Sunset Dragon

So Far Away from Me

-Dire Straits

Here I am again in this mean old town

And you're so far away from me

And where are you when the sun goes down

You're so far away from me

So far away from me

So far I just can't see

So far away from me

You're so far away from me

I'm tired of being in love and being all alone

When you're so far away from me

I'm tired of making out on the telephone

And you're so far away from me

So far away from me

So far I just can't see

So far away from me

You're so far away from me

I get so tired when I have to explain

When you're so far away from me

See you been in the sun and I've been in the rain

And you're so far away from me

So far away from me

So far I just can't see

So far away from me

You're so far away from me

AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D

I must tell you that if you're looking for a superb lense for your Nikon D-SLR, consider this one. It is incredible for close-up work, and does very well I think, for landscapes. You will have to move around a bit as there's no zooming in with this lense. With goggos that's no problem because they're under your nose but with landscapes, it's composition. I think it could also be very good for portraits. Will give it a go and post the results. Surprisingly, Thom Hogan hasn't managed to do a review on it yet. It isn't the cheapest but I think it's worth every cent. Very excited now. Have to calm down. Quiet thoughts quiet thoughts.

C-17 Globemaster III

It's Mondaaaaaay. I got off my arse and found out what was loitering at Lanseria's runway. It's a C-17 Globemaster III. These photographs are from the National Defense University in Washington DC.

See: www.ndu.edu

This is the carrier's specifications (from www.airforce-technology.com):

Specifications - C-17 Globemaster III Tactical Transport Aircraft, USA
Key Data
Permanently Installed Sidewall Seating
54 seats, 27 each side, width 18in, spacing 24in centre to centre
Centerline Seats, Stored On-Board
48 seats, eight sets of six back-to-back
Palletised, Ten-Passenger Pallets
90 seats on nine pallets, plus 54 passengers on sidewall seats
Litter (Medical Stretchers) Stations On-Board
Three stations, three litters (stretchers) each
Litter Stations, Additional Kit
Nine additional stations
Total Capability, Contingency
36 litters, 102 ambulatory
Flight Crew
Two
Observer Positions
Two
Instrument Displays
Head-Up Display (HUD), 4 multifunction cathode ray tube displays, and conventional instruments as backup
Navigation System
Digital electronics
Communications
Integrated radio management system
Flight Control
Quad-redundant electronic flight control system with mechanical actuated back-up
Dimensions
Wingspan
169.8ft
Length
174ft
Height at Tail
55.1ft
Fuselage Diameter
22.5ft
Usable Fuel Weight
181,054lb
Engines
Four Pratt and Whitney PW2040 engines, military designation F117-PW-100, thrust 40,440lb each
Cargo Compartment Crew
One loadmaster
Cargo Floor Length
68.2ft
Rap Length
19.8ft
Loadable Width
18ft
Ramp to Ground Angle
9º
Ramp Capacity
40,000lb
Performance
Maximum Payload
170,900lb
Maximum Take-Off Gross Weight
585,000lb
Empty Weight
277,000lb
Range, 160,000lb
2,400nm
Cruise Speed
Mach 0.74 to Mach 0.77
Service Ceiling
45,000ft
Ferry Range (Unladen Range)
4,700nm
Take-Off Field Length, at Maximum Gross Weight
7,740ft
Landing Field Length, with 160,000lb of Cargo
3,000ft
Wing
Area
3,800ft²
Aspect Ratio
7.165
Wing Sweep Angle
25º
Airfoil Type
Supercritical airfoil
Flaps
Fixed-vane, double-slotted, simple
Winglet Area
35.85ft²
Winglet Span
9.21ft
Winglet Sweep Angle
30º
Winglet Angle
15º from vertical
Horizontal Tail Area
845ft²
Horizontal Tail Span
65ft
Horizontal Tail Aspect Ratio
5.0
Horizontal Tail Sweep
27º
Cargo Box Dimensions
Pallets
Nine 463L plus two on the ramp
Single Load Airdrop
60,000lb platform
Airdrop Sequential Loads
110,000lb, 60ft of platforms
Cargo Handling System
18 463l pallets, including four on the ramp
Combat Offload
All pallets from aerial delivery or cargo handling system
Landing Gear
Main Landing Gear
Twin-strut tandem, three wheels each strut per side of aircraft
Width Outside to Outside
33.7ft
Tyres
50 x 21-20
Nose Landing Gear
Dual wheels
Tyres
40 x 1 S.5-16
Wheelbase
65.8ft

