The Dreamlifter

During my time in Anchorage on this year's Alaska tour, I've had the opportunity to see some pretty cool aircraft. There has been the F-22 squadron flying around just north of town as well as a flight of F/A-18E Super Hornets one day. The other night I noticed that there was a large cargo plane parked at the east end of the airport (the end near our hotel). To my surprise, it turned out to be one of the Boeing 747 LCF, modified 747-400s expanded to be able to carry components of the new 787 Dreamliners. This one was the first to be built, N747BC.

Remembering Michael Hedges

It was eleven years ago this month that this world lost the enormous talent of Michael Hedges. One of the most amazing guitarists I have ever had the pleasure of seeing perform, I was shocked and saddened by the news of his sudden death in 1997. He was a consummate performer. Here's to you Michael wherever your spirit lives on!

Was it all a dream?

Oh My God! Don't let this happen to you! It happened to me..well not really. I've already voted and I am now crossing fingers hoping that the American people have the sensibility to do the right thing and elect Barack Obama. In the meantime, I've got to go hide somewhere.

A NEW EMBLEM

Qantas' New Nancy-Bird

Today I flew home from Australia after more than three weeks there. While I boarded the aging 747-400, parked next door was the sparkling new A380, now registered as VH-OQA, and christened the Nancy-Bird Walton in honor of the famous Australian aviator. QANTAS is pretty excited about its new mega-carrier, and there has been a whole lot of promotion going on of late. It turns out that it only arrived in Australia on September 21, 2008, just a couple of days before I saw it flying in the skies above Sydney. It is scheduled to make its first passenger flight on October 20, flying from Melbourne to Los Angeles. These latest shots are of it parked in Sydney on October 16.

The A380 Flies!

After many years of development, the new Airbus A380's are finally flying commercial routes. I was hoping that I might have a chance of seeing some of these new planes on my visit to Sydney, Australia this year. Sure enough, I have managed to see planes from Singapore Airlines and Qantas. The new Qantas plane has been seen in flight on two different days so far.

Come On America. Get It Together!

One thing that bothers me perhaps more than anything else about our national elections is that voters generally lack enough sophistication to sort out truths and stay focused on the issues that are really relevant for us as Americans. I don't think of myself as a particularly smart guy, but I am amazed by how stupid and taken in some folks can be by campaign rhetoric and the media. I want great things for our country, the world, and my two children. Sometimes I fear we as a nation just don't have what it takes to pull ourselves out of the cesspool we have found ourselves in. That really saddens me. I appreciate the efforts of individuals and groups such as FactCheck.org that really try and set the record straight when candidates from both sides are so quick to stretch and distort the truth. Sometimes we need a hard slap in the face. Come on America, get your sh*t together!