Electric Power!

Already Operational?

The electric engine is now well into progression to begin the replacement of the Diesel which has been very faithful both in locomotion and shipping and this is were some of the first replacements are being built, designed and are operational!

The world of Aviation is also seeing many new aircraft concepts and a great desire to have something up and running in the near future? Many experimental aircraft are on the cards, but this remains a limited to civil aviation while the military are still burning fossil fuels in both aircraft and helicopter fleets!

The automobile has also taken off from hybrid vehicles to battery and full electric and because bus and delivery fleets are coming into service, many ordinary folk want their own! It is not known yet how much all of this is reducing carbon emissions in towns and cities, since many young people and children are still dying from chronic respiratory failures from breathing in carbon monoxide?

Happy New Year to one and All!!

Happy Christmas to All!

Father Christmas?

It has been discovered that Santa Claus travels by hypersonic sled and that the Russians now have the tech since Father Christmas felt that the U.S. President was not up to the job, thinking he was a good guy when he should know better?

He is on the way, each year starting in the Pacific region and the smog in Australia will not stop him, then on to Asia, far-east, middle-east, Africa, Europe, S-America and then the North before heading home for another year!

So wither you still believe in him or not, 'Here is a happy Christmas to one and all!

ENGINES?

Powering Aviation!

Most of the worlds aircraft flying since 1960 have been powered by only a few types, or copies of engine plants! In the west Pratt & Witney, Rolls-Royce. General-Electric and Lycoming are the most numerous for both civil and military.

Russia and China have only a few too, until recent new developments, while France and a few nations did their own thing. Today with more aircraft than ever the western engine giants are still holding their ground with the Russian and European competition?

Much more choices are available today that ever before when it comes to aircraft and capabilities, fuel efficiency with the electric engine now coming online! But these new developments, despite being available still have to go through much testing before we will see them in everyday use?

CASA. Part-Two.

Moving on into new Technology?

CASA is well known for its aviation exploits, but it also was in the development of drones for its own Spanish armed forces and with miniaturisation it has built some serious battle-field kit!

But it also has developed more adaptions for current aircraft to operate any type for fishery protection duties instead of having dedicated aircraft as in times past. This one of many breakthroughs that may see future developments curtailed in these areas and thus be focused on to more aggressive types?

CASA C212 are getting a second life in these roles and the Casa-Nuranto CN-235 and new versions of the CN295 are now more popular in their various civil aircraft liner work than that of military application! Many projects with other nations in South-America seems not to have worked out in a very competitive market?

Queens of the Oceans!

Cruise Ships still popular?

It is perhaps the fate of the Titanic that has made the cruise ship popular, travelling in luxury more today holidaying in a self-contained environment? Cruising is a growing market that is popular world-wide despite accidents and losses and more new ships are coming on line for western operations!

But many other nations also operate their own versions, not all as big as these new queens but just as comfortable and suited for their own clientele? River and canal boats, along with great lakes are just as popular, some people want the peace and tranquillity while other want the fun, musicals and the casinos that mark these holiday vessels for what they are!

Adventures, despite the many incidents remains very attractive, Antarctica, volcanoes, sea-life and on-off shore short trips are all popular with all age groups! The vessels themselves are usually kept to a high standard and staff try their best to deal with difficult people? 

The future will see the introduction of electrical powered vessels and one doubts that the cruise ships of today will be replaced by space flight for some time still to come?

CASA. Part-One.

Spain's Aviation.

Casa has seen much success over the last fifty years in it aviation ventures from the CASA C-101 Aviojet to it cooperation with Indonesia and the CN-235 medium transport, leading to the larger version CN-295.

After developing the initial advanced trainer for the Spanish Airforce in the early 1970's  it moved on small transport aircraft to replace the aging licence built U.S Douglas DC-3 and German Junkers Ju-52/3m, and took a required market with the two, plus twelve seat C-212 Aviocar. This small transport has gradually developed from the 100-400 series and was exported to Jordan, Chile, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.  

