For the aviation fans

[patham]

 

 

Last century I was instructing in Pietersburg. One of my students was an Air Force fellow in Operations. He arranged a visit for my wife and I to the bombing range outside Louis Trichaart. Man, it was awesome. Saw the Cheetahs dropping laser guided bombs and the Rooivalk demonstrating close support with the cannons. Included was an Impala demo firing rockets. Was a grand day out!

As an airscout in Bulawayo even earlier last century, I visited Katanga range near Gwelo. There the Canberras dropped practice bombs and the Hunters fired the 30mm cannons. Cool stuff for a 13 year old! I still have a 30 mm cannon shell in my study.

 

In this one post, you bring back multiple memories:

 

1. Being a Bulawayo boy myself, I recall the Air Scouts and their Percival Provost, although the scouts themselves had pretty much folded by the time I was there.

2. Being a Zimbo and studying at Wits, there were many holiday road trips past Louis Trichardt. On one of them in the early 90's I remember seeing a Buccaneer doing an approach to that range at low level - pretty impressive. The action part of the range itself is not close to the road - so no flash bang stuff witnessed.

3. I also used to have a 30 mm cannon cartridge in my cool stuff collection as a youngster from my father (he was in the air force as fire & rescue at Gwelo). I also had a brass starter cartridge from the Avon engines (Hunter & Canberra). I assume you mean a cartridge, and not an entire shell ?

Edited May 3, 2020 by patham

[Kranswurm]

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https://www.facebook.com/terika.kons/videos/10159594195507786/

[Bonus]

.

 

https://www.facebook.com/terika.kons/videos/10159594195507786/

 

I saw the An-225 display at Farnbourgh many years ago. It turns so slowly you'd think it would drop out the sky but the wing area is massive and it just hangs there. A very cool machine.

 

 

[CAAD4]

I twice saw the Air and Sea show in Fort Lauderdale, purely by chance because we were there on holiday. Having jets of all description fly over the apartment for three days, plus the beach landings and aircraft carrier nearby was pretty spectacular.

[kosmonooit]

I saw the An-225 display at Farnbourgh many years ago. It turns so slowly you'd think it would drop out the sky but the wing area is massive and it just hangs there. A very cool machine.

 

 

Also going down memory lane, I saw this giant at the Paris Airshow with Buran (the Soviet Space Shuttle) on top of it, which it was actually built for, it still has the mounting on top of the aircraft for that.

 

I think that was the year that Mig 29 did a nosedive into the ground during a display (hit a bird), the pilot did survive.

[Bateleur1]

I was in Israel in 2012, and saw my first F16 two ship formation of the IAF come screaming up the Jordan valley heading north. It was quite something to behold. They were fully armed with missiles and ordinance.

 

Later that week, I was in Caesarea and watched a whole bunch of IAF F16 and F15 practicing BFM and shooting off flairs. This carried on for most of the afternoon. People in the tour group were amazed by the historical aspect of the place, while I had my head fixed looking up...I did not get to see much of that place.

 

I am glad to see you have your priorities set up correctly in life   

[Long Wheel Base]

So we(SAAT) have been on forced leave since 23rd March. We only received 50% of our salary last month(leave) and the other 50% was forfeited(not by choice). We won't be getting any salary until further notice. Technical will probably be going into business rescue soon. It seems we will be following SAA into the grave. I came into work today to check things out and do some preservations as I am still 100% committed to my job. The unions are telling us we will possibly only return to work September as most of the airlines have chosen not to fly until they can get full load factors. that is if we are still around. 

 

Deep down I am hoping there will be something positive and once this lockdown story is done we can get going and all will be ok.

 

I did have leave planned for April and a holiday which had to be cancelled anyway.

 

Stay safe everyone, cheers for now.

[Bateleur1]

.

 

https://www.facebook.com/terika.kons/videos/10159594195507786/

 

That is incredible sized aircraft and must be a sight to see.  I have been wondering however about the use of the aircraft. Sure there would be a demand for very large items that needs to be transported but I am wondering how cost effective it would be to use the AN225 for delivering medical supplies.  It has quite a bit of crew required I would suppose (assuming two crew of at least three each) per "mission" and I suppose those 6 Ukranian engines still think that fuel is cheap.  Wondering for medical supplies if two say 777 freighters would not have been cheaper to use.  This is just purely wondering about the economics.

[Bateleur1]

So we(SAAT) have been on forced leave since 23rd March. We only received 50% of our salary last month(leave) and the other 50% was forfeited(not by choice). We won't be getting any salary until further notice. Technical will probably be going into business rescue soon. It seems we will be following SAA into the grave. I came into work today to check things out and do some preservations as I am still 100% committed to my job. The unions are telling us we will possibly only return to work September as most of the airlines have chosen not to fly until they can get full load factors. that is if we are still around. 

