Happy New Year everyone!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to one and all!
Blists Hill Fireworks Night
Blists Hill Victorian Town in Ironbridge opened it’s doors on the evening of Saturday November 7 for a Family Fireworks Extravaganza. The streets were illuminated by gaslight as they would have been in the 19th century, and the town’s shops, cottages, and workshops were open for visitors to talk to the ‘resident’ Victorians about life in the late 1800s.
The magnificent new Canal Street is lined on both sides with a wonderful parade of shops, including a Drapers and Outfitters, Post Office, Photographers, Sweetshop, and Fried Fish Dealers. The artisans’ corner includes plumbers, tinsmiths and decorative plasterers.
The evening was rounded off with an authentic Victorian funfair, and a spectacular fireworks show. An excellent night’s entertainment!
Head over to the gallery to check out fireworks!
Bell 206B Helicopter Weight and Balance
Following the success of my CG calculator for the Robinson R22 and R44, I have now produced a version for the Bell 206B. I have maintained the same format as for the R22 and the R44 so that the look, feel, and use is the same for all aircraft.
Many thanks to John-Hendric Durrer for assistance in developing and testing this new spreadsheet.
Digital Flight Planner – Version 2!
I’ve made some improvements to my flight planning spreadsheet, and I’m please to announce that version two has now been released!
Not only does it include the solution to the Triangle of Velocities to allow automatic calculation of heading and groundspeed based on the given wind forecast, but it now also calculates your track and distance using the Rhumb line between your waypoints.
Flight planning has never been so easy!
I’m a Photographer, not a Terrorist
Photography is under attack. Across the country it that seems anyone with a camera is being targeted as a potential terrorist, whether amateur or professional, whether landscape, architectural or street photographer. Not only is it corrosive of press freedom but creation of the collective visual history of our country is extinguished by anti-terrorist legislation designed to protect the heritage it prevents us recording.
This campaign is for everyone who values visual imagery, not only photographers.
The campaign is run by a collection of concerned individuals and owes no allegiance to any single organisation.
We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it. Look here for more – I’m a Photographer, not a Terrorist.
Circling downtown Los Angeles
Decending back down to around 1000ft we visit downtown LA. After circling around the skyscrapers (try doing that in the UK!) we head back home to Long Beach. What an awesome flight!!
Mt. Wilson from the air!
We leave Burbank airspace, and it’s time to pull the collective up to maximum continuous power, bring the speed back to 60kts, and start a climb up to 6500ft as we take in the Mt. Wilson Observatory.
Flying over Hollywood
Turning right at Santa Monica, we head towards the Hollywood Hills and buzz the famous sign.
Helicopter transit of LAX airspace 100ft over Manhattan Beach
Flying out over the Pacific coast from Long Beach to Santa Monica. A helicopter transit through LAX airspace involves going low level at less than 150ft over the beach underneath the main arrival/departure path. Great fun!!!