The Night Mail

[jamie92208]

50 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

Would you really appreciate the benefit of living close to me in the long term?

 

You've seen what it's done to Dave!

Wherever you live you are obviously in need of regular  spiritual guidance towards the Wyvern.

 

Jamie

[Canal Digger]

On 09/03/2021 at 10:54, Happy Hippo said:

Thinking of the chat earlier on about wind turbines, I came across this picture earlier on this morning:

 

 

If you want some horrible sights visit:

https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/all-aboard-the-walmart-express/

 

[davknigh]

2 hours ago, Canal Digger said:

 

If you want some horrible sights visit:

https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/all-aboard-the-walmart-express/

 

I believe this site should be covered by the Geneva Convention as being cruel and unusual punishment... Abandon all hope ye who enter there.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[jamie92208]

5 hours ago, davknigh said:

I believe this site should be covered by the Geneva Convention as being cruel and unusual punishment... Abandon all hope ye who enter there.

 

Cheers,

 

David

When we were in the States in 2019 we went into Walmart one morning and believe it or not there was a Walmartion in frontbof us at thr checkout. She had to shuffle sideways through the passageway behind her trolley as she was too wide to go through.  I had to be told not to get my camera out. 

 

Jamie

[coastalview]

10 hours ago, Canal Digger said:

 

If you want some horrible sights visit:

https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/all-aboard-the-walmart-express/

 

Some of those pictures just can't be unseen and I've been looking at them at breakfast time.  Help I need some brain bleach

[Happy Hippo]

4 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

When we were in the States in 2019 we went into Walmart one morning and believe it or not there was a Walmartion in frontbof us at thr checkout. She had to shuffle sideways through the passageway behind her trolley as she was too wide to go through.  I had to be told not to get my camera out. 

 

Jamie

Wide angle lens not big enough?

[Tony_S]

I went into a Walmart in Galveston, Texas some years ago expecting to see people like the photos so often posted on the internet and they didn’t look much different to people shopping in our local supermarkets .

[Happy Hippo]

24 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I went into a Walmart in Galveston, Texas some years ago expecting to see people like the photos so often posted on the internet and they didn’t look much different to people shopping in our local supermarkets .

That's the special Walmart:  Each state in the USA has one, where everything is 'normal'.  Just around the corner is the one that Walmartians use.

[coastalview]

18 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

That's the special Walmart:  Each state in the USA has one, where everything is 'normal'.  Just around the corner is the one that Walmartians use.

On all our Walmart visits we saw the most "characters" in one near the strip in Las Vegas.

 

But of all the things that stick in my mind about Walmart was seeing a gun shop in one the first time I went to the USA in the 1990's. The kids were amazed to see what seemed to my untutored eye to be assault rifles in the same shop you by your food from.

[Dave Hunt]

The first time I saw a true Walmartian was in Flagstaff when I was sitting in the car waiting for my mate to do some purchasing inside. A woman, whose lower half had obviously been modelled on a Navy Blimp, came waddling out of the store, got into her car (with some difficulty I may add), which was immediately outside the door, and drove to the ATM that was about twenty yards away. After using the ATM she got back into the car and reversed to her previous parking slot before re-entering the store. It probably took over twice as long to accomplish this manoeuvring than it would have to walk. When I mentioned it to my mate he said that I should have seen the group she was with, but my only reaction was to thank the Lord that I hadn't. The most fitting description he later came up with was that of a litter of puppies fighting inside a bin bag full of blancmange.

 

Jill has taken a friend (who lives alone and is in our bubble) for a medical appointment in Shrewsbury so I'm free for the afternoon. What shall I do with the time? Hmmm, thinks - tomorrow has been pre- notified for housework so maybe I'd better get in some workshop time while the going is good. Byeeeeeeeeeee.....

 

Dave

[PhilJ W]

Doesn't Walmart own Asda?

[Winslow Boy]

Used to but sold it to a hedge fund and a couple of brothers who are headquartered in Blackburn. They made their money by buying petrol stations franchises. As a result they are having to sell some of these sites as they are too near to asda stores which also operate petrol stations.

[PhilJ W]

36 minutes ago, Two_sugars said:

For the last 2 days we have had a Hillman Hawker Hunter flying in loops up and down the Costa . . Looked like it was doing practice bombing runs on Castle Eden Dene . . . according to Flightradar   Flying in at about 1800ft, at about 440 knts.

 

It lifted the boredom, somewhat . . . 

 

Hooley blowing, cloudy but dry . . . . .I don't think NORMAN Hunter will be back in this wind . . . but then . . i'm not a aviation expert .  .

 

 

HAve a good day all, and gan canny . . . 

 

John

Dave's secret is out.

[Winslow Boy]

5 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Dave's secret is out.

It is my understanding, others more knowledgeable than I may wish to correct me, that in order to retain a flying certificate you have to put in a minimum number of hours each year.

 

So HH you may not be far of the truth. He is supposed to be muddling but perhaps that is just a cover story and is in fact on route to the Costa der..... at Mach one he would just be about there.

[polybear]

4 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

It is my understanding, others more knowledgeable than I may wish to correct me, that in order to retain a flying certificate you have to put in a minimum number of hours each year.

 

So HH you may not be far of the truth. He is supposed to be muddling but perhaps that is just a cover story and is in fact on route to the Costa der..... at Mach one he would just be about there.

 

From memory, for a PPL it's the glorious total of 5 hours a year; if you're using a hired aircraft (club aircraft?) they often insist an hour a month or you do a check flight with an examiner before being let loose solo again.

