Play Ball !!!!!!.....

Scott, Brad, Paul, (Brad is Scott's best friend and Phil is his dad), and I went the St Louis Cardinals 2008 home opener. The Colorado Rockies starting pitcher, Jeff Francis threw 12 straight "balls" until Albert Pulois swung and missed a high fast ball. The Cards scored 4 runs in the 1st inning. And in the second Pulois hit a Home Run. But, all for naught. The heavens opened up and rained. Two hours later, they called the game. They will start over again tomorrow night. And we will be there again.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT......

Happy Birthday to our youngest and only son...... Scott Matthew Twente.

He is 21 today!

After Church today, we are going over to Shannon's for Easter dinner. Then he wants to go to Applebee's for supper. Then to the boats (Casinos). That way he can gamble and drink for free... LOL....

It is snowing this morning (Easter Sunday). BIG heavy flakes!!!!!

Again, Happy Birthday Scooter..........

HAPPY EASTER

We would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter.

May God be in your heart and spirit.

May Jesus be your Savior. For he died on the cross for all of us and our sins. That we may have life eternal.

Cessna 150

We bought a 1976 Cessna 150 last month.

Took Kalliegh up yesterday for a ride. But was bumpy.

I was supposed to go get Westley in Kansas City today, but, just checked weather and the winds across Missouri today are 35 knots (40 mph) from the northwest. So I decided not to fight those strong head winds in an airplane that only goes about 100 knots. If you do the math, that gives me a ground speed of about 65 knots (75 mph). Plus it will be turbulent again today.

So we will drive to Columbia, MO and meet Susan's sister and Westley there.

These are a couple of pictures I have of the airplane. Will take more later and post.

It has 2 Nav/Comm's, GPS, Transponder, ADF, heated pitot tube. In other words, IFR (instrument) equipped.

I am adding an electric tachometer, new wing tips with landing and strobe lights, and another ADF (automatic direction finder, AM radio). Also adding wheel pants. Which Shannon's husband, Frank is working on for me.

Well, got to go get ready to go get my grandson and bring him back home from Spring Break.

Home Again....

Leaving on an American Airlines flight for home today. I have been out since February 18th. Too long...

Bags are pack, ready to go. I am standing here outside my door.

I ought to write a song about leaving on a jet plane......

LOL...


Later.......

FORE!!!!!

A man staggered into the hospital emergency room with a concussion, multiple bruises, two black eyes, and a five iron wrapped tightly around his throat.

Naturally, the Doctor asked him, "What happened to you?"

"Well, I was having a quiet round of golf with my wife, when at a difficult hole, we both sliced our golf balls into a field of cattle. We went to look for them and while I was looking around I noticed one of the cows had something white at its rear end. I walked over, lifted its tail, and sure enough, there was a golf ball with my wife's monogram on it, stuck right in the middle of the cow's fanny.

Still holding the cow's tail up, I yelled to my wife, "Hey, this looks like yours!"

"I don't remember much after that"

Been awhile.....

It has been awhile since I last posted. So, I will recap what has been happening since last Friday.

Flew Anchorage to LAX. About an hour out of Anchorage we get a sat (satellite) phone call. Scheduling wanted to know if we would take the plane on to Atlanta, GA, after we drop our load in LA.

So, after a 3 hour stop we ferried the plane to Atlanta, GA.

I call my cousin Katheryn Moncrief, who lives in Atlanta, She came over the the hotel and picked me up. We had a very nice lunch and 6 hour visit. It had been 13 years (and about 6 grand kids between us later) since we had seen each other. By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kattie!

Then they commercialed me to Newark. Where I sat for about 2 days.

Then we flew from Newark to Columbus, Ohio. Picked up an engine from GE to take to Boeing in Seattle, WA. Once in Seattle we stayed 9 hours, then flew the plane to McGuire AFB ( just south of Trenton, NY). We stayed there for about 30 hours and ferried another aircraft from McGuire to Newark (20 minute flight).

So, now I am Newark. We are riding in a limo back down to Dover, DE. Where tonight we will fly Dover AFB to Mendenhall AFB, England.

Probably there for a day then come back to the states.

I go home Monday.

So, there you are....

All caught up with my boring live on the road. LOL.......

Speak English only in the Worldwide Aviation Community

This is what I put up with every time I fly overseas.

Not only the pilots, but the air traffic controllers in foreign counties. Especially the Asian countries. The lady controllers are very sing-songy. We have to listen very hard to what is bring said.

