Author Topic: Aviation Thread - News, facts, questions, photos, videos, etc. (Read 14649 times)

Taaroa · « **Reply #390 on:** December 29, 2017, 07:50:32 AM »

Private plane blown off runway and into building near Malta International Airport

Quote

The Bermuda registered aircraft, owned by UK peer Lord Ashcroft (who is domiciled in Belize for tax reasons), rolled off the Malta airport (MLA) apron, through a perimeter fence and across an adjacent road. The nose crashed through a wall of a building owned by Polidano Group. No injuries are reported.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=203481

Damage doesn't look too bad to me, but I think somebody didn't do their job right.

Swishypants · « **Reply #391 on:** December 29, 2017, 07:55:11 AM »

It's normal for this time of month. The Hanger was about to have it's period.

Yorkshire pud · « **Reply #392 on:** December 29, 2017, 09:17:37 AM »

Quote from: Walks_At_Night on December 28, 2017, 10:04:11 PM

It's crazy how expensive some of these model kits are. $128 smackers for a balsa wood PBY?

https://www.guillow.com/pby-5acatalina.aspx

Using small motors and lightweight lipo batteries and micro servos and receiver, you could probably make it fly. R/C models are a different league to static plastic kits, and the bigger stuff even more so. Loads on Youtube with big scale models. $20-30000 for the really good stuff isn't unusual.

Walks_At_Night · « **Reply #393 on:** December 29, 2017, 07:12:06 PM »

This PBY talk got me thinking about Jacques Cousteau's PBY Calypso. I remembered in some of his specials he'd crank around in it here and there.

Sadly it turns out it ended up crashing with one of Cousteau's sons at the controls.

https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19790628-0

Swishypants · « **Reply #394 on:** December 29, 2017, 07:30:44 PM »

When I was a boy, I flew Sailplanes. Flight: My one true love. WE'RE BIRDS! First instructor was a B-17 Pilot. Second was a Luftwaffe Ace to be un-named. "HANS" something or other.

Swishypants · « **Reply #395 on:** December 29, 2017, 07:35:43 PM »

I've watched this a dozen times now. Fuck you Pud!

Swishypants · « **Reply #396 on:** December 29, 2017, 07:45:44 PM »

My one and only weakness. I'll yield ONLY for flight!

Swishypants · « **Reply #397 on:** December 31, 2017, 03:52:06 AM »

Oooooh HELL YES! It looks like the Mk. XIV's did make it to India and received the coveted CBI paint job! They were held out of combat because they arrived in the last few months, but there are unsubstantiated stories about a couple of them "moving up" and doing a few recon sorties in the last 10 days of the war, so I might just get away with by a cunt-hair! They did not have the clipped wings but this kit has the full tips included.

Not a XIV but the paint job is the same, only not as weathered.

These XIV's did a lot of patrolling after the war and were then turned over to India and repainted.

Uncle Duke · « **Reply #398 on:** December 31, 2017, 04:19:00 PM »

https://goo.gl/images/bFruqh

I think the image is a Mk XIV, a Spit survivor that was on the airshow circuit a few years back.

Swishypants · « **Reply #399 on:** December 31, 2017, 04:24:44 PM »

Quote from: Uncle Duke on December 31, 2017, 04:19:00 PM

https://goo.gl/images/bFruqh

I think the image is a Mk XIV, a Spit survivor that was on the airshow circuit a few years back.

A "high back" yeah. Kiwi. The high-backs and low-backs/standard and bubble canopies, came out of different factories at the same time so you find the XIV's in all configs with clipped and parabola wings side by side. The XIV's are all over the place configuration wise. Thanks for the photo.

Uncle Duke · « **Reply #400 on:** December 31, 2017, 04:45:05 PM »

Quote from: Swishypants on December 31, 2017, 04:24:44 PM

A "high back" yeah. Kiwi. The high-backs and low-backs/standard and bubble canopies, came out of different factories at the same time so you find the XIV's in all configs with clipped and parabola wings side by side. The XIV's are all over the place configuration wise. Thanks for the photo.

Having worked with a number of Brit aerospace firms, I can tell you configuration management is not their long suit. I saw one of the NAVAIR config managers from Pax River get so frustrated with the BAe JSF team during a physical configuration audit planning meeting, I thought he was going to have a stroke.