 

Deep down I am hoping there will be something positive and once this lockdown story is done we can get going and all will be ok.

 

I did have leave planned for April and a holiday which had to be cancelled anyway.

 

Stay safe everyone, cheers for now.

 

Not going to press the like button but I am holding thumbs that you guys  will be sorted soon.  Chin up and good luck

[Bateleur1]

It got a but gusty in Doha on 30 April ...

 

https://twitter.com/AeronewsGlobal/status/1256101958445907968?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

[Bonus]

So we(SAAT) have been on forced leave since 23rd March. We only received 50% of our salary last month(leave) and the other 50% was forfeited(not by choice). We won't be getting any salary until further notice. Technical will probably be going into business rescue soon. It seems we will be following SAA into the grave. I came into work today to check things out and do some preservations as I am still 100% committed to my job. The unions are telling us we will possibly only return to work September as most of the airlines have chosen not to fly until they can get full load factors. that is if we are still around. 

 

Deep down I am hoping there will be something positive and once this lockdown story is done we can get going and all will be ok.

 

I did have leave planned for April and a holiday which had to be cancelled anyway.

 

Stay safe everyone, cheers for now.

 

Good luck man! Keep us posted.

[Bateleur1]

Some star viewing from the cockpit

 

https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/start-your-week-staring-at-the-stars/?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email

[patham]

So we(SAAT) have been on forced leave since 23rd March. We only received 50% of our salary last month(leave) and the other 50% was forfeited(not by choice). We won't be getting any salary until further notice. Technical will probably be going into business rescue soon. It seems we will be following SAA into the grave. I came into work today to check things out and do some preservations as I am still 100% committed to my job. The unions are telling us we will possibly only return to work September as most of the airlines have chosen not to fly until they can get full load factors. that is if we are still around. 

 

Deep down I am hoping there will be something positive and once this lockdown story is done we can get going and all will be ok.

 

I did have leave planned for April and a holiday which had to be cancelled anyway.

 

Stay safe everyone, cheers for now.

 

All the best LWB.

 

Although SAA was on it's own self-inflicted trajectory, the airline industry world-wide is disrupted. The online news here in Aus recently ran a story about Qantas captains who have taken temp jobs as supermarket cashiers and construction traffic controllers to give themselves a reason to get up in the morning.

 

https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/coronavirus-pilot-becomes-traffic-controller-after-qantas-stood-him-down-during-covid19-pandemic/5fd27e03-c675-423d-a215-fcfac0a3703b

[Bateleur1]

All the best LWB.

 

Although SAA was on it's own self-inflicted trajectory, the airline industry world-wide is disrupted. The online news here in Aus recently ran a story about Qantas captains who have taken temp jobs as supermarket cashiers and construction traffic controllers to give themselves a reason to get up in the morning.

 

https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/coronavirus-pilot-becomes-traffic-controller-after-qantas-stood-him-down-during-covid19-pandemic/5fd27e03-c675-423d-a215-fcfac0a3703b

 

.. not to mentioin Virgin Australia that also went belly-up.

[patham]

That is incredible sized aircraft and must be a sight to see.  I have been wondering however about the use of the aircraft. Sure there would be a demand for very large items that needs to be transported but I am wondering how cost effective it would be to use the AN225 for delivering medical supplies.  It has quite a bit of crew required I would suppose (assuming two crew of at least three each) per "mission" and I suppose those 6 Ukranian engines still think that fuel is cheap.  Wondering for medical supplies if two say 777 freighters would not have been cheaper to use.  This is just purely wondering about the economics.

 

I think you are right in theory, but I also gather that freighters are in high demand at the moment. So any capacity will get used. I think the Antonovs have pretty large crews, with multiple flight engineers and loadmasters.

 

The demand is so strong Airbus are offering a way to convert normal passenger planes into half-baked temporary-freighters.

 

https://www.flightglobal.com/air-transport/a350s-become-freighters-through-airbus-pallet-for-seat-swap/138161.article 

Edited May 4, 2020 by patham

[Bateleur1]

The Swiss airforce hold an annual live fire shooting demonstration at Axalp-Ebenfluh shooting range which the public can go watch... the secnd video you can see how many people go watch and see / hear the cannons shooting from the F18's and F5's (7:30 in the video)

 

 

 

 

I looks like you  get flown up.  What would a ticket cost?  Bucket lis stuff this