Singapore Airlines A380...

Airbus A380-800 9V-SKG Singapore Airlines at Heathrow.
The wings are so long they have a curvature like the Earth's!













Have to wonder about the operation of a fully loaded passenger aircraft with an emergency exit tied shut. Looks like a long term setup as they had put black duct tape over the arrows pointing to the exit....

One small step for man...

...one giant leap for mankind.

Today, 40 years ago, man stood on the surface of the Moon.

"We choose to go to the moon..."

Forty years ago today a Saturn V launched Apollo 11 from the Kennedy Space Centre on July 16, 1969 at the start of it's epic journey to put men on the Moon.

The Horsemen Arriveth...

The Horsemen P-51 Flight Team arrive back at Duxford on Friday afternoon following filming over the southern coast of Kent. They performed a short display for the benefit of the helicopter camera ship which accompanied them.

Gag Le Chab

So, Flying Legends is over for another year. All in all a fine weekend only spoilt by the grounding of the entire TFC fleet due to the nice folk at CAA deciding to check paperwork going back to 1940.
Weather turned out way better than I had hoped for from watching the doom mongers on the weather forecasts earlier in the week. They got the rain on Saturday night correct so I guess the seaweed hanging out the window works...
Flying displays were as usual excellent with my personal high points being the FW 190 (or is it Fw190) and The Horsemen.


But one thing did spoil the show for me and for many people I had the chance to talk to.
That one thing?
Bernard Chabbert.
His endless commentary talking over everything has become tedious now. Some try to defend him by citing his aviation knowledge. Fine. Be knowledgeable. But be knowledgeable in moderation. He just drones on and on throwing in some philosophical titbit now and again but he has introduced a new word to the English lexicon - chabber: to talk incessantly to an audience to the point where that audience wants to commit suicide or go to sleep.

I cannot be alone in wanting this man to just STFU (to use a modern internetism) - take a breath. Go for a coffee or a glass of wine. Eat some food. Just find something else for your mouth to do other than spout forth words.
Sunday improved as they found the music for the Horsemen routine - what did Chabbert do? He spoke over the middle section. Anna Walker suffered the same - nice aerial display with a charming version of Bolero. Chabbert found the volume dial and decided to improve on the music. This man just doesn't know when to stop.

I feel I have the right to make this complaint. I am a fully paid up member of the Flying Legends Club - I have gone every year since the first one and have, with only one or two exceptions, paid for the Gold Pass tickets. I have usually gone on both days. I have paid my 'dues' by supporting this event.

Hopefully the voices being raised to request the man to be moderated will not go unnoticed - maybe the Silence Chabbert Action Commando unfurling a huge banner in front of the commentary box next year might get the message home....

The Horsemen Arriveth....

Horsemen out for a gallop....

From out of the blue rode The Horsemen...

7 days to go.....

Short stroll....

And todays theme is two seat trainers...