But it was not until CASA teamed up with Indonesia that real success paid off with both civil and military orders for the CN-235. 
Maritime reconnaissance, military and national guard transport and various other configurations has made this aircraft very adaptable for a quick switch round in roles.

Access for the Disabled?

Never mentioned in political Manifestos?

Even within the European Union and many other nations around the globe, governments continue to drag their feet in relation to implementing laws that would force public transport and buildings such as places of worship to make provision for wheelchair access, better lighting and physical help when needed?

Cost is perhaps one aspect of failing to do this, yet many in office and management have no problems receiving astronomical hikes in their annual wage packets along with many other lucrative perks?

Despite much protest in the U.K over the years, some famous politicians have been in the habit to block bills that come forward in relation to this access and one believes that big business should take the lead and bring to shame the lies of many of our two-faced politicians! 

Because it is looking like if one is disabled, short-sighted, blind we are being left behind like a sub-human species?

New Mission to Pluto?

A proposed paper is underway at NASA!

Pluto is intriguing in that it is an active world on the known edge of our Solar system, New Horizons proved that with cold volcanism and an atmosphere! It would be interesting to return there with a robotic craft and stay in orbit, while also sending a rover to explore the surface?

Microbial life could exist on most planets that are active in some way, wither anything larger has developed will probably one day be discovered? Within our Solar system there remains many mysteries in relation to all the planets and Moons, humans will have to go and find our what is what?

The Moon, Mars and Titan are the next targets for NASA and a new Space station known as Gateway to orbit the Moon. 

Water ice is the target to sustain our life on any of these bodies and Space travel too, it will take time since we are only sixty-two years old when it comes to this field of aeronautics and science!

More Drones?

For Now!

It would seem that there are limitless roles for all the new high flying drones and glider types that are available on the market, over that of conventional propeller types?

These new aircraft are unmanned, agile, light and can stay up now for days rather than hours and with the various sensors and optics provide 24/7 coverage!

This does not mean that we are done with conventional commercial aviation, since people still need to get from A to Z and so does cargo! Despite the much protest world-wide one does not think that aviation will slacken off since we are now comfortable with it?

Mid-sized and small airlines may be the short future, but the long haul will continue, despite the demise of the giant Airbus A380, the ageing Boeing 747 Jumbo and the problematic 737-MAX?

Many new types are coming to the fore from Japan, China and Russia, along with Brazil, while others are being maintained to extend their operational lives!

Rumbling MARS?

Something Different!

Two recordings of so called Mars quakes have been released by NASA from their static probe, but both give the impression of trains running deep under the surface of what appears to be a dead dry cold world!

But it is reported that some scientists are now in discussion to find a way to explain the possibility that life has been found on another world in our Solar system and this may not be revealed for at least two years?

Meanwhile China claims that it has been successful in growing a root vegetable on the Moon designed to deal with the conditions of 1/6th gravity and if this proves true the possibilities for Mars is very high!

What humanity is after with both the Moon and Mars and further afield is minerals that are rare if not totally new to the Earth, so that we can replace plastic which remains an essential part of all robotic craft and spaceships?

Wasteful Carbon Emissions!

Moving Scrap?

Here in Wales one lives in the view of the massive sprawling TATA-Europe steel works and yet two miles away ships are taking filed down scrap metals to Northern Spain for recycling? To me this is just complete madness, despite companies making a profit from it!

Out government recently cancelled the M4 relief road or Motorway from Newport, Gwent to Cardiff in SE-Wales for some tag poles, while a plethora of new road links are popping up around the city to spoil the countryside and relieve the terrible congestion with most of this being planned for the westside, when it is really needed on the east side and connection to the new Severn crossing to and from England?

Much is claimed by the Europeans about what they want done, but when you see bottled water being moved by train and all the above you have to wonder who is telling the truth or just having a laugh with the naïve?

Electric Progressing!

Many nations are trying?

Sometimes I think environmental groups can or are being to hard on those who are trying to introduce battery powered vehicles into their fleets such as TFL (Transport for London and Royal Mail)?

