> On 11/11/2011 4:05 AM, alan.b.pearce@stfc.ac.uk wrote: >>> Now you've done it. > When I was a kid there was a story telling radio program called "Can You > Top This". > In that spirit, I suggest this story is the winner. > http://www.b-47.com/stories/lappo/lappo.html A bit flowery and long winded (and that's Russell saying that :-) ) BUT a good story. I can't immediately think of one to top that, but ... __________ - As noted a few posts back, Captain Fred Ladd flew a Grumman Wigeon (AFAIR) under the Auckland Harbour Bridge and got the usual treatment. Not as exciting as Lappos' RB-47E underflight but probably more dangerous (and then not very dangerous). __________ This minor story is true but nobody would ever confirm it. It has no 'point' per s, but my camera would have liked to be there: My brother in law used to own a farm which was about 1 square mile and long and thin. It started on a road ridge, ran down a gentle slope to a flat plain and then rose to a hill line at the far end. The farmhouse was on the road ridge with a nice view down the farm. The RNZAF operates Orion aircraft for maritime patrol and notional antisubmarine response. Our crews have on occasion won against international competition in antisubmarine events so they know their atuff - and anyone with years in an Orion knows where the extremes of his craft are as well as a cat knows where it's whiskertips and paws are. My brother in law's children had a school friend home to stay for the weekend. Said friends dad was in the RNZAF. He was a navigator. In an Orion. That weekend dad and friends came visiting. The Orion popped over the hills at the far end of the farm, dropped to about fence level and proceeded towards the farmhouse. Maybe he overflew first to get their attention. Some time ago so memory dims, but i recall that they saw him coming. Up the farm up the farm up the farm - wheeee.... .. Not quite wheel marks on the roof but that was because the wheels were up. Bye dad ... . _____________ This is also true: Our capital city of wellington is known for its wind and its steep hills and its not so nice to approach airport which at one stage got nasty ratings from international pilots due as much to poor support services as the actual airport, Sensible behaviour and good navigation and all is well. Even at night in fog. As long as the navigation beacons behave. Story had it that there was a complex echo situation and that in some conditions the beacon system would misreport an aircraft's position. Pilot's complained. Investigations happened without finding any problems. Nothing changed. Back then a DC8 was a respectable aircraft and Air NZ had a modest fleet of them. In Newmarket in Auckland there was a PCB shop named Circuit Graphics. Good prices, good services, good response time. Hobbyist friendly. Probably not the most leading edge facilities From memory, back then they did not do PTH, but, back then many people didn't. Proprietor Don was friendly, helpful, cheerful. Nice guy. 1975. Standard dark and stormy night as I recall. DC8 inbound from Fiji on final over hilly hillside suburb of Newlands. Nearby the Newlands beacon decided this was the night for a spurious echo. Yee ha. Residents reported a DC8 appearing out of the clouds and flying down the valley below rooftop level in some cases. Probably made buzzing a farm feel tame. Go around power please. Pilot managed to respond fast enough and well enough to save the day. Only only only just from various accounts. Usual inquiry. Pilot suspended. Vilified. Found responsible and cashiered. Loud yelling by all and yon. Investigation. Beacon problems identified and remedied. Pilot exonerated. By then he'd moved on. Never came back to the company. Compensation payout etc. National hero of sorts. He bought a small PCB company in Newmarket. Nice guy. I never knew that he was the man concerned till years after he'd sold the business and moved on to other things. Last I knew he was running a graphic arts business in Helensville. Russell --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .