Vertical Flight

When it comes to point to point flying, the helicopter wins hands down. Of course, a price must be paid in terms of fuel and other overall costs. A rotary wing aircraft is not cheap. But they will impress you in many categories. Here’s a look at a Sikorsky.

A Sikorsky helicopter waiting for the next flight.

A Sikorsky helicopter waiting for the next flight.

This corporate machine delivers people in relative comfort. Around the Northeast USA, helicopters like this make a lot of sense in the business world as their clients are above the traffic and where they want to be when they need to be there. No matter what you’re flying, always do your checklist.

Published in: on July 13, 2015 at 2:13 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Looking Down

Flying always presents the opportunity for interesting perspectives. On a recent commercial flight, I spotted this scene below, a spit of land along the east coast of the USA:

A sandy spit of land along the east coast of the United States of America.

A sandy spit of land along the east coast of the United States of America.

I’m not sure exactly where this was. I lost track of our location. Still, looking down from 35,000 feet can be very instructive, giving one a sense of how big, or how small, this planet is. Take time to enjoy the view wherever you are.

Published in: on July 8, 2015 at 12:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Lunch on a Plane

If you think about it, serving a meal aboard an airliner is no easy feat. In the first place, the galley is effectively the size of a closet. Then there are all the safety concerns. Furthermore, keeping things hot and/or cold is a challenge. As if that wasn’t enough, airlines have to deal with suppliers in various countries during the course of a route. Somehow, things come out okay. In fact, I would say in the past several years, airline food has improved. Here’s a look at a recent lunch aboard American Airlines:

Lunch served aboard American Airlines.

Lunch served aboard American Airlines.

There’s a nice variety of food on that tray, including a fresh salad, an entree, and the salmon. A few moments later, a whole wheat role was added. If I ate portion this size it would probably go a long way toward my weight control program. I found this meal to be tasty and a nice treat during a long flight. Food is good for morale and good food makes for better morale. Enjoy every meal.

Published in: on July 7, 2015 at 11:37 am  Leave a Comment  
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B-24 Diamond Lil

While visiting an airshow recently, I had the pleasure of checking out a flying B-24 Liberator, one of the heavy bombers of the Second World War. It was a well-restored and maintained aircraft.

Nose of B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

Nose of B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

It’s incredible to imagine squadrons of these bombers overhead, as well as all the aircrews that flew them. Here’s a look at the tail gunner’s station:

Tail gunner's station in B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

Tail gunner’s station in B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

And here’s a look at the instrument panel in the cockpit, which does include some modern instruments:

Instrument panel in the cockpit of B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

Instrument panel in the cockpit of B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

Powering this airplane are three massive radial engines, which are impressive in their own right.

Radial engine and propeller on B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

Radial engine and propeller on B-24 Liberator, Diamond Lil.

For a generous fee, you can take a ride in this plane, which would have been an amazing experience. Sadly, I didn’t have the time. Nonetheless, it was interesting to check out a piece of living history.

Published in: on April 28, 2015 at 8:56 pm  Comments (1)  
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