This new technology will take time as both NASA and Boeing say that they too have now entered the race with Embraer in Brazil! But what we are not hearing in the west is what is happening in China and Russia in this technology?

The protest currently in the U.K. are trying to wake up people to the serious situation that pollution is now going to cause, if we do not stop wanting our independence with the car and the petrol engine?

There are many areas not being mentioned in the media re-the burning of oils in their various forms and their emphasis has been on plastics another product of petroleum! Banks and investments need to be exposed if we are ever going to get on top of global warming in relation to human activity?

PBY Consolidated Catalina

Best flying boat ever Built?

The Catalina was designed in the mid 1930's for the US Navy, but it came to its fore during World-War II (1939-45) when many thousands were built for operations in the maritime role in both the Atlantic ocean and the Pacific! Many were also deployed in the far-east, and Mediterranean in the main role as an anti-submarine hunter and with unrivalled success.

This flying boat was also used to transport special forces, medical evacuation and many needed gaps in aviation during the war years! It is not clear if any were ever used as commercial airliners during or after the war, but they continued mainly in the maritime and later fishery protections role. They were easy to fly and versatile and like by the pilots who flew them and this also applied to around the world?

After the war the over 7000 built found a new role with many nations outside the U.S. and these boats remained in that role right up to the 1990's? The Catalina does not surpass the Antonov An-2/4 in age and operational use, but it is the nearest to that target along with the Douglas DC-3/C-47!

Russia delivers 1st!

Space robot for the International Space Station.

While we here in the U.K. were blinded by Novichok and Brexit, the world was awaiting Russia's new Robot that is to change Space for ever with its ability to work outside the station on dangerous missions and saving the lives of valued human beings!

This is the first generational robot in humanoid form, Russia has used robot space ships the Progress series to supply the ISS for nearly fifty years now and their abandoned Buran shuttle was the first aircraft to be totally robotic even before drones were?

Sometimes there is a lot of jealousy in the world to what others can do, but when we get together and work what we can achieve within reason for the betterment of humanity? The future of travel to the Moon, Mars and perhaps the moons of other planets in the next one-hundred years will be determined by robots wither helping us humans or doing most of the work for us!

Brazil and the Amazonas!

Native Transport?

Brazil is in the media at this time for all the wrong reasons in relation to the destruction of the Amazon forest by burning, but there remains a serious drought in the region and much lightening activity something missed by the media reporting?

The natives of the region have adopted the motorbike as the best means to access the forest for its natural resources of crops and other fruits! Trucks carry a variety of products and not just timber from A to B through some extremely difficult terrain even at the best of times.

Brazil is a very modern nation with a successful arms industry and its aviation outlet Embraer, now selling commercial aircraft world-wide! But the ability to adopt some Indian style transport is clever something that has not as yet come to the fore in many other developing countries?

Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star.

Interesting History?

This year the Wales National Air Show in Swansea Bay, S-Wales U.K. was the attraction of the Shooting Star and American Jet fighter of the 1950's era. But this aircraft was conceived long before World War-II (1939-45) as Americas first Jet fighter the T-33, work began in 1943 at Burbank as the XP-80 lead by Clarence L. Johnson based on the De Havilland H-1 turbo jet and 180 days later its first flight for the USAAF took place.

After various engine alternatives and testing 525 aircraft were delivered at the end of the war in 1945, thirteen YP-80's operated in Europe and two in Italy in October 1944 for special operations. An order of 5000 was dropped to 2000 and eventually to a lover number of about 240  were built between 1946-47.

The F-80 was a single seater and the T-33 became a two seat trainer, there were also other specialised versions and both served with the Air force and the US, Navy. Some were exported to the former Yugoslavia, Italy, Belgium, Turkey and Japan in the 1950's. 

The Royal Canadian Air Force produced a licensed version of this aircraft and it saw operational service in the war on the Korean Peninsula. Max speed 180 mph and range approx. 1345 miles for early versions and later 558 mph and a range of 540 miles. Armament six machine guns and two hard points for bombs or rockets.

Oil drill rig Platforms.

