Panda On A Scooter

Hello, I'm alive (I swear)

2012-02-09T00:35:00.001-05:00

Hello friends. I swear I'm not ignoring you. Not deliberately anyway. I'm stuck on a fast paced project which involves me and several of my coworkers to be sequestered at a hotel in what can only be described as a company sanctioned exile for the next few weeks in order to finish the project by March. I do miss you all, and hope to return to civilization soon. Love, the Bing

Happiness from Remembrance

2012-01-19T15:00:00.000-05:00

You meet your friends by circumstances, the right place at the right time.

Sometimes you lose touch with your friends, because the path of life is different for everyone and, for me at least, that path often diverges from the intersection that is the point of friendship.

But when one day, totally unexpected, you see a small note, a sign, that you were remembered in some way, it really brightens your day.

A friend of mine who used to work at Foodzie started his own company in California called Tonx. The concept is simple: A subscription for a bag of coffee beans, selected by the creators of the business, shipped to you every two weeks. Almost every bag will be a different type of beans, giving you a nice breadth of the variety of beans out there in the world. A nice break from the monotony of the typical engineer coffee fare of Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks or even *shudders* Folgers.

I never told my friend that I was subscribing to Tonx. I figured that I'm just one of the many customers with a quality coffee addiction and with some money to burn for premium beans. I've been following my friend's career path passively and was intrigued that he chose to apply his technological skills in the areas of food exploration. I remember him as a filesystems intern at Apple Computer, a fan of White Stripes, loves his sweetheart from high school (whom he is now married to), big nature lover and one of the six interns stuck in the bathroom at the Redwoods National Park while a black bear tore into his car.

Today, I received my first bag of beans. Lo and behold, a note of remembrance flashed across the shipping label.

Hi Nik! Happy New Year. :) Many blessings to your new venture.

A Day in the Life: Testing is torture

2011-11-10T16:47:00.001-05:00

Developer: You have that F.A.T. look.
QA: How's that?
Developer: The look of eternal despair, as if you've been crying all day and drank yourself to sleep every night.
QA: ... Yeah, that sounds about right.

A Letter On Public Broadcasting to Senator Bill Posey

2011-03-15T22:59:00.000-04:00

I support public broadcasting because the private media also needs competition, not only against each other, but also via government funded media. This is the belief that made our country strong, and to sully this belief will undermine what I consider to be one of the core foundations of democracy: Freedom of information, a right that is given to every citizen of this country.

My viewpoint is not against the general views on free market. Most private industry encourages government fundings because it allows them to compete better on the market, thus providing additional benefits to the consumer who can rely on at least one free source of information that can allow them to make informed decisions regarding the affairs of this country.

It is unfair to simply assume that any form of subsidy is a form of weakness, especially considering the fact that government subsidies are what created most of our modern corporations. Even Ford Corporation welcomed the auto industry bailout of their competitors, because they knew that it would encourage more competition among the private sectors. This is not an opinion: We have seen this in action from our days as moon walkers, where government funded research ranging from before the Apollo lunar missions to today have made private industries such as Intel and SpaceX a reality.

H.R. 1076 is an unfair and unjustified attack on our nation's public radio system and I strongly urge you to vote against it. Not only does this bill prohibit NPR from receiving federal funds, it goes so far as to prohibit the use of federal funds for acquisition of radio content regardless of the source.

Public broadcasting is an essential service to the American people. Without public broadcasting, our communities would lose access to the safe-haven of children's non-commercial educational content, the in-depth news and public affairs programming, access to the world of arts and cultural locally, nationally and internationally, and the local voice that weaves the diverse perspectives of our communities together.

The government does not exist to be absent. The government is there to represent the people that create it. Therefore public radio is the voice of the people, and speaks in the interest of the people. This is how democracy is preserved.

Mr. and Mrs. Mahdavi

2010-01-03T22:14:00.001-05:00

The last time I saw Zack was in the summer of 2005, at the end of my internship with Apple Computer. Zack was my cubicle mate for three months and we became good friends through the fun and sometimes grueling endeavors that Apple put us through. We have photos of Coke Zero and Red Bull lined up on the cubicle wall as proof of our experience.

On 2 Jan 2010, I was given the privilege to see him finally married to his high school sweetheart Maria, in a Catholic ceremony steeped in Indian tradition.

Presiding over the happy couple is Father Daniel Liu at St. Mary's Cathedral in Austin, Texas.

Atlantis: STS-129

2009-11-16T23:58:00.013-05:00

Mission Parameters

Mission Duration: 11 days

- Delivering spare parts to the ISS

The spares are going up on two platforms – called external logistics carriers, or ELCs – to be attached on either side of the station’s truss, in hopes that wherever a failure happens, the necessary spare won’t be too far away. The ELCs carried up on STS-129 will be chocked full with two pump modules, two control moment gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, an ammonia tank assembly, a high-pressure gas tank, a latching end effector for the station’s robotic arm and a trailing umbilical system reel assembly for the railroad cart that allows the arm to move along the station’s truss system. There’s also a power control unit, a plasma container unit, a cargo transportation container and a battery charge/discharge unit. In all, that’s 27,250 pounds worth of spares to keep the station going long after the shuttles retire.- taken from NASA Mission Overview

- Fixing exterior wiring of the ISS (three spacewalks)
- Preparing the interior for the future STS-130 mission, which includes delivery of the last US space station module Tranquility.
- Returning crew Nicole Stott back to Earth.

"I have friends in high places."- a NASA lanyard

Ever since I moved to Space Coast for my first job in August of 2006, I've witnessed about 14 space shuttle launches from various vantage points. For STS-127, I took Glenn, my faithful motorcycle, up to Titusville in search of Space Park, only to detour into a small neighborhood and watched the night launch from across the intercoastal river. My friends and I have traveled to the parks, the beaches, the bridges (528 and 192), and even one time, Joe was fortunate enough to get launch tickets to view from the NASA Parkway (405), right on the Banana River about 11 miles from the launch pad.

Atlantis is my first live shuttle. I've written an entry about it here. On a sunny clear morning of 9 September 2006, Chris (aka "Squirrel") and I decided to drive to Patrick Air Force Base to see if we could get a decent view of STS-115. At the time, I didn't have a camera. I borrowed my mother's Sony Palmcorder and used the camera feature to take low resolution images from the recording.

On 16 November 2009, thanks to Marisa who currently works at the Cape, I became one of the lucky few who gained access to the VIP viewing area near the Vehicle Assembly Building.

I almost didn't go, because of a small misunderstanding about the location (I thought it was going to be on the NASA Parkway again). I didn't feel comfortable about the possibility of launch cancellation, and then sit in traffic for hours due to the mass exodus of grumpy, disappointed spectators. NASA has a tendency to change plans at the last minute, hence the humorous moniker "NASA: Never Absolutely Sure of Anything".

After I reassured myself that I had enough hours to offset for the afternoon, Glenn and I went drove off to the Cape to meet up with Marisa and her boyfriend Chuck.

It wasn't until I noticed we took a different turn from the usual route that I realized Marisa had a very special viewing pass.

The famous bleachers from the Apollo missions. This is where family members of the astronauts can view the launch platform from 3 miles away, the closest possible viewing distance. The countdown clock is a few hundred feet away from the viewing sight.

Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)

The Vehicle Assembly Building is a one story monolith. Since there are no other buildings that can be used for comparison of scale, the common description is that the flag on the side of the building has the length of 209 feet (63.7 meters, about the size of a football arena), and each individual star on the flag is 6 feet across (almost 2 meters). The building is so cavernous that there is a noticeable difference in air pressure when you go up in elevation (there are no "floors" per se in the VAB, just one continuous building with discontinuous floor segments). Birds also made nests within the building, so it is a strange bipolar environment of nature living side by side with dangerous chemicals.

It is expected that, starting in 2008-2009, the Vehicle Assembly Building will begin a transition for the assembly and processing of both the Space Shuttle and the Shuttle Derived Ares I crew launch vehicle for the upcoming Constellation Program. After the Shuttle's retirement in 2010, the VAB will become the assembly facility for both the Ares I, and the unmanned heavy lift Ares V launcher for the return to the Moon in 2018.- from Wikipedia

In Google Maps, you can get some idea of scale based on the huge shadow casts by the VAB. The viewing area is located only a few hundred feet away from the building.

View Larger Map

The Anatomy of "Liftoff!"

For the photos, I used my Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR (with the focal length at 200mm), a monopod and the D80. The weather was near perfect, good wind, and the sun was behind us, providing direct light against the shuttle as it took off. The shutter speed was set to 1/4000 of a second (the fastest possible speed for the D80), and the aperture was tweaked to 4-5.6 to prevent overexposure.

I also kept my Fujifilm F50FD point & shoot nearby for quick wide angle shots.

During the initial stage of the liftoff, the flames from the launch was so bright at 3 miles away, that it was easier for me to view the shuttle from the viewfinder. I tried several times to see the launch physically with my left eye, but I couldn't observe it for more than a few seconds.

