Wings to fly

[greatbear]

Despite my working in aerospace for over 30 years, and my childhood years on being a bit of an aircraft aficionado, I never tire of seeing promotional and action photography depicting what the aircraft are capable of. Being that I worked with warplanes and military craft the closest, our promo video showed a lot of really cool planes being totally awesome. I'm no warmonger, and I didn't like what some of these bits of handiwork would be involved in, but the flip side being many were used to protect our own people and allies. A good amount were also used in science, research and civilian fields. And there were the boring, workaday commercial aircraft that many mostly ignored. What is rarely seen outside of industry people and enthusiasts are promo films and video of those big commercial beasts outside the workaday world. Many people know of the Boeing (Boo! Our competitor!) 787, aka the Dreamliner. This in the newest, most technologically advanced commercial airliner ever built to date. Advanced materials, computer systems, powerful and efficient engines, it's got it all. While it's had some growing pains (pesky fires, structural issues, etc) not unlike any new plane, it's still one of the most anticipated and talked about airplane in years. Boeing is bringing the Dreamliner to the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K.. Before this big event, pilots gave the 787-9 a few test flights. This Boeing promo shows what the big gal is a capable of, without even breaking a sweat.

Amazing how something so big and otherwise utilitarian can look like it's light as a feather and maneuverable as a Cessna. I think it's one of the sleekest metal tubes in the air these days. Nice to see this bird with a chance to play before it begins its daily grind.

As for us? Well, we're off. Not flying, unfortunately, but instead, we're dragging the Travel Trailer of Mayhem up the coast to PTown for about a week and a half. This trip, planned last year, was so close to our wedding day that we are considering it as a honeymoon of sorts, but not the only one. Not sure yet what the real deal is, but I'm happy for this one. This time, I'm heading up in the middle of the night, with the traffic being lighter and, hopefully, little or no construction. Unlike our trips departing from Pennsyltucky, this is the first time in years we are heading up straight from MD. This should, with luck, get us up to Provincetown in the fairly early morning, were we then can set up, take disco naps and enjoy the afternoon in style.

Comments

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Nice!

Enjoy your tine in Ptown!

We have traffic delays this coming week on I-90, the very freeway I commute on to and from work. It's the WB lanes that will be a bitch until I hit Mercer Island before it ends.

Expansion joints on the East Channel bridge being replaced, leaving only 1 lane from I-405 to Mercer Way on the island, the rest of the way into Seattle will be clear and normal. However, the 405, 520, and the 5 freeways will be heavier than they already are as a result.

Fun times! Just glad I have AC in the car that works. :-)

[ricksf.livejournal.com]

Air flight in general has always fascinated me, more as a passenger than the design and capabilities of the airframes. But you can't help be impressed that anything so large can twist and turn in the skies so easily.

Funny though, this promo video reminded me of the disastrous Airbus intro where, for a variety of reasons, the sparkling new plane crashed into a grove of trees at the end of the runway. I'm such a downer, LOL!

[geometrician.livejournal.com]

I can't believe out agile that gargantuan plane is. The take-off verticality and the tight turns were way past what I would expect to see in an airliner.

Have a great time in P-town!

[mort-83.livejournal.com]

Great video! I've always loved planes and flight. Use to be an airshow junky!!

Have a great time in P-town!!!

Safe travels :)