SERTAO.

Anchored at Port Talbot in South Wales, U.K. this ship is surprisingly large for its work of oil exploration and awaits a new buyer? 

But since the Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolf has finally gone under and the lack of new construction of oil rigs Sertao  may soon be bought up for new work in the Artic ocean for fossil fuels?

She is a ship with everything I think one needs to experimentally drill and be serviced to other vessels with her own helicopter deck and various cranes and the like?

One needs to get down to Port Talbot Tata steel dock or the Aber Afan river to see her before she goes, perhaps never to be seen again?

Night Displays WNAS 2019.

Something Different?

The fireflies were different and could be seen for many miles away, there were some disappointment's, for the younger folk who got beyond their bed time?

Again the Wales National Air show was able to pull it off with the Catalina, wing walkers, Battle of Britain flight and all the ground stands! The Red Arrows made their appearances, but the weather was not always favourable!

One has taken several films and hopes to gradually get them up in the next fortnight or so? Sorry I did not get everything, but on the You Tube you can refer to films from years past which cover nearly all the regular visitors!

BBC 4 and Plane Spotting?

Three nights of Boredom!

One has to say thanks to my dad, who at age seven introduced me to aircraft spotting and identification, because after watching John Snow last week I would not bother taking up the hobby today!

Wither you film of photograph or just watch with binoculars and note with pencil and pad it is a great hobby to learn many things that might be one day invaluable, if we were in a war situation?

Apart from that its a worth while hobby and there is plenty to see, if you just take your time and look up? 

One was disappointed with the lack of types and no mention of the Dreamliner along with some of the new types, perhaps time was not on their side?

Getting good aircraft guides and registration books with tail colours and a good camera with easy access to You Tube, if not similar platforms is today's forte. 

There are many others aspects to this hobby and that of radio communications between the tower and the cockpit, something that can be developed as the hobby progresses since many transceivers are expensive and difficult to operate

But just sitting and looking up with binoculars is as pleasurable since not everyone is photographic?

Wales National Airshow 2019.

July 6th/7th. Swansea Bay, S-Wales. U.K.

One is expecting another marvellous airshow and much more as this event seems to be getting better by the year?

The Red Arrows will be one of highlights of the flying displays with that of other Jets, but there is really something here at it for everyone! Many military vehicles representing the current British armed forces and others events combined.

Hopefully all will be safe from any sick people who wish us harm and that everyone will enjoy what is on offer with stunt flying, helicopters, parachuting and this year evening lit up balloons on Saturday.

One will have to get the app to find out what aircraft might be coming in relation to Historical aviation and one hopes that the weather will hold to make it a most enjoyable event for the spectator and all us avid movie makers and photographers?

Chernobyl?

The worlds worst (Known) nuclear Accident?

When we see documentary evidence of the clean up operation that followed this incident back in the mid 1980's we lack information on the many types of vehicles that were employed? We see that helicopter pilots had to sacrifice their lives to drop concrete on what was technically a mini Sun revealed within the casing of the collapsed reactor!

Mil Mi-6, 26 and 8's were used in various overflights and many were lost or overpowered be the intense heat and radiation that would have caused sickness. Much has been written about this leak, which was caused by lack of care and an attempt by slack Ukrainians administrators to meet Soviet documented requirements?

Recently the European Union (France) has finished placing a new concrete shell on to the plant to again cut the amount of Gamma rays leaking, but despite this enormous work and achievement another crack has is reported by the Ukrainians to have developed!

We do not really know how much radioactive exposure our atmosphere is suffering with a second year of mass heatwaves across Europe! Governments will not report on this situation because there is no real alternative to nuclear power to cut down on the burning of fossil fuels?

New Horizons beyond Ultima Thule!

What is the next target and when?

The problem now with this probe is speed and commands and it is not clear what is the real size of the next object? I think like Pluto we may be presently surprised that this region of our outer Solar System might be more active than we think!

One wonders if there is a back up mission planned for Pluto along with possibly visiting the outer gas giants of Ouranus and Neptune with its interesting Moon Triton? The recent BBC the planets was a bit disappointing because so much was not taken into consideration!

