If you know me the you know I like racing. I've been wheeling race cars for more than 20 years and while I like to watch racing I'd always rather be driving them. For me the best form of racing is road course caring. It doesn't matter what form. Be they open wheel or prototypes. Formula one or SCCA Club Racing. If its on a road course i'm going to be interested. For many years I watched pretty much all NASCAR races because it was racing and it was usually good. About 10 years ago though NASCAR started going down the toilet in my opinion. When Dale Earnhart died there was a void that was created and for whatever reason the racing became plain. Fast forward to this season and it's safe to say I've only watched pieces of a few NASCAR races. I usually never miss the 2 road course events, but this year I did. NASCAR has just become boring across most levels. Yesterday I was faced with watching the MotoGP race from Indy and the ALMS race from Mosport or the NASCAR Nationwide race from Montreal. Well since I was dealing with a killer migraine I mostly watched the MotoGP race as the NASCAR race was mostly caution laps (don't get me going over their full course cautions on road courses) and well with 3 hours left I had plenty of time. So as the ALMS race came on I started flipping back and forth as the ringers were moving towards the front in Montreal. NASCAR however will do anything to keep a ringer from winning one of their races and only 2 guys have been able to do that with any frequency in Ron Fellows and Marcos Ambrose (Juan Montoya needs to win 1 more to be in this group). As the race wore I stopped flipping to ALMS and watched as Boris Said, Max Papis, Jacques Villenuve, and Robby Gordon moved to the front. Now NASCAR being all about their own this must have hurt. You had a guy from California leading a wild Said-head who in turn was holding off an Italian and a French-Canadian. Nightmare scenario as no southern boys were poised to win. Well we all knew Robby could never make it on fuel (why obby continues to do this is beyond me?) and nothing would be more awful then a furriner winning so Boris got 'the call' and finally brought one home. Boris has trained so many of the roundy round boys on how to turn right and left, yet they always have no problem dumping him out of the way as a ringer and NASCAR always looks the other way. Yesterday they finally paid him back. It's about time!
The video is not embeddable so for ow you will have to cut and paste. I'll embed one when I find it.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid71457653001?bctid=598908743001
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The F-15 Has Some Life Left in Her Wings
The newest version of Boeing's air superiority monster designated F-15SE or Silent Eagle made waves a few weeks back becoming the first F-15 to fire an AMRAAM in flight with no adverse effect on the performance of the aircraft. As you can see in the photos from Boeing the newest version of the F-15 is borrowing some of the tricks learned in other advanced aircraft and with this plane its weapons are tucked inside a newly designed Conformal Weapons Bay (CWB) instead of hanging underneath and flying dirty.
"I've been flying F-15s for more than 20 years, but this flight was different from all others," said Boeing F-15 Chief Test Pilot Dan Draeger. "This first launch of an AMRAAM from the F-15's internal weapons bay opens a new era for the F-15 and for strike fighter capability in the dominance of the F-15 Eagle.
"The F-15, CWB and missile performed exactly as we predicted," Draeger continued. "The Silent Eagle continues the F-15's role as the most versatile strike fighter aircraft ever built."
These updates are not the only goodies that Boeing has been studying for future F-15's either. Lots of potential upgrades will be available if other nations choose to buy the F-15. Notice the slightly canted tails on the photo below. While it's not a 5th generation fighter its VERY close for much less.....
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
CF-18 Crash at Air Show in Lethbridge County Canada
The photos and video of this past Friday's crash of a hornet illustrate the positives and negatives of the modern airshow. While the negatives certainly outweigh the positives here with the loss of the aircraft. The reconstruction of this crash will be easier because the crew of air show fans were present on a Friday practice day to capture video and photos to help solve what happened. While a couple theories are floating around it is too soon to guess and while this is a standard maneuver for this jet it illustrates the danger the modern jet pilot faces as they put on the display. Thankfully the pilot was not seriously injured in this crash.