Below are the launch photos of STS-129.

A study in smoke trails

Some of the more interesting characteristics of the shuttle launch is the smoke pattern in the sky. However, there is a danger to such a view: The plumes from the solid rocket boosters are quite toxic. This is due to the curing and binding agents used in the fuel as opposed to the fuel itself.

For further reading, AerospaceWeb has a great article on the anatomy of a solid fuel rocket.

Epilogue: Acid Rain Advisory

Because of our proximity to the launch site, we were given the "Acid Rain Advisory" by our announcer. Another by-products of the solid rocket booster is a low dose of hydrochloric acid hidden within the dense and colorful clouds. When the wind is just right, the acid could settle on your skin and cause irritation. The wind was blowing from the east at 7 mph, so after the SRB separation, we could see the orange clouds heading straight for us. As such, the announcer asked the viewers to leave the site shortly after liftoff.

When the 108 metric ton shuttle became a tiny star in the sky, we left the viewing area with burnt retinas and a happy memory of another successful launch.

Views

2009-09-06T14:47:00.003-04:00

Before painting the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo had to first construct a massive scaffolding to allow him access to the ceiling without interfering with the chapel's daily use. He had to develop special wax models so he could study the lighting effects to be duplicated in the frescoes, and come up with a special, slow drying plaster. He suffered constant deadline pressure from frustrated church officials and the pope who just wanted the ceiling finished. The work itself was uncomfortable and unending, with wet paint and plaster dripping on the face of the man who was not, after all, a painter, but a sculptor.

Such challenges arise in all the great works of human imagination. Be they the creation of our world rendered upon the ceiling of a church, or a view of our world evident by making the voyage from the earth to the moon.

--Tom Hanks

Butterfly Nets

2009-07-21T11:22:00.003-04:00

calm that wicked wind,
to pick you up
and carry you off eastward,
though i did release you
for to seek a warmer sky

should you be blown back
know that i will always run to greet you,
still surprised to catch you
every time

armed with this small butterfly net
only
i will face the world alone
and never be lonely

so calm that wicked wind,
and if you go, you could be gone forever
i will play awhile here
by and by and by and by -

armed with this small butterfly net
only
i will face the world alone
and never be lonely

up and up you go
for to steal the secrets of the heavens
will you share them with me
my bright & brilliant spy?

should you be blown back
know that i will always run to greet you
still surprised to catch you
every time

still surprised to catch you
by and by and by and by -

--by Bishop Allen

Quantum Kitchen, Quantum Chicken

2009-05-05T20:40:00.006-04:00

During lunch today, my co-workers and I were discussing how to properly marinade and grill vegetables. I didn't think that our conversation was going to take a turn for the...well, strange. I guess it was my fault after all...I did bring up the fact that a George Foreman grill's tray is not a singularity.

=== SNIP ===

[12:54] Alent_: mmm, grill...
[12:55] Alent_: i need a grill
[12:55] Conman: dude
[12:55] Conman: A grill is absolutely essential
[12:55] Alent_: like a real one, not that stupid george forman
[12:55] Alent_: i know XD
[12:55] Alent_: but i put it on hold for teh wedding
[12:56] Alent_: after the wedding, man, after
[12:56] Conman: the foreman grill I have dubbed The Flavor Killer
[12:56] Alent_: lol
[12:56] Conman: hahha
[12:57] Conman: all that stuff that drips off the bottom
[12:57] Conman: thats the flavor
[12:58] Conman: being sucked away into oblivion
[12:58] vnv_lain: you can reclaim it and serve as gravy
[12:58] vnv_lain: it's not oblivion. a tray is not a singularity.
[12:59] Conman: haha
[12:59] Alent_: maybe connor's is
[12:59] Alent_: connor has a quantum kitchen
[12:59] Conman: well problem is that the flavor and the fat that you DO want to come off is also in the tray
[12:59] vnv_lain: the food changes depending on how you observe them
[13:01] Conman: so all you have to do is not observe the food in the grill and there will always exist A perfect chicken breast
[13:01] Conman: or....use a quantum timer!
[13:01] Conman: and stick the whole damn thing in a box
[13:02] Conman: you will have perfect chicken and burnt chicken at the same time!
[13:02] Alent_: or an uncooked chicken, you don't know
[13:02] vnv_lain: LMAO
[13:02] vnv_lain: oh man
[13:02] vnv_lain: more than two states!?
[13:02] vnv_lain: I don't speak non-binary!!!
[13:03] Alent_: sure, just apply the state machine pattern = p
[13:03] Conman: a continuum of states
[13:03] Alent_: encapsulate what changes!
[13:03] Conman: all relating to how long it takes for timers half life to expire
[13:03] Alent_: are we talking about the same thing anymore?
[13:04] vnv_lain: it's a quantum kitchen. are we ever sure?
[13:04] Alent_: good point
[13:04] Conman: not until we observe
[13:05] Alent_: ahem
[13:05] Alent_: NERDS!
[13:05] Conman: but we must pay heed to the uncertainty principle
[13:05] Conman: an objects state is disturbed simply by observing the object
[13:07] vnv_lain: timmy has a solution
[13:07] vnv_lain: put in multiple chicken into the oven
[13:08] vnv_lain: one of them is bound to be of the right state when we observe
[13:08] vnv_lain: chickenS
[13:08] vnv_lain: damn plurals
[13:08] Alent_: XD
[13:09] Conman: haha
[13:10] Conman: well the oven applies the same heat to all the chickens
[13:10] Conman: we need like N quantum timer based ovens each with their own chicken
[13:10] Conman: with probability 1/N that we do not get a good chicken
[13:11] Conman: with N = 10 we have a 90% probability of getting a good chicken

=== SNIP ===

Ladies and gentlemen, we now know that the probability of getting a good roasted chicken is pretty high. Our calculations and concepts of understanding the subject is probably pretty off, but maybe in subsequent observations you will see that we are right. ;)

Discovery: STS-119

2009-03-18T19:36:00.005-04:00

Launch Date: 15 March 2009
Launch Time: 1943h EDT
Launch Site: LC-39A
Site: North part of 528 on Port Canaveral

Description: It wasn't a night launch. It was more like a dusk launch. The shuttle exhaust trail was partially illuminated by the last gleam of sun on the horizon.

As the shuttle blaze reflected on the water, Chris stood up, while Joe, Anna and Kelley watched on.

Two white specks underneath the bright white spec indicated successful separation of solid rocket boosters.

Your Home...in 2.65 cubic meters

2009-01-05T18:33:00.007-05:00

...or about 8.7 cubic feet.

If you cannot see the video, click here.

During my Science Channel binge, Beyond Tomorrow featured a segment on Micro-Compact Home discussing the O2 Village at the Technical University of Munich. The O2 Village is basically a student residential area consisting of six Micro-Compact houses.

I would really like to live in one of these homes. I know it sounds crazy, but restricting the amount of space in your living area can actually save you from bringing junk and clutter into your home. In fact, you'll think at least twice about grabbing that cheap swag from those technical conventions (Microsoft, I'm talking about you).

I also think that another reason why I like Micro-Compact House is because having a tight space appeals to my inner need to constantly hide and observe. :)

This type of housing is only suitable for one resident, and I wish that my graduate student housing back at Florida State University have this type of setup. Though I liked Alumni Village, the whole area really is just a hole in the ground. The townhouses and the duplexes have terrible insulation, and everything is quite old and dirty. The only reason students live there is due to cheap rent, the close proximity to the Engineering building, and the location isolates the residents from main campus football season turmoil, making the area ideal for students with children.

The units in the O2 Village are extremely energy efficient due to good insulation, and almost all the materials used to construct the units are recyclable. It is also the type of housing that doesn't shut you from the world, as the designer specifically wanted the resident to use his outside environment as a part of his home.

The timber frame is clad in anodized aluminum. Like a car, it has about an eighth-of-an-inch gap between the aluminum sheets, which gives it a very crisp appearance from the outside. The mast is for attaching solar panels without affixing them directly to the roof. The color of the exterior is slightly lighter than the interior, which means you can see out without a lot of reflection of the inside, and when you are outside you can’t see in very clearly. This is a trick also used by car and aircraft designers.

Sascha Kletzsch/courtesy Micro Compact Home

Dennis Gilbert/courtesy Micro Compact Home

Sascha Kletzsch/courtesy Micro Compact Home

This hypothetical clustered arrangement is intended for student housing or out-of-town visitors who need a home in the city. Its structure is made up of small steel columns that echo the surrounding trees.

Courtesy Micro Compact Home

Other uses for such a unit includes a portable home for traveling businessmen and people living in expensive areas (e.g. New York City). Obviously, the O2 is not recommended for family units greater than one person.

