a hearse. One of them was a legend in his own time, Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne.

The Fokker F-10 Super Universal was one of the most advanced planes of its time. But its flaw was wooden construction. The laminated wood was subject to water damage and indeed water loosened the glue that held the wing spar together. The wing fluttered, causing the plane to go into an uncontrolled spin. Not only did the crash claim Rockne and set off a tide of mourning, it changed the way aircraft were constructed forever.

Heathman became the caretaker of the site and guided many Notre Dame alum, Rockne fan, biographer and the curious over the years. The site is not public, it is on private property and arrangements had to be made in advance.

One fine summer afternoon probably 1992-1993 I was in Chase County on business, working for a company that had operations there. I wanted to see the place just for the heck of it. The manager of the property there was a long time Chase Countian, knew everyone in the county (easy as there were less than 3,000 total) and soon arranged a tour for me the next day.

Heathman was in late 70's or so, but still agile and friendly. The site is in a remote pasture, flat as all can see, stark and windy. A large stone monument stands with the names of the victims. He recounted the crash for me, much as I wrote it above. It was clear that 60 years later the event still haunted him. He told me then he still could find tiny pieces of glass and wood from the place from time to time. Treating the place with care and reverence, he allowed me to gaze and listen to him recount the fateful day.

I am sure the monument will stand, someone else will ensure that visitors can make the trek to the somewhat remote site. Most will be content with the new sign that is at the Kansas Turnpike Bazaar rest stop. But without Heathman, a connection has been lost, it can't be the same now.

Glad I played "hooky" from work for a couple of hours that day to hear first hand the day Notre Dame football, and aviation changed forever in a tall grass field.

Last Flight of the Gimli Glider

It was one of the most famous or more likely infamous Canadian aircraft ever flown. In many ways just one of hundreds of Boeing 767-200 aircraft built since 1982, C-GAUN is special and will always be better known as the "Gimli Glider". As of this moment, C-GAUN is in Tucson AZ, on her way to retirement and an uncertain fate in Mojave, CA.

Flight 143 was a routine flight for Air Canada on the regular route from Montreal to Edmonton. Just 61 passengers paid the fare that day, July 23, 1983, barely 1/3 of the plane's capacity; plenty of room for them to stretch out and enjoy the flight.

C-GAUN had reached a comfortable cruise altitude of 41,000 ft when, just about over Red Lake, Ontario, warning lights indicated a fuel problem in one engine that soon shut down. A second warning followed indicating another fuel problem. Then an ominous warning, all engines down. A cascade of systems failed as the plane ran out of power as the two engines failed. Only a few battery powered emergency instruments remained. The crew initially declared an emergency and diverted to Winnipeg. With both engines out, it was not likely that the plane would make it to Winnipeg.

One of the pilots was thankfully experienced in gliders and knew enough basics of glider flying to keep the now silent airliner in the air. He was able to glide the big Boeing towards Gimli Industrial Park Airport, a former airbase at Gimli, Manitoba. There was one problem with this; the former RCAF Station Gimli was now a public airport and one of its runways was no longer in use for aircraft. On July 23, 1983 the airport was swarming with people for a sports car race being held on the now decommissioned runway. You can imagine the spectacle the race fans got that day!

Incredibly, the crew landed the plane on the runway, albeit the nose gear collapsed as it was not sufficiently locked in place, with no one killed or seriously injured either on the plane or on the ground. Adding insult to injury, the Air Canada maintenance crew being sent to Gimli from Winnipeg ran out of gas along the highway.

C-GAUN was repaired and flown out a few days later. She flew for Air Canada for 25 more years. Air Canada and the government, as is usual in these cases, investigated everything and blamed everyone. The plane simply had ran out of gas due to improper measuring of the fuel load. A recent conversion from English to Metric measurements had compounded the problem.Corporate training was found to be lacking in many areas, including how to handle an aircraft with no power. Many policies and training procedures were changed for the better after the investigation.

Despite being a blot on the safety record, the event and the plane became a celebrated story in aviation, lucky with a happy ending. C-GAUN became the most followed and photographed plane in Air Canada's fleet. She performed her last revenue service on January 8, 2008.

There is talk of selling her and even placing in a museum. Most likely, as with many elderly aircraft, she will be stripped of useful parts and then turned into beer cans.

You done well C-GAUN. Take care now!

BRA goes Bust

The Brazilian airline BRA went bust today, mostly due to sagging business.

The airline was founded in 1999 as a charter operation but was attempting to expand into a regional and international carrier. It found itself financially strapped as it tried its brest to take over routes from the failed Brazilian carrier VARIG. BRA's removal from the Brazilian skies is sure to translate into more headaches for travelers in Brazil, who have been subjected to repeated delays and cancellations for more than a year. It sure sounds like it sucks to fly in Brazil. A consortium of investors tried to nurse BRA to health but the carrier was more than dripping in debt. They milked it for all it was worth.

There is however no truth in the rumor that to lift sales BRA was going to advertise "Flying BRAS, seats for two".

Enough puns for one day... I am such a boob.

The Vulcan Flies

After years of fundraising, setbacks and painstaking work, a retired Avro Vulcan, once the UK's most deadly attack bomber, flew from Bruntingthorpe airfield in England, 14 years after it was retired.

