Monday, October 15, 2007

ATR crash video

On this page here is a rather startling video of a SAS ATR landing with a gear problem. Glad I wasn't on that plane!!

Friday, October 12, 2007

The TRUE story of Laika, the first person in space

At the end of this month is the 60th anniversary of the first person in space. I say 'person' because dogs are people too. This is her story:

http://www.novareinna.com/bridge/laika.html

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

I know this is nothing to do with flying but...

I am so damn happy with my Rolleicord medium format camera, that I decided to run an informal test between it and one of my digital SLRs (Canon 350D). The photo I pulled up for the test is very similar to one I shot with the Rollei last week, so will be a good test. Details of the cameras are:

Canon 350D, 8MP, shot in RAW, 17-85mm lens, with the saturation cranked up (as I used to like it), sharpened as much as possible, probably over-sharpened, but it's too late now :)
Rolleicord III, 75mm Schneider-Kreutznach Xenar taking lens, Kodak Portra 160VC medium format film, 6x6 frame scanned at 3200dpi on an Epson Perfection 4490 flatbed scanner as a JPG, lightly sharpened, saturation increased to match the digital. A drum or Imacon would pull far more information out while reducing the grain substantially, as my scanner is really only producing noise, it's not really getting down to the grain like the photo would suggest.

I've matched the zooms as close as possible, bearing in mind the Canon photo is at 100% magnification and the Rollei image is at about 30% due to it's massive dimensions, and taken a screenshot. You will need to look at the full size to appreciate just how utterly mind blowingly sharp the Xenar lens is on the Rollei!!! Bear in mind my scanner is pretty average compared to an Imacon, and from all accounts a medium format drum scan is the equivalent of over 100 megapixels, and don't get me started on 4"x5" or 8"x10" - imagine that, a negative the size of a piece of A4 paper :-)
I also see that besides being far far sharper, it also has much more natural colours, esp. the red, on the digital it's sort of a yucky orange-red.

Here is the screengrab of the comparison of the two images.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Missing photos from Thames trip

I got my first roll of Velvia 50 back and there are the photos from the Thames trip I was waiting for. Damn I love that film!!!!

Preparing to leave in JGP
Preparing to leave

Hamilton city from the air
Hamilton from the air

Ardmore from the air
Ardmore from downwind

Turning finals, Ardmore
Turning finals, Ardmore

Long finals, Ardmore
Long finals at Ardmore

Parked at Ardmore
Parked up at Ardmore

Auckland aero club
Auckland Aero Club - that white dot is a plane in the circuit, not a speck on the film :-)

Velvia Cessna
Cessna 180 @ Thames - plus sprockets and labels on the film, just to prove it is shot on Velvia :-)

It's big, mean and yellow!
Something large and yellow at Thames

Departing Thames
Departing Thames ontrack Hamilton

Euan flying
Euan flying us home...

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

From today's NZ Herald

In 1943 Mass Transportation magazine offered an article titled Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees to its readers, including:

1. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.

2. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.

3. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous proprietors say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.

4. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.

5. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.

6. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.

7. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.