Amazon + Alcohol == $$$

2008-12-27T01:18:00.005-05:00

Being of course the total nerd that I am, I had one too many glasses of sparkling wine and decided it was a good idea to read this paper by Donald C. Hodges on Plato's Republic while I was in this Bacchanalian state. Next thing I knew, I was on Amazon buying books left and right by authors like Hodges and Chomsky before I realized I was racking up a 300 dollar bill on my post-Christmas budget and was thinking that I could simply charge all of this on my credit card and not worry about it until next month. Luckily I came to my senses and closed the browser before I hit the "Process Order" button.

Moral of the story: When you're drinking, don't read papers that analyses post-capitalist societies: Just go out and get a life. However, I do feel confident that most people don't have this problem...

Counterpart 3

2008-12-25T21:52:00.003-05:00

Me: Can you take a quick look at the painting?
Dan: What for?
Me: To critique it.
Dan: I don't know how to do that. It looks good though.
Me: No, I mean critiques like, does the birds look real, not real, cheesy, etc.
Dan: ...
You want me to tell you what looks realistic on an apocalyptic painting depicting a phoenix flying out into space from a shattered earth with a bunch of origami birds flying alongside it?

See turtle!!!

2008-11-28T14:28:00.007-05:00

"Sea Turtle", taken from Red Rock Canyon on 23 May 2008

A few weeks ago, someone from Mullen, an advertising agency in Boston, MA contacted me about the photo above for commercial use. Apparently, they have been surfing through Flickr for images of sea turtles, and one of my photos came up (because this one was tagged "sea turtle", despite the fact that it only looks like one).

Being completely new to this, I inquired what the photo will be used for. To my delight, the lady told me that they will be using the photo for a new ad campaign for the New England Aquarium. I couldn't think of a better way to use the photo!!! :)

A fee was exchanged (first time I was ever paid for a photo!), and I asked the lady to send me a draft of the brochure, thinking that my photo was only going to be a blip in the ad. Turns out that it was a full page affair...and very cleverly done!!! They did some Photoshop on the image, darkening the sky as well as making the rocks more vibrant. It worked out really well, and you can see the draft below (by Mullen):

I really hope that their draft gets the OK for deployment. If so, I will have to bug one of my friends up in Boston to grab a flyer for me just so I can have one in my scrapbook.

Yet another reason why I <3 my D80. :)

It's not landing baby...

2008-11-25T20:09:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite sayings: It's more like a controlled crash...

Flight deck operation for the last remaining Tomcat F-14s

And a nice clip of the pilot who *thought* he was landing on a carrier deck:

Edwards AFB, 1982

Moral of the story: Never have a naval aviator fly passenger planes. I'm sure he will fly very well, but the passenger seats might be a bit messy at the end of the flight...

Requiem

2008-11-08T22:12:00.002-05:00

On 2 August, my god-grandmother Marti Bassette passed away from an unexpected stroke. She was my grandfather's half, and with her death he currently feels an incredible void as one would when losing one's spouse/lover/best friend of over 50 years.

On 8 October, my granduncle Tseng Bing Shiang (曾彬祥), died in Taipei after many years of battling cancer. He was a diplomat for Taiwan through many of her turbulent periods. He grew up during Japanese occupation, went to National Taiwan University majoring in international laws. He traveled to Latin American countries, Spain and Portugal, was quintilingual (Mandarin, Min Nan, Spanish, English, and Portuguese), and wrote eloquently. I can only imaging the stories he had during his deployment...

...and now, I can no longer just visit either of them on a random day and hear those stories.

This picture does not do justice, because I only finished it as a sketch/template for a bigger work, but it is all I have to offer for the love ones they left behind. As for words from the dead...a section from a poem by Ronan Harris.

moments lost though time remains
I am so proud of what we were
no pain remains, no feeling
eternity awaits
grant me wings that I might fly
my restless soul is longing
no pain remains, no feeling
eternity awaits

--from "Beloved", VNV Nation

Rikki On A Chair

2008-10-19T22:16:00.001-04:00

Lunar X Prize's New Team: Omega Envoy

2008-10-13T00:42:00.002-04:00

New Team in Florida

Last year, I attempted to start a group for the Google Lunar X Prize to land a rover on the moon. I failed miserably because I couldn't arouse interests in my co-workers and classmates. (Though I found out that there is a restricted Google Group for the Florida Tech team. I have no idea if that group is still active.) A month ago, a friend of mine mentioned that a group of students at University of Central Florida is starting a statewide group called Omega Envoy to tackle the Lunar X Prize challenge. I went to a couple of their meetings, and now I am committed to the group.

On 6 October 2008, Google announced Omega Envoy as one of the official groups competing for the Lunar X Prize. We are competing against difficult groups such as the Carnegie Mellon team. I am listed as Omega Envoy's Software Lead with a small team of software engineers residing in both Melbourne and Orlando, but currently find myself doing very non-software stuff: Researching engineering design process, systems engineering and concept of operations, etc.

Below is a couple of articles mentioning the team:
Google Lunar XPrize Official Page
CNN SciTech Blog

Call for Advisers

We are currently in urgent need of technical advisers. So far most of the focus had been on the financial aspect of the endeavor, therefore technical advisers were overlooked due to the tight schedule of becoming an official team. We would like engineers/professors (current or former, with a high interest in space technology) to guide the team on several areas: structure/stress, propulsion, materials, electronics/robotics, mission planning, and heating/cooling.

This will be done on a volunteer basis. None of us are getting paid. (In fact I'm losing even more sleep now between work, class, and the Lunar X Prize.)

If you are interested, please email me at: tchen [At) omegaenvoy {d0T} org.

Gothed out A380

2008-09-30T00:09:00.005-04:00

A few hours ago, I was coding and listening to the 22 September 2008 edition of ReGen Radio Podcast. For this particular show, DJ Razorgrrl decided to create a list of ambiance electronic music (which I really like), and I was passively listening to the music and grooving with its ebb and flow.

Around 10 minutes into the show, I heard the piano theme to a song by yelworC called "Icolation", which sounded EXTREMELY familiar. As soon as I heard the piano I knew where I had heard the theme before: In the Channel 5 documentary The Giant of the Skies: The Making of the Airbus A380, the last part where the test pilots are getting ready to fly F-WWOW for the first time in history.

That was the moment I realize that I am an utter and complete d0rk.

P.S. If you are actually curious (which I'm sure you're not), I found a clip of this on Youtube. Listen and memorize the first 13 seconds of the clip (pay attention only to the piano section):

If you cannot see the embedded video above, click here.

Now go to the ReGen Radio Podcast site and look for the 22 September 2008 playlist. Click on the "Listen" button and wait a while for the player to load up and that the progress bar is about a third way through. Then move the track to about 11:56 (or as close as you can) and continue playing.

The artists didn't even change the key for the documentary: Both songs are in C minor.

If you watched the video up to 1:15, you pretty much have heard the mellowed out version of the song "Icolation". You can listen to the entire song from the podcast by rewinding the track to about 9:51 and play. Looks like whoever produced the documentary hired yelworC to do the soundtrack, the band reused some of their materials and...voila!

So now I've linked two mutually exclusive subjects in one post: the Airbus A380 and a goth/industrial/electronic band.

A Series of F--- You

2008-09-05T15:58:00.004-04:00

I received this email from Continental Airlines, which is (or maybe was after this email) one of my favorite domestic airlines. This email basically has f--- you written all over it.

The penalty is essentially fourfold:

1.) They're charging $15 USD per checked baggage. Not a surprise, a lot of major airlines are doing it now.
2.) No minimum of 500 miles per flight, making it harder to earn rewards for loyal customers.
3.) Reward mileage requirements will increase, again making it harder to earn rewards for loyal customers.
4.) Elite Mileage Bonuses will decrease for Platinum members. Basically, less goodies for being a loyal customer.

I understand due to oil prices airlines are hit especially hard, but CEOs/VPs of Continental (and any large airlines out there), please hear me out:

Instead of cutting jobs from people who are doing the grunge work or make them take a pay cut, have you EVER considered taking a pay cut yourself and take one for the team?

I mean, a pay cut for you just means you won't get to buy that yacht for a couple of years, but afterwards, you will have a host of very happy customers who will continue to fly with you, to the point that when the economy is better you will have earned more than enough back to buy that yacht and a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640.

Please think about it. Sincerely, a concerned Continental customer.

Discovery Landed!

2008-06-14T11:52:00.004-04:00

Taken from NASA website

After going outside to hear the familiar "ba-BOOOM!" sound that Space Coast inhabitants have come to recognize, Discovery landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center at 1115h EDT. There were a few minor problems during the mission, which NASA engineers studied intensely before giving the go ahead.

When I went to the NASA website, I saw the stats for the space shuttle and laughed a bit (especially at the very last bit):

Flying 5.7 million miles will get me SO MANY free airline tickets. Too bad the miles aren't redeemable at any airline on earth...