A delta-winged four-engined bomber, the Vulcan, along with the oddly elegant Handley Page Victor and the Vickers Valiant, was one of three British V-Bombers designed to drop nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

Of the three, the Vulcan was to me the most impressive. Its massive delta shape was almost intimidating, as opposed to the curvy lines of the Victor and the straight forward approach of the Valiant. Designed for nuclear deterrence, it saw most of its action in the Falklands war in 1982 and as a tanker and reconnaissance plane.

Bombers, especially nuclear capable ones, are by definition terrible machines. They are designed for one purpose... to kill lots of people quickly. But there is no denying their frightening beauty as machines, swift, elegant, authoritative. I am glad one is flying, as with the gun boats and frigates that ruled the seas, the Vulcan and its UK, US (B-52, B-1,) USSR (TU-16 Badger, Tu-95 Bear) counterparts are a part of our history, like it or not.

Bravo Vulcan XH558 now G-VLCN. Long may you fly.

Roll Out

7/8/07... a big day in aviation history is upon us. This PM at about 5:30 CDT (3:30 PDT) the revolutionary Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" (silly name) will roll out from the hanger at Boeing Field in Seattle. I'll post a picture later today. The 787 is the first all new airplane from Boeing since the successful 777 was introduced in 1995.

The 787 promises to revolutionize air travel by being more efficient, quiet and long ranged. The main model the 787-8 carries 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 miles The bigger 787-9 transports up to 290 passengers on routes over 8,000 to 8,500 miles. The 787-3 is a high density, shorter range model for Japanese airlines

The 787 is a mid-size airplane with jumbo jet range and speed. Boeing promises that the 787 will provide airlines with unheard of fuel efficiency, using up to 20 % less fuel than a similar capacity plane currently on the market.

Boeing correctly assessed the market for this type of airplane. As of this post, Boeing has 47 customers ordering 677 airplanes. All before the first one sees the light of day; a tremendous achievement. While rival Airbus promoted its super-jumbo 380 with up to 500 seats, Boeing felt that airlines needed a "point to point" jet, more frequent service on long, thin routes. While the A380 will be a benefit for high density routes into airports with restricted slots, like London Heathrow, the 787 will be doing routes such as central Europe to China, Houston to Japan, Las Vegas to Paris, opening up new non-stop routes or replacing 1/2 full jumbos. Boeing did not neglect the interior either, adding larger windows, better cabin air management and superior space.

Today is just the roll out, the first public viewing for Line Number 1, all painted and pretty. She probably could not fly yet as all the systems are not in place. That comes later in August/early September. She is scheduled to be in service in 2008.

We have seen her with out her make-up as she was rolled out under cover of darkness to the paint shop and even then she was a looker. With all her make up, shiny and primped, she will be a delight to see!

Check out www.Boeing.com and you can watch the roll out on a live web cast.

UPDATE:

Isn't she a beauty!!? 787

Big Old Girl

Some sounds are unmistakable and unforgettable. Even though my hearing may be going as I age and tinnitus grabs hold of my left ear, the sound of a radial piston engine on an aircraft is easily detectable above the din of the city and my screaming ear. It is also a sound we sadly rarely hear anymore.

Busily loading my bounty in to the car after a trip to the local SunFresh (aka GayFresh) grocery store, I heard a soft rumble overhead. "Round Engine"! I shouted to my self, forgetting about the bags of foodstuffs and casting my eyes upward. There in the glare, not all that high over Westport was the unmistakable silhouette of a big war bird. Slowly churning northwest, the big blades of the propellers gripping the thick tropical air, was a vintage B-17 Flying Fortress. Most in the parking lot looked up and went on their way. I stood in awe. I love big round engined aircraft. Their pounding, fiery drone reminding me of hearing the DC3s, Martin 404s and occasional DC4s flying over head as an aircraft crazed kid.

Big old girl, shiny and restored. The grand lady is a four-engine heavybomber developed in the early years of WWII and built primarily by Boeing. At her proving trials, the soon to be B-17 outperformed other competitors and more than met the Air Corps' expectations. But Boeing lost the contract due to the unfortunate crash of the prototype. Luckily for Boeing and many future air crews, the US Army Air Corps (the US Air Force was not established yet) was so impressed with Boeing's design that they ordered some anyway. The B-17 Flying Fortress went on to enter full-scale production with 12,731 built.

The B-17 was the primary bomber aircraft of the European Theatre of WWII. She was mostly employed in the daylight precision bomb campaigns against German targets. The B-17 also participated, to a lesser extent, in the Pacific Theatre against the Japanese.

Right from the start the Flying Fortress was a formidable, high-flying, long-ranging bomber capable of unleashing great destruction yet able to defend itself. With the ability to return home despite extensive battle damage, its durability was legendary.

Our visitor, one of only 14 B-17s still flying in the US, has been restored and repainted to look like the the legendary 909, an aircraft that completed a record 140 combat missions during WWII never losing a crewman. The original, likely in bad shape, was scrapped in 1945.

Along with a B-24 that escaped my attention, the B-17 is on display this weekend at the KC Downtown Airport. I just may go and see them. Don't see one everyday you know.

This Just In

Two News worthy items to share:

FIRST 787 Complete shot... Elvis has left the building.

Real Men Love Pugs is now available from www.Lulu.com This delightful photo book, by the wonderful Rona von Stein, features the guys from PugVillage and their pugs. Yes, HM and I are included!

Get your copy today. HM Commands you!