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Cool video of an aerobatic plane at an airshow in Santa Fe, Argentina, going through its paces when one of the wings snapped off. I can’t tell if the pilot (as the news snipped mentioned) actually ejected, but the aircraft had a plane-parachute deploy, lowering it to the ground in relatively one piece – [...]

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An absolutely incredible sequence of shots of an ejection from a Canadian CF-18 during a practice at an airshow.  Full story from the CBC is at the end.

Canopy gone, aircraft in a 90 degree angle of bank, nose down, seat just fired.  You can tell that the ejection seat is already in a vertical [...]

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An osprey went *in* for takeout about 40 feet away from me.  Tres cool!

Checking out the menu…

There…!  I’ll take THAT one!

Dive, dive, dive!!!

Fillet of sole!  Some sort of flat fish, looks like.

Thrust-to-weight ratio finally allows takeoff….

Climb, climb, climb…!!

Heading home with the takeout.
I didn’t have time to switch to the motor-drive – which would have been [...]

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Let’s see…
Hiring a Secretary of the Treasury who can’t even pay his taxes on time.
Engineering a financial environment where our public debt will increase from $7.5 trillion at the end of 2009 to $20.3 trillion at the end of 2020, meaning as a percentage of gross domestic product, the debt will rise from 53 percent [...]

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Some pics from our Nova Scotia trip.  We have a few more days here – heading home on the weekend.

Osprey, bringing home the bacon.

A different definition of the golf term “birdie”.  Osprey nest, Lunenburg Golf Club.

Egret Blue Heron (thanks, JimmyT) looking for breakfast.

Good morning, Nova Scotia!
More later…

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A repost from July of 2006
FFARP. Also known as the Fleet Fighter ACM Readiness Program. It was about a 2-week program where your squadron would go thru a series of escalating scenarios against both scripted and unscripted (but extremely wily) enemy air capabilities, ultimately ending up in numerous air combat sessions as the “war” escalates.
Dave [...]

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I was impressed and humbled.  It is also the location of the Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
My great grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Head Raddall,  is buried in France, killed in action on 9 August, 1918 while serving with the 8th Bn, Manitoba Regiment. 40 years old.
Born in Farnborough, Hampshire 9th December 1876. Enlisted Valcaster, [...]

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Part of the “Re-Posting Project”, this one was from May 10, 2006.
The All Powerful Lord of our Existence on an aircraft carrier is the Air Boss, more succinctly known as simply “Boss”. The flight deck belongs to him, as do all airwing aircraft within 25 miles of the ship.

Kennedy Air Boss Cdr [...]

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How many times have you heard that?  The Air Boss coming over the 1MC to get everyone ready for the next launch.
SO, for you nostalgia freaks out there, *here* is the placard up in PRIFLY that is used for that little litany.  Chant to your heart’s content!

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What would you rather?  The Obama and Clinton form of diplomacy?
Or this 90,000 ton type?
Discuss amongst yourselves.

Billboard, north side of I-295 in downtown DC, almost withing spittin’ distance of the Capital building.

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