For the aviation fans

[intern]

Somewhere in 2005-2006 whilst with a friend of mine at Virginia airfield, one of these were just unpacked and assembled in the hanger at the south end of the runway...

 

http://www.warbirdalley.com/images/SeaFury-N79SF-550.jpg

 

Hawker Sea Fury, she was in British colours and the cool mechanic allowed me onto the steps to peer into the cockpit. I must've walked around that bird for 50 laps, I just could not get enough of it. 

 

i wonder who might be owner as it was an airworthy frame? 

 

I used to love putting together Airfix and Tamiya models back in the day. The Hawker Tempest was my all time favourite, so the Sea Fury gets my thumbs up...

 

Just this last holiday I got my older boy his first Airfix model, had to be a Spitfire of course (Mk 22/24 in 1:24 scale) although the first one he saw was a Bristol Beaufighter; never liked those so had to talk him round to the Spitty). We sat and put it together, er, together and finished it in Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force livery. Being a hugely 'arts and crafts' type, the lad loved it..

[Spokey]

Imagine a Vulcan low level flyby 

I have video of a take off at Brize Norton some years back. We had a contract flying out of there. Was lucky enough to meet the crew and get a look around inside the machine after we had landed back one morning.

Fantastic aeroplane.

[Spokey]

I am also a great fan of FR24.  I actually took out the subscription (my wife will kill me if she finds out but 60€ a year is not too bad).

 

Also seen a few occasions where planes were in a holding pattern at Innsbruck and eventually many diverted to Munich.

I was due to go to Innsbruk on the 9th. Here I am in Munich! No diversion though. The forecast weather was showing below minimums and the various restrictions on the approaches together with the terrain and snow meant that Munich was the best option.

Passing Innsbruk the actual weather was as crap as the forecast had indicated. We did have light snow on landing here.

Today to sunny SA!

[CAAD4]

I've been lucky enough to see the Fort Lauderdale Air and Sea show twice, when they used to have it. Crazy to have the Blue Angels and other kinds of military jets literally flying through the buildings on the beach front. Mock landings on the beach from all kind of amphibious craft, a real flashy military show. I think the last one we saw was just after 9/11. In those days you could even board a working aircraft carrier.

[Jase619]

I will go take some pics of the Boeings and Airbus' here at work and post them here. But later, it's dark and wet outside at the moment.

 

Still dark and wet outside?

[JJDT]

Just love the old school tech that could not yet be replicated. Newer aircraft may have more tech but one can not deny what these engineers achieved with limited tech resources in the early 70's.

 

The Blackbird SR71...loved the stories by the men who flew this awesome aircraft.

 

Concorde my alltime favourite passenger airplane.

 

[dev null]

Just love the old school tech that could not yet be replicated. Newer aircraft may have more tech but one can not deny what these engineers achieved with limited tech resources in the early 70's.

 

The Blackbird SR71...loved the stories by the men who flew this awesome aircraft.

 

Concorde my alltime favourite passenger airplane.

 

My dad took us to Jan Smuts Airport in 1973 when the Concorde visited SA. I was amazed to see how small it actually was compared to a 747.

 

https://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=165792

Edited January 11, 2019 by Moridin

[DawieO]

At the RAF museum in Somerset they have Concord 002 on display, and you can go into it.  That really blew my mind - seeing the size of it, how basic it is inside (this was a test one not fitted with normal seats) and reading about it while actually looking at it was simply amazing.  I could have spent hours just at that exhibit.

 

There’s another one at Boeing field in Seattle.

 

If you are an aviation nut, Seattle is like heaven.

 

Do a tour of the big factory at Paine Field where they build the wide bodies, and visit Future of Flight museum and the amazing Warbirds Centre.

The Boeing factory is the biggest building under roof on the planet. It is 1km long and 500m wide under a single roof. 4 production lines running for 777 and 787. Used to build 747 there too.

 

Next day visit the 737 factory at Renton, they push out 3 new planes a day.

 

Next day get to Boeing field for the Boeing museum where you can take a flip in a B17 and see a most diverse collection. Everything from a 707 that was Aiforce One, a Concorde, a couple different 747s and hundreds of other cool planes. At the same time take a look across the apron where they refurbish Boeings. Last time I was there we saw F18s, AWACS, a new Poseidon, and a bunch of interesting civilian planes.

 

3 days in heaven.

 

Now don’t even get me started on the East coast, Intrepid, Smithsonian, Cape Canaveral...

 

And then my bucket list is to go visit the Boneyards.

 

Oh my I feel a trip coming on.

[DawieO]

Back in the 90s I was in the Navy, and some of us junior officers had the privilege of being seconded to other Navies. I spent a year in San Diego and saw very cool stuff around.

 

But a mate of mine took the cake. He was attached to a carrier in the med and had to fly out from Italy.

 

His ride was an F14...

 

He has never stopped telling the story, and I have never stopped being jealous.

[Bateleur1]

Back in the 90s I was in the Navy, and some of us junior officers had the privilege of being seconded to other Navies. I spent a year in San Diego and saw very cool stuff around.

 

But a mate of mine took the cake. He was attached to a carrier in the med and had to fly out from Italy.

 

His ride was an F14...

 

He has never stopped telling the story, and I have never stopped being jealous.

 

Ag nee F.  You just ruined my day.  I suppose after that everything in this guys life was dull

[Bateleur1]

I was due to go to Innsbruk on the 9th. Here I am in Munich! No diversion though. The forecast weather was showing below minimums and the various restrictions on the approaches together with the terrain and snow meant that Munich was the best option.

Passing Innsbruk the actual weather was as crap as the forecast had indicated. We did have light snow on landing here.

Today to sunny SA!

 

You should have PMed me.  Would have stick you for a Weißes.

[I FLY]

That sounds!

 

I went to the Harvard  decommissioning ceremony, I cried.

When I was a youngster and lived on the Bluff, Durban a Havard crashed near our house in the late 60s.

Both pilots parachuted to safety.

 

Talking point for many years afterwards

[Bateleur1]

When I was a youngster and lived on the Bluff, Durban a Havard crashed near our house in the late 60s.

Both pilots parachuted to safety.

 

Talking point for many years afterwards

 

When I did my basics in Hoedspruit a Mirage F1 went down after a bird strike. Pilot also chuted to safety.  Still not nice seeing an aircraft ending in a ball of black smoke.

[Bloukrans]

I will go take some pics of the Boeings and Airbus' here at work and post them here. But later, it's dark and wet outside at the moment.

I'm always amazed at those birds - went to the viewing deck yesterday at OR Tambo and was wondering where you (LWB) work.

[Chris_]

....

 

Now don’t even get me started on the East coast, Intrepid, Smithsonian, Cape Canaveral...

 

.....

 

Went here when I was small. BEST day of my life. Back then I was space befok and this was almost too much for me to handle.

[Bateleur1]

I'm always amazed at those birds - went to the viewing deck yesterday at OR Tambo and was wondering where you (LWB) work.

 

Munich Airport has a "Visitor Park".  It is an elevated lookout point between the two runways with a little restaurant and play  area for kids at the bottom and the lookout point is a good spot to view the aircraft at the airport and take pictures of aircraft landing and touching down.  Me thinks it is time to rent a 600mm zoom lens and go take some pics.

 

https://www.munich-airport.com/visitors-park-262040

Edited January 11, 2019 by Bateleur1