Re: Very OT: things that fly by

Mark <captain.black@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

> On Wed, 9 Jul 2008 10:53:32 +0100, Eddie wrote (in article
> <gemini.k3qgt800006w70wsd.efl42@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):
> 
> > peter@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Peter Ceresole) wrote:
> > 
> > > Michael H. Phillips <mhp@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >> 
> > > > The Viscount and Friend****p were just too civilised to be
exciting.
> >> 
> > > Oh, I dunno. I once flew from Kolwezi to Kinshasa in a Friend****p.
As
> > > a rare treat I was sitting in the jump seat- the pilot was an
> > > ex-Belgian Air Force Thunderjet jockey. The trip was through a
lovely
> > > lot of African afternoon thunderstorms; he was looking at the
> > > convection cells on the weather radar (there was nothing to see
apart
> > > from shades of grey outside) and steering around them by altering
the
> > > heading setting on the autopilot. He told me stories about doing
these
> > > flights in DC6s, without radar. Apparently, lightning paths diverge
> > > from the centre of the cell, heading downwards, so by looking at the
> > > discharges you could steer away from the cells. Really...
> > 
> > Mmm- flying in Africa is still a bit of an adventure. Mostly done at
> > night I seem to remember, limited radio aids, no radar coverage except
> > close to the air****t, and even now communications that rely on HF
radio
> > (Short wave to you and me). Sometimes it used to take 20 mins to get
> > your position re****t through, by which time you had got to the next
> > waypoint.
[snip]
> > Well I could rabbit on, but this has been an interesting topic!
> 
> Bit of mildly relevant comment: Read a book years ago by a chap
recreating
> the first UK/Aussie commercial flight(s) by following the original route
> as closely as he could. Think it was called 'Beyond the Blue Horizon'.
> Fascinating as I remember. Must try and track it down again.

And the other seminal guide to how it really was is 'Fate is the Hunter'
by
Ernest K. Gann. Took me ages to find a copy, but I believe it has now been
reprinted.

-- 
Regards
Eddie
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." Napoleon