A ton of wisdom in a very small space. Here's one from the site:
The propeller is just a
big fan in the front of the plane to keep the pilot cool. Want proof? Make it
stop; then watch the pilot break out into a sweat.
Link
Friday, August 24, 2007
Aviation Humor and Cliche's
How to build the best paper airplanes in the world
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Website of the day - Canadian Style!
I just discovered "Triker's Corner" written by Jeff Stewart over at the Ultralight Pilot's Association of Canada. Really well done and a terrific resource. Check it out!
Trike Flying in Cambodia..Is this Eddie Smith?
Not entirely sure, but found this on MegaUpload and it looks a lot like footage sent to me about three years ago by Eddie Smith from his wonderful Cambodia trip. I think he's now living over there full time. Anyone know?
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Simply Stunning - One Six Right
If you missed the premier at Oshkosh 2006, you still can get the One Six Right DVD online or just watch the trailers. An incredible piece of moviemaking by Brian Terwilliger. The DC3 Landing sequence (shot from a helicopter) is hypnotic. A must-see for any aviation enthusiast.
Link:
LiveATC.Net Bringing you Live Air Traffic Control. Cool!
From their FAQ section:
LiveATC.net is a web site and community designed to unite pilots,student pilots, flight instructors, airband communication enthusiasts, and real and virtual air traffic controllers. Its target audience is anyone who can learn from or who just enjoys listening to live aviation communications. The community is fueled by volunteers who live within radio range of airports and who use spare radio and computer equipmentto relay airband transmissions into the LiveATC.net audio network.
LiveATC.net was founded by Dave Pascoe, a pilot and ham radio operator who has been an avid ATC listener for many years.
Link:
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
AirNav - Your one stop source for airport information
This is an incredible source of information for all airports in the United States. Just plug in the identifier, name, or city.
Link:
Monday, August 20, 2007
Great Aviation Library and other goodies
Aviation Books Company is your source for pilot supplies, software, aviation books, art, aviation supplies, leather flight jackets, gifts, flight bags, apparel, headsets, sunglasses, GPS, transceivers, products and accessories for your plane.
Awesome FREE model airplane simulator software
The FMS (Flying Model Simulator) is Freeware. Lots of options, airplanes and ideas to play with. No cost, no license, no warranty. Any trike models in there? Maybe you could design one?
Life of an Aircraft Salesman
Guys who sell airplanes don't always make the deal, but they always have the funniest stories to tell. Link
Sunday, August 19, 2007
World's Smallest One Man Helicopter?
Continuing on with our "no trike blog post Sunday" I happily turn you on to the Gen H-4 which is billed as the worlds smallest one man helicopter. One question.. where do you mount the BRS? ;)
Spectacular Approaches!
Think you had it tough getting your 400lb trike in for a crosswind landing over the trees? Check out these big boys! Where's Jim Bair when you need him for some of his own amazing shots!?!
Check your video upload and download speed with Speedtest
If you are experiencing any difficulties with bandwidth, I recommend that you try Speedtest.net for a check of your upload and download speeds. Very cool graphical interface and easy to use.
Aviation "oops" classics .. audio and video
I remember seeing about five years ago, and just stumbled upon it again today. Check it out for some incredible aviation thrills and spills. Link
How to make a $29.00 camcorder for your trike
There is a new breed of "one-time use" camcorders being sold by CVS Pharmacies for around $29.00, though I've seen them as low as $19. The catch is that they are supposed to be used once, then returned to the store and then you never see the camcorder again...just like disposable cameras. Some clever folks have discovered that this is simply not necessary. With a little ingenuity and a few bucks of spare parts, you can make a simple USB adapter that will let you download the video files from this inexpensive camcorder right into your mac or pc, and then use the camera again and again. Perfect for mounting on your trike or your helmet! Link
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Have you checked out Aerotrekking yet?
There is a new type of trike flying going on in the American Southwest. It involves low-level terrain "mapping", or to put it another way, flying "under the radar."
The decision to fly so low is probably best summed up by this quote from their website:
What is the point of flying so low?
It has to be experienced to be appreciated, but when flying at low level there is an exquisite sense of belonging to the landscape that you are flying through. At higher altitudes that sense of being part of countryside is removed and replaced by a sense of being an observer of the ground. In addition,the scenery at ground level is more varied.
Being from the Midwest, I can appreciate the thrill of flying down on the deck... since we can do it all the time over the endless fields of corn. I only wish we had the type of scenery and landscape that they have down in New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada!