Not sure if there are different requirements for certain aircraft types, such as fast jets.  I'd imagine commercial licences are stricter.

[Happy Hippo]

Having extracted the window regulator out of the BMW the other day, the postman brought the replacement this morning which I have since refitted, and all is working again!

 

It was a straightforward rebuild, although, prior to refitting the cosmetic side of the door panel, I was left with a spare M 8 nut. 

 

This was rather confusing as I'd laid all the bits out in order so that I would not be missing anything, or putting things back in out of sequence. 

 

It was only when I referred to the original part that I'd removed that all be came clear.

 

The original regulator was held in place by five captive bolts:  Three on one side and two on the non motor end.  The replacement only had four bolts; no doubt a cost cutting exercise when they realised the original was over engineered for the task.  And as we all know, one less bolt welded into place is a cost saving!

[Florence Locomotive Works]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

That's the special Walmart:  Each state in the USA has one, where everything is 'normal'.  Just around the corner is the one that Walmartians use.

I can attest to this, as I live quite close to a normal one. Mind you it’s just one for food, predominantly healthy.

 

Douglas

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Florence Locomotive Works

[Happy Hippo]

We are getting April showers at present, accompanied by some rather strong gusts of wind.

 

Some procrastination is called for, although on what subject I'm not sure about.

 

It is pleasant just to sit in the conservatory  warmed by the sun and watching the nest boxes, whilst drinking tea and scoffing buttered hot cross buns.

 

Somewhere in the distance I can hear TurboCAD calling me to start revising some drawing files.

 

I'll wait!

[bbishop]

 

Afternoon,  the Census letter arrived today. I have just rung the hot line to obtain a paper form to fill in.  I mean, after the Covid jab, Bill Gates knows everything about me  so why should I let Larry Page know as well?  Bill

[SM42]

21 hours ago, Canal Digger said:

 

If you want some horrible sights visit:

https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/all-aboard-the-walmart-express/

 

 

Hmmmm

 

Link won't open. Perhaps I don't have enough bytes

 

Andy

(currently enjoying an ice cream)

 

 

[laurenceb]

My census letter arrived this morning - compleat with paper form, That I didnt ask for

[Dave Hunt]

7 hours ago, polybear said:

 

From memory, for a PPL it's the glorious total of 5 hours a year; if you're using a hired aircraft (club aircraft?) they often insist an hour a month or you do a check flight with an examiner before being let loose solo again.

Not sure if there are different requirements for certain aircraft types, such as fast jets.  I'd imagine commercial licences are stricter.

 

In the RAF if you haven't flown a particular type for 28 days you have to have a dual check before flying as captain. On multi pilot aircraft that generally means doing one trip as co-pilot whereas on fast jets it effectively has to be a dual check before flying operationally. The same goes for night flying if you haven't flown at night for 60 days.  In addition to that there is an annual instrument rating, annual day and night dual checks, a monthly requirement for a simulator ride and various operational checks so a fast jet pilot has a lot of checks on his ability to do the job. On top of that, when I was instructing I had to do a series of instructional checks throughout the year and if you are on a type where the instructor/check pilot has to be in the back seat you have to do day and night dual checks as well as an instrument rating in that seat to be able to fly there as captain. That's why pilots tend to give a wry grin when certain other professionals object to being checked once every few years.

 

Mind you, there are ways of short circuiting the system; my best one was on F3s when one summer I needed both day and night dual checks as well as a night tanking check whilst one of the other flight commanders required rear seat day and night checks and an instrument rating. We got a two sticker, booked a few tanker slots and got airborne in the late afternoon. Five and a bit hours later we'd flown round the UK day into night, done some supersonic and high level handling, aerobatics, approaches at various airfields, tanked a few times and generally had a good time, including some low level that included saying hello to the participants in the Fastnet race that was in progress. Back at base we were legally able to tick off a total of six check rides and get on with our lives for a while. Happy days.

 

Dave    

Edited March 11, 2021 by Dave Hunt

[polybear]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

It is pleasant just to sit in the conservatory  warmed by the sun and watching the nest boxes, whilst drinking tea and scoffing buttered hot cross buns.

 

Ok, Ok...rub it in why don't you?  Don't worry about those of us danging on a paste brush......

[Happy Hippo]

6 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

In the RAF if you haven't flown a particular type for 28 days you have to have a dual check before flying as captain. On multi pilot aircraft that generally means doing one trip as co-pilot whereas on fast jets it effectively has to be a dual check before flying operationally. The same goes for night flying if you haven't flown at night for 60 days.  In addition to that there is an annual instrument rating, annual day and night dual checks, a monthly requirement for a simulator ride and various operational checks so a fast jet pilot has a lot of checks on his ability to do the job. On top of that, when I was instructing I had to do a series of instructional checks throughout the year and if you are on a type where the instructor/check pilot has to be in the back seat you have to do day and night dual checks as well as an instrument rating in that seat as well to be able to fly there as captain. That's why pilots tend to give a wry grin when certain other professionals object to being checked once every few years.

 

Mind you, there are ways of short circuiting the system; my best one was when I needed both day and night dual checks as well as a night tanking check whilst one of the other flight commandeh     

All the instructor ratings I ever held in various disciplines were/are checked on a regular basis.

I believe that any area that are safety critical should be checked.

 

I include driving a vehicle on the public highway licence on that list.  However, if that were to happen there'd be a lot less traffic on the road!

[Happy Hippo]

12 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 a night tanking 

I once rode in the back of a C130 cockpit whilst they were doing a night tanking:  I was seriously impressed.

 

These days the only night tanking I see is tipping the contents of a large glass down my throat!