PPRuNe Forums

The perfect dinner party cheeseboard

cargosales — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:27:00 GMT

We have an upcoming dinner party with a pretty wide variety of guests who have an equally wide variety of tastes, which got me thinking ... and drooling a bit in anticipation

If you had, say, a maximum of five choices, what would you include on your dinner party cheeseboard?

I'll open the bidding with ..

First (and in deference to JB!) it's got to be something blue - I'm going for a very mature Stilton. With a spoon to serve it of course!
Next, something semi hard - Cornish Yarg perhaps? the type covered in nettles is rather good
Thirdly, something mild and crumbly - a decent Lancashire maybe?
Next, and what cheeseboard would be complete without it? a proper mature Cheddar - not your mild rubbery supermarket stuff but one with a decent texture and a taste that lingers
which leaves room for just one 'spreadable' and at the same time 'foreign' type, which I think are nicely covered by
Brie - a nice, mature ripe one which is probably a bit stinky too.

Heaven :ok:

But I'm open to any better suggestions ..

Over to you guys..

So rude it is almost funny!

NamibFox — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:41:19 GMT

Famously the mayor of Paris issued instructions to the Parisians to be nice to 'les etrangers' when France hosted the rugby world cup a couple of years ago. It must have worked because generally I had a great time when over there at the time and not one cross word with anybody.

However it seems that mood of bonhomie has evaporated like the steam from a bad cafe au lait.

I am sure most PPRuNers have their least or most favourite rude city in the world. Which city is yours and why?

BBC News - In Paris, the customer is not always right

Quote:

Paris is in a bad mood.

The sullen, steel-grey sky seems to be permanently snivelling sleet.

The Seine, swollen against its banks, pushes and squeezes its way through the city like an irascible woman in too-tight shoes.

And the January depression has even sucked some of the glitzy dazzle out of the Eiffel Tower, leaving it looking - at least from a distance - like a rather cheap, left-over Christmas decoration.

It may be the city of romance and a mecca for tourists, but right now Paris feels and looks like it just cannot be bothered any more to turn on the charm.

Not that this city is exactly known for its sense of service.

The customer is allegedly always right in London but, in Paris, he or she is little more than an irritant.

Canadian Airbase Commander Charged with Murder

soddim — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:15:26 GMT

BBC News - Canadian air force commander charged with two murders

Best foreign language film.

M.Mouse — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:58:51 GMT

Reading the thread about the movie Avatar got me thinking of some of the more enjoyable films I have seen. Some years ago I had a girlfriend who lived near the small cinema near the fire station in Kings Road in Chelsea. This cinema used to show a fair number of foreign language films with sub-titles.

It stands to reason that talented film makers are not restricted to English speaking nations and we saw some very good films. Anybody have some good recommendations?

Two that I enjoyed were:

Indochine (French with sub-titles) starring Catherine Deneuve. Synopsis here.

and a really black comedy, again French with sub-titles, called Delicatessen. Synopsis here.

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GPS with integral PCAS?

pedalbin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:56:01 GMT

Do any of the plethora of portable GPS units on the market today have it's own inbuilt PCAS for collision avoidance?

I know some GPS units can be connected to a PCAS unit to display this, but an all-in-one unit would be ideal.

If not yet, I bet this is the next development.

"Flying Cheap" - Investigative report into the lives of regional pilots in the USA

TopGunGB — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:07:04 GMT

Just in case anyone's interest and hasn't yet heard, PBS (in North America) is airing a one-hour special about the growing concern regarding safety at regional airlines in the USA and the pressures placed on pilots. It airs Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 9 p.m. ET.

Here's an excerpt from the programme:

YouTube - FRONTLINE "Flying Cheap" | Sneak Peek 1: Who's Flying Your Plane? | PBS

FRONTLINE: Coming Soon - Flying Cheap | PBS

From the PBS website:

Program Description

One year after the deadly airline crash of Continental 3407 in Buffalo, NY, FRONTLINE investigates the accident and discovers a dramatically changed airline industry, where regional carriers now account for half of the nation's daily departures. The rise of the regionals and arrival of low-cost carriers have been a huge boon to consumers, and the industry insists that the skies remain safe. But many insiders are worried that now, 30 years after airline deregulation, the aviation system is being stretched beyond its capacity to deliver service that is both cheap and safe.

