Category: Miscellaneous –  Page 28

Buying US stamps abroad

Edit: see the comments for a direct response from Zazzle. I’m starting to think about the details now and who to target with the descriptions. I decided some queries in the US would help to gauge interest in flying around British islands. I realised that the first thing I needed was US postage stamps for…

Read more… 7 May 07

Incoming

Anne’s crisp voice came through loud and clear on my headset as the English coast retreated behind us. “Does anyone want a biscuit?” Cliff responded for the both of us. “Not now, Mum. It’s only a short flight.” He shook the map at her, as if she could see it from the rear seat. I…

Read more… 27 Apr 07

Geoffrey’s Leap

Driving along a coastal road, I saw something at the last moment. “Stop the car! There was a sign back there.” Cliff slammed on the brakes. “A sign for what?” “I dunno, but it looked interesting.” He gave me a nasty look but backed the car up and found a wide bit of road to…

Read more… 20 Apr 07

Chapelle-ès-Pêcheurs

The Parish Church of St Brelade is a romantic Norman stone structure, dating from the 11th century, a reminder of French government of Jersey. I paused to look at the stained glass windows but I was much more interested in its neighbour, The Fisherman’s Chapel. The Fisherman’s Chapel is a chantry, a medieval pay-for-prayer chapel…

Read more… 12 Apr 07

Not quite how I had planned it.

From my notes We arrived at the station where I tried to buy a Day Rover, unlimited travel on both the electric train and the steam train. “It’s a special event” said the unshaven man at the counter. “I can do you a return to Ryde and you just get off at Smallbrook Junction.” I…

Read more… 31 Mar 07

Locals just call it “the Island”

I’m finally getting around to organising my photographs and the shots from the Isle of Wight are rapidly appearing on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/landing/sets/72157600034671389/ Did you know there was an Isle of Wight County in Virginia? I first realised that I might have gone astray when I saw that “the Isle of Wight Museum offers Indian artifacts,…

Read more… 29 Mar 07

Accident Reports

Unbolted in Fairfield (Update on the 2022 Bell 407 GXP Crash)

On the 4th of June 2022, a Bell 407 GXP helicopter crashed in a field near Fairfield, New Jersey. I wrote about it at the time. The final report and…

Madness on the Runway at Manchester

The Manchester Airport Group Plc owns and operates three airports: Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands. Manchester Airport is the third busiest airport in Britain. Their website says Manchester Airport…

Demystifying

Training an AI Copilot To Spot Gliders

My friend Maria at Daedalean wrote this article about how they are using AI to help pilots detect gliders. I thought it was fascinating and Daedalean gave me permission to…

The Missing Bolts from Alaska Airlines flight 1282

On the 5th of January 2024, Alaska Airlines flight 1282 had just taken off when it lost a door plug, leaving a gaping hole on the left side of row…

History

Gladys Ingle Inflight Wheel Change: Emergency Action or Stunt?

This video of a mid-air wheel exchange goes viral once a year or so, but I never get tired of watching it. Last week, it showed up on Reddit and…

The Disappearance of the Hawaii Clipper May Not Be as Mysterious as Was Thought

This week, we have a guest post by J.B. Rivard who wrote an article for the American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS) and used one of my articles as a reference.…

Fun Stuff

A Few Good Stories

I’m in Dresden at the moment and I’m afraid I haven’t had a free moment to write you a new article. Luckily, lots of other people are on the internet…

Flying Fails and Airshow Considerations

Long-term readings of Fear of Landing know that my favourite aerobatics show of all time is Kyle Franklin’s Ben Whabnoski Comedy act. Just in case some of you haven’t seen…