Monthly Archives: June 2016

Rolls’ Testbed Flies While I Am There – Twice!

AE7I6300.jpgOn my previous visit to Tucson, I saw the Rolls Royce owned Boeing 747 engine testbed.  This was converted for the Boeing 787 Trent engine development program (hence the registration N787RR).  The Number Two engine was removed and replaced with the test engine.  The other three Rolls RB211s are unchanged.  At various times the testbed has been reported to be without an engine in the test location but there was something there when I was last here – it’s just they didn’t fly.  This time was different.

AE7I6367.jpgI saw the testbed when I left the airport after my flight landed.  The following morning, I headed out to see what F-16 traffic there was and saw online that a flight plan had been filed for the testbed.  I only had a certain amount of time before I was due to be at Hawgsmoke but it was supposed to fly long before that.  Of course, test flying is not usually something that happens to a tight schedule and the takeoff time came and went.  We were beginning to think we might miss it when the sound of some large engines spooling up reached us.  A while later, out she came.

AE7I4746.jpgEngine testbeds require some careful control.  Since one engine is significantly different in thrust from the others, there is a balancing act required to keep the thrust differential within the ability of the control surfaces to overcome.  That means the max thrust is not always going to be used.  Consequently, they use a good portion of the runway for takeoff rotating just passed our location.  That meant I didn’t get the front quarter rotation shot I had in mind.

AE7I4883.jpgNo matter, I still got to see it fly.  The return was about six hours later and I was busy elsewhere at that time.  I figured that was it for this trip.  I was wrong.  The morning of my departure, I had a little time to spare so went back to see what was happening.  Amazingly, the testbed was already being crewed as I drove up.  We got a repeat of the previous day and some similar shots.  I guess I was compensating for not seeing it fly last time!

Squaw Valley Olympic Village

AE7I4302.jpgSki resorts are designed around the winter season and, come the summer, they can often be rather deserted.  The weather was warm and sunny during our visit to Squaw Valley Olympic Village but the place was far from quiet.  There was a festival underway so the center of the resort was filled with stalls from various vendors selling all sorts of things but mainly focused on art and craft type items.  Meanwhile, bands were playing at a couple of stages.

AE7I4306.jpgThe event was obviously very popular and large numbers of people were milling about.  Some of the lifts up the mountains were also still in use.  Obviously a lot has changed since the days of the Winter Olympics in the 60s but there are still signs around the town of the history of the games having been there.  I imagine the winter games were a lot lower key in those days but I still imagine the valley was pretty busy at that time.  It would have been quite an influx of people.  I wonder what the evening entertainment was like then.

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Departure of Solar Impulse

AU0E8488.jpgHaving been to Moffett Field for the arrival of Solar Impulse and then made another visit to the hangar while they were there, I wasn’t going to miss the departure.  This might not seem like a difficult decision to make but if I tell you I had been away in Southern California for the weekend and having driven back on Sunday and then finding out that departure was scheduled for 5am on Monday and we would be required to get there at 2am and I would need to be up at 1am, you can see why this was a bit tougher to do.

C59F6089.jpgHowever, I was committed at this point (or should have been) so I slept in the spare room so as to not disturb Nancy.  Off for an early run.  Traffic was no problem at that time as your might imagine.  Once there it was back to the same issues as we had faced with the arrival.  It was very dark.  Hayman did the stills and I went for video but got some stills as well.  Unfortunately, they chose not to back-track the aircraft as had been briefed so it took off from ahead of us and went away.  We still got some good shots and, while it got airborne very quickly, it got to a certain distance when it seemed like it had stopped moving.

AU0E4323.jpgThen, it was time to go.  We wrapped up and got on our way.  I actually was back at home a little ahead of my normal time to get up so I did my normal routine and headed in to the office.  It would be fair to say that I was not at my most perky that day!

Mustang Motion

C59F9966.jpgThe Society of Aviation History visit to Airmotive Specialties in Salinas gave us a great opportunity to look around the restoration facility.  One of the Mustangs was not being worked on though.  It was due to be picked up by its owner that afternoon.  As a result, having had a break for lunch, we headed back to the ramp to await the departure.

