Begger me !.. I had to swap my 'looking out of the window at the 'water bomber' glasses for me reading ones to see that....Well they do say too much ****** ruins your eyesight!
Offer them a cold beer in exchange for a play with the helichopperBegger me !.. I had to swap my 'looking out of the window at the 'water bomber' glasses for me reading ones to see that....
View out of window this morning...
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I tried to get them to drop a load on the freelander as it is covered in ash and dust...... but they wouldn't play
Joe
I think the pilots are already p!ssed which would be considered normal hereOffer them a cold beer in exchange for a play with the helichopper
Mike
- it was a huge fiesta here over the last four days - there were almost constant fireworks and their very popular huge rockets that make an enormous bang and fall back to earth smouldering - (similar to a life boat maroon rocket) - so - after the several thousand rockets etc - they (for some very strange and unfathomable reason) seem quite surprised that the flash fires have re-ignited -- I wonder why... ?... 
Those helicopter pilots are pretty impressive. Last summer we were on a similar trip to the one I've just been on. We were heading across the Mackenzie Basin from Omarama towards Lake Pukaki. In the distance (probably about 30kms) we could see a plume of smoke, that got bigger as we got nearer. As we started the twisty bit of road around the bottom of the lake, we sort of lost where the smoke was. Then as we turned a corner almost simultaneously we saw the fire off to the side of the road and a helicopter pulled its bucket out of the lake and swung across the road - I thought it was going to wrecking ball style hit us and smash us off the road - obviously didn't but was quite a shock!Begger me !.. I had to swap my 'looking out of the window at the 'water bomber' glasses for me reading ones to see that....
View out of window this morning...
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I tried to get them to drop a load on the freelander as it is covered in ash and dust...... but they wouldn't play
Joe
Hello GG
lol, yeh, I hadn't though about them being on their payload limit - probably why the bucket swung so low over the car!Hello GG
It must have been a shock having the bucket go past the car ! yikes.
They load it to the t!ts as well. The thump of the rotor blades is huge as the strain goes on, they are definitely at max safe power - sometimes I would say they even push that limit just a wee bit when the real pressure is on. The extreme slow rate of climb as they lift out is indicative of the load.
We also have water 'super scooper' aircraft operating here but I haven't managed to get a good photo. They are the Bombardier 415, seaplane design that can uptake 1400 GALLONS in 12 seconds - bloody amazing. They also add dye internally to get a better mark from the ground observers. (the chopper cannot do this)
Here is an image of the type (unfortunately not the actual one here !), would love to get a good shot for my photo collection. After a successful fire fighting session the other day both the chopper and the 415 were playing 'chase' in the skies above here. Both obviously having fun. I can understand it as it is a very, very dangerous job.
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Frank Buck it wasn't one of those flying across the road and dumping the 1400 gallons in a few seconds...
When we moved to Portugal I never really expected to see them at all (we are in the North as well) however forest and flash fires are extremely common here in the summer. This year has been mind blowingly hot - even in June we had 30C , in July we had 40C !! some areas inland had nearly 45C.
It hasn't rained for three months but we are having a reprieve this week with temps down to 25c, very nice, feels pleasantly cool.
When at my Bro's in Canada they were a common sight.
I have never bothered with a 'smart phone' mine simply goes ring ring and I can just about read an SMS on the 1 inch square screen.. we were given a faulty Samsung
S4 Mini a few weeks back, I replaced the USB connection board (only a couple of quid) and it is perfect - I was so impressed with the camera on it that I want one - I will never have web access on it but would love it just for the practicality of having a camera so readily at hand. It is almost as good as my very expensive Sony HX50V that I carry in the glove box. - and my other excuse for wanting another S4 (or the later S5) is the superb AMOLED screen - amazing. AND it will work with my endoscope.
I will have to put my amazing HX50V up for sale me thinks....
Your pics are amazing Grumpy mate. Post or send me some summer ones - what a beautiful place you live in.
Joe
The old oil burner did us proud again. The old girl knows the route well now, could probably drive itselfGood luck (not that you will need it).
When the oil burner gives up give me a call, I will make sure the Fiesta is available for recovery - Land Rover fleet is currently undergoing maintenance.
Had to scrape the ice off the windows a couple of times in Twizel this morning - if there's 1 thing she's not good at its warming up quickly to clear the frost. But had a great time, made all the more pleasurable by having a great car 
With Grumpy's fishing skills he needs more than a secret spot.
Pic was taken at -44.12129 170.23240 which is always a great place for a pic and to fish - but obviously not necessarily to catch
We were back there for first light Wednesday - it was still as a mill pond with fish all around us - at 1 point I counted 20 separate 'rings' on the water from fish rising and from the sounds, they ranged from very small to very big - but we only caught the small ones!Probably dynamiteWith Grumpy's fishing skills he needs more than a secret spot.
In the words of my favourite 'actor' - Ka-Boom
With Grumpy's fishing skills he needs more than a secret spot.
Started on a new project recently. Making my own muffler protection. I make up a card board mock up and test fitted it. I scored a decent piece of 6mm checker plate alloy at the junk yard $30 - cheeeap [£15]. Gave it a clean and marked out my pattern and began cutting it out today. I’ll have to get it to the engineer’s place to do the bending for me. Pic’s of progress to date.
What happened with your back box Nodge ?. did you ever fit it, and if so, what were the results as far as noise and ground clearance gained ?
AH..
that is a bit of a bu88er Nodge.... I hope they get their finger out and get you the part, I am considering one myself based on seeing your design and image - looked great - providing it is no louder when in the vehicle. Is it an Ebay resolution centre thing ?. I have had 3 issues in the last month with items that were generally acceptable to me but not as described ( eg -deliberately marketing an IC with an incorrect part number for a more expensive version of the same thing) . One was a deliberate intent to mislead, seems minor as it was about a closed loop boost regulator that was advertised as having a ceramic ball valve which are excellent, when it arrived I stripped it and of course it did not have ceramic, it had stainless. Each item would have cost more to return that i paid. In all cases the ebay resolution centre refunded the money within 20 minutes of the deadline of the case (as soon as I asked them to step in). In all cases I actually wanted the item as described in the order. But getting the money back a second best.
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