I will pass you over to the guest post at Subrosa's blog
Thanks Subrosa.
Monday 19 April 2010
Volcanogate
I'd be interested to see the models that NATS use. I'm sure they were influenced by NO Win, NO Fee lawyers.
If we can predict AGW to the Nth degree 50 years in the future.How can we not know, with our precision measuring equipment (hollow laugh) what is happening over our small country?
I've had a blue jumper on the washing line for the whole debacle. Guess what? It's covered in volcanic ash? Nope.
We really do live in a scaredy cat world.
And do read Passing the buck.
The war of the cats may be avoided.
My daughter and her husband are stuck in Dubai. Because of this I have been tasked with picking up their cats, from the Cattery, and bringing them back to chez FE.
One slight problem. The FE household has two cats. I remember the last time we brought a stranger cat to live with us. Our three cats (one of which is now deceased) ganged up and refused to allow her through the cat flap. In the end she ran away. The worst bit was after a year a best friend of ours turned up at our house with a dying cat which she had witnessed being run down. Horrifyingly it was our runaway.
So I'm relieved to read this.
Flights will finally start again in the UK on Tuesday after air traffic control company Nats lifted restrictions for Scotland and part of northern England.
And this.
Flights will finally start again in the UK on Tuesday after air traffic control company Nats lifted restrictions for Scotland and part of northern England.
It's little things like this that strike a chord with most people. It's called compassion. Pity it is in such short supply amongst career politicians.
Slightly topical
Actual exchanges between pilots and control towers
"Delta 351, you have traffic at 10 o'clock, 6 miles!"
Tower:
Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We have digital watches!"
"TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees."
Tower:
TWA 2341: "Center, we are at 35,000 feet.. How much noise can we make up here?"
Tower: "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?"
"I'm f...ing bored!"
From an unknown aircraft waiting in a very long takeoff queue:
Ground Traffic Control: "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!"
Unknown aircraft: "I said I was f....ing bored, not f...ing stupid!"
"United 329 heavy, your traffic is a Fokker, one o'clock, three miles, Eastbound."
O'Hare Approach Control to a 747:
United 329: "Approach, I've always wanted to say this...I've got the little Fokker in sight."
"What was your last known position?"
A student became lost during a solo cross-country flight. While attempting to locate the aircraft on radar, ATC asked,
Student: "When I was number one for takeoff."
A DC-10 had come in a little hot and thus had an exceedingly long roll out after touching down.
San Jose Tower Noted:
"American 751, make a hard right turn at the end of the runway, if you are able.. If you are not able, take the Guadalupe exit off Highway 101, make a right at the lights and return to the airport."
A Pan Am 727 flight, waiting for start clearance in Munich , overheard the following:
Lufthansa (in German):
Ground (in English):
Lufthansa (in English):
Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent): "Because you lost the bloody war!"
Tower:
Eastern 702:
Tower:
Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff, roger; and yes, we copied Eastern. We've already notified our caterers."
One day the pilot of a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to hold short of the active runway while a DC-8 landed. The DC-8 landed, rolled out, turned around, and taxied back past the Cherokee. Some quick-witted comedian in the DC-8 crew got on the radio and said,
The Cherokee pilot, not about to let the insult go by, came back with a real zinger: "I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yours and I'll have enough parts for another one."
The German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.
Speedbird 206:
Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven."
The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.
Ground:
Speedbird 206:
Ground (with quite arrogant impatience):
Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, twice in 1944, but it was dark -- and I didn't land."
While taxiing at London '
An irate female ground controller lashed out at the US Air crew, screaming: "US Air 2771, where the hell are you going? I told you to turn right onto Charlie taxiway! You turned right on Delta! Stop right there. I know it's difficult for you to tell the difference between C and D, but get it right!"
Continuing her rage to the embarrassed crew, she was now shouting hysterically:
"Yes, ma'am," the humbled crew responded.
Naturally, the ground control communications frequency fell terribly silent after the verbal bashing of US Air 2771. Nobody wanted to chance engaging the irate ground controller in her current state of mind. Tension in every cockpit out around Gatwick was definitely running high. Just then an unknown pilot broke the silence and keyed his microphone, asking:
"Wasn't I married to you once?"
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