There is a lot of interesting information at the American Aerotrekking Society Website, as well as the related site of the SkyGypsies
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
In case your GPS Breaks - How to Use Your Wristwatch as a Compass
Hold a watch with 12 o’clock at left. Move your arm so the hour hand points at the sun. The spot halfway between the hour hand and the 12 is south. This is for the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere you point the 12 at the sun, and halfway between that and the hour hand is North.
From Wired Magazine
The Joy of Wikipedia
Have you guys met Wikipedia? If not, do so...because there is no better online source for factual information about EVERYTHING. Best of all, it's a social network which ensures that all the information is democratically monitored and edited. No political agenda involved. If the facts and data aren't correct, someone will call it out and change it or delete it. Elegant and simple.
Check out the Ultralight Trike section here. Hey... I forgot to tell you that you can also make your images available for public use through a creative commons license. That's my friend Bob Munsie in the image who I captured about five years ago on a particularly beautiful and cloud-filled day!
Alternative Music Player to Embed into your Trikepilot Social Page?
This one is pretty cool. You can build up your own playlist from songs they have at the site, or upload your own. Then you can display the songs on your own webpage, or even in one of the comment posts on Trikepilot Social. Looks and works just like an iPod! Just copy the embed code from your playlist page on Ivoon and paste it into your member page using the HTML code.
More Simulator Ideas?
I think when I have the time this winter I'm going to be working on a trike simulator similar to this. Made by a Sam and Bill Rotomoto from Montana for Maker's Faire 2007. They live in Montana, and it obviously has had an effect on their heads.
Check out their website:
Andes Engineering makes Hang Glide which I actually flew at the Kermit Weeks' Air Museum in Florida during Sun-n-Fun 2006.
Here is another idea that is similar, but hard to tell from the poor video quality.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Paula and Bill Lishman Story:
I have to admit it, I had NO idea about the full story of Bill Lishman and his wife Paula. Of course I was familiar with the story and movie entitled "Fly Away Home", and have had the pleasure to meet his partner Joe Duff from Operation Migration, but until today I didn't have a clue about the incredibly interesting story of their life, creative and financial endeavors.
Do yourself a favor and check out this summary and then go on to visit the websites of Paula and Bill. You won't be sorry.
Incredible Adventures!
Is trike and microlight flying simply "boring" you these days? Are you looking to spice things up a bit? Do you think that there is more to life than logging into your web browser and letting your fingers do the work? Well, then here is the answer to your prayers!
The company is called "Incredible Adventures" and their tagline is "Life is either an incredible adventure...or nothing at all!" Amen to that.
They offer an unbelievable array of crazy and wild adventures, including:
It seems that you can go on a "Sardine Run with Shark Diving" off the Coast of South Africa, that somehow (don't ask me how...please) involves flying a Trike out on the open ocean as well!! WTF??
Check out the details of this particular fandango. You WILL NOT believe what they are up to on this trip. Not really sure how the trike is involved, but please let me know if you figure it out?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Origin of the Species?
This is as close as you are going to get to your "Grandpa's Oldsmobile Trike"
Sunday, August 12, 2007
What I will be doing on my next Vacation!
I'm from Chicago, but my FAVORITE place in the world to visit (outside of Vegas or Europe) is Northern California. The people are down to earth, the temperature is mild, and the scenery and outdoor activities are too numerous to mention.
What have I not-yet-done when visiting there? Well "doh!" I've not seen it from a Trike. This next trip will be different. For many years I've been lurking and watching the activities of Michael Globensky at Spirits UP! in Petaluma California, just north of San Francisco. He flies a beautiful Air Creation Tanarg and offers a most incredible journey over some of the California Coast and wine-country in Sonoma. Not only that, I must give him tremendous Kudos for his website, which is captivating and presents his sales information very well.
Phone for Reservations - Michael Globensky: 1-800-971-5233
Michael, if you are out there.... come and join us on TrikePilot Social and let me book my reservation for this Fall !!
Website of the Day - British Microlight Aircraft Association
While it may not help those of us outside of Britain for buying an aircraft used, this website is extremely inormative, well-written, and offers very topical data such as reviews of aircraft that many of us are flying today.
Lowrance and Garming GPS Training Software
I'm not really sure that I would "buy" this software new from the manufacturer, given the high price relative to the cost of the real GPS devices themselves... but I do admit that it is a ton of fun to play with the interactive online demos written in Shockwave Flash.
Realistically, these software simulators are for professional pilots who need to REALLY be proficient with thier GPS units since they may be using them under IFR conditions.
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