Brian Cox seems to be fixated with the date 4.5 billion years and the much speculation of what is now becoming a bore? We just do not know what occurred in times past in the creation of the planets and also what is happening?

Electric Locomotion!

Lack of investment?

Electricity costs and the infrastructure needed to build and maintain is not affordable to many countries around the world, in some cases even in the U.K. money is being held back in Wales to undercut the future of business and trade for unknown reasons?

Meanwhile the Diesel engine continues to rule the roost in the haulage of freight world-wide, because it is cheap and easy to work. Locomotive engines are improving all the time and the data on pollution varies from region to region worldwide, leaving one to wonder what is the real truth to the whole global warming situation!

Perhaps the taking off the road of trucks on to rail might cut the burning of fuel and relieve road traffic in towns and cities, but it is unknown if this is viable as it would logically seem to be?

New airports and Runways.

Heathrow third Runway?

Pollution and plastics are big news at the moment in the media and so is the plans to build new airports and a third runway at Heathrow in West-London to take new types of aircraft such as the Boeing 777X, while the governments claim that they will have cut carbon emissions by 2050?

There is some serious hypocrisy being carried out here, by the airlines and the governments and it is not limited to one or two nations, but is going on worldwide. Air travel is growing, because people want o fly and smaller aircraft feeding smaller airports at this time is popular!

We expect that by 2030 some of the new electric powered aircraft will be starting to make a large impact on aviation travel and aircraft such as the Airbus A380, Boeing 747-8 and other large types will be at an end?

Communities are being destroyed in London and maybe in Kent in the U.K., while in China locals get no choices to the expansion programmes of their governments!

Norton is back!

British racing Bikes 2018!

It is amazing that the Norton motorbike manufacturer is back with a new composite design and making fifth place in the Isle of Man TT races!

Some will say for how long in comparison to what is coming out of Japan and others such as Italy and BMW, but some of these countries have started to slacken off a bit economically and Britain can once more get a foot on the rung?

Individual designed bikes look like the future course and the introduction of electric versions are also another course in the development of these machines? Only time will tell if the British police forces buy this new Norton model or not!

Emergency Vehicles Electric!

Conversions to alternatives Underway!

The emergency services are to introduce a new breed of electric vehicles soon, this will be the first service to do so, followed by the Fire and Police? It is hoped that these new vehicles will cut down on emissions and one supposes this change has to start somewhere?

This will be a test run in relation probably to speed and their viability for range between charges! Batteries means more can be done on board maybe before getting to the Accident & Emergency rooms!

Eventually technology will improve and most service vehicles along with the emergency services, buses and trains will start to pay off with the cutting down of carbon monoxide in the air? We still have a long way to go, but at least we are getting there!

Pollution! Part-Two.

The failure to Re-cycle!

There is no demand to reuse the plastics, computers and vehicles that we have. just like food, building materials and clothes?

We live in a manufacturing generation of wanting the latest of everything, without considering the costs of what is being left behind!

One of the great breakthrough was the Tesler cars, but as in times past the cost of each unit was too high and to much boasting gave false pretences, this is the problem with the Airbus A380, its too costly to run as in the past Concorde was!

Many trains and buses along with service vehicles are moving in to new energy, but electricity is still being produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

Very little investment is being put into public transport and since the crime rate is rising many want their own vehicle to travel in because they fell safe and go where we want to at any time day or night?

What Alternatives?

Thinking outside the Box!

There has to be alternatives for vehicles and machines to what is happening now?

The media addresses aviation and plastic as the biggest pollutants, but the reality is the dumping of chemicals by heavy industry and the burning of Diesel and petrol!

 Engines produce carbon monoxide which is the main cause of asthma and other respiratory diseases and this has been known for some time, sowing more tree and offering inhalers is not enough when humanity can reach the stars?

Currently we have LPG (Liquid petroleum Gas), solar power, battery and electric engine developments, but the truth be told nothing much has changed with some of these technologies since 1895!

