I get a kick out of people’s reactions when the WuJo (middle world between realities, where hard physics and science smash into local non-reality or stochastic variations from “real”) reaches out and smacks ‘em upside the head.
Like this poor fellow:
“George,
This afternoon I was sitting at my small uncluttered desk watching a film on YouTube. My mouse batteries needed to be replaced so I took off the battery cover, prised out the dead batteries, put the mouse on the sheet of A4 that I use as a mouse mat and looked away to pick up two new ones from the shelf over the desk.
When I looked back the mouse wasn’t there although the cover was.
I reasoned that since I had not moved from my chair the mouse was within arm’s reach or on the floor. Since getting up involves some effort and pain I decided to postpone the search for five minutes until the end of the film which is when I would next need the mouse.
After the film I looked down there was the mouse waiting for the new batteries in the middle of the sheet of A4 directly in front of me.
I have normal eyesight and the desk top is comfortably within my ordinary field of peripheral vision and yet I didn’t see the mouse go or reappear.
I was alone at the time except for the cats and they were all asleep on my bed. Further, they did not have the air of total innocence that usually means that there is a dead bird under the sofa. ”
Yep, this is a typical example of the WuJo showing up – and one has to wonder whether if enough of this kind of thing showing up could account for the people “standing around drooling” in the Shape reports a while back (Might have been the ALTA series before that…).
Self-Development Corner
From a reader this morning, a couple of “golden oldies” from the web worth reading when you get time. From The Art of Manliness web site, this post from 2010 “The World Belongs to Those Who Hustle.” Slow to load, but pass on to the kids.
Also see their “The Autonomous Man in and Other-Directed World” which is a useful read, too.
Also “10 Skills to Thrive in a Post-Colloapse World” is interesting, too.
Around the Ranch: Vortex Generators, Redux
With any luck this weekend, I’ll finally get around to doing ulitmate low-speed flying of our 46-year old Beechcraft this weekend as I try to find out just how slow the airplane can be flown in level flight at various altitudes, since I added the micro-vortex generators to the main wings, underside of the stabilator, and vertical stabilizer surfaces both sides just ahead of the rudder.
Having flown my plane both before and after, I can tell you honestly, I would never fly a plane equipped any other way – and that goes double for twin engine planes, since the VG’s on the tail give a huge amount of control in the event of a dreaded “engine out on takeoff” situation.
As you can guess, my son (8 hours helo time, about 12 in fixed wing, still learning) thought the old man was “…crazier’n a coot.”
The I got an email from him with the article in Aviation Consumer this month:
Attached was a note to dad: “With age comes wisdom, I guess. lol” Uh-huh…yep.
If you fly in the experimental class, you can get a set for about $250. Hall Brothers up in Montana makes ‘em with details here. There are other versions, cut from aluminum extrustions, but the Hall Brother’s design has a wider footprint for adhesive, which makes sense to me.
On the other hand, everything on our old Beech has is certified so we got ours (complete with STC paperwork for your mechanic to file with the FAA) from Micro Aerodynamics up in Anacortes, WA. Tell Charlie hi for us…and they are working on fuselage units, too, which promise to add a few knots to cruise by reducingh fuselage boundary layer friction. 4-5 knots we hear. We’ll probably pop in on him this trip north and see how that next product offering is going.
Not like I’m the only one to pick up on these things. A doctor/reader who’s a Baron driver sent in this first-hand account of his experience with ‘em:
“Did I ever tell you the story of my engine failure? Cruising at 7500 over central Missouri with family (wife and 2 kids) on board and my L prop throws a counterweight bolt – much vibration and I decide to shut it down. Closest is Columbia MO with a stiff R->L crosswind. Never any doubt about control and 10 min later the kids are picking violets on the taxiway while I am explaining that I really didn’t need all the equipment called out… I had the original VG systems at the time but now I hear I can get an upgrade with strakes and more tabs on rudder…”
Point? Good judgment calls are made a lot easier by never letting an “accident chain” develop. Now I want more, but we’re down to about 8-gallons per hour with full fuel and luggage, which ain’t bad. And they add altitude, so popping up over the rockies with the oxygen on shouldn’t be an issue, but more once we get our trip underway in a week or so…
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Just out from the FAA this morning:
“A New Chapter has been added to the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK) entitled, Runway Incursion Avoidance. This chapter, contained in Appendix 1, provides the information pilots will be tested and checked on in the Private Pilot and Commercial Pilot PTS, effective June 1, 2012, and also in the soon to be released CFI and ATP PTS’s, which include a required Runway Incursion Avoidance TASK. The new Appendix, which will be available online soon, can be reviewed by clicking on this link (or cutting and pasting the link into your browser): https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2012/Jun/PHAK_-_Appendix_1.pdf
We’ll be stuying this closely (again) since we may be going into one of those airports which have had incursion issues in the past: KVGT.
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Mouketeer 12-Lima out – ..frequency change approved. Thanks for the ride…
Write when you break even…
George Ure (email comments to george@ure.net)