Private pilot flight instructor/class rating instructor

RWY_31R — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:02:51 GMT

Hi,

If you have a Flight instructor rating or a class rating instructor on your JAA PPL, but no commercial pilots license, can you still charge for ground school and fly with the student (obviously not paid for flying)?

Flight Dispatch Inquiry!!!!!

DTM_F1 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:48:08 GMT

Hi everyone,

Actually I'm new to here and I need anyone to help me out.
I work as Transfer-Desk in-charge and planning very soon to fly to USA and to obtain FAA license for flight dispatcher.
Yet, I don't have any background in the ground operation (weight and balance etc...) but inner guidance says "I should break the statues quo and study flight dispatch"
I'm truly confused, which school I should attend? is FAA compatible to work in Middle East?
I need as much INFO as possible about it and it will be really appreciated!!

Thanks a bundle

145 Repair Station - Away from base work

airbirduk — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:34:01 GMT

Hi,

A question for you.... A repair vendor lets call them X is a 145 certified repair facility. They send a working party away from base to perform repair work at a non 145 repair facility. The work the team from X is performing is being certified and signed off under the 145 of their main base.

My question is..... is there any limit as to what type, quantity and length of time that the away team can perform work under the 145 repair cert at a non 145 location?

Thanks.

DHC-8-100/200 Vref Speeds

Desert185 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:14:30 GMT

Can someone who flies the Dash 8 give me a range of Vref speeds from max landing weight to an empty, min fuel landing weight (100 & 200 only)?

Thanks,

Legality of a PPL Question bank???

Rocketraz — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:13:29 GMT

Now that the Confuser (could??) Be finished is there any legal reason why someone could not start a PPL question bank??. Or is it true that you are just not allowed to publish the exact exam questions that are in the exams??

Anyone know for sure??

747-800 up

Duchess_Driver — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:10:35 GMT

Flightglobal reporting the 747-800 flew today.

DD

static wicks & winglets

RAT 5 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:36:22 GMT

Greetings, I'd always thought static wicks were needed on the extremities. I see B737 NG's, where winglets have been retro-fitted, or factory fitted as original, where there are no wicks on them. Engineering had no explanation. Is it that the material is non-conducting, or some thing else? I've not noticed, but will look, regarding other types.

SVT

dogsbody711 — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:26:30 GMT

Hi all,

I've just been diagnosed with Supra ventricular tachycardia, the abnormal heart rate thing. Question is of course, having almost completed a UK PPL, is it a license ending condition? I've heard about the ablation procedure also, if I did have the rug pulled out from under me would this be something that could get me re certified?

Many thanks in advance!

Next step up from a Warrior?

VMC-on-top — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:26:11 GMT

I've got just over 100 hours on PA28 Cherokee and a Warrior and IMCr and I'm also in a group, so planning to put in circa 50 or so hours this year.

My question is what is the next natural step for someone with my hours - and from there on upwards?

I've read posts like "whats a good fast SEP" and answers always come back as either an Arrow, Saratoga, Lance, Bonanza, TB20, something like that. But then there are threads about Malibu Mirage, TBM 700, Pilatus etc. with the comments "but you have to have VERY deep pockets".

I'm not suggesting for one minute that i'm going to trade up to 200 kt + turbo prop from my fixed gear SEP but its nice to have something to aim for!

So, what would folk's suggestions be for trading up? 50 - 100 hours on a complex PA28 - or on a 6 cylinder Saratoga / Lance, then 500hrs total before a Malibu Mirage? What about for cost - and what does "VERY deep pockets" mean in real terms, servicing, fuel p/h, (and gph) etc. for the various types?

What I'm looking for ultimately is something to comfortably fit myself, wife and 2 kids in (plus some baggage) to head off to South of France, Cornwall, Devon etc. and would prefer something a little sportier than a Warrior but also that is relatively frugal?

For info, I'm not a millionaire (yet!)!

A very open ended question I know!

thanks.

PS forgot to say, would want low wing too.