The question is why is this all taking so long and the answer to that question is big business and human greed to make a quick investment hoping that in at least three hundred years from now we will have found better alternatives if they make us money?

Pollution! Part-One.

Fire, steam, electric and Nuclear?

Through the last two hundred years humanity has moved from the burning of wood to splitting the Atomic atom and yet we remain limited to the use of fossil fuels to keep our world of manufacturing and travel to derivatives of oil for most vehicles, shipping, trains and aviation?

One has only to live by the coast to see the effects of polluted smog gathering in the mid summer afternoons to know that the petrol engine is a serious problem to human health!

Governments do need to wake up and reduce traffic on roads and find quick alternatives to our reliance on petrol, oil and coal?

LPG Conversions might be the solution for many between now and the compulsory introduction of battery and electric vehicles?

Sail Ships!

Basic naval Training?

Despite the increase in technology today in shipping and military naval forces, sailors do need to learn the basics of plotting a course at sea by the stars and using old fashioned maps, longitude and so on?

But these old beautiful vessels also have the purpose of being used in the role of educating young people, from troubled backgrounds and giving them a purpose in life, such as discipline something that is lacking in many today hence so many social problems?

Sail ships are also enjoyable for professional crews to both sail and race and they still have that aesthetic value, despite all that is new!

No long term Replacements?

Diesel to Remain!

It is great to hear that many nations are trying or they claim to be trying to cut down on their carbon emissions, with the introduction of electric and battery powered or hybrid vehicles?

But they still have to make that power from the burning of fossil fuels, if they have no nuclear power it is a catch 22 situation or political hypocrisy!

For the foreseeable future the Diesel engine will remain the mainstay of all types of heavy transport, but the developments are progressing amid costs being too high for the man in the street and the farmer to purchase these limited use machines.

95% Undiscovered!

Earth's Oceans?

We know more about Space than we know what is under the seas of Earth, only 5% has so far been explored by private civil scientific research and despite the more programming of the underwater most subs can only travel to a depth of 300 to 600 metres into the dark cold world of fluorescent fishes!

What the military know on the other hand remains mostly top secret, but what is known is that the Ocean floors are not flat and there are many mountain ridges that never break the surface of the waters? Some of these plate plateaus are the size of Australia, while others continue from the land masses into the depths!

New discoveries are being made everyday and we now know that many wales, and sharks can dive to great depths into this dark world. What lies below remains a mystery, apart from some strange stories of giant electric creatures heard and registered by Nuclear submarines miles down?

The Moon?

NASA's Gateway to the Solar System!

The return to the moon is underway with a new space ship being constructed in the U.S. for a return mission and the establishment of a Moon Base and first human travel to Mars by 2030? The Trump administration believe that with the current technology available all of this can be achieved within the next eleven years!

Wither this is true or not by 2030 NASA hopes that the International Space Station ISS will be defunct and some of its component parts will be cannibalised for the Moon base? At this time there is n mention of reinstating the space shuttle programme which on paper still remains a viable proposal for inter-planetary travel!

Both China and Israel now have probes working on the Moon to gather much needed data on radiation exposure from the Suns solar flares and other problems that were discovered during the Apollo flights back in the 1970's!

Battery and Electrics?

New Technology not for Everyone!

The British capital London is introducing charges to cars entering the city that are over fifteen years old or are powered by diesel! But nothing has been mentioned as yet about rail freight that daily passes through the capital power by mighty fuel guzzling locomotives?

Much work is being done to introduce more battery powered trains and improve the electrification of the capital, but this will not be for everywhere and outside London some areas will remain as they are!

Electric power 3rd rail is extensive in urban areas of the U.K., while 4th rail is part of the underground systems in London and Glasgow! Cost was originally the problem, but since the electrification of the Channel Tunnel work is continuing to improve a smoother cleaner train travel!

But most freight locomotion remains operated by diesel, rather than electric and one does not know what or when this will be changed or if it will ever be changed?

Modern Military Armour?

Since 2001 Decline of Information!

