Author: John

Build knowledge // Improve the state of the universe for everyone // Repeat

Curtiss Pusher

On By JohnIn aircraftLeave a comment

Ride along with a restored, 1909 Curtiss Pusher aircraft:

The airspeed indicator appears to be an ultralight-style indicator. It shows airspeed from ram air as it moves through the air. Low-tech and very lightweight, but I’d imagine it will impart a small amount of drag. Not nearly as much as, oh, the rest of the aircraft’s rigging would.

Also, the two strings hanging from the trailing edge of the upper canard share maritime term but have a different purpose and position: telltales.

On sailboats, telltales are typically on the face of the sail and help to indicate whether the sail is in need of trimming or adjustment.

On aircraft, they indicate to the pilot whether the aircraft is in a slip. On some aircraft, they’re part of the avionics and are required!

There’s even more about this aircraft here.

Winter, Meh.

On By JohnIn annoyingLeave a comment

This region does indeed have four distinct seasons.

I can deal with Spring and Autumn. Temperatures and precipitation are tolerable.

Summer is challenging. We’ve had a few weeks of temperatures hovering around 110F.

But Winter — it angers me.

We’ve endured -10F, which about what we’d endured in Soap Lake a few years ago. Fortunately, we’re not living in a 5th Wheel RV as we were then. It had its drawbacks. But it also had its benefits, like the ability to head to warmer climes.

But, presently, I’m disliking this whole “winter” thing.

No, that’s not quite right.

I don’t mind Winter, but I suppose I dislike most isn’t the cold or the precipitation — I’m disliking the current condition (existence? non-existence?) of the shelter, equipment, and gear to cope with it.

On Your “Leet Google Skillz”

On By JohnIn education isn't, healthLeave a comment

If we all, together, would’ve just dealt with the necessary issues early on, then this would’ve been only a few months’ worth of inconvenience and we’d all be back to normal.

But, nope… here we are, about two-years on… and we’ve seen… **checks numbers** 816,609 deaths from some “made-up” virus (those were sarcasm-quotes).

Worsened further by the continuing and growing obliviousness of humanity. Mostly American, to be frank, who like to scream about “Muh rights!” but, let’s be honest, it’s not only here in the USA. There seems a steadfast refusal to acknowledge reality and that’s given the virus a strong enough foothold to continually mutate.

Yep, we’re surrounded by breathing Dunning-Kruger Graphs aplenty.