danny_galaga

Yes, I've travelled through Cuba. Before the embargo they were the USA's fifth largest trading partner, and the USA was. Cuba's largest. Incidentally, since US relied on cheap Cuban sugar, they increased the use of inferior corn syrup. Now you know the origin of the - Mexican coca cola is better than American Coca cola complaint 😊 Anyway, I think they do the best they can considering how much the US deliberately nobbled their economy. It's not the fairest system when a doctor and a street sweeper earn the same monthly salary. Especially if the street sweeper bunks off work to sell 3 peso coins to tourists. Then the street sweeper is making WAY more than a doctor. On the plus side, within the limits of all this, people are free to do what they want (I even saw a group squaring up some dogs for a fight. Its not illegal. I didn't stay) and there's virtually no street crime, since there are cops everywhere. Oh, and rum was about the same price as Mexican coca cola 😊 I would still rather live here than Cuba or China, but as some of you understand, the world works in many ways.

So my radio isn't brilliant. And I'm not very methodical when it comes to trouble shooting. But what I have noticed is the signal seems a lot clearer when I'm turning to base. I didn't know what to make of that until I realised the signal doesn't seem as good on climb. It finally occurred to me what might be happening the other day so I took some measurements today. I have a dipole antenna. When I installed it I felt quite chuffed because it seemed kinda vertical and was a tidy install. As you know, dipole is simple but due to the length is a bit tricky to find somewhere near vertical, else you have to bend it. But how close to vertical is my installation really? I imagined it was something like 60-70°. But that was an optical illusion due to me being distracted by the door frame. See attached pic. In fact, when taxiing, it's about 45° 😲. So this is my rough estimate of angles: Taxi: 45° Straight and level: 50° Descending on final: 55° Climb: 40° ! The question I guess is this: I think I have more than one problem, but given the variation in quality of signal seems to be related to aircraft attitude, and looking at the general angle mine is at, will I at least reduce or eliminate one problem by making my antenna vertical? My solution would be to move the base of it (bottom right in that first pic) about 400-500mm back so it's not running against the aluminium upright and poke the aerial through the top of the fuselage. This crossed my mind when I was first installing it but I opted for the simplest solution knowing I could try something else later.

To drag back on topic. This is a ground test firing of their reusable rocket stage, similar to Space X and Honda

Cyanide and arsenic don't radiate gamma rays, which damage DNA.

Well, I was talking about their aviation supply chain, how they make their power is neither here nor there. But they have installed more solar than coal in recent years, and increased nuclear. Australia needs to think about what to do when no one wants coal for power anymore

Particularly one that ended in a fiery fireball 😲

Note too I misread the story. I thought it was four planes. It was four passengers 😄

Not really a pile up, but kind of has that Friday afternoon freeway pileup vibe https://www.kpax.com/news/local-news/flathead-county/small-plane-crashes-at-kalispell-city-airport

It's not going to matter in ten years. They will be the innovators, and it'll be THEIR turn to outsource their manufacturing to countries with cheaper labour, etc. politically they are far from my favourite country, but when it comes to innovation, despite all the prevailing stereotypes, they are moving in leaps and bounds.

Poms did this too. A know someone who's father, who used to be in the Navy was exposed to nuclear fallout. He died of cancer, most likely from that.

🤷‍♂️

Very interesting footage from the 50's. I've always been impressed with how they were able to radio control such complicated aircraft, pre digital proportional days.

A bit more about the variant. It was basically the last variant built, with lots of 'mod cons' including Martin Baker ejection seats https://www.thedailystar.net/news-0/news/f7-fighter-jets-origins-and-capabilities-3944701

Just to show what I'm getting at, and to show China isn't just 'little people who are good with their hands and copying small industrial things', their first atomic weapon tests were in 1964. Their first rocket into space was in 1970. This is especially important because you have to be pretty first rate with your metallurgy. For instance, large liquid fuel rockets have a power take off in the form of a turbo. You aren't just going down to the wreckers and pulling one of those off an RX7. And then theres this. First tests of their lunar lander.

I mean, they've been making jet engines since the 40's, like most other producers. This is what surprises me about China. I guess their biggest problem is they were set back at least 20 years or so, technologically because of mao. I'm still surprised though because since the 80's they've really been making up for lost time.

Nonetheless, they are striding forward. Did you notice that China will become only the third country to be able to make a certain hydraulic fluid for instance? I'm assuming the other two are USA and USSR err russia.Technology isn't just the domain of English speakers you know 😉. Incidentally, they don't speak english in Russia either... People have this quaint idea about 'the Chinese' similar to how people viewed Japan until the 80s "Oh, they're best suited to copying things" "oh they're good at making little electronic gadgets because of their small hands" etc etc. They've made huge strides in electronics. It is surprising they didn't sort aviation out first. Have a look at these stats for patent listings (quite a lot are for electronics incidentally). Tell me what you see at the top of most of the lists? Not bad for little Asians who are good at copying things... https://www.wipo.int/en/ipfactsandfigures/patents

I didn't realise China is not totally self sufficient when it comes to aircraft technology until the kerfuffle with engine supply for their new C919 airliner. The engines are American 😲 Anyway, line them or loath them, China are exceptionally good at sorting out issues once the problem is identified. From complete engines, to hydraulic oil, they are sorting things out. As well they should, a country that size. Even ruzzia is more self reliant. It's embarrassing! https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320682/nose-tail-how-china-reshaping-aviation-supply-chain#amp_tf=From %1%24s&aoh=17543896531858&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Feconomy%2Fchina-economy%2Farticle%2F3320682%2Fnose-tail-how-china-reshaping-aviation-supply-chain

Too bad for the thousands of pilots who don't service their own aircraft then that apparently there are almost no good mechanics around 🙄

Not scary at all. They are LAMEs and service a lot of Rotax engines. They have done the homework for me. Mind you, it didn't seem much cheaper than the 'real' deal. But there was no mucking around getting it either. They are at the same field as me. Anyway, you always say 'relatively easy' but never say where you got yours from. Why not just give us a link to your supplier? Don't you like your supplier? Wouldn't you want to send some more business their way! It's not like we are downloading pirated software and we've got to be all 'hush hush' about it...

I gave up on trying to find the oil hose alternative myself and just bought something from the mechanic. It's blue is all I know.

Now on my list of places to visit ☺️ https://www.cnn.com/travel/de-havilland-comet-dh106-first-passenger-jet

I'm definitely not experienced enough like a lot of you, but I feel fact Hunter is on the money. Also, on a different matter, look at all those trucks etc like "there's nothing to see here. I'm late for work" 😕

The Dude abides

Amazing photos aren't they? 😲