Let It Be

2008-06-10T00:40:00.005-04:00

This is a beautiful sequence that intertwined the Vietnam War with the 12th Street riot in Detroit, Michigan, all connected by a gospel rendition of this Beatles song. One of the most powerful scenes from Across The Universe.

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, "Let it be."

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, "Let it be."

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,
there will be an answer, "Let it be."

For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,
there will be an answer, "Let it be."

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,
shine until tomorrow, let it be.

I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, "Let it be."

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be

Speaking words of wisdom, "Let it be."

--written by Paul McCartney

I feel replaced

2008-05-13T08:51:00.001-04:00

If you cannot see the embedded video, click here.

Seriously, is this what we get for joining the work force?

Doop, dedoop doop doop!

2008-05-10T01:02:00.004-04:00

"I was strolling on the moon one day
On a merry merry month of December...May!"

Eugene Cernan and Dr. Jack Schmitt skipping and singing, during NASA's last mission to the moon: Apollo 17, December 1972. Sadly at that point, the public had ceased to become fascinated with the moon, or space.

Return of the Trijets?

2008-04-21T00:50:00.005-04:00

Airbus recently filed a patent for their aircraft configuration with three engines in mind.

Currently, the only three engine aircrafts still flying today is the Lockheed L-1011 and the MD-11s/DC-10s.

Now, a lot of people on the aviation forums complained about the "ugliness" of this concept plane, but people really need to think first before speaking.

The diagram below is just a *ROUGH* sketch of the plane. What Airbus is interested in patenting is the tail design to hold the third engine.

The reason why aircraft manufacturers abandoned the three-engine design twenty years ago were due to noise, fuel efficiency, and difficulty of structural reinforcement especially along the aft/tail section for bearing the regular forces of the wind ALONG with the weight of an engine. Having a third engine mounted near the vertical stabilizer posed issues regarding hydraulic redundancy in the event that the third engine is massively destroyed. Take for example this famous DC-10 incident (United Airlines Flight 232):

A CG view of the incident, taken from Wikipedia. Original link here.

The Airbus "sketch" the the three engine configuration basically calls for a separation of the third engine from the main rudder, and replaces the vertical stabilizer with two redundant rudders on both ends of the horizontal stabilizers. This is of course, not a new design, and it has been used by Antonov, the modified Shuttle Carrier 747, and one of the old Avro prototypes.

Airbus claims that the tail design will not only reduce the noise, but will prevent a single point of catastrophic failure should the rear engine have issues. This sketch is NOT the actual aircraft that will be produced in the future, and those who declared this plane to be ugly doesn't realize that Airbus is trying to patent the aft configuration for a potential three engine jet, and not creating an actual plane (at the moment).

Today, we have quieter, more efficient engines, to the point where two-engine configuration is the norm for most aircrafts. However, I am not entirely convinced why we should bring back the trijets (as nostalgic as they are, I don't see them as economically feasible). Between the RJs, the VLJs, the 737/A319s to the jumbos, where will the trijets fit in?

A Day In The Life...

2008-03-30T15:35:00.003-04:00

Taken by Kelley Jones

Of course, I'm not that obsessed with my camera. Or planes. Or my laptop in general. (*whimper*)

This shot is the result of my roommie who conveniently had a camera on hand, and myself taking a headache nap after having conveniently fallen ill with food poisoning two days prior. As a result, I tend to pass out at random times (and you don't want to know what I went through Friday).

I'm still not sure if my reaction was from something I ate or from my EXTREME aversion to doing my statics homework... Guess I'll find out with this week's homework! X-D

A Day In The Life...

2008-03-03T19:36:00.007-05:00

What does the JetBlue ground crew do during their break?

They play basketball! :D

But as soon as a plane arrived at the gate, within seconds, they were back in position, handling luggages and refueling the plane.

Taken en route to JFK at MCO.

Skylog - MLB At Dusk

2008-01-30T07:56:00.001-05:00

Taken during pre-flight. It was a popular night to be flying...only a handful of Pipers were on the ground when we arrived. Usually in the early morning the flight line is covered with Cherokees and Liberties. Slight crosswind.

New Year Blessings

2007-12-28T00:49:00.000-05:00

Image taken from Threadless.com.
Link to the shirt can be found here.

Come to Florida. The pandas are doing it... X-D

Things to thank for:

10.) The orchid bloomed when I returned, with more flowers to come.

9.) Coming home from winter wonderland, to find that my roommate and friends are as goofy as ever.
8.) Reconciled with mom this past year.
7.) Learned how dangerous it is to ride a toboggan.
6.) Learned how to sharpen saw blades, split wood, and ride a tractor.
5.) Saw F-WWJB twice in one year...knowing that I will probably never see her again when she goes into service.

4.) Get to know fantastic spotters, oversea and local.
3.) D80 and my Suzuki.
2.) My room is clean, and I discovered that I have a floor.
1.) Meeting Dan.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

P.S. Zack, thanks to you, I have this shirt now. I will wear it to work, and be ridiculed by a 60-some year old Grummanite who still believes women have no place in engineering.

In my messy cubicle, I will be coding, wearing a panda hat with a panda shirt, and drink copious amount of Sugarless Red Bull. I will set the standards for future generation of female engineers. Really, I will.

Avro Vulcan - XH558

2007-12-26T10:25:00.000-05:00

I am a newbie when it comes to military aircraft. I started learning about warbirds after one of the spotters from across the Atlantic Ocean made fun of me for calling the Boeing Stearman a "biplane". ;) Since then, I've been doing my very best to have as much enthusiasm for some of these modern day testosterone charged "flying coke cans" as I have for the comparatively "sluggish" but graceful large capacity airliners.

World War II and the Cold War presented a set of aircraft that seem to be a compromise between power and grace. For this entry, I would like to bring your attention to one of my favorite military aircraft. A former bomber for the Royal Air Force, she is one of the strangest looking but in my humble opinion, one of the most graceful, deadly aircraft ever to grace the sky.

Her name is the Avro Vulcan, and as of October 2007, only one has been restored to flying condition.

Avro Vulcan - XH558
Maiden Restoration Flight
Date: 18 October 2007
Taken by: Karl Drag
Location: Bruntingthorpe, United Kingdom
Link to image on Airliners.net

The Vulcan was part of the V-Bomber, a term used for the Royal Air Force strategic nuclear strike force during the Cold War. The three bombers were made from different aircraft companies, but all had names that started with the letter "V": Handley-Page Victor, Vickers Valiant, and the Avro Vulcan.

If you've never heard of aircraft companies like Handley-Page or Vickers, that is because either they do not exist anymore, or were purchased and absorbed by a larger entity. We are talking about the early 1950's when these aircraft first took to the sky, and you probably can't tell from the look of the planes: The aircraft in the V-Bomber look incredibly...retro-futuristic. There is no other way for me to describe these odd birds.

The Avro Vulcan was (and still is today) powered by variants of the Rolls-Royce Olympus, the same line of engines that became the powerhouse for the Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde. The sound that the Vulcan produces, is unlike anything I have ever heard of on other aircraft. When the engine is on full-throttle, she produces this distinct organic "roar" sound. Below is a sample from XH558's maiden restoration flight...you will hear the roar 13 seconds into the clip:

If embedded video does not work, please click here.

She was designed to cruise at an altitude of 55,000 feet, near the speed of sound (around the same as our modern day Boeing 747) with a maximum speed of 0.96 Mach (627 MPH), and to carry a payload of approximately 9.5 metric ton of bombs. By sheer accident, the Vulcan has the potential of stealth (except for her vertical tail plane), because the body of the aircraft has a small radar cross-section.

And the Vulcan is big. Actually, she is HUGE. The currently flying Vulcan XH558 is the variant model B.2, which includes an 111 feet wingspan. However from interviews of former Vulcan pilots, they remarked that despite her large size, she is quite maneuverable, therefore she can roll and behave a bit like a fighter:

If embedded video does not work, please click here.

The following clip shows how the aircraft was flown back when she was still in service. The crew had to wear insulation and oxygen mask to work and breathe at high altitude. This is also a good clip to hear the pilots go through the checklist of initializing equipment, comm check, and eventually, starting the engines. Here again, you can hear that same "roar" sound when the plane took off, right after the pilot said "100, 110, 120, 130...Proceed to rotate."

If embedded video does not work, please click here.

Finally, we have a clip of her maiden restoration flight on 18 October 2007:

If embedded video does not work, please click here.

Thanks to Sonicbomb.com for providing some of the precious footage of the Vulcan.

Flight International did an article about the restoration project and the succesful maiden flight. The link can be found here.

Fly on, XH558...

A Day In The Life...

2007-12-12T18:36:00.001-05:00

Passing out from too much Thermodynamics...

Of course, times like finals week always make me wonder why the heck I decided to go back to college in the first place.

