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latentree

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Everything posted by latentree

  1. There's a email about a 340-600 crashing, with pics, any truth in the story? This brand spanking new Airbus 340-600, the largest passenger airplane ever built, sits just outside its hangar in Toulouse , France without a single hour of airtime. Enter the Arab flight crew of Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies (ADAT) to conduct pre-delivery tests on the ground such as engine run-ups, prior to delivery to Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi . The ADAT crew taxied the A340-600 to the run-up area. Then they took all four engines to takeoff power with a virtually empty aircraft. Not having read the run-up manuals, they had no clue just how light an empty A340-600 really is. The takeoff warning horn was blaring away in the cockpit because they had All 4 engines at full power. The aircraft computers thought they were trying to take off, but it had not been configured properly (flaps/slats, etc.) Then one of the ADAT crew decided to pull the circuit breaker on the Ground Proximity Sensor to silence the alarm. This fools the aircraft into thinking it is in the air. The computers automatically released all the brakes and set the aircraft rocketing forward. The ADAT crew had no idea that this is a safety feature so that pilots can't land with the brakes on. Not one member of the seven-man Arab crew was smart enough to throttle back the engines from their max power setting, so the $200 million brand-new aircraft crashed into a blast barrier, totaling it. The extent of injuries to the crew is unknown due to the news blackout in the major media in France and elsewhere. Because........ Coverage of the story was deemed insulting to Muslim Arabs. Finally, the photos are starting to leak out. . One French Airbus: $200 million dollars Untrained Arab Flight Crew: $300,000 Yearly Salary Unread Operating Manual: $300 Aircraft meets retaining wall and the wall wins. PRICELESS!!! "And that's why God gave them camels"!
  2. Don't tell them but I've got spacebar here at home.
  3. Two of us did Petrus Brand pad on Saturday. We started at Garden of Eden on N2 towards Knysna and just before Knysna turned right on Uniondale road. Goes through informal settlement. Here a local with a piksteel (english ?) gave me a scare, took a mock swipe at me while standing centre in the road, not sure exactly what his intentions were but he was not joking. Maybe seeing my partner 100m behind me changed his mind. Never the less, my advice: avoid this area, Kaya_something. We proceeded to Diepwalle forest station, returning through the beautifil forest to G of Eden. Enjoyed it a lot , last singletrack stretch just before G of Eden is awesummm. It's not a circle route, but best then to do G of Eden through forest to Diepwalle and back same way. The maps available at info is very helpfull.
  4. really enjoyed it very very much! 1st time on that side of Jhb & was cool. Think what i enjoy most about 24h is that i feel like a kid again, after a few laps it all feels familiar, like your home town where you're just riding the whole day, & pop in for some refreshment now and then, and then you're off again, no chores, freedom, ... and wow what a course. Does anyone know it the little hedgehog made it?, 'was roaming in the track at about 04:00, oblivious to the wheels flying past. Congrats to all who were there and did their best. some campsite pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/wietz.beukes/Rietvlei?authkey=Gv1sRgCMeKkLrTou_C7wE&feat=directlink
  5. latentree, but will be there, can't wait. Hope to meet up with you guys. Solo-solo , no support team, so if someone wants to share meal preps, let me know.
  6. I'm afraid to ask but how did the timing work? I left my winning time chip at home, nothing about that on the MTB general info & no timing mats at finish. Though it was done via number boards?
  7. Thnx Dobby, knew there's a reason i'm so tired.
  8. i enjoyed the 50. Not a forgiving route for the unfit. Just up or down, what was the total elevation gain? Most memorable that heavy dagga cloud where the guys in orrange suites stared at us. Was it just happy hour or is it always like that? Will they dream of lycra tonight? In general the organising GREAT. Best to you guys riding tomorrow also.
  9. Read up a bit about WSD a while ago. Handle bars are sometimes shorter for the not so broad shoulders, something one can tweak on any bike. One source had something about WSD's having saddle more to the front, thus more above the BB, "for morepower". Question then is why don't we all do it like that then? I think shorter top tube or stem is all that makes sense. Rest can be taken care of with proper bike setup.
  10. Any CPRs coming up?, ... or are we the chickens?
  11. http://picasaweb.google.com/wietz.beukes/NF?feat=directlink Great Guateng weather, enjoyed the company, thank you guys! Struggling with pictures, hope the link works.
  12. http://lh3.ggpht.com/_A4BEfHaD_lQ/SiK5pHkokfI/AAAAAAAABnI/hZWjylDkjUg/s640/NF%20Pictures%20145.jpg
  13. Same with me, was on the bike first time in a while on Saturday, felt great after some flu-times.
  14. I lock mine if my 6 year old is getting a lift on the top tube, else no. Prefer it active when climbing as well, front wont't lift for small bumps, so steering & control is better. Sometimes will lock it on tar but most times I do not bother. Dart 3.
  15. OK, this is & probably looks home made, but I did it myself as I had the roofrack. Bent some treaded bar into a U, that fixes the roofrack bar onto the trailer (engels vir deksel). Beneath the (engels vir deksel) the U ends goes through a short flatbar and then the nuts. Not the best pic to illustrate, just ask if you want to go this route.
  16. Thanks, that sounds more likely than the 180? twist I was picturing.
  17. Just curious on what a "twisted chain" is all about . Think it was Brandon Steward who had one in a stage of SabieX.
  18. Stopped alongside a "ou toppie" repairing a puncture the other day. He just needed an extra thumb to push the tire over the rim again. Said tire levers would damage the tight fitting tire. Felt so good to be able to help in such a simple way.
  19. Awesome event, big vibe, then the first time is always the best. Learnt to decend without brakes, about Spry & Cook to keep off mud (might try that next time ?) will considder full cable sleeves also. Had lots of laughs & with a great mate. Those guys at the front knows how to JAAG! West Rand Cycles was sold out yesterday on brakepads. I put up pics on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77157&id=594617989
  20. At the Shebeen Now facing the other way, on the peak, going back giving the horses a rest All well organised, thanks a lot Nance!
  21. Climbing the Nek, looking back Me at the peak.
  22. Starting off http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/3073859050_17772ea5bf_m.jpg
  23. I'm Domestique now but decided to bring a Wingman never the less. So we'll be two.
  24. My only road bike, gets out every few years.
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