Leaderboard

Hey David - Thanks for the update. We've all been patiently waiting for your report. Congratulations on persisting through a tough major. Perseverance is a highly sought after trait in new grads. Keep it up. Also, you don't take the easy road do you. Aerospace is tough but I know you can do it. Mechanical is a great back up. With that said, welcome to adulthood. You have a plan and an alternate path. Both well thought out and both would lead you to your ultimate goal: working in the aerospace industry. Here's something else you exhibited: a good foundation for leadership. Doers do. Leaders ask and listen. You asked, listened, digested the information and made what is an excellent decision. Keep it up. Keep us informed. Blue skies (they are always there, even above the rain clouds). TampaPete

I look at it kinda like I do the metric system. After awhile; you get used to it.

A final note - the actual quote is "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." That's essential liberties vs a little temporary safety. The right to free speech is an essential liberty. The right to not wear a mask in a NICU (or in a OR, or in public during a pandemic) is not. The right to life is an essential liberty. The right to go to your favorite bar at any age (or during a pandemic) is not. The right to worship as you please is an essential liberty. Even the right to refuse a vaccination is an essential liberty. However, the right to refuse a vaccination - and then experience absolutely no consequences - is not.

Hi folks, I think that this horse had died. It is not possible to inflict any additional punishment. Let's move on. Jerry Baumchen

Rogozin, the head of the Russian space program, has been somewhat anti-US for most of his tenure. He would frequently mock SpaceX's progress (or lack thereof) in terms of reusable rockets and later manned launches of Space Station astronauts, He once tweeted that perhaps the US could "bring their astronauts to the International Space Station using a trampoline!" suggesting that he would refuse to fly Americans to the ISS in the wake of sanctions (and also suggesting that SpaceX would ultimately fail.) He has gotten worse. He has threatened to let the ISS's orbit deteriorate so that it would re-enter the atmosphere. "If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an unguided deorbit to impact on the territory of the U.S. or Europe?" This is relevant because the ISS's "main engines" are on the Zvezda module, which is under Russian control. (Recently a Cygnus cargo module docked that has this capability as well, so the ISS is no longer dependent on Russian cooperation for reboost.) It's clear Rogozin is angry at the US for participating in sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Afghanistan. And yet on board the ISS astronauts are still working together. You have to wonder what they are talking about up there, and whether the cosmonauts are annoyed at Rogozin for making so much of their work political. This week an ISS crew took off from Russia and docked at the ISS. When they took off they had the standard blue and red jumpsuits on. When they arrived at the ISS they had yellow and blue jumpsuits on (which, of course, are the colors of the Ukranian flag.) When one of the cosmonauts was asked about it they said "We actually had a lot of yellow material, so we had to use it." Now THAT is a good troll.

Because it's a completely unbelievable set of circumstances. On the flip side, why don't Trump supporters believe Trump was a Putin stooge, despite all the evidence?

I'll bet a beer that in five years "but . . . but . . . her emails" will be replaced by "but . . . but . . . Hunter's laptop . . . "

"He ran Fisker. OK, he was just an employee. Wait. what? Well, he was shareholder. No, he was a stakeholder. No? Well he followed them closely. What? Look, he once walked by the building and there is photographic proof, see? I WIN!"

I find it interesting that people just can't imagine that the children of someone they generally disagree with (Hunter Biden, any Trump offspring) can ever do the right thing because it's right, and they equally assume that the offspring of someone they generally agree with (likewise) is likely to do the right thing. Gosh, maybe that's what privilege looks like. Wendy P.

America, proud home of the free to whine.