Then of course I realize: "Oh yeah...planes..." ;)

Taken on 8 December 2007
Tail No.: G-DAJC
Sanford International Airport (SFB)

Spotter's Log: A380 At Orlando International Airport (MCO) - 13 Nov 2007

2007-12-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

A380, serial number F-WWJB, parked just outside of the Continental hangar.

"Hey, just letting you know the A380 will be here like the 2nd week of Nov (if you didn't know already)! "

A fellow spotter, Justin C., wrote to me about this piece of news back in October. I hadn't been following aviation forums. School and work has taken up a large part of my time.

But as soon as I read his email, I immediately researched on Airliners.net forum. Recently, they did a server overhaul and the website has been acting strange since then. Eventually I was able to find out the date and time.

And then the serial number.

F-WWJB.

I paid her a visit back in 19 March 2007, on a soccer mound en route to JFK.

Now, she is coming to my airport. Airbus wanted to check whether Orlando International can handle the A380 in the event when she had to be re-routed from Miami International.

I knew from that point, that on 13 November 2007, I will be taking the afternoon off.

Visitors

Visitors flocked to the Continental hangar to catch a glimpse of the plane that will make Airbus go down in history for making one of the most dangerous economic gamble they have ever made in their 30 years career.

After landing, the A380 taxied to the Continental hangar. The beautiful thing about this visit was that I could see her in open air. In JFK, I was only able to view her behind tinted glass from Terminal 1. This time, I climbed a small wall, sat precariously on the top and watched her from afar.

Spotters from all over the world came to see her. I was surrounded by tourists speaking in German. I was able to meet Justin C. for the first time after many months of email communication. On top of that, I was able to meet Mario, Ricardo, Stephen, and a Delta ramp rat name Mike. Throughout the day, we discussed aviation gossip and possible future for Delta Airlines.

I managed to catch a guy with a D200, trying to get a better view of her through the fence. When he finally scaled the wall and sat next to me, I found out that he is a helicopter pilot and wishes to become a medic pilot. We talked about flying in air shows as a good way of earning hours and building experience, and the latest camera models Nikon released within the past few months (D3 and the D300).

I stayed up there for a long time, staring at the A380 from afar as politicians and businessmen were given exclusive tours to the interior of the plane. It is unfair but that is how it is: People who care about her and travel many miles to greet her stay outside of the fence and see her from afar. People who don't care and are wealthy get the VIP tour.

The Arrival

On 13 November 2007, Airliners.net forum topic on the A380 Arrival to MCO was already going crazy with speculation. Earlier that day, I listened to KMCO from LiveATC.net and noted that at 7:15 AM, the arrival was northbound. While I was at work, one of the spotters mentioned that the controller will change arrival orientation to southbound just for the A380.

I asked one of my friends, who is a pilot, whether it is possible for control to change runway just for one plane. He said that it is possible if and only if the wind is oriented in such a way where changing the runway is feasible. So before I left Melbourne, I checked the wind speed for Orlando: 7 knots from heading 0.0 - dead north. I took a gamble and decided that the arrival will still be northbound, jumped on my motorcycle and headed towards the AirTran hangar near runway 36L.

When I arrived, I met Justin and Ricardo. Justin decided to try his luck for runway 18R, and left to go to the Flight Safety building anticipating a southbound arrival. Ricardo and I stayed at the AirTran hangar and waited.

This was it. No one around had a ham radio so there was no way for us to listen to what the controllers were saying.

Suddenly, one of the spotters shouted: "THERE SHE IS!!!"

I was ecstatic. The same plane that I saw in JFK was gliding in, just like the first time I saw her back in New York City on the soccer field. Everyone around me cheered, and like a dork I shouted as her landing gears touched the tarmac:

"That's right! You LAND INTO THE WIND!!!"

Full Circle

My Panasonic Lumix caught my first A380 shot back in 19 March 2007. The plane was backlit, but to this day, is still my favorite image of the F-WWJB.

Now, with my Nikon D80, I was able to give this camera a chance to capture the same plane I took many months ago.

First capture: Panasonic Lumix FZ50

Date: 19 March 2007
Airport: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Runway: 22L

Second Capture: Nikon D80

Date: 13 November 2007
Airport: Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Runway: 36L
Accepted by Airliners.net on 1 December 2007 - link to image

I didn't expect to see F-WWJB again after that day in JFK. Orlando Airport is not exactly a main international hub, and chances of an A380 flying into MCO again will be rare, at least in the foreseeable future. I am really glad to have the opportunity to see her again, and this time I was able to see her in the open air. On top of that, I was able to make new friends: spotters from Airliners.net who came out to greet her arrival. I was able to find a small group of people who share my interest and live within the state of Florida.

Epilogue

F-WWJB left MCO two days later, 15 of November 2007 at 6:55 AM EST. I was not able to see her departure, due the fact that I had to study for an exam and needed adequate sleep. Other spotters were able to catch her as she left that morning. They commented that upon takeoff, her engines were serenely quiet as she soared into the sky, an almost angelic presence...

Taken on 15 November 2007
Departure on runway 18R
Photo by Chris Weyer of the ATL Spotters
Link to image on Flickr

Lincoln Spotted On Delta Flight

2007-09-23T17:28:00.000-04:00

Courtesy from Aviation Week

From LGA to Washington. Full article here.

Spotter's Log: MCO, Part 1 - JetBlue

2007-08-26T16:08:00.000-04:00

I can't wait until winter arrives. The cold weather makes for good, healthy spotting. Spotting during the summer in Florida is just asking for a heat stroke.

Due to the pressing need to do my Thermodynamics homework, clean my room (ha!) and do my laundry, the 26 August 2007 spotting blog will be broken up into three chapters.

First, a history

As a counterpart to Southwest's exclusive Boeing 737 fleet, JetBlue's fleet is made up of Airbus A320s and Embraer E-190s. Southwest, being a much older airline, at the time had a choice between a Boeing 737 or a DC-9/MD-80 from McDonnell-Douglas. They went with the 737 and never looked back, and to this day are still taking deliveries for the 737NG.

JetBlue came in around the mid 1990s, when founder David Neeleman began shopping for a point-to-point vehicle for his new airline. He first went to Boeing for their 737s, but apparently the business/marketing people at Boeing didn't take his proposition seriously. Boeing was getting large orders from Delta and other carriers, and in my humble opinion, probably didn't think too much about this little low-cost startup. The price that Boeing wanted for the planes was much higher than Neeleman anticipated, and they could not come to an agreement.

Neeleman then went to Airbus, who was skeptical at first about Neeleman's intention (e.g. going to Airbus as a leverage for a lower price on the 737s). Eventually, the two companies came to an agreement, with Airbus willing to do all of the custom job that Neeleman wanted. Even though the price was still a little high, Neeleman was satisfied and agreed to go with Airbus.

When Boeing found out about the purchase, their business people called Neeleman asking him to reconsider. They even offered a much lower price for the 737s. But Neeleman said he had already shook on the deal, so Boeing lost a lucrative sale.

Apparently Boeing's business sector had a short term memory, because they committed the same mistake with Frontier Airlines 5 months afterwards. Frontier Airlines now has a mostly Airbus A319 fleet.

Moral of the story?

It doesn't matter if you have the right equipment on sale for the job, all it takes is a group of ignorant businessmen to f*** everything up.

A link to the A.net discussion can be found here.

Awww...

I think only female spotters will say that certain planes are "adorable" or "cute". To the guys, the plane is a thing of power, grace, and..., uh, power. But the word "adorable" will almost never enter their vocabulary of description.

As for me, the 737s and the A320s are essentially cute as a whale, and obviously I'm not the only one who thought of such a resemblance.

Image taken from Airliners.net
Photo taken by Phil Hyde
Link to original A.net page

To enhance their cuteness, JetBlue assigned names to all of their planes, usually with some regards to the color blue. I'm sort of collecting them. A.net has most of them in the database, but I want to see how many JetBlue planes I get to fly/spot within the next few years.

Below is a list of names that I've seen so far (excluding today's trip, and incomplete, as I still have quite a few spotting photos from JFK that I haven't gone through):

Idlewild Blue (spotted at TPA)
For the Love of Blue (spotted at MCO)
Major Blue (spotted at JFK, prior to A380 arrival)
Blue Moon (spotted at JFK, prior to A380 arrival)
Usto Schulz (I RODE IN IT! FIRST JETBLUE/A320 EXPERIENCE!)

Triplets of Blueville

Name: Devil with a Blue Dress On
Tail No.: N570JB
Arrival: 1513h Zulu
Runway: 17L

Name: Blue Yorker
Tail No.: N605JB
Arrival: 1524h Zulu
Runway: 17L

Name: Blue Loves Ya, Baby?
Tail No.: N644JB
Arrival: 1430h Zulu
Runway: 17L

Skylog: Lightning

2007-08-25T21:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I wasn't as lucky as Sergio in his lightning shots. However Space Coast has been experiencing some really neat cloud to cloud lightning. So one night, while photographing a rock band at Port Canaveral, I couldn't resist snapping some of the outdoor elements.

