Rodger Pettichord

Back in the Viet Nam war days, I used to love watching the F-4s come and go. Got to see them in Japan, Viet Nam, Thailand, and Okinawa. One memory centers on a tiny island in the South China Sea where the USAF had a radar station. There were two radar bubbles on the top of the island's small mountain. F-4s in transit between Japan and Viet Nam would get permission to "split the bubbles." Going full speed, they would approach at sea level, then at the last moment lift and pass on their sides between the bubbles at ground level. Great flying! The station's isolated and stir-crazy crew (including me as a civilian asset), were the world's best audience, with lots of jumping and whooping and waving. As the F-4 jocks left, they would usually give us a victory roll as a goodbye gesture. Thanks for a fond memory, Adam.

Happy year of celebration ahead, Ken. Best to you.

Between Gerold and John, we are approaching Einsteinian brilliance. Who knew?

Love it, Iain. Try Eva singing "Fields of Gold" for another classic. She died way too young.

Great song, Adam, and one of life's saddest questions.

A toast to you, Scott. Have a happy day!

Oo la la! Merci, Adam. Merveilleuses videos!

Hi all. As we start the new year, let's have a little comprehensive exam to see if we are smart enough to make it through. 100% score means you are brilliant, stupendous, wonderful, and ready for the new year. THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC: Orbx Forum 2024 Comprehensive Knowledge Exam. MATHEMATICS: which formulas do not add up to three? 1. 1 brick+2 bricks 2. 2 Manchester United fans + 1 Liverpool fan 3. 2 to 1 that your horse will lose at Hannover's Neue Bult Racecourse. BIOLOGY: which creatures have four legs? 1. Water buffalos 2. Australians after closing hours 3. Spiders PHYSICS: answer the following foundational physics questions. 1. Can electrostatic electricity zap you if you rub a wool duck? 2. How many atoms are not enough to fill a hungry Welshman? 3. Will wave optics ever reach the top ten? CHEMISTRY: which of the following are used in chemistry experiments? 1. The Periodic Tables 2. Beakers, test tubes, and Bunsen burners. 3. Coca Cola, rum, and a New Zealander. LANGUAGE: which of the following are not parts of speech. 1. Noun describing a person, place, or thing. 2. Verb describing an action or state of being 3. Cockney. HISTORY: which of the following is actually true? 1. The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia ruled central England for 400 years. 2. Tasmanian Aboriginal history goes back over 10,000 years. 3. The three German composers, Brahms, Beethoven, and Bach, originated German techno-pop.

Nice set. Thanks, Adam. You might find it interesting to look into pop music in Africa. I stumbled on it a few years ago and have enjoyed some very accomplished musicians.

We learn something everyday, eh? Thanks, Badl4ndz, for this view of a bit of the Kingdom of Mercia. I'd not heard of that area and it's rich history until today. Well worth the Google.

Pure dead brilliant, John. A tip of the bonnet to ye.

Graeme, I've read about the beautiful and exotic critters in Australia. Thanks for showing us a batch of them😁

Beautiful pictures of beautiful buildings, Gerold. Over 90% of Hanover was razed by bombing in WWII. It's good that these treasures survived and can be celebrated today. Thanks for sharing them.

Adam, my wife is from Imperial, a small town just outside Pittsburgh. Since her parents died, we haven't been back for several decades. Thanks for a chance to catch up!

Looks like you have a couple of canine companions there, Nick. Do they have you well trained for walks?

Rob, above is Spokane, Washington. Trudy and I live about ten miles west on what is called the West Plains. That's a dryland characterized by prairie grasses, stub pines, and nowadays huge Amazon distribution centers. Four seasons here, lots of accessible nature close by in all directions, fine medical facilities, and plenty of good places to eat. The Spokane River is the city's pride and is well cared for, with scenic trails paralleling it through the city. Below Is Airway Heights where we actually live. This view is faced northeast. Spokane is ten miles to the east, Spokane International Airport is five miles southeast, and Fairchild AFB is six miles west. Plenty of plane spotting from our apartment as they go over.

As background for my next novel, I've been reading about the tourist-animal interactions in the game parks of Africa. Warm and cuddly isn't the norm. Tourists get mauled trying to take a selfie with a lion, or gored trying to pet a cape buffalo, or lose an arm trying to feed a leopard. In the big preserves, the animals are truly wild and do not excuse tourists from the food chain. Your thread title is perceptive, Adam.

Hi all. 2024 will be a fun year in flight simulation. Microsoft will release its brand-new 2024 version. X-Plane, Aerofly FS, and P3D will offer upgrades. Orbx and other developers will present new options. It will be a great year to do some serious flying. I, for example, am going to pick up a Basler PT-67 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and fly it down North and South America then down to Rothera, Antarctica, to reproduce a rescue flight that Ken Borek's team did in June, 2016 (they did it in a Twin Otter). And that leads to this week's topic. THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC: What flight sim travels/adventures do you hope to undertake in 2024?

And a starburst to you, Iain, for all you do and all your support. Happy new year!

Good news that you have good news. Now let's do a whole 2024 of it!

The Japanese have learned how to eat puffer fish which are highly poisonous. Maybe Australians could find a way to make cane toads into a daring delicacy to sell to tourists in expensive restaurants?

Best wishes to all our birthday folk. May this next year be full of good things for you.

John, my wife and I join Karl in appreciating this very moving story. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

Better than loud firecrackers for tonight's celebration. Thanks, Adam. Happy 2024 there in Three-Rivers land.

Happy new year to you too, neighbor. May your pelt stay slick.