The worlds armour of today has become more technical than it ever was before, many new developments for the U.S./British Abrams/Challenger MBT (Main battle Tank) is now standard in all new armour and the world of the robotic drone is coming to the fore on the battlefield as much as in air power?

Automated drones will save the lives of soldiers in difficult places, but to what extent these vehicles are being deployed is not known! 

Most wars being fought today against militants in the Middle-East and C-Asia are light pick-ups known as ''Technicals'' and these are so light that aerial drones can pick them off the field!

Armour protection with Kevlar and many new materials are being deployed, but upgraded vehicles are nearly always based on existing system's !

Research Ships?

A plastic and Nuclear Ocean!

Nearly every nation that has access to the Sea or to large bodies of water will have their own fleet of survey vessels and research ships. But what they are used for remains ''hush, hush'' in most cases apart from the obvious?

Nuclear dumping and plastic waste in the oceans needs regular monitoring, but there is also concern as to why the crust under the oceans is warming up! This has been a sudden change in recent years and is part of the climate change debate, rather than smog an the established facts of the Sun?

Much research is also made in relation to mining and the discovery of oil and gas fields, now that we are running out of fossil fuels on the land masses! These vessels come in all sizes and shapes and some are equipped with helicopter decks for re-supply and also work in the Polar regions!

Data collected can be sent via the Internet back to their respective countries for collation and analyses.

Boeing 737-MAX

Grounded across the globe since Sundays Ethiopian Losses!

One has to wonder why Boeing did not stop the flights of this aircraft, when they knew it was a having technical problems with its computers?

Perhaps one reason is just shear greed and ignorance, that if you sweep it under the carpet it will eventually go away!

Today Britain has stopped over flights of this type, joining China, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Singapore, Ethiopia, Mexico, Indonesia, Fiji, S-Korea, Thailand, and one U.S. airline, while Canada is considering!

The 737-series has become the worlds workhorse in aviation and is the most common transport aircraft since the 1970's. Only Airbus is now catching up with it A318/9/20/21 types and others airlines have opted for the Embraer series!

Trains new Stocks?

Another fare Hike!

Is it because we need new signalling, new track alignment or are the operators just getting their arm in? Many nations from time to time change their fleets and improve their traction, but this is done over years and the colour schemes also gradually change with the upgrade of the fleet?

But the private fleets in the U.K. do this on a regular basis and one understands why but then has to ask at what cost to the season ticket holder? We cannot do without the train today, most of the operations are freight in and out of the U.K. The cross channel link now means trains from China can make the journeys without relying on the seas and all the problems of piracy around the world!

Many improvements have been made, but shorter trains do not help with overcrowding, while at other time trains run empty on a new timetable that remains controversial. New stock is coming into service and older engines moved on to Wales, and Scotland, but this is not the real problems?

New Drone and other Concepts.

Aviation is Changing?

The ApusDuo is perhaps the most interesting concept for a long flight drone, that is not conventional in its lay out looking more like a kite without sails! It has a long duration of flight and can be used for a huge variety of uses, that involve observation more than that of attacking modes.

Nearly every nation has something to offer now in the drone market and they are mostly all the same in shape and concept, which is a bit disappointing?

The other concept is that of Virgin Galactic and the first flight into Space for its ability soon to carry passengers commercially. Not being a drone, but the first passenger bus it is breakthrough for human achievement? 

It now looks like Qatar is to retire its fleet of Airbus A380's and end production in favour of the Boeing 777X, but it will maintain the Airbus A350-900 fleet and hope to see the 1000 series soon certified.

Great advances are being made in engine design and efficiency today over that of size and seating requirements on long distant flying!

Classic Cars?

How many of them makes a real CLASSIC!

We must be having problems as time moves on with the classic or vintage car to now know which are the real gems of the road? The first attempts are worth saving for their individual historical value, but with the advent of mass production what is the best again of each type and model and what does the present and future hold in relation to body shape, design and layout plus the plush interiors?

