I've invented a new word: technastination - definition: putting off getting on with life by wasting time thinking of a status update for Facebook or any other micro blogs

I have moved this blog

I have moved this blog to here.

Red Bull Air Race, London, August 2nd 2008

I hopped aboard a train, then a Thames Clipper, and arrived in time to queue in the rain for an afternoon of world class flying. The Red Bull Air Race is one sport that the British seem to excel at. There are three British pilots competing this year; Paul Bonhomme, Nigel Lamb, and Steve Jones and each aviator is improving each year since the race's beginnings in 2005. It's a thrilling spectator sport that allows spectators to see every aspect of the race which is laid out in a series of inflatable pylons and gates.

It's great fun to watch, but I think the organisers could improve on the amenities by providing more catering, more loos, and more comfortable seating or at leas less densely packed seating. The entry ticket was £35 (£40 with 'admin fees'), add to that transport to the venue (near the O2 Arena), food, one drink, and a couple of coffees, and you don't get much change out of £100. Perhaps I'll be able to afford a VIP ticket next year - a snip at £450.

Red Bull Air Race, Paul Bonhomme, 2008 UK

Maurice Little, Pilot for 50 years

Today our local paper, The Hampshire Chronicle, contains an article about a 73 year old private pilot called Maurice Little. Mr Little has held a pilot's licence for 50 years and has logged over 2,000 hours of private flying in 20 different aircraft types. Earlier this year, to celebrate this achievement, he took a flight in Piper Seneca, and has another slot booked in an unspecified warbird. He attributes his rapid recovery from a nasty stabbing to his love of flying, and describes how he enjoys being part of an elite of 120,000 private pilots in a population of over 60 million in the UK. His wife used to be terrified of flying but has now undertaken a safety pilot's course, so they can look forward to more flying time together.

It's so refreshing to read an article that promotes flying and yet appears in a newspaper that often contains expressions of safety doubts about general aviation, or even outright complaints. It's a cheerful story about personal achievement and how aviation can be a source of inspiration that can motivate a person to a full recovery after an injury, or give them the boost they need to dig them out of a low patch.

Lammas and Lughnasadh

Today, August 1st, is the feast of Lammas in the Christian calendar, and Lughnasadh in the Celtic Pagan calendar. It's a time of harvest, contentment, hot summer days (in the northern hemisphere), and general abundance. Harvest festivals in churches encourage parishioners to bring some of their bounty to the church where it would form the centrepiece for a service of thanksgiving after which the produce is given away to the poor of the parish. Pagans, Wiccans and other non Christian religions celebrate Lughnasadh (named after the Celtic god Lugh); a time of the first fruits of the harvest, a time for gathering with family and friends, for feasting and horse racing.

Summer holidays, family feasts (barbeques), parties with friends, festivals, lazy sunny days, outdoor gatherings and performances - all these things have been going on at this time of year for millenia in one form or another. Relax and enjoy it while it lasts. The Autumn Equinox is less than two months away.

A new post on a forgotten blog

I was thinking about starting a new blog. It was going to be a place in which to express all those opinions, memories, and ideas that flow through my mind sporadically as well as including a lot of aviation content. After digging around for a suitable domain and platform I realised that I already had this blog, but had forgotten all about it.

I'll bet that this is a pitfall of many an amateur blogger; sparse postings on forgotten and barely used blogs litter cyberspace. Can I make something of my own? Can I resolve to be creative and expressive? We shall see.

Do you collect airline sick bags? Or Air Hostess Uniforms?

People will make collections of just about anything; bottle tops, beer mats, postcards, you name it, there's a collector for it. So it's not surprising then that there are thousands of collectors of aeronautica, and airline & airport memorabilia.

It's a vast subject, and the fact that airlines come and go makes their accessories and paraphenalia more collectable by virtue of the fact the airline ceases to exist. Have you got any Pan Am inflight magazines in your loft? That kind of airline memorabilia is of great interest to a collector, but it could also be the start of your own collection.

Hop along to Loveairways.co.uk and see what prices people are willing to pay for everything from air sickness bags to vintage air hostess uniforms (quite a rarity so much in demand), and Concorde items.