This story really happened to one of the crews at the company I fly with:

First, let me say that one of our FO's was born and raised in Chicago, ILL. Jimmy was born to South Korean parents. Ergo, Jimmy is full blooded South Korean. But, Jimmy speaks English only, no Korean.

Second, this flight he was on was a charter for Asiania Airlines (South Korean company). And they were using the call sign "Asiania 368". We normally would use "Connie 368".

Third, Most Asian carriers hire English speaking born pilots to "help" fly their airplanes (talk on the radios). So most of the time there is an English and a Korean speaking pilot in the cockpit.

Forth, The controllers only know what the call sign is, and that the aircraft is a B747 Heavy. They don't know that it is an American plane and an American/English only speaking flight crew. With an Asiana call sign they are assuming that the crew is an Asiana flight crew. So, our story begins with our crew (Asiana/Connie 368) having trouble communicating with Seoul Approach control. Neither the controllers or the flight crew (all American English speaking) can not understand one another...

Approach: "Asiana 368, could we please talk to the Korean pilot?"

Asiana 368: (FO Jimmy) "Approach, Asiana 368, this is the Korean pilot".

LOL.........

Atlanta, GA

We left Anchorage, Alaska Thursday night at 10:30pm local time for Los Angles, CA. An hour out of Anchorage, the satellite phone in the plane rang. It was scheduling. They wanted to know if our crew would be willing to ferry the aircraft to Atlanta, once the cargo was off-loaded in LAX. The First Officer and I agreed, but the Captain was going home once we got to LAX. But as luck would have it, we had another Captain on board deadheading to LAX. He agreed to go with the First Officer and me on to Atlanta out of LAX.

After off-loading the cargo in LAX, and 4 hours later, we departed for our 4 hour flight to Atlanta, GA.

Once we got to Atlanta, at 3:00 pm local time, and being up for almost 20 hours. We were taken to a hotel at the Atlanta/Hartsfield Airport.

I then took a 2 hour nap once we got checked into the hotel.

When I awoke, I took a shower to help me get awake. Then went next door to get something eat. Came back the the room and get on the internet. I opened my flight bag where I normally keep my laptop...

....NO LAPTOP!!! AAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I had left it on the airplane!!!!!!

Quick, call Operations in Ypsilanti. Talk with the flight follower for that aircraft. He said that the plane was still on the ground. I then got a hold of the handler. The had my laptop!!! YEAHHHHH!!!

What did we ever do without laptops and cell phones?

Flight 195

Ok, now I want everyone to listen, especially all of you who fly commerical airlines.

When you purchase a ticket on your favorite carrier, You are renting/leasing the seat you are assigned and the area under the seat directly in front of your seat.

With that in mind...

DON'T PUT YOUR CARRY-ON (which should have been checked in the first place) BAG WHERE MY FEET GO DURING A 3 HOUR FLIGHT!!!!

That is MY rented space and I check my over sized bags so that I can stretch out during that 3 hour flight! I don't come on board with my bags and put then under the seat in front of you! So, please be courteous to me and check your bag next time.

Also, for all you smokers.....

DO NOT smoke on commercial airlines! It is a Federal Offense to do so. A gentleman (sic) on the flight from Seattle to Anchorage got at least 1 nights free lodging at the Anchorage Police Station. Yep the flight crews will and do radio ahead to the local authorities (COPS) to inform them that you were smoking in the lavatory. They don't give the no smoking warning during the preflight passenger briefing just to hear themselves talk! They are serious about that seat belt, no smoking, life vest, oxygen mask, stuff. So pay attention dammit. That info could at least save your life, or keep you out of jail.

So everyone, get a clue...

1. Check you luggage if over 19 inches long and more than 9 inches thick, IT WON'T FIT IN THE OVERHEAD.

2. Put your un-checked stuff under the seat in front of YOU, not me.

3. Don't smoke on the airplane.

Please forward this info to all your smoking and otherwise uncaring friends.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.

Leaving on a jetplane....

Leaving LAX tomorrow on Alaska Airlines for Anchorage via Seattle.

Then I am scheduled to fly Anchorage to Columbus, Ohio, then to JFK, on March 6th.

Hard to be leaving WARM, SUNNY, southern California, for COLD, Cloudy, Anchorage, Alaska.

But, it's a tough job and "somebody" HAS to do it! So it might as well be me than you..... LOL....