Humanity has not really left the box when it comes to the design of the automobile, its is still the shape of a four wheel carriage, based on its predecessor the waggon! Many of the new designs and concepts still follow the rectangular shape and is this because its manageable or is it more difficult to combine suspension in a round vehicle?

Limited editions make the value of each vehicle rise, but they may not always really be the best in relation to function! Speed drives the desire for sports cars based on racing improvements, today tech inside the car has made it a commodity that will be easier to dump like your old phone or computer rather than be kept running for years to come!

China Rising!

Taking the world by Storm?

Our western media is not telling us the truth about China in that it is in decline, when actually it is rising! For a nation to get into Space on its own, while landscaping the Spratly Islands, taking the world market with its Huawai phones and has a strong aviation industry is not very weak and in decline?

The truth about China is that it has never really had a decline of empire or nation status, it is the oldest probably in the world and a lot of technology that we use today originated there in the first place! Rockets, fireworks, paper, porcelain, printing blocks and much more!

Today China has five aircraft carriers larger versions of the one Russia sold to it for a planned Casino, it has several stealth jets designs on the go and the MC-21 commercial airliner and other military hardware that can bee seen at the annual North-Korean military parades.

Despite the jealousy of Europe and the U.S. China has made it to the back of the Moon and the west in all their claims do not seem to be much of an issue in relation to the Uighur Concentration camps, despite seventy-four years of hypocrisy over the last Holocaust?

Fracking!

Is it Dangerous?

We moan a lot here in the U.K. about Fracking and the consequences of it causing minor Earthquakes or damaging the water table? Yet the same machinery is used across the United States and is bringing in millions of dollars to the U.S. economy meaning that they are no longer at the mercy of OPEC and the Middle-East oil reserves?

Russia does the same thing, using the same drilling machines, but it has the advantage of being the largest landmass in the world and has many resources! It to has the largest of everything now, oil, coal, petroleum and gas at least for the next 3-400 years and trade with China will insure a reliable customer!

Environmentalists do not always have the best intentions on the cards for the general population of Britain over they wanting to live in their idyllic world?

Fires at Sea!

Crimea and Sea of Azov!

Accidents will happen at sea, when dangerous processes such as refuelling take place as in this case! We have heard about it because of the disputed waters and the loss of life, but generally something similar happens everyday around the globe and we hear nothing about the tragedies?

Merchant shipping is a more dangerous world that it ever has been in the age of metal ships, prior the wooded vessels were attacked in various piracy incidents. Refuelling and moving cargo such as explosives, along with chemicals and gas are the most dangerous?

We can try to make safety an issue, but we humans are in the habit of making mistakes! We can say oh the Russians were drunk, the Irish are thick and so on, while the English are some of the most arrogant in the world when it comes to safety issues!!!!!

New Horizons?

A bit of a Disappointment!

After Pluto I suppose one could not expect much more, but then our curiosity drives us to see what is out there beyond the known planets?

The Kuiper belt may yet show us things that we do not expect to see in this region of what is claimed to be primordial Space, thus objects left after the creation of our Solar system?

But who really knows what this part of space is all about and what is beyond it in the Ort cloud! Distances here are enormous and one does not know how many more objects are on the cards for this probe before it runs out of fuel?

What one hopes for is that another probe will be sent to Pluto to stay there for some time studying it and perhaps even sending a robot to the surface of it or even to Charon?

Happy New Year 2019!

Britain takes a lead in Electric Aircraft?

It would seem that the world is in a rush now to develop the electric engine in aviation and we here in the U.K. are making some leaps and bounds of our own? Norway, Poland, Israel and the U.S. have several of their own projects that we are hearing mush about, but so far they are limited in their viability!

Battery power has been around since the 19th Century, despite advances in Solar power cells and their adaption, the battery still remains the same in power outage and range! Space will perhaps help us replace the diesel engine, which has turned out to be more polluting than was once thought?

Yet about 85% of the worlds power is based on this engine alone, trains, trucks, farm machinery, construction and shipping! The task may look daunting but once electric engines are built on an industrial scale perhaps the world will be a cleaner place?