Why I always Carry a Camera

While driving past a local airport the other day, I saw this beauty taking off:

For those of you non-aviation geeks, this is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It is a very rare aircraft, I believe there are only four flying as of now. This is the very first one ever built, it is undergoing FAA airworthy certification testing at various locations around the country.

There is a lot riding on the wings of this aircraft. It is the future of commercial aviation manufacturing in this country, I believe Boeing's survival depends on it's success.

What makes it unique is it's largely composite construction, rather than aluminum skin and structure. It is supposed to be lighter and stronger, thus allowing more payload with less fuel use - very important for airlines.

When I spotted it taking off, I instantly knew what it was by it's very flexible wing and by the plan-form of the wing. I also noticed that the landing gear did not retract, meaning that it was staying very close to the airport. It flew straight out from the end of the runway for about five miles, turned around and returned to land on the runway it had just taken off from.

Really, I don't drive around with my camera on my lap. Well, o.k, not my "big" camera anyway. I had about four minutes to find a place to turn around, find a place to legally park, get my "big" camera out, climb onto the bed of my truck and prepare the camera. I made it with seven seconds to share.

 The above photo was the result, as was this:

The second photo is unique because of the obsolete aircraft in the background. It shows the future and the past of commercial aviation in one shot.

Most of the aircraft in the background will likely be beer cans within a few years. They are being stored here in hopes that they will be needed by an airline or freight hauler before they deteriorate. The arid climate is ideal for storing aircraft, but the economics of the industry make scrapping them and reusing the aluminum a more likely outcome. Those old airliners, especially the jumbos, are just too thirsty.

I was really lucky to get these shots, It was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time - with my camera.

Many of us will get to fly on a 787 someday, sales are brisk. The airlines do like a fuel efficient aircraft. When you do, remember that you saw it here first.

Thanks for reading,
Schmoe

First Day Back

Today is my first day back at the healing place. A "mystery meat" crew, umpteen bajillion E-Mails, an in-box stuffed with numerous hard copies of superfluous B.S. and a report of D.C. Newby raising hell with my crew over something which he knows nothing about nor has any business getting involved with greeted me as I walked in the door.

It's great to be back, though I wish I was still up north. We have a quiet schedule today, I should be able to catch up on most of the stuff that I missed while gone.

I really didn't miss any huge excitement while away, though some residents of the K.B.F.P.D. seemed to lose their ability to drive while intoxicated without crashing their cars. I am quite sure it wasn't from a lack of practice.

Tonight, as I walk around the station ensuring it's security, I will gaze up at the dust filled and light polluted sky. I will be thankful for my career and the many blessings which I have been given. I will take note of the seven stars that I see and I will fondly remember the night sky from an elevation of 7800 feet.

Bajillions of stars are far better than bajillions of e-mails.

I'm just sayin".

Thanks for reading,
A grateful Schmoe

Aftermath

Much of the land that I roam is either desert or semi-desert. That includes the land I must drive through to get to and home from my mountain get-away. The route into the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains is US hwy 395. It starts in Victorville, CA and ends up at the Canadian border.

Until it climbs into the Sierra, Hwy 395 crosses the high Mojave desert, then travels up the Owens Valley before climbing into the mountains. The video below was shot less than a day after I traveled down Hwy 395 on my way home. I am unsure of the exact location of the event, but it looks to be in the Southern end of the Owens Valley, somewhere near Owens Dry Lake.



The mud flow appears to be black. It is speculated that the black color is due to the flow originating in a burn area from a wildfire which occurred last summer. That may be, or it may be that the flow consists of dark pumice from one of several dormant volcanoes in the area.

Regardless, this flow is the result of too much water falling from the sky in too short of a time. The ground is unable to absorb the water and the flow begins. These flash floods often begin miles away from where the damage occurs and catch people by surprise. I am guessing that the driver of the Semi never thought that he would be washed from the highway.

I am very glad that this occurred after we passed through the area rather than during or before. The highway was closed for nearly a day and then only one lane was opened with law enforcement escort. The delays were extreme and the detours were hundreds of miles out of the way. That is often the way of the desert.

Thanks for reading, stay out of flash floods!
Schmoe