TOO LOW!!! (but just barely made it)

2007-08-15T20:27:00.000-04:00

A low, LOW, WAY TOO DANGEROUS approach of a KLM 747. Taken from the famous Princess Juliana Airport at St. Maarten.

No, seriously. When a 380 metric ton plane is moving at 130 MPH and is less than 12 feet above you, there really is such thing as BEING TOO CLOSE.
What a normal landing looks like:

A Day In The Life...

2007-08-07T22:40:00.000-04:00

Engineers working in the defense industry face the same amount of stress as engineers working for a Silicon Valley company. However after working in both environment, I honestly feel that working at NG can be more stressful than Apple at times.

I found, as I worked with different software groups at NG, that developers tend to pick on each other to alleviate stress. I don't know why, but it does save you from the brink of insanity.

Scenarios

The following scenes have been dramatized for humorous effect. However, rest assured they have transpired throughout my almost ONE YEAR of working at NG (holy crap has it been that long?!).

An aphorism for every morning (as quoted by Crionofarr):

Coffee is the word for god on the minds and lips of every hapless engineers.

One day with a test engineer about someone else's code:

Co-worker: So, how well do you know the code that Aldo wrote?
Me: Well, I only just looked at it a couple of days ago.
Co-worker: Oh good, so you're an expert.

Prior to product delivery, lead/manager tends to check up on the underlings frequently...sometimes more often than it is healthy.

Co-worker: Good mornin'.
Me: If you keep coming in here every morning I'm going to start developing hives when you're around.
Co-worker: ... Well, nice to see you too.

And last but not least:

Co-worker: I know you're a horrible programmer, but can you for once in your life disprove that claim?!
Me: Well, I'm not fired yet.

Warbird On A Highway!

2007-07-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Video caught by a state trooper, a Harvard T-6 on its way to Oshkosh had to make an emergency landing on an interstate due to engine problems.

I would so crap myself if I was driving down the highway with a plane landing beside me.

Panda! On A PLANE!!!

2007-07-25T23:31:00.000-04:00

Taken from Jetphotos.net

Only in Japan...courtesy of All Nippon Airway (ANA), the launch customer for the Boeing 787. ;)

Skylog (with planes!)

2007-07-15T01:40:00.000-04:00

Parallel approach at dusk, after the rain.

Rain, rain, go away...

It had been raining almost all day in Melbourne. I had been reading Conversations With Glenn Gould and listening to KMCO when around 1700h a smidgen of sun appeared amongst the dark gloomy clouds. I had to go outside...I spend almost all of my work days indoor in front of computers. I needed to see the sun.

So I packed up and checked my motorcycle before heading west on 192. During daytime, 192 is one of my favorite roads to travel: Sparse traffic, no toll booths, and smells of manure every few miles. At night however, 192 can be a very scary and messy place to ride, because most of the road is unlit, and there are A LOT of insects smashing into you at 50 MPH. My face-shield contained an insect collection by the time I returned home.

Oil spill in the clouds

I am not an optics expert, but I think this one is a variant of a circumhorizontal arc. I stopped by the side of the road to photograph this beautiful phenomenon. Other than sharpening and contrast, the colors that you see in the photograph are real.

Sunset and Silhouette

737 Southwest

I wasn't prepared to spot...I decided to head to MCO out of a whim to photograph silhouettes of planes. I had never done it before, and Florida has a tendency to produce beautiful skies right after a hard rain.

Using the 18-200mm lens, I snapped away at the arrivals, paying closer attention to how the sun outlines the planes vs the planes themselves. The transition between sunset and twilight is very short, and I was standing in relative darkness 30 minutes after I arrived. All in all I was only able to get about 20 photos, of course none of Airliners quality. At this point, I really don't care about submitting my photos to them anymore...

Silhouette of 737 Southwest

The Mating Game

2007-07-11T20:55:00.001-04:00

Here is what my roommate had to say on the subject:

Fuck the game.

My roommate is AWESOME.

Maybe when more girls stop playing it, more guys will stop too.

Here's hoping.

787 IS OUT!!!

2007-07-08T22:46:00.001-04:00

The first 787 on Airliners.net!!! :D

Statues...To Life

2007-07-07T11:34:00.000-04:00

Introduction

Remember that any sculpture, no matter how masterful its construction, is simply a lump of solid when bereft of light, shadow, and perspective.

This past weekend at New York City, my mom and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Arts on 5th Avenue. The last time I was there was almost ten years ago, when I was a first grade brat living in Queens.

I never really cared for Manhattan (and the rest of the world seems to associate New York with Manhattan, even though it is but a small part of a small city in a large state). However, I've always loved Queens, with her factories, low income housing, and ethnically diverse neighborhoods...even more so than the other boroughs of New York City. The community that I lived in was made up of mostly international students with families. The streets were decrepit and the houses were gray, but it was still a fun place for a six year-old running to Dunkin' Donuts in the middle of winter.

Queens is also the home of JFK International and LaGuardia Airport.

When my mother graduated with her Master's degree, we decided to be tourists for a day and explore downtown. Leaving the car at the station in Stony Brook, we took the train and the subway from Long Island to Manhattan.

The Triplets of Static Drama

Statues are great subjects to practice portrait and candid photography. The setting is made for you by the artist, all you need to do is apply drama to that setting.

Good curators and designers at the Met know how to use lighting (artificial or natural) to the artwork's advantage...the choice is up to the visitors as to how to view the pieces and how to let the works affect their emotional states. Too many people go to art museums just to see, but not to feel. The former will leave the building thinking art museums are incredibly boring. The latter will be captivated and not realize an entire day has gone by and he/she has only explored 1/4 of the entire collection.

To translate the sculptures from 3-dimension to 2-dimension allows you more freedom to play with perspectives. An off-centered subject and uneven angles, gives the viewer a sense of uneasiness, and thereby heightening the drama. More contrast can achieve a certain dramatic feel, much like a silhouette of a figure giving the subject a mysterious and brooding look.

Marble sculptures are interesting to work with, because of the way the material scatters light. From computer graphics, I learned that rendering marble, for example, can be quite difficult due to the property of marble being both translucent and opaque. The specularity of marble is also quite different compare to a well polished glass sphere, the latter being easier to model in rendering algorithm.

All these quirks gives rise to difficulty in capturing marble in a dramatic light on 2-dimensional medium. By default, marble sculptures will rarely have sharp angles for the shadows to dwell, so I tried emphasizing the contours and smooth lines of the figure as well as the contrast within the sculpture itself, and also in comparison to the subject's surrounding. The result is that some of the marble sculptures, like Aphrodites from the Grecian History Collection, came out more like silhouettes.

Finally...

Of course, never be afraid to post-process. Consider post-processing as a method to overcome the shortcomings of your camera. Film or digital, good photographers have done some cropping and post-processing to their image, whether the tools be chemicals or software. The photograph is a coloring book for you to paint with your imagination. Don't be afraid to try.

Because I draw and paint way before I seriously went into photography, I have no compunction with playing around with my photographs. Photographers are simply artists working with existing events, creating templates confined by the moment of capture. They tweak their templates to their liking, and the final products ignite the imagination of the viewers...much like a sculpture or a painting.

No amounts of digital editing can turn a crappy template into a good one. Believe me, it is damn near impossible.

Skylog (Rainbow Under The Wing)

2007-07-04T23:58:00.000-04:00

Date: 28 June 2007
Route: MCO-JFK
Airline: JetBlue Airways
Model: Airbus A320-232
Tail No.: N533JB "Usto Schulz"

I flew on my first Airbus plane a few days ago, en route to New York City to attend my mother's graduation ceremony. The A320s really are quite adorable, and honestly, quieter than the 737 (which I rode to return to MCO a few days later).

The wires sticking out of the pylons and the wingtip are discharge wicks. They release static electricity back into the atmosphere. The static built-up is caused by the friction on the surface of the plane due to constant contact with high velocity wind, akin to rubbing balloon vigorously against your hair/skin.

Though this is not a very good photo, it was one of those moments in my life when I smiled and felt happy to be alive.

Science Of Gaydar

2007-06-27T20:28:00.000-04:00

Today on the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert interviewed David France on his recent article attempting to bring to light that homosexuality is a genetic trait, and not acquired through nurture. An interesting comparison came up during the show which had me and my roommate pausing the DVR to determine whether we are "genetically" gay.

Please direct your attention below:

EXAMPLE C: Digit Proportions (Female)
The index fingers of most straight men are shorter than their ring fingers, and for most women they are the same length or longer. Gay men and lesbians tend to have reversed ratios. (Image and caption taken from NYMag)

Kelley's hand conforms to the heterosexual female model, so she is very happy that the test proved true for her. As for me, well, apparently I'm most likely genetically gay.

*sigh*

Well, I guess it is not too far from the truth. I've always said that I'm a gay boy trapped in a female body.

