Mont Blanc hosted a fun event last week. They introduced some new fountain pens, watches, and other exotic wares at their King of Prussia, PA, USA location. They were good enough to invite me, and I showed up toting my favorite Mont Blanc pen, one that’s written much of several novels. Now, I’ve never been one to go in for psychics and the like but Mont Blanc had a handwriting analyst on hand, one Paula Sassi. Let me tell you dear readers of The Bent Page, this lady knew her stuff! Here’s a photo of her after the analysis discussed below. In the photo we’re chatting about my notebook.
In the first place, she asked that I write out a single sentence and then my signature. She proceeded to interpret these after a few moments of contemplation. Well, she had my personality pegged, flaws and all, to such a degree that my wife nearly blacked out. No kidding! More than just general traits, she zeroed in on the specifics and I kept my mouth shut, partly out of awe and partly because I didn’t want to give her any clues. All I can say is this lady knows how to delve into your characteristics with nothing more than a few lines on paper.
Thus, my thanks go out to Mont Blanc for the invitation to a thrilling event. Plus it was interesting to see their new fountain pens as well as a few old standbys. Keep up the good work, fellows, but remember, they’re hard to wear out.
This is one operated by PENNSTAR, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. I’ve seen these helicopters in action. It’s impressive. The pilot’s fly in all kinds of weather and have to land at the sites of car wrecks, train derailments, even other plane crashes. This is difficult duty to say the least. Then there is the pressure of flying with someone’s life in danger, which adds more pressure to an already stressful task.
Of course, my favorite is the Gadsden Flag in the upper left corner. (That’s the one that says, “Don’t Tread On Me.”) Don’t miss the George S. Patton one in the upper right, either. There are the ones with the American Revolution theme, space exploration, and nautical history. My supplier must have a deep well of these because I send approximately 50-60 pieces of mail to both US and international destinations each month. He’s never run out and I’m grateful.
The proven design still flies, which is testament to Piper’s philosophy. Today, most people refer to planes of this configuration as “tail draggers,” meaning that there is a small wheel at the tail which sits lower than the nose. Truthfully, the correct term is “conventional” gear as opposed to “tricycle” gear. Well, this may be an esoteric digression here at The Bent Page, but I just wanted to set the record straight. And here’s a look at the power plant that pulls this craft through the sky.
It only takes four, air-cooled cylinders to do the job as this is a very light airplane. The cylinders are exposed from the cowling to promote cooling. These engines typically operate for about 2000 hours before requiring an overhaul. Then there is the cockpit.
As you can see, only the basics are here. You have an airspeed indicator and an altimeter, a tachometer for the engines along with oil temp and pressure. There’s a compass to point the way and a turn and slip indicator which is that curved, clear tube in the center with the black ball in it. The turn and slip indicator lets the pilot know that he’s flying in a coordinated fashion (or not) and this is an important concept in flight. If the aircraft is uncoordinated, it is slipping or skidding just like a car on ice. The problem is, in certain adverse conditions a slip or skid can lead to a spin and spins can end in tragedy. Hence the simple yet highly effective device.
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