onetrack

The jet sold for just US$286,000 (including buyers premium) at the Mecum auction on 8th January 2023, after another collector had purchased it in 2017 for US$430,000.

Interestingly (most probably to the superstitious Chinese), it was sold on the 8th January, which would have been Elvis's 88th birthday, if he was still alive!

https://www.celebretainment.com/celebrities/elvis-presleys-private-jet-sells-for-a-whopping-260-000/article_dedcff9e-65df-5f3f-b22b-a175091b2e49.html

https://www.news.com.au/travel/elvis-presleys-private-jet-sells-at-auction-for-404000/news-story/3915c2427b87e7a247a373b626cb6e2d

Ouch! I'd want some Arab Sheik touches to the interior for that kind of coin - you know, gold plated fittings, sat nav as standard, on-board Kawasaki KLX250 for the trips to town from the airstrip ......

I have a mate who was destined to ride on that Vickers Viscount to Pt Hedland from Perth on 31st Dec 1968. At the last minute he was taken ill, and another bloke from his company took his place.

There were no survivors from the 26 people on board the Viscount, and I can still remember the national shock of that crash to this day. My mate is still incredulous over his "sliding doors" moment.

It's interesting to see that AF-KLM is investing in Airbus A220's in a big way, the day of the jumbo jet has gone. Electric aircraft for short haul will be the next big market, the running costs will be much lower, the pollution levels will be much lower, and they will be quieter. A lot of regional airports will more than likely get some serious upgrades in the next 10-20 years.

https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2021-09-29/air-france-sees-slight-rebound-in-domestic-business-travel

I didn't see any actual year the film was made? Late '50's or early 50's?

It's just amazing that Ken Wallis was still flying his autogyro at age 94 in that video. Don't you just love the squirt of the special, magic starting potion into each intake, to help fire her up?!

So - He can now claim to be, "faster than a falling can!"

He's a bit late to the fire! I was expecting shooting flames, flurries of activity, and great excitement! But it's, "All Over, Red Rover!".

This reminds me of the local Volunteer fire brigade in the small country town, near to where I lived and worked, around about 1968.

The "Vollies" fire rig was an ex-WW2 Ford V8 "Blitz" (CMP) truck - which, in line with all truck gearing of that era, peaked out at a maximum speed of about 65kmh.

A local farmhouse caught fire while the owners were out. Neighbours spotted the smoke, a call was put through to the "Vollies", and they very promptly set about rounding up blokes, and firing up the Blitz, and heading out to the fire - which was about 30kms out of town.

However, in the meantime, the neighbours had alerted local landowners, and a dozen locals promptly turned up with their farm trucks and firefighting rigs, and put the fire out.

Seeing as there was no more to be done, some of the locals set off for home - only to meet the "Blitz", still hammering along at 65kmh, to go to the fire!! 

Naturally, the "Blitz" crew were hailed and stopped, and told they could go home, they weren't wanted any more! A major disappointment for them, no doubt.

It wasn't long after that event, that the "Blitz" was officially retired and sold - and a nice, new, much faster fire truck was purchased!

I can see some major problems looming, straight up - but you can get that, if you choose to operate with just a skeleton crew.

OME - South Africa.

Nev - Yes, I understand that was the last flight, one-way trip for the DC-6, where it has stayed at that site, as a permanent museum display.

You'd think the owner would've had enough brains to water the strip down prior to landing. Surely they weren't that short of water, that they couldn't afford some dust-suppression water from some low-grade source? You can also acquire numerous varieties of dust suppression additives, that reduce the water volume requirements, and which assist in dust particle bonding.