What the hell does it mean to be feminine and masculine anyway? Aren't both standards made on a per society basis?

Full article can be found here.

Jetty Park: Atlantis

2007-06-25T19:24:00.000-04:00

Taken 8 June 2007

Aftermath

Landing...without landing gears

2007-06-21T21:10:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine sent me this clip, and it is absolutely amazing: You'll want this pilot on your next flight!

Skywest 5741, hold...Hold, HOLD!!!

2007-06-15T16:41:00.000-04:00

Diagram that shows where the two airplanes ALMOST collided.
(taken from FlightGlobal.com)

More and more people fly as time goes on. My friend May who lives in Sanford, can coordinate a trip to fly to Taiwan to meet her other friends from different countries flying to the same destination. In the past, traveling from one U.S. city to another meant spending weeks on the road. Now, I can fly to New York City from Orlando for one weekend to attend my mother's graduation.

So it is no surprise that runway incursions are on the rise. FAA reported 330 incidents in 2006. People have been screaming bloody murder for an ATC reform for a very long time, and though there is a plan, implementation phase is slow in coming.

Skywest narrowly missed a collision with Republic Airlines Embraer 170 because the pilot from Republic Airlines rotated (pulled up) earlier than usual when he saw the Skywest on the adjacent runway. Embraer makes light jets, therefore such a maneuver was possible. Imaging if it was a Boeing 747 adjacent to Skywest, it would have been Tenerife Part Deux. An article on this matter can be found here.

Bear in mind that this type of incursion usually happens on airports with runways that criss-cross each other. Tampa International (TPA) and Orlando International (MCO), for example, have parallel runways only, so the chance of such an incident happening on both airports are rather slim.

FlightGlobal also posted an audio stream link to the actual ATC transmission during the incursion. Link can be found here. You can tell, after the incident, that the voice from the Skywest pilot is audibly shaken.

No photos for a little while

2007-06-10T12:27:00.001-04:00

No, it is not because I haven't been taking them. On the contrary, I have some shots from the Atlantis space shuttle launch just two days ago taken about 8 miles from the launch pad. I can't show them to you, because I can't get them off the D80.

The D80 and Navi (my Apple Powerbook G4) do not seem to get along. Recently, Navi decided to just ignore the D80 altogether and refuses to recognize the camera. Period.

I knew there would be problem when I got a female camera. It is universally known that not only are women fussier and high maintenance compare to men, but women generally do not get along with other women. Navi, being the female laptop, got along fine with the Lumix because Mito is a male camera. With the D80, sometimes they talk, sometimes they don't. Now Navi is giving the D80 the silent treatment and I am bereft of my photos. The D80 and Navi refuse to comment on the situation.

Interestingly enough, an older Powerbook that I recently bought from Zack is a male, by the name of Legolas (don't make fun of me, Zack named the computer). Legolas has no problem talking to the D80. But all of my photo editing software is on Navi, so it is a bit painful to transfer files to Legolas (with only USB 1.1 transfer rate) and then mount Legolas as an external drive on Navi, and then transfer from Legolas to Navi.

The cause of this excommunication is under investigation.

Yes, you can say I am insane. But I am sticking to my theory.

Airbus Jacket

2007-06-04T19:12:00.000-04:00

UPDATE 5 June 2007
We have three people interested in the jacket!!! So I will get it as soon as the auction ends. There will be two more leftover, so if you're still interested, go ahead and do a Buy-It-Now by 8 June 2007. I will order the jackets as soon as I get everyone's sizes. Click here for the auction.

Thank you so much!

So...in honor of the first A380 delivery to Singapore Airlines this year, I've decided that it might be cool to have an Airbus jacket. I went to CustomInk.com and designed what I think matches closest to the uniforms that the assemblers wear in the factory (please see photos).

I've posted an eBay entry here. I am looking for at least three people interested in buying the jacket (because I can only purchase in bulks of six or more). The jacket itself is 46.56 USD (as quoted on the CustomInk website), but it gets cheaper when purchasing more than six jackets. The winner will tell me the size they want, and you can get the sizing guidelines here. Also I ship internationally, so let me know which country and I will give you a quote.

I'm not making a profit from this-in fact I'll lose a bit more money after auction fees and PayPal fees. I just think it'll be neat to have an Airbus jacket, but I just want one of them! ^_^!

If this turns out to be successful I might do one for Boeing next year when they deliver their first 787. ;)

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday

2007-06-03T22:07:00.000-04:00

AVweb published a link to a spotter's video capturing a Boeing 757 Thompson in a moment of birdstrike upon take off. Though birdstrikes are unfortunately somewhat common, capturing the actual instance on video is very rare. Several things are interesting with this scenario:

1.) As soon as distress signal was confirmed, the whole communication became quiet except the emergency aircraft and ATC.
2.) ATC cleared the 757 to land on any runway as the pilots see fit.
3.) All other planes were on hold during the emergency.

Watch the video to the very end...it is very short.

First Concert Photography

2007-05-26T00:54:00.000-04:00

After my first calculus exam, I went home and passed out after work. Around 8 PM, a friend called to remind me of a rock band that is playing in Melbourne. I wasn't awake at that point, so I groggily grabbed Mito and took off.

I was reminded once again why I do not like bars: I went home smelling of cigarettes in my clothes, hair and everywhere. There was a pregnant lady sitting at the corner of the bar smoking. I have not the word to say.

The concert itself was decent...the guitarists are phenomenal but the lead singer could not stay in tune. So instead I focussed on the lighting against the band members and the audience. The music played, and I snapped away...

I was honestly surprised that a few shots came out pretty well. I am still new to using ISO levels higher than 400 (on the Panasonic Mito, that was a death wish), but the bassist above came out well enough out of the memory card that other than a light sharpening, I didn't feel the need to post-process him any further.

Abstract (and an update)

2007-05-22T22:34:00.000-04:00

An Update

A few of you were wondering whether I am alive or not. Rest assured...I am, but in a half-dead state and will remain so for the next six weeks.

All I can say is that taking an accelerated Calculus III class during the summer and working a full-time job on two projects that have deadlines around the same time really kills your sleep.

Spotter's Log: Orlando-Sanford International Airport

2007-05-12T20:53:00.000-04:00

Can someone explain to me:

Why is this airport is BUSIER than Tallahassee Regional (TLH), the capital of Florida?
Why there are wide-body aircrafts landing/taking off from this airport?
Why are there flights arrive from all over Europe landing at SFB as well as MCO?
Why I have never heard of these airlines before?

I'm very confused: SFB is literally 30 miles from MCO...isn't that competition? I understand SFB, like MLB, is a flight training airport, but still...wide-bodies?

Well anyway, on to spotting...

The runway we spotted from is an east/west runway, so lighting was a little tricky. Most airports I've been to (JFK, TPA, MCO) have runways that run north/south, so the best lighting angle can be determined by the time of the day. After listening to KSFB, today's runway for takeoffs/landing is 9L/R (9R for small commuter planes).

Piper, Cessna, Piper...HOLY !@#*!!!?

Boeing 747-344
Airline: Untitled (Air Atlanta Icelandic)
Tail No.: TF-ARU
Runway: 9L

I have no idea why this 747 landed in Sanford, but it caught me by surprise. I was paying close attention to the A330 behind the barbwire fence when May yelled at me to look behind. Before I knew it, the screeching sound of P&W engines sneaked up behind me and I couldn't frame the shot properly. When she flew over me, I realized that I need to bring a pair of earplugs for my next trip.

Tanker competition, in one airline

Some of you might know that US Air Force is currently holding a competition to replace their aging KC-135 tankers. The contenders are: Boeing, with their 767, and Northrop Grumman/EADS North America, with the A330. So imaging a slight smirk on my face when I saw both aircrafts, same airline, one after another, lining up on the runway.

Airbus A330-243
Airline: MyTravel Airways
Tail No.: G-MLJL
Runway: 9L

Boeing 767-31K/ER
Airline: MyTravel Airways
Tail No.: G-DAJC
Runway: 9L

A Subliminal Smile ;)

And finally, a farewell...

Boeing 767-304/ER
Airline: Britannia Airways
Tail No.: G-OBYI
Runway: 9L

Times Are Tough: Hire A Pilot...

2007-05-12T11:17:00.000-04:00

ON EBAY!!! (link)

You are bidding on unlimited use of a male pilot (27) for one year

Spotter's Log: TPA "Fishing Hole"

2007-05-10T17:40:00.000-04:00

U.S. Airways
Model: Airbus 319-112
Tail No.: N745VJ

Introduction

It's weird how spontaneity can take you to some of the most interesting places.

One of my friends from college recently moved to Sanford, Fl, approximately 30 miles from Orlando. May was a photography major back at Florida State. I visited her once while she was living in Taiwan.

