It's a boy's thing ... or is it?!

[Flosshilde]

I also use a very big canon when I'm on the job ;).

I suppose you'd have to to shoot one of those planes down.

[Mr Pee]

I'm saving up for this.....

http://www.indiayachtpage.com/archives/a-super-yacht-with-a-super-surprise

[Dave2002]

Dave2002, I think strictly speaking it was the HS146, but that's neither here nor there as these days it's styled as the Avro RJ 85, or some such.

The picture above is an Embraer 175, I believe, produced out of Brazil and probably the best selling regional jet of the current crop. Depending on their configuration they take 70-80 passengers and if all orders are completed there will be some 315 in the skies.

The planes will appear larger than might be imagined because one can get get so close to them at City Airport. Oh, and I also use a very big canon when I'm on the job ;).

They were originally HS as you say, and I used to watch the prototypes taking off and landing at Hatfield. Later on Hawker Siddeley was incorporated into British Aerospace. I flew on a few of these on occasions, I think all were in the United States on links in California. The good thing is/was that the view from inside was good, as the wings are above the fuselage.

The planes which are allowed into City are listed here - http://www.londoncityairport.com/con...oncessions.pdf

Perhaps it was an Embraer 135? No - it wasn't that has a high tail. It could have been a 170 or 190, or maybe the 175 has now made it onto the approved list.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Apologies, Dave2002, my error for saying a 175. I actually would have meant a Embraer E-170 (76 pax) or a E-190 (98 pax). Oh look, here comes an E-190 now (British Airways), oh and another (Lufthansa - going the wrong way of course. Typical Bosch trick!).

No, not a 135 as they're the earlier, first production ranger. The suceessors have the high up-end wing foils - as I'm sure you'll know.






Meanwhile back to the good old days of the Hawker Siddley marque which produced so many interesting planes ... In my local radio career I had the thrill of participating in a Radio Bedfordshire away-day. That is to say one of those Saturday afternoon location broadcasts coming from a major Summer event on our patch. In this case, it was an open day at BAE's Hatfield factory and aerodrome (something that only occurred every four years) and at that stage (1989) in the full throes of 'whispa jet' production. Now, that was a day in and a half. I was the roving reporter out and about with my big Uher :)) (a brand of tape maching for those in the cheap seats!) and recording interviews with workers on the production line, Dambuster veterans and a Lady Mayoress. Well, I think she was a lady; and that was after I'd survived a 15 minute bucket-ride in a restored Dehavilland Dove from Cranfield. Stomach churning to say the least.

[Dave2002]

Then of course there's that insane airport on St Martin in the Caribbean....

There are more - search for "St Martin airport images". Looks totally mad. The older Air France jumbo looks spectacularly horrific, though the Corsair fly.com one also looks bad. There is a Danger sign though, so that's OK!

[Dave2002]

I don't think I've been on the Embraer 170 or 190 - though not absolutely sure. I remember a few small Embraers - one in California (around 20-30 seater), and perhaps one or two in Sweden. There was a rather nice Embraer which flew from Sweden to Manchester - it had a fairly low headroom, and only three seats across - configured 1 and 2, but the seats were leather. Not sure which one that was.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Then of course there's that insane airport on St Martin in the Caribbean....

Our internet is amazing and I by searching under the plane registration (PH-BFA) I've established that this was amongst the very first Megatop's to roll off the production line (the 10th, I believe).

Gosh, it's marvellous ... I haven't been able to bore this extensively in years!!

[Stillhomewardbound]

I don't think I've been on the Embraer 170 or 190 - though not absolutely sure. I remember a few small Embraers - one in California (around 20-30 seater), and perhaps one or two in Sweden. There was a rather nice Embraer which flew from Sweden to Manchester - it had a fairly low headroom, and only three seats across - configured 1 and 2, but the seats were leather. Not sure which one that was.

That was the Embraer Legacy 600, I believe. I saw it once at Manchester Airport in 2001 and was struck by what a lovely aircraft it was. Long and thin like a fine pencil with trim wings. Oh look, it seems you can acquire one:

http://www.aircraftcompare.com/helicopter-airplane/Embraer-Legacy-600/112

[Dave2002]

That was the Embraer Legacy 600, I believe. I saw it once at Manchester Airport in 2001 and was struck by what a lovely aircraft it was. Long and thin like a fine pencil with trim wings. Oh look, it seems you can acquire one:

http://www.aircraftcompare.com/helic...Legacy-600/112

Even cheaper here - http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...All-Categories

Some nice pics here - http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Emb...UTF-8&fr=moz35

I think that could have been the one, or one very similar. I flew on them a few times, and as you say, they're rather elegant.

I realised that I also flew on the HS 146 within the UK - Fly Be were using them on flights to Guernsey, but they are not in their fleet now - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flybe

[mangerton]

I've yet to take a trip on her - a must for next summer, especially if it's as good as this year. I've got a photograph of her leaving Rothesay - a perfectly ordinary picture of a ship, until you notice that the wake is at the front! When she leaves harbour she goes backwards - very disconcerting.



So much more graceful than the floating towerblocks that pass for cruise ships now.

Indeed. I had a picture of one, but I didn't post it, as we see all too many towerblocks these days.

I strongly recommend the Waverley. I was last on her in August 2011, when I went on the Kyles of Bute run. After a shocking morning, it cleared up into a lovely afternoon and evening. Here is Tighnabruaich:



And of course, shocking weather isn't always a problem because you can always go and see the engines:

[EdgeleyRob]

Freedom of the Seas.

Not my picture,but this,to my eyes,is surely graceful and not reminiscent of a tower block.

[Dave2002]

Freedom of the Seas.

Not my picture,but this,to my eyes,is surely graceful and not reminiscent of a tower block.

According to David MacKay cruise ships are a lousy and unenvironmentally friendly way to get around, or to enjoy oneself. Even worse than travelling long distances by 747 or similar. I found that hard to believe, but checked with him, and also considered some of the calculations in more depth, and he's probably right.

[johnb]

Freedom of the Seas.

Not my picture,but this,to my eyes,is surely graceful and not reminiscent of a tower block.

Perhaps it's because I grew up in the days of the Cunard Queens but, to me, that ship is very ugly. A "floating tower block" just about sums it up

As far as planes are concerned the only two that struck me as beautiful were the (ill fated but revolutionary) Comet and the Concord.



Just compare the aircraft and the car here. They seem to come from different eras.



Concord passing over the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge on it's last ever flight to Filton. Note the all the people gathered on the top of the cliffs to witness the plane's passing.



PS I always feel very sad when I drive past BAE/Airbus at Filton, Bristol and see their Concord parked up in the open, deteriorating, as though it is an unloved nuisance.

[Anna]

The Waverley was in South Wales in June but unfortunately her last two scheduled trips from Penarth had to be cancelled due to bad weather. There was a regular paddle steamer which went back and forth from Wales to Devon resorts and to Weston. One of the attractions was that Wales used to be 'dry' on a Sunday but the paddle steamers had a bar and Weston-super-Mare had plenty of pubs!

[Flosshilde]

Sorry, ER, it still looks like a block of flats plonked on top of a ship. Compared to ships like QE2 it's a graceless lump.

Dave, there was an article in The Lancet a few years ago that said that it was better to spend one's 'declining years' on cruise ships than in a retirement home - a higher ratio of medical staff to passengers, better food, better entertainment, better weather, more people so a better chance of getting away from people you didn't like, and above all cheaper.