Friday, July 23, 2010
That Air Show Feeling
Last week I got reacquainted with one of the best adrenaline rushes on the planet. The modern air show supported by the US Government air superiority forces. Yes last weekend was the Dayton Air Show in Dayton Ohio and I carved a day out of the packed summer to take the kids on the short 75 minute drive to watch the practice day. Since the show is only a Saturday Sunday affair we technically were not at the show, but we were 10 feet from the airport property and had great views of all the comings and goings of the regular commercial flights as well as the practice of the air show performers. The highlight was of course the US Navy Blue Angels. Fat Albert also did 'his' demo doing things in a Lockheed C-130 that seem impossible. The Blue Angels, a group of men and women perform astounding feats with their F-18's. Using a variety of A, B, and C models they fly within inches of each other and do all sorts of amazing acts. It truly takes your breath away to be able to witness their performance. To get to watch and not spend a penny makes it that much better. I've seen them several times in person and each time is like the first. Add in that we also got to watch the F/A-18F Super Hornet do its demo and the arrivals of F-15, F-16, T-38 and several other military cargo and attack planes made for a great day. Even a pristine restored DC-3 made an appearance. While I was unable to make it back for the actual show I did get to enjoy the sights and sounds and look forward to catching up with the Blues again at Cleveland's Air Show on Labor Day!
One more thing. I took these photos and many more. A newer camera has certainly helped. Soon I'll get a DSLR and get closer to the pro's that take so many great pics.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The Boys are Back
This morning I started getting ready for this weekends Dayton Air Show by heading over to ASB.tv which is a great website for the air show fan. Living in Ohio means you can get to several high end air shows with only a couple hours drive time. This year the headline is the Blue Angels and they put on an amazing display. No matter how many times I see them I'm still in awe. The same goes for the Thunderbirds as well as every other air show performer big or small. So since you are reading this blog you're probably assuming this post entitled The Boys are Back refers to the Blue Angels right?
Well actually no. It refers to two hooligans that will be back out terrorizing all humanity courtesy of that once great network known as MTV. The "boys" of course are Beavis and Butthead. Now I know that their form of UHHH HUH HUH HUH humor is not for everybody, but how can you not laugh at this. Ahh memories.... In fact when I graduated from The Ohio State University I was Beavis. Yes I donned a cap with the trademark Beavis hair busting thru my cap. It was too cool and amongst the 7000 graduates that day I was by far the easiest to pick out with a foot tall bright yellow block of 'cheese' on my head. I even made an appearance on the televised processional shown on the local PBS station. Almost 8 years later I was able to get a copy of that tape from a contact at the station and I'll find it and burn it to DVD soon. In any case music videos will be returning to MTV if only in pieces and we can all thank Beavis and Butthead for it.
Lets hope for good weather this weekend!
Well actually no. It refers to two hooligans that will be back out terrorizing all humanity courtesy of that once great network known as MTV. The "boys" of course are Beavis and Butthead. Now I know that their form of UHHH HUH HUH HUH humor is not for everybody, but how can you not laugh at this. Ahh memories.... In fact when I graduated from The Ohio State University I was Beavis. Yes I donned a cap with the trademark Beavis hair busting thru my cap. It was too cool and amongst the 7000 graduates that day I was by far the easiest to pick out with a foot tall bright yellow block of 'cheese' on my head. I even made an appearance on the televised processional shown on the local PBS station. Almost 8 years later I was able to get a copy of that tape from a contact at the station and I'll find it and burn it to DVD soon. In any case music videos will be returning to MTV if only in pieces and we can all thank Beavis and Butthead for it.
Lets hope for good weather this weekend!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
GEnx Powered Boeing 787 Takes First Flight
Today the Boeing 787 took another step in the right direction with the 5th plane to take flight. This is the first to be powered by the General Electric GEnx 1B engine as opposed to the Rolls Royce Trent engines that powered the first four into the skies. A good crowd was on hand at the future of flight to watch the liftoff and it was beamed to the world live via an iphone courtesy of David Parker Brown of airlinereporter.com. If you enjoy airline blogs I highly recommend that one as it written from an enthusiasts point of view and it always tells the complete story rather than assuming you know already. While I share a name with this blogger its truly the writing I enjoy and not the benefits HAHAHA
WINNER
Here is another view courtesy of KING5 in Seattle.
WINNER
Here is another view courtesy of KING5 in Seattle.
Friday, May 28, 2010
The Clock strikes Midnight For The General Dynamics F-111
The General Dynamics F-111 is a venerable high speed fighter/bomber and as of 2010 is only operated by one country. Australia is now phasing them out and is replacing it with the Boeing FA-18F Super Hornet. The F-111 is famous for its long flame trails while it dumps fuel, but did you ever wonder how it was done? Watch the video from Flightglobal and see how it performs this trick and learn just a bit about why these beasts are being replaced. The RAAF will utilize the FA-18 in a true multi-role way and will be much more aggressive in flying the plane. Much like we use the F-15 in the Air Force. t has always been so cool to see the flame trails from the RAAF at the Surfers Paradise Indycar race and the Formula One Australian Grand Prix, but as they say... All good things must come to an end. It has arrived for the F-111.
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