She recently acquired a Canon EOS 30D DSLR from craigslist, and we decided that whenever there is a chance, we would go do photo shoots together on the weekends. It is nice to travel and take pictures with friends. This past weekend a lot of spontaneous things happened. On Saturday we went to Downtown Disney and practised night photography.

On Sunday after having dim sum with a few friends, she asked me where we should go and what to do for a photo shoot. I casually mentioned a spot called the "fishing hole" near Tampa International Airport (remember that Tampa is about 70 miles away from Orlando) where one of the spotters A.net recommended to get great landing photos. At the time, I had never been to this special place. So far I've been planespotting alone and without any success, so I didn't expect her reaction: "Alright! Let's go!"

Model: Boeing 737-7H4
Tail No.: N265WN

Fishing Near The Runway

We had to loop around TPA's terminal twice because we missed the first turn, and when we saw a wide emergency lane we pulled in. On the side of the Memorial Highway, we found this secluded area on the side of an active highway with a river flowing into Tampa Bay. When we backed into this little opening, we saw several people sitting there, fishing at the river.

Just across the river are the localizers and low flying planes on final approach. It was the most surreal and eerie thing I had ever seen. I called one of my friends in Melbourne to check the weather forecast for Tampa. He said that Tampa will just miss a really horrible rainstorm that was pummeling Orlando at the time. While the sun shone on my back, I could see this looming dark clouds in front of me, and it stayed that way for several hours.

One of the fishermen offered us some water to drink, and we stayed there until we ran out of space on our memory cards, taking photos of planes and this one enormous catfish that one of them caught at the end of the trip. I left Tampa completely elated. I really want to go back. It is a beautiful, peaceful place in the middle of the rush of human existence, where the fishermen watched the day go by between the fast moving cars and gliding aircrafts.

The Catch...

AirTran - Boeing 717!

Model: Boeing 717-231
Tail No.: N919AT

(Uni)TED

Model: Airbus A320-232
Tail No.: N401UA

Frontier Airlines - Racoon!

Model: Airbus A319-111
Tail No.: N923FR

JetBLOO! - Idlewild Blue

Model: Airbus A320-232
Tail No.: N606JB

Southwest Airlines - California One Scheme

Model: Boeing 737-3H4
Tail No.: N609SW

Finally, A380 is going to Taiwan!

2007-05-02T07:36:00.000-04:00

From FlightGlobal, Airbus is planning on showcasing the A380 to India and to Japan, but most significantly (at least for me) to Taiwan. Article link here.

India is one of the up and coming hottest country for aviation industry, and I am really glad that Airbus is doing several stops in India for marketing. However, I am happier for the fact that the plane is going to Taiwan.

Folks, this is why I am excited about the A380 and why no one else except the trans-Pacific travelers understand where I am coming from.

The routes across the Pacific to asian countries are almost always PACKED, each 747-400 carries a full-load of passengers. It only gets worse during the holiday seasons when we go to visit our relatives outside of the US. The best price I've seen to Taiwan is around 800 USD. In a worst case scenario, I had to pay over 1600 USD for a flight to Taiwan from MCO (mostly due to the fact that I bought the tickets fairly late, because I couldn't afford it earlier until I had been working a few months).

Most fuel efficient sub-sonic flight occurs at around mach 0.85 to 0.86. So for now, it will always take 12-14 hours to travel across the ocean. As a coach class flyer, I would LOVE to have a quieter plane, a little bit more leg room and a nice spacious walkaround area, and on top of that, cheaper fares.

The asian market is one of the best resources for the A380. I have always said this and I'm sticking to it. The only reason why so few of the asian airlines have ordered the plane is because they are very cautious. I know that China Airlines and EVA Air are very curious about the plane, but will not make such a huge gamble until the A380 has proven herself in other parts of the world.

Taiwan was not pleased initially for Airbus skipping out on them and going straight to mainland for the publicity (I even have the Airways Magazine article to prove their unhappiness). I hope that this tour will quell some ill opinion on the A380 and the future improve air travel for Pacific flyers all around the world.

A380: Safety Evac Video Released (and more)

2007-05-01T17:09:00.000-04:00

News from the aviation trenches.

On 26 March of 2006, Airbus conducted a full-scale evacuation test on the A380 in Hamburg, Germany, with a full staff of flight attendants, pilots, and a large number of passengers. For the first time the video footage of that test was released, and it shows that the A380 can fully evacuate all the people onboard with only half of its escape slides working, in complete darkness, in less than 90 seconds (in this case, they completed the test in 78 seconds with 853 passengers and 18 cabin crew members).

A380 Evacuation Test, narration in German

There are two articles from FlightGlobal detailing the process, and it will give you an idea just how specifics the requirements are just to run the tests as close to real life situation as possible.

Report link here. First hand account from one of the test passengers link here.

Delta is out!

As in bankruptcy!!! Finally, one of the largest airlines in the world is out of Chapter 11, and will start trading publically under DAL on 3 May 2007. Good job, Delta, looking forward to seeing your fleet in the new Delta livery!

A Study On Short Final

2007-04-29T23:14:00.000-04:00

Female mallard, taken from Sanford, FL (30 miles north of Orlando).

Mission Statement

2007-04-26T18:52:00.000-04:00

Some of you already know this, but I didn't want to talk about it until it is confirmed.

After a few weeks of rejection, appeal, and a nice letter of recommendation from one of the engineers I worked with, I was accepted to Florida Institute of Technology as a provisional student pursuing a Master's degree in aerospace engineering.

As a provisional student, I have to complete the undergraduate curriculum of aerospace engineering with satisfactory marks before I can be formally admitted to the program.

And as an engineer who holds a Master's in computer science, I am lacking A LOT of required classes.

The tuition is expensive, since Florida Tech is a private school. Luckily, the company I work for has tuition assistance, and will provide 80% of the tuition as long as I make good grades. My manager just approved the funding yesterday, so I will start taking classes in May. If it wasn't for the financial aid, I wouldn't be able to do this.

Even when I was an music student at CCM, I considered double majoring in aerospace and piano. I even took college physics (which I had to drop out because of my hectic schedule as a music major) and borrowed books on aerodynamics even though I didn't understand the material. When I transferred to FSU, I had contacted one of the professors at the engineering department inquiring about the aerospace program. At the time, I was in a rush to quickly graduate, and when I realized I would have to start over, I was already finishing up my Bachelor's in computer science. I decided to drop the idea. Looking back on it now, I kind of regret that decision.

I think my problem was that I didn't know which area in aerospace I wanted to do. When I went into computer science, I thought I was going to do what my uncle is doing at his current job: fixing computers, setting up applications, etc. When I started taking courses like data structures and operating systems, I realized I have fallen into a black hole. Computer science was a fun and painful subject. I dabbled in a few concentrated fields here and there, ranging from networking to light kernel programming to computer graphics to image processing. But I never excelled at any of the subjects.

The Mur told me that I never seem passionate about the major. I am nothing like the programmers who work at Apple and game companies, where they live and breathe code in almost every aspect of their lives.

He was right.

I was already a Master's student when first I heard of the A3XX. After she became public and was formally named the A380, I realized that I really want to work on commercial aircrafts. At that point, I was already three semesters from graduating with my MS degree. I decided to finish it rather than dropping it altogether and start over, and I think that was a wise decision.

It goes without saying that starting this summer, I won't be posting as often on the blog as I normally would. I will try to go spotting and practice taking pictures as often as I can.

This journey is going to take me several long and difficult years, working full-time and taking one class a semester. But if I don't do it now, I will never be able to do this. This was the mistake my mother made when she was my age: She should have gone to medical school when she had the chance, but doubts kept her from pursuing it. She is now back in graduate school pursuing a physician assistance degree, in an attempt to salvage what is left of her dream. She will turn 54 this year, and I worry about her.

Time flies and never looks back, and I am not getting any younger either.

Model: Boeing 737-824
Airline: Continental
Tail No.: N79279
Location: Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Runway: 18R (departure)
Date and Time: 22 April 2007, 2150 Zulu

A380: The View From JFK Terminal 1

2007-04-15T20:10:00.000-04:00

There were a large number of children at Terminal 1, and I wish I had taken more photos of them. I caught a glimpse of this Hasidic boy listening to the reception speeches for the A380.

There was a little girl next to me while I was photographing the planes, explaining in half English/Spanish to the other children the exaggerated dimensions of the A380. I witnessed a blooming of dreams: prompted by the flying metal bird, that look in their eyes, of both fascination and imagination, that they may or may not lose when they grow up.

I hope they will never lose it.

The A380 taxiing to the hangar for maintenance, while her smaller cousin, the JetBlue A320, takes off into the grey winter sky in NYC, 19 March 2007.

Spotter's Log - MCO

2007-04-15T00:42:00.000-04:00

No plane pics from today's MCO spotting trip. At least not anytime soon. Just some photos that I've been experimenting with. The 18-200 mm isn't good for Airliners.net spotting photos (unless I am