For the aviation fans

[Long Wheel Base]

Some operators choose not to allow flight radar to show their flights for a variety of reasons, mostly privacy and competition amongst charter operators.

 

When I was working for a CAMO most of our customers who owned their own aircraft did this.

So these are the people that don't allow blue ticks on whatsapp..................

[Bonus]

So these are the people that don't allow blue ticks on whatsapp..................

 

We have a daughter like that! "Didn't see your message" despite living with the phone attached to you 24/7....

[Spokey]

That challenger is a beaut!!! Must be my favourite. My father used to fly them. ZS-OSG was the last one he flew.

IMG_0396.jpg

(Image stolen from: https://www.jetphotos.com/registration/ZS-OSG)

Edit: forgot to attach pic

Man, I never thought I would come across anyone who thought the Fat Duck is beautiful! I suppose in certain light and if you squint!

Honestly though I have had a good time on the 605 particularly last year. A summer around the Med and a round the world trip in November. I only have 2 years and 8 months on type including this horrible 2020 but did manage a few trips. The aeroplane is a solid performer for its design requirement and has been very very reliable.

I am fortunate to be heading to Initial Global 7500 type rating course in 3 weeks in Canada and am super happy to be going back on a Global. I shall miss the Challenger a bit though! I have been lucky to fly a few bizz jets over the last 10 years and the Global has been an outstanding Gentleman’s aeroplane, does everything effortlessly.

I confess to never having flown a Falcon and the only Gulfstream was a GIII perhaps built a little after the Wrights took to the air! I have a few friends on the Gulfstreams......fine aeries all of them but I am a solid Global fanboy! (Don’t get me started on the DC8)

I owe the Challenger 605 a lot of gratitude. The boss agreed to keep his original Global crew on (I being one of them) and Type Rate us for these almost 3 years between selling his Global Express and the arrival of the Global 7500.

 

Enough rambling, back to the books!

[Spokey]

 

Antoni

I also lifted this from Jetphotos.....years ago. This was our Classic Global Express, airborne out of Changi in Singapore. It was significant for us because on the very same day, arriving in Hong Kong we were captured on approach and the photo was uploaded to Jetphotos! Two pics, same day, I confess, I got a kick out of that!

[Spokey]

Righty Oh, since I was banging on about it..........this is us arriving in Hong Kong, same day as the above pic. Was a big coincidence to find the pics on Jetphotos. Perhaps 6 years ago!!

[Spokey]

Beautiful plane, and nicely noisy. Saw it at various displays in the UK some years ago. One year it was "holding" over Worthing Town for 10 minutes (where I lived) before swinging over to Shoreham Airshow to display.

 

I was very fortunate have climbed the crew ladder and clambered about in this very aeroplane. I would need to check dates on photos but perhaps about 2009. I was flying our DC8 freighter on a British MOD contract out of RAF Brize Norton. We had just landed back from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus which was a tech stop from Karrachi, itself a night stop from the freight drop in Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Anyways, the crew of 558 were prepping to fly to Scotland to I legged it across the apron to request a “look see”! They were very accommodating. I do have a video of the take off somewhere in the deep depths of my shed load of aviation photos.

Separate to this, a few years back I visited the aviation museum at Le Bourget ( Le Baguettes) in Paris and found a 1/72 model of 558 in the shop. It was bought and awaits construction (along with about 30 other diverse models)

[Lotus]

There hasn't been much to rave about in movies this year, but I'm watching this and it's riveting. Well-filmed footage, no CGI.

 

Did you know the 8th Air Force lost more men than the Marines in WW2? Sad but true.

 

The Deep Blue (2019) trailer

 

https://youtu.be/Tmwm4VPW7RY 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Lotus

[Long Wheel Base]

I was very fortunate have climbed the crew ladder and clambered about in this very aeroplane. I would need to check dates on photos but perhaps about 2009. I was flying our DC8 freighter on a British MOD contract out of RAF Brize Norton. We had just landed back from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus which was a tech stop from Karrachi, itself a night stop from the freight drop in Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Anyways, the crew of 558 were prepping to fly to Scotland to I legged it across the apron to request a “look see”! They were very accommodating. I do have a video of the take off somewhere in the deep depths of my shed load of aviation photos.

Separate to this, a few years back I visited the aviation museum at Le Bourget ( Le Baguettes) in Paris and found a 1/72 model of 558 in the shop. It was bought and awaits construction (along with about 30 other diverse models)

Man your stories are always so cool. You would be welcome at a braai at my place anytime. You have a lot of lekker flying memories. Thanks.

[Spokey]

Man your stories are always so cool. You would be welcome at a braai at my place anytime. You have a lot of lekker flying memories. Thanks.

Thanks for the kind words. I do stop over in Josie periodically as I do my FAA medical there, my son lives there and my brother is in Kempton...........take you up on that offer sometime!!

[Spokey]

That challenger is a beaut!!! Must be my favourite. My father used to fly them. ZS-OSG was the last one he flew.

IMG_0396.jpg

(Image stolen from: https://www.jetphotos.com/registration/ZS-OSG)

Edit: forgot to attach pic

Antoni

 

Found this for you. Our 605 landing in Seattle last year....lifted from Jetphotos.

She is for sale if you want to max your credit card!

Edited December 30, 2020 by Spokey

[Bateleur1]

Thanks for the kind words. I do stop over in Josie periodically as I do my FAA medical there, my son lives there and my brother is in Kempton...........take you up on that offer sometime!!

 

Also fascinated by your stories so if ever you stop in Munich let me know.  We could try a braai (weather permitting) or at least a beer or two.

[Antoni]

Antoni

 

Found this for you. Our 605 landing in Seattle last year....lifted from Jetphotos.

She is for sale if you want to max your credit card!575B16CC-2B4C-4E8B-9509-84A19C9A8FFA.jpeg

Nice! Thank you.

 

Let me go fetch my credit card...

[Spokey]

Also fascinated by your stories so if ever you stop in Munich let me know.  We could try a braai (weather permitting) or at least a beer or two.

I have just been to Munich once with the boss. He was off to a health facility in Austria and the weather was shagged. We needed to do sim training for the Austrian airport as it was a special use airport due the weather. Was easier to fly to Munich and have the boss flick across the border in a fancy 4X4!

[Spokey]

I do not post a lot in the grand scheme of things.....but here I sit in Dubai with my South African life passing me by. At least I am happy in the knowledge that my wife is busy with her small restaurant/ bakery and my kids are busy having just qualified in their degrees.

I miss SA, I miss the cycling at home in the George area. Most of my input on the Hub is in the Chit Chat forums as that is what my life is. You are all my connect to SA. Which is why there are more posts when I am away from home........vegging in hotels!

[SwissVan]

I have just been to Munich once with the boss. He was off to a health facility in Austria and the weather was shagged. We needed to do sim training for the Austrian airport as it was a special use airport due the weather. Was easier to fly to Munich and have the boss flick across the border in a fancy 4X4!

 

Does the boss go to WEF...i seem to recall he does?

 

Next year (May) it was supposed to be at Burgenstock in Switzerland, very close to the airport where i work (Buochs LSZC)

 

Its now been moved to Singapore 

[Spokey]

Does the boss go to WEF...i seem to recall he does?

 

Next year (May) it was supposed to be at Burgenstock in Switzerland, very close to the airport where i work (Buochs LSZC)

 

Its now been moved to Singapore

 

 

 

Yes, we go to WEF every year. 2021 is Singapore in summer.......no where near the same

as Switzerland in winter. I love going to Switzerland in the winter.......am happy when it WEF returns there!!