Swishypants · « **Reply #401 on:** December 31, 2017, 04:49:19 PM »

Quote from: Uncle Duke on December 31, 2017, 04:45:05 PM

Having worked with a number of Brit aerospace firms, I can tell you configuration management is not their long suit. I saw one of the NAVAIR config managers from Pax River get so frustrated with the BAe JSF team during a physical configuration audit planning meeting, I thought he was going to have a stroke.

I reckon that's a legacy behavior from "the war." Towards the end, and with the UK's coffers completely dry, they were throwing anything and everything they could muster into new Marks of planes. "Just get them built out of whatever we've got left and get them to the front!" They were dead broke, and the sun had set on the Empire.

Taaroa · « **Reply #402 on:** January 03, 2018, 01:33:34 AM »

Uncle Duke · « **Reply #403 on:** January 03, 2018, 07:13:54 AM »

http://amp.timeinc.net/thedrive/the-war-zone/17315/brazil-is-reportedly-buying-the-royal-navys-only-helicopter-carrier-on-the-cheap?source=dam

If Brazil does buy Ocean, will be interesting to see if they will refit the ship to operate high perfornance jet STO/VL aircraft like the soon to be surplus to need Harriers of the USMC. As has been pointed out in this thread previously, such a refit would be extensive/expensive, but considering both Ocean and the Harriers will be purchased relatively cheaply, such work might be affordable. Ocean with a dozen or so Harriers would be a formitable capability in an region where no aircraft carriers operate.

Swishypants · « **Reply #404 on:** January 03, 2018, 07:22:56 AM »

Just the cover image of that video! We have God damn mobile phones with the power of a super computer from 20 years ago that would fill up an entire floor of an office building, but we still have GA planes that are 40 years old and the designs are 60-80 years old! What the FUCK! The old men priced the entire endeavor out of even their reach! Noice Job JACKASS!

YOU FORGOT TO MAKE NEW PILOTS! With outrageous costs and outlawing any kind of fun that went with it! They spend their money on other shit now! So what if it is safer than ever! It's now boring as hell and no young person even bothers to look into doing it!

Taaroa · « **Reply #405 on:** January 03, 2018, 09:26:14 AM »

Quote from: Swishypants on January 03, 2018, 07:22:56 AM

but we still have GA planes that are 40 years old and the designs are 60-80 years old

It brings a smile to my face to when I see cigarette lighter port is in the cockpit because that means the plane is from the days when not only smoking was allowed in flight, but the crew needed to smoke.

I don't think there's really an issue with the old designs if they've proven themselves over the decades, but the bigger issue is that a lot of these airframes are edging towards service limits, new ones aren't in production anymore, and it doesn't look like there are any replacements on the horizon. But with that said, they resumed Twin Otter and Do228 production with upgraded avionics a few years back so maybe we'll see that happening with other designs.

Swishypants · « **Reply #406 on:** January 03, 2018, 09:35:50 AM »

We need 25,000 dollar airplanes, that cost no more than 5K a year to fly. With 3-D Printing this should be no problem. With advances in computer design a 25K plane today should blow the doors off an older design. Flying is not hard and it is not some "elite" hobby. It's basic as hell.

Swishypants · « **Reply #407 on:** January 03, 2018, 09:41:29 AM »

By 30, every intelligent man should have at least a basic bass boat and a 2 seater plane. Something reminiscent of a WWII fighter would be perfect!

Make the profit on volume!

Swishypants · « **Reply #408 on:** January 03, 2018, 09:55:56 AM »

All it needs is a blow-down, better tires, and a sun-shade canopy. And cut the cost in order to make the profit on volume! A cartridge based blow-down is fine! 3 blade prop would be nice but not mandatory. Hot little number and fun fun fun!

Swishypants · « **Reply #409 on:** January 03, 2018, 10:04:59 AM »

And you KNOW, a camo livery is every boys dream! Rig up two hard-points and make some bath-tub napalm! Wait for the ANTIFA riots! "HANDS UP...He seems a little low!"

albrecht · « **Reply #410 on:** January 04, 2018, 06:06:13 PM »

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/jet-grounds-two-senior-pilots-for-fighting-in-cockpit-of-london-mumbai-flight/articleshow/62354429.cms
"NEW DELHI: Jet Airways has grounded two of its senior commanders for fighting inside the cockpit of a London-Mumbai flight on January 1.
The commander flying as co-pilot allegedly slapped the lady commander mid-flight after which she left the cockpit in tears."

