For the aviation fans

[DJR]

DJR, great reading your missive there. As you flew in to land in the second part, man........takes me back. We used to fly the big old DC 8 into Basra at night. All lights off and descend as late as possible. Keep the beast high on downwind, I really do not remember but a few 1000 ft agl, then turn final at as rolling wings level, lights on and flare to land........trickey times, but I would not have missed it for anything.

Earlier in Iraq around 2004 onwards we would spiral dive the beast frm 20 000 ft ovehead. Thrust levers idle, flap 20, gear down. If I remember correctly, downwind for landing was around 5000 ft agl.......mental!

Add to that the shite viz conditions and in places like Fallujah ( Al Takadoum airfield, US Marines) there were barrage balloons and everywhere Russian Antonovs climbing out ha ha!

As a high school kid I helped the GP in our little town with flying patients around. He was our neigbour and if he needed an extra pair of hands, he would phone me. It was great fun and every now and then I would miss a few hours of school and if I was lucky, a maths test.

 

He was a character of note, never boring, always fun to be around, really larger than life, but also a bit reckless and had several crashes, luckily none involving me. Later on he started a medical flying service in your neck of the woods. 

[Kranswurm]

4 SAA pilots were granted permission to do a final flypass over OR Tambo this morning as the last farewell to a once proud and joy of South Africa. Sad demise of an airline due to corruption and mismanagement

 

.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/100002600772971/videos/2878365658926765/

Edited April 26, 2020 by Kranswurm

[Bonus]

4 SAA pilots were granted permission to do a final flypass over OR Tambo this morning as the last farewell to a once proud and joy of South Africa. Sad demise of an airline due to corruption and mismanagement

 

.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/100002600772971/videos/2878365658926765/

 

That would have been quite a ride! 

[kosmonooit]

4 SAA pilots were granted permission to do a final flypass over OR Tambo this morning as the last farewell to a once proud and joy of South Africa. Sad demise of an airline due to corruption and mismanagement

 

hmmm one thing doesn't look right, the grass is too brown for this time of the year and the recent rains. There is a comment in fb that this was last year for a practice run for the Presidential Inauguration.

 

And its inspired some horrendously racist commentary there. Eina,

 

Its two A340, are they still flying / here?

Edited April 26, 2020 by kosmonooit

[Bonus]

hmmm one thing doesn't look right, the grass is too brown for this time of the year and the recent rains. There is a comment in fb that this was last year for a practice run for the Presidential Inauguration.

 

And its inspired some horrendously racist commentary there. Eina,

 

Its two A340, are they still flying / here?

 

Pretty sure LWB said they'd been parked up for a while now. 

[Bonus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlrHU-SSR_k

[Kranswurm]

Pretty sure LWB said they'd been parked up for a while now.

Prob old..although,I am more or less in the flight path on the North side of ORT and there were quite a few flights in and out of ORT this morning and this afternoon

The most since 3 to 4 weeks ago

Edited April 26, 2020 by Kranswurm

[Bateleur1]

Pretty sure LWB said they'd been parked up for a while now. 

 

A few of the A340-600 were used to fly Germans back to Germany over the last couple of weeks.  There were two flights per day on average.  One from Cape Town and one from Johannesburg.  I think they are done with that now.  There was a photo in the newspaper here end of last week with a pic of SAA crew all kitted in Viruskit before returning to SA.

[mazambaan]

They also had a flight to fetch the Cuban "doctors" and I see old Jamnadas doesn't want to let SAA go without screwing some more cash from the taxpayers.

 

https://city-press.news24.com/Business/saa-gordhan-reaches-compact-with-unions-20200426

 

Bet it would be different if it was his own corner chemist; like Ramaphosa and his farming layoffs.

[Gen]

Which fighter jets do our airforce still have..

 

Cause one just flew past...that sound [emoji7]

Edited April 29, 2020 by Gen

[Bateleur1]

That would most propably be the Gripen

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_JAS_39_Gripen

 

The only other "Fighter Jet" would be the Hawk that is used for training.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_Systems_Hawk

Edited April 29, 2020 by Bateleur1

[Gen]

That would most propably be the Gripen

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_JAS_39_Gripen

Aaah yes that looks like what I saw.. briefly

 

Man I haven't been that excited about something since ..well I can't remember anymore..it sounded like I was cheering Sagan win or a goal scored.

[Bonus]

Did it look like this?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wurA98TaEr4

 

By coincidence, a jet flew over here this morning at speed, circled once then dissapeared.

[SwissVan]

Previously released "UFO" footage has now been declassified and confirmed as real

 

 

 

[Gen]

Did it look like this?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wurA98TaEr4

 

By coincidence, a jet flew over here this morning at speed, circled once then dissapeared.

Yes it did.[emoji16][emoji16][emoji16]

[Bateleur1]

Did it look like this?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wurA98TaEr4

 

By coincidence, a jet flew over here this morning at speed, circled once then dissapeared.

 

That engine has a very paticulars sound to it.