James May Daily Telegraph article
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 1,083
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
No, not american.....i just lack your apparent pomposity.
I say again, the whole thing is a wind-up.
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
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From: Downeast
Now that takes a lot of crust.....a Brit accusing a fellow Brit of "Pomposity"!
And all the while thinking the other guy was of all things....a YANK!
Shy,
A lot of my friends are Americans and used to be proud of it!
Being Americans.....that is.
And all the while thinking the other guy was of all things....a YANK!
Shy,
A lot of my friends are Americans and used to be proud of it!
Being Americans.....that is.
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,833
Likes: 2
From: Sale, Australia
"For some years I have been afflicted with the belief that flight is possible to man. The disease has increased in severity and I feel it will soon cost me an increased amount of money, if not my life."
— Wilbur Wright, beginning of his first letter to Octave Chanute, 13 May 1900
— Wilbur Wright, beginning of his first letter to Octave Chanute, 13 May 1900
Like all novices (in our childhood), we began with the helicopter but soon saw it had no future and dropped it. The helicopter does with great labour only what the balloon does without labour, and is no more fitted than the balloon for rapid horizontal flight. If its engine stops it must fall with deathly violence, for it can neither float like the balloon nor glide like the aeroplane. The helicopter is much easier to design than the aeroplane, but it is worthless when done.
Wilbur Wright, 1907
Wilbur Wright, 1907
"We have been real good over here. We have been in a lot of churches, and haven't got drunk yet!"
Orville in France to his father, Bishop Milton Wright, 1907
Orville in France to his father, Bishop Milton Wright, 1907
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 17
From: Delta of Venus
Yes, point taken re this thread.
I forgot to mention earlier, having read that little ditty at the end of whirlygigs post (#35) that it says "she will be with new men", as in multiple. Heli pilots like a slut then eh?
Reminded me of the difference between a slut and a bitch....
A slut goes with everyone at a party
A bitch goes with everyone except you at a party
Have fun
I forgot to mention earlier, having read that little ditty at the end of whirlygigs post (#35) that it says "she will be with new men", as in multiple. Heli pilots like a slut then eh?
Reminded me of the difference between a slut and a bitch....
A slut goes with everyone at a party
A bitch goes with everyone except you at a party
Have fun
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 1,083
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
PJ, I first flew jets thirty years ago but I'm over that now. No need to be rude to a lady just because she has a sense of humour, btw.
SASless, thanks for stepping right in there to nicely illustrate my point that Yanks still don't understand irony
SASless, thanks for stepping right in there to nicely illustrate my point that Yanks still don't understand irony
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 110
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From: The land of the cranberry
This is a fricking great thread. PJ chill the beans man, we are sky gods, get used to it. Also another little thing that I'd like to make a point about is nature. A force that man cannot control nor tame, in most cicumstances. Helicopters are a lot closer to nature than planes. Have you ever seen a bird coming in to land on the ground, they usually don't come screaming in at 60,70,150, etc knots and then burn the feet off themselves trying to stop on the surface. No, they come to a "hover", for just a second, then touch down nice and softly. They can also land and take off from wherever they see fit. Seems logical to me.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 164
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From: A cold country
No no no Trans Lift. Don't forget the Albatross - veeery gracefull when it take off and lands, right 
..
Maybe we should call all FW tincan drivers for Albatross Airlines
I myself consider flying a hummingbird, what more gracefull sort of flying is there than that. That is the true mastering of flying from nature ..
- madman
..Maybe we should call all FW tincan drivers for Albatross Airlines
I myself consider flying a hummingbird, what more gracefull sort of flying is there than that. That is the true mastering of flying from nature
..- madman
Gentleman Aviator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,722
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From: Teetering Towers - somewhere in the Shires
I do like the writing and programmes of May, J but I think he too would be amused by the number of people taking it seriously. And implicitly he was making comparisons with light aircraft, so range considerations are out of court too.
Later this year, I'm astounded to discover that I celebrate the 40th birthday of my first helicopter solo (Bell 47), and like Shy, I did it after flying some baby jets which the military insisted I demonstrate competence on before they would give me a helicopter!
All that time ago I got a buzz out of just doing appropriate things with the controls and seeing the concrete move further away between my feet .... wow! None of this manic rushing up and down a mile or so of concrete before and after flight.
And last month, when I most recently flew (Bell 412) the same buzz was still there ...... eat yer heart out May, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!
Later this year, I'm astounded to discover that I celebrate the 40th birthday of my first helicopter solo (Bell 47), and like Shy, I did it after flying some baby jets which the military insisted I demonstrate competence on before they would give me a helicopter!
All that time ago I got a buzz out of just doing appropriate things with the controls and seeing the concrete move further away between my feet .... wow! None of this manic rushing up and down a mile or so of concrete before and after flight.
And last month, when I most recently flew (Bell 412) the same buzz was still there ...... eat yer heart out May, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 180
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From: North of Antartica
Torn between my 2 loves
Being a lucky SOB I fly both these types of heavier than air craft.
Its like dating 2 very jealous sisters:
Both have nearly killed me, both are extreme fun, both have major attributes and both have major draw backs.
One sister is suited to long comfortable encounters, she can be very accommadating, steady and reliable!! , the other sister is increadibly 'flexible' and 'manouverable' as well as high maintenance, she also makes a lot of noise and soon wears you out!!.
Both are wonderful in their own way, and the world would be a lesser place without either of them.
Its like dating 2 very jealous sisters:
Both have nearly killed me, both are extreme fun, both have major attributes and both have major draw backs.
One sister is suited to long comfortable encounters, she can be very accommadating, steady and reliable!! , the other sister is increadibly 'flexible' and 'manouverable' as well as high maintenance, she also makes a lot of noise and soon wears you out!!.
Both are wonderful in their own way, and the world would be a lesser place without either of them.
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 272
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From: earth
Indeed Mr May is an inexperienced ppl plank pilot, so the story was going to be extremly biased. But please don't blame the poor chap, blame the people that trained him, brained washed the poor little muppet in his training enviroment to hate us far superior rotary pilots. The standard chopper envy is apparent, as they are doomed to take off on a runway, little grass field strip and land to a little wooden hut smelling of damp, with old biscuits and stewed tea, (bacon sandwiches are acceptable though).
As for us expert's at handling our own chopper, we go and land in these rather nice hotel's just to annoy the guest's, demand the right to be served and to say "everyone take a look at my chopper" and then meet the mistress for desert.
Hark what do I hear the plank pilots say " At least we can go long distances, like to france ".
Yes that is true, yet you still have to land at an airfield and a french one at that !
While the plank pilots are being molested by french drivers on the roads trying to get their chateau, the expert chopper handlers will already be there sipping the champagne from young french serving girls.
I am a chopper pilot and proud of it, avec gross sac.
As for us expert's at handling our own chopper, we go and land in these rather nice hotel's just to annoy the guest's, demand the right to be served and to say "everyone take a look at my chopper" and then meet the mistress for desert.
Hark what do I hear the plank pilots say " At least we can go long distances, like to france ".
Yes that is true, yet you still have to land at an airfield and a french one at that !
While the plank pilots are being molested by french drivers on the roads trying to get their chateau, the expert chopper handlers will already be there sipping the champagne from young french serving girls.
I am a chopper pilot and proud of it, avec gross sac.