Enough said. Pretty damn impressive.

Road to Warden

I meant to go to Dullstroom, but ended up in Warden. Go figure. As long as it's somewhere, right? This weekend flew by and I'm not sure if I'm ready for Monday :[ Perhaps you feel the same? Remember having left your homework until Sunday evening? Quite a sick feeling as I recall. Especially if you had 3 technical drawings to do for Monday and each normally took you about an hour and a half to do. Hmm tasty. Nothing like that to bring out the latent masochist in us all ;p

Soylent Green

The Transvaal Yacht Club - revisited. One can see by the chain locking up the cannon to the railing that we're in Africa. Just an observation. I need to get out of JHB for a while. These one day events are okay, but 3 days is more like it. Not sure where to, tomorrow, but that's tomorrow's little decision. Listening to Rammstein at the moment. Boom boom screech, growl....

Big Boy at Lanseria Airport

Hi there. I'm at work after spending a day outside for a change, instead of inside in front of a computer. This dinkie toy was resting on the parking bay at Lanseria this morning. I don't know how long it's been there, but when I looked closely at the photograph of the nose of the plane, inside the car next to it is an individual in the passenger seat with a fair amount of tattoo work on his left arm. He probably also carries a BIG gun... This is Africa after all and one can't be the only one without a weapon, so we understand. I don't think you'll be able to see that detail though, after I created this panorama and had to reduce it from 14Mb to 50Kb :[

Remains of a Day

Hi there. These were taken at various settings (probably the 'incorrect' ones) yesterday afternoon with my new Sigma 150mm. I hope you're having a good Saturday so far. If you're in bed, get out you decadent person :] Going to the JHB Zoo again.... Perhaps tackle the meerkat gang for the second time and see how this macro lense performs in my hands. Don't wait. Just go out there and do it. The idea of a big breakfast sounds good right now, as does some good leaded coffee. Cheers.

Suikerbosrand

Hi there. This past Sunday, Mark, Kristy and I went for a relaxed and tranquil walk to enjoy the beautiful fauna and flora that is the Suikerbosrand. The calming trail we chose was the 10km Bokmakierie walk. How lovely the sun shone upon our fair-skinned, withered bodies for 10kms that equalled eventually to 5 hours of lizard-in-the-sun-baking pleasure... The first two photographs are from the drive going there. The sun won.

Ballooning

A very big thank you to Chuck for making this balloon trip happen, and to Marc our pilot for a VERY exciting trip :] and to Jeff our co-pilot.

I highly recommend taking the time and spending the money on an outing like this. If you're planning to propose to that special person, what better way than high above with everything left behind, and a champagne kiss to seal it?

Sunset in Town

Hi there. How are you doing? Are the cracks beginning to show? Or is that what only you can see? This day is just about dead. I think I'm going to wonder over through a couple of blocks of dark territory to a Chinese restaurant for some supper and some form of alcohol, and then back here to finish off building and installing some machines. Hope your day wasn't too rough.

Moments

Sleepless in a Strange Place

Good morning. It's Saturday the 10th of March 2007. Haven't been writing much. Think I lost my mental tongue for writing/talking. Watching is what I'm doing more of lately. Okay, let''s say 'observing,' as the other word has the subtly fragrant smack of S T A L K I N G in it..... :p