C59F9941.jpgThe aircraft was run up on the ramp outside the hangar and then taxied to the opposite end of the runway for takeoff.  We anticipated the takeoff and then a further pass before he left.  I figured the first time I might go with a slow shutter speed for fun.  The second one I would be a bit more conservative in order to make sure I actually got a sharp shot.

AU0E4253.jpgAfter the two passes the aircraft headed off en route.  Getting a bit of airborne Mustang time was a cool addition to a great day.

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Truckee

AE7I3952.jpgPrior to visiting Truckee, I knew virtually nothing about it.  I knew some people who had visited and liked it but I knew not much at all other than that it was a station on the railroad over the Sierras.  It turns out to be a great little town.  The main street provides a lot to see and do on a day out.  The variety of buildings is interesting and there is a nice map you can pick up at the visitors’ center that explains the history of various places and the background to the town itself.  It has gone through a number of phases as the economy of the area has developed.

AE7I3994.jpgThe Truckee Hotel looks very cool.  A colleague of mine stayed there a couple of years ago and had a great time.  A gas station has been restored and used as office space but it looks just like an operational gas station still.  The train depot includes the visitors’ center along with the Amtrak station.  There are plenty of places to eat and a good selection of shops with arts, crafts and other items.  We walked the length of the town and checked out the various buildings.  The street runs alongside the river and there is some more on the other side although not as much to attract your attention.  The town is not all though.  There is more in the vicinity for another post.  This would not be our only visit to the town on this trip either.

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Marineflieger Tornado

Scan 2-1251.jpgTornado was a tri-national program.  The UK, Germany and Italy were the partners that developed and produced the aircraft.  There was only one export customer which was Saudi Arabia.  All of the users continue to operate the aircraft although all of the ADVs have now been withdrawn.  Germany took a substantial number of the jets but, while the Luftwaffe remains a major user, it is easy to forget that they were not alone.

The German Navy had a fast jet fleet.  The Marineflieger operated the F-104 in large numbers and these were replaced by the Tornado.  Originally, they were in the Blue/gray upper fuselage with white undersides colors which looked very neat.  Later on (including the time this photo was taken), they had migrated to a camouflage scheme.  Then, a consolidation exercise took place and the Navy jets were transferred to the Luftwaffe which took over their responsibilities.

Are You Waving at Me?

AE7I3496.jpgTail slapping wasn’t the only thing that the humpbacks were doing a lot of. Waving with a flipper was also going on a lot. I don’t know what this means but it is cool to see because it makes it seem like the whales are waving at you. Since they are underwater when they do it and can’t see you, they obviously aren’t bothered by our presence but who cares? It feels like you are being waved at!

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What Does 40 Years of Design Get You?

AU0E1641.jpgThe Boeing 747-8 has not been a terribly successful program.  Boeing decided to update the 747 family with new engines and revisions to the wing along with a stretch to the fuselage.  The resulting jet was delayed by its own and other program issues and it came around at a time when there were few passenger airlines interested and the freighter market was taking a kicking.  The result has been anemic sales and a production rate that has steadily reduced as a result of the low demand.  However, from a technical point of view, it is a nice upgrade.

C59F2632.jpgThe wing came in for a lot of attention and was significantly redesigned.  The most conspicuous change is the introduction of the swept tips common to many Boeing designs these days.  Less obvious is that the flap system was completely redesigned.  The original 747 flaps, carried through on the 747-400 are very complex.  Sections are triple slotted.  The Boeing aerodynamicists came up with a single slot design to replace this which apparently has good performance but I imagine is a lot simpler to make and maintain.  Only from the rear on approach can you see the difference.  These shots compare a 747-400 from Air New Zealand with a Korean Air 747-8 and you can see for yourself how much simpler the new design is.

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Is There Anywhere a Sea Lion Can’t Sleep?

B11I2639.jpgI am always amazed by the places that sea lions can get to. They can be found on man made structures or rocky outcrops all the time. They will sleep in any space. How they find their way there without harming themselves is a mystery. They do though. Any surface will probably have a sea lion on it taking a nap.

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