Government report has been released: http://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2021/A21Q0052/A21Q0052.html?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=Aviator_Newsletter_-_411_-_Mar19&utm_medium=email Basically a communications breakdown and lack of clarity over safe procedures. The person on the grass mower may have started moving next to the runway just after the Twin Otter landed, not realizing that another plane was about to land. The field is basically used only for skydiving, but occasionally a small plane will fly into the PPR (Prior Permission Required) airport. The person flying in there in his personal aircraft was one of the skydiving company's pilots, and when I jumped there years back I have seen one of the owners of the company fly in with their own little Cessna. The person cutting the grass wasn't one of the usual grass cutters, and had done the task only a few times. The grass cutters had been informed they could cut grass when the Twin Otter was on the ground. The report didn't get into what else the person knew -- Whether they thought that ONLY the Twin Otter would be flying, or whether they knew that 'very occasionally there are other airplanes around -- it is a live runway -- so always keep your eyes peeled'. The report I thought unfairly criticized the pilot for not getting prior permission to land. Yet he had gotten in communication with the Twin Otter to sequence their arrivals, so he had some permission from the current DZ traffic to land. The report seems to imply that PPR is something that one needs to get for every arrival, but isn't clear about it. However, the pilot had flown his own plane in and out of the strip a number of times, and I expect he thought he had standing permission to drop in. (I have also operated that way elsewhere, if the airport owner gave me standing permission to drop by.) There is no mention in the report whether anyone was monitoring or usually monitors the air frequency on the ground. The grass cutter did not have a radio. Which of course would increase situational awareness. My impression is that the grass cutters weren't well briefed or practiced on the airfield's procedures -- especially that there might occasionally be aircraft other than the Twin Otter. Lack of a radio (and one usable while running a noisy mower) certainly makes any ground activity next to a runway more dangerous.

Chickens have it figured out, they start crowing at sunrise and roost at sunset and they don't even have clocks.

...I think you just cracked the case, Sherlock!

Is it only me or does anyone else see the irony in Brent starting a thread titled: "Try to spot the trend"?

Dude, welcome to deciding your life. There’s always time to change; there isn’t always time and money to start. Wendy P.

Just a quick update - college is going well. Engineering is hard but I'm maintaining good grades in all my classes. I'm going to shoot for Aerospace when I choose my major at the end of this year (If I can't get in, I will try Mechanical, and I can still get into aerospace industry with a ME degree) Sometimes I really miss California's weather but can't complain haha. Looking back I believe that I made the right choice, and thanks to everyone who pushed me. I think right now I'm learning something meaningful, and will do something meaningful in the future. About skydiving... well, I still think about it and my past experiences from time to time, but not as much as before. After my accident I always had that urge of 'immediately' getting back to it but now that has decreased a lot. I will jump again when I'm fully ready after a few years. Blue Skies and stay safe out there

Nah, remember it was Biden who signed the Doha agreement in February 2020.

So the Biden administration is fossil fuel friendly? Really guys, the level of self delusion is impressive.

"Give me convenience or give me death!" Jello Biafra

Bill - my point is simple, personal attacks aren't needed or appreciated by anyone. I try to make honest posts and enjoy thoughtful replies. When my opinions differ from others that is all it is, a difference in opinion. Much of your content and knowledge is appreciated. We've had good exchanges on other topics like our solar and energy discussions. Just read your post on nuclear power - spot on, the sooner the better. GA Power is showing us the true cost and timeline. There's plenty of stuff going on and quality exchanges are learning opportunities.

I was keeping it simple for myself

I could have Israel or Pelosi’s compound, but I wanted to keep it simple.

I said secure the border, I didn’t opine on if it had been done in the past. If Hungary can do it so can we How about energy dominance, #1 fossil fuel producer Lower taxes resulted in a growing economy, low inflation and record low unemployment. Trickle down is a left wing buzzword not an economic theory As a libertarian, I would not conflate the abortion issue with business regulation Pro police as opposed to defund the police I would model our immigration policies off of Canada “a merit based permanent residence program which ranks candidates based on factors such as education, English or French language skills, work experience, and age. Additional factors include Canadian education or work experience, family in Canada, or a job offer. The Express Entry System is meant to attract the best and brightest applicants from around the world to fulfill Canadian labor needs.” Flag burning and taking a knee is speech protected by the 1st Amendment School choice means allowing parents to choose a school that fits the needs of the child not the teachers Union Funny how you accuse me of using buzzwords while using them yourself

Who are the Uranians and why does Biden support them.

No, not in the literal sense, he has his rent-a-cops doing his dirty work. Trudeau himself is a milquetoastian pantywaist. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/fitness/canadian-trucker-beaten-by-police-says-they-can-break-his-bones-but-not-my-spirit/vp-AAU8QGO