Taaroa · « **Reply #411 on:** January 04, 2018, 11:34:45 PM »

Low tide reveals wreckage of WWII bomber in waters off Darwin
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-05/low-tide-in-darwin-reveals-wreckage-of-wwii-b25-mitchell-bomber/9306444

Quote from: albrecht on January 04, 2018, 06:06:13 PM

The commander flying as co-pilot allegedly slapped the lady commander mid-flight after which she left the cockpit in tears."

Seems to happen fairly regularly in India, last time was 2 years ago. Their civil aviation industry seems like a complete clusterfuck - I wonder who or what is preventing them from being on the EU blacklist.

Taaroa · « **Reply #412 on:** January 10, 2018, 07:50:36 AM »

Airbus’s first BelugaXL completes final assembly
The new version of Airbus' cargo plane the Beluga has finished final construction and is due to make it's first flight in mid 2018. The old Beluga is based on the A300 and built in the 90s, while the new model is based on the A330 and intended to replace the old examples progressively through 2025.

http://australianaviation.com.au/2018/01/airbuss-first-belugaxl-completes-final-assembly/

China’s second carrier to start sea trials next month
Commentators in China believe that the country's first domestically built aircraft carrier will begin sea trials next month. The Type 001A is based on the Soviet Kuznetsov class, and will join the Liaoning (the former Varyag) which is currently in service as a mainly training ship. There have been reports in the past few weeks that construction of China's third carrier is well underway near Shanghai, and is expected to take two years to complete.

http://www.ecns.cn/military/2018/01-09/287485.shtml
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2126883/china-has-started-building-its-third-aircraft-carrier

ksm32 · « **Reply #413 on:** January 12, 2018, 01:33:15 AM »

I know where the ninth Avro Arrow is.

Jackstar · « **Reply #414 on:** January 12, 2018, 02:18:07 PM »

APOLOGISTS ASSEMBLE

Lord Grantham · « **Reply #415 on:** January 12, 2018, 02:25:48 PM »

Quote from: Jackstar on January 12, 2018, 02:18:07 PM

APOLOGISTS ASSEMBLE

Too bad if you scroll slightly to the left the runway is obstructed with a radar dish(?) and what looks like a mounting point further down the runway. Nothing is taking off from there.

It's also 2,000 ft. from a public highway. Not the ideal place to launch a BEYOND TOP SECRET aircraft.

"This is an obvious testing facility" Yeah, no shit, it's a Sikorsky / Pratt and Whitney campus.

Taaroa · « **Reply #416 on:** January 12, 2018, 04:59:27 PM »

Quote from: Lord Grantham on January 12, 2018, 02:25:48 PM

Too bad if you scroll slightly to the left the runway is obstructed with a radar dish(?) and what looks like a mounting point further down the runway. Nothing is taking off from there.

It's also 2,000 ft. from a public highway. Not the ideal place to launch a BEYOND TOP SECRET aircraft.

"This is an obvious testing facility" Yeah, no shit, it's a Sikorsky / Pratt and Whitney campus.

And it's a short gravel strip with obstacles at one threshold.

Yorkshire pud · « **Reply #417 on:** January 12, 2018, 05:05:52 PM »

Quote from: Lord Grantham on January 12, 2018, 02:25:48 PM

Too bad if you scroll slightly to the left the runway is obstructed with a radar dish(?) and what looks like a mounting point further down the runway. Nothing is taking off from there.

It's also 2,000 ft. from a public highway. Not the ideal place to launch a BEYOND TOP SECRET aircraft.

"This is an obvious testing facility" Yeah, no shit, it's a Sikorsky / Pratt and Whitney campus.

Yeah, but apart from all that, it doesn't mean it can't be a conspiracy theorist's wet dream..Can it?

Jackstar · « **Reply #418 on:** January 12, 2018, 10:45:20 PM »

Quote from: Jackstar on January 12, 2018, 02:18:07 PM

APOLOGISTS ASSEMBLE

Absolut Pavlovian

Dr. MD MD · « **Reply #419 on:** January 13, 2018, 05:58:35 PM »

Quote from: Jackstar on January 12, 2018, 10:45:20 PM

Absolut Pavlovian