Spokey

Here is a Harley I would love in my garage. An XR1200 from 1995 , just 1600 kms on at R155000. For sale in Josie.

Righty Oh......sorry chaps, I was the provider of false information! Just studying the Flight Controls in FCOM2 now. (Flight Crew Operating Manual) For interest for the folks not aware of the terms, the REUs are Remote Electronic Units- receive input from the PFCCs and deliver signal to hydraulic PCUs (power control units) to move the control surface. PFCCs are Primary Flight Control Computers AFCU is Alternate Flight Control Unit.

Yes true that. As far as I remember from viewing the real demonstrator in Sardinia last year, the Capt side can directly over power the controls of the Co Pilot side but the Co Pilot needs to hit a switch on the right side stick in order to over power the left. Not that I have ever flown with anyone who I had to remove control from while they were pilot flying!

The new type is the Global 7500. Yes, I have done air tests of the RAT in both our old Global Express and our Challenger. It is very very noisy in flight. It is quite and involved check list to run through. It powers the AC Essential Bus which in turn powers the Essential TRU 1 thereby powering the Essential DC Bus. It also powers the Hydraulic System 3 B pump. So you lose much info on the cockpit display screens as you are reduced to essentials. Makes the air test a lot of work as the parameters must all be recorded too.

Yes, the side sticks are linked....helps with the problems of the controls re the Air France Airbus off South America.

Pretty excited, my new office. Boss is keeping us on for his new aerie. Hitting the books now!

Arrived at Prince Albert via the Swartburg Pass from Oudtshoorn. Was very cold and misty on the top. Hot on the northern side.

The little KLR had a good run out this past week end. This on the track east from Prince Albert pasr Klein Sleutalfontein farm.

Big Zed displays the new Bitubo Piggy Back Bouncy Bits on the rear while waiting to have the Wilbers Progressive springs fitted to the front bouncy bits! I hope that the couch like handling is transformed a bit. Trying to make a mountain pass scratcher out of the beastie! Okay......a big chunky one, but I like her a lot!!

I just like the soft bags all around. I like that one can roll the bags down and keep things small when traveling light on a short trip. Rereading your post there certainly are strong points for hard boxes. I think on a long trip I would go that route, being able to lock them on the bike. To be honest, more than a week on a two up trip I think I would take my bakkie ha ha! At the moment I am not carrying camping or cooking gear either. Trips are max a week and at self catering venues.

Indeed, thank you!

Yeah, thanks, a tough trip, but life goes on. It was good to travel on the bike although I am rapidly becoming a wet weather specialist. I seem to get rained on a lot when I ride long distance.........nevermind, I prefer it to the heat. The Giant Loop bags are great. I have a small throwover set on my KLR. Just 12 litres but enough space for my tools and spares for a a day or two. On the Katoom I am not fussed about the look of the racks, gonna stick with my plan. I like the look of that bag but seems it will be harder for the pillion to be comfortable. Definitely lekker if on my own. I think the soft panniers will suite riding with the Missus a little better.

Number one.......no idea Number two.......she will get over it!

Valid question. Lighter than it looked. I am getting racks put on the bike now (while in service) for soft bags. I will discontinue using the top box. In its place will be the ATG bag that is in the pic. It has excellent securing straps and is waterproof. I will use this together with soft bags (ATG again). I will carry the spares and tools low in the panniers split between them. The get up in the pic was more necessity than ideal packing. I needed to get to Scottburgh for a Memorial service ( my Mum) and felt that a long bike ride would give me time to think.......mmmmm. On return I was carrying new suspension for my ZRX (delivered from Josie by my brother) which made the ATG bag a bit high so I strapped my back pack on top. That only had iPad and work phone so did not make it too heavy.

A very little of the Tarkastad to Adelaide portion of my Scottburgh to Bedford ride last Saturday. Whole trip was great, 2752kms in 4 days of riding, 2 days off, more a mission than a tour!

As well as this rendering of a KLR Tengai

This pic has been floating around the internet

Yup, a colossal error in judgement.

With regard to riding in the cockpit. Years ago when on the DC8’s I was out in Morocco to pick up equipment from the filming of Prince of Persia Sands of Time. The fellow in charge of these bits and pieces was due to get across the mountains to Marrakesh for his flight back to London. Long story short, my Loadmaster suggested he just fly with us as we were returning to Manston on the south east coast, an easy train ride to London. However no spare seats. Being freight dogs we took him anyway, the Loadie sat on the cooler box and this fellow rode in the cockpit. It was so awesome to witness his excitement as we flew overhead Manston to join for a landing toward the east. Looks so small compared to the regular Heathrow, Gatwick etc. It remains the only time I have been able to have a passenger in the cockpit for the whole flight.

We used to use the Jakaranda seed pods at boarding school in Rhodesia days.

Yo....that is a good looking heli!

A little of Geneva to Dubai yesterday. Was a lovely cool morning on arrival at the aerie. Sadly the viz was not very good once airborne, pics of the mountains were not good. In any event we entered cloud pretty quickly. Descent into Dubai was great, track miles cut right down into Al Maktoum. The viz was poor for pics, this is the area around Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach. Anyways a very warm and humid evening putting the aerie to bed for a week or so before the next mission.

Arriving at Stockholm RW 19L and parking up this afternoon. After a month of thumb twiddling in Athens it has been lekker to fly again!

If you visit, pop in and say hi, Mrs B’s Kitchen, patisserie next to the Post Office........though I am out of SA until mid October!

Been reading a lot about this fellow and following on social media. Allen Millyard from the UK. This Zed is his latest creation. He builds these magnificent machines largely by hand, cutting crank cases with a hacksaw! Several of his finest motorcycles now reside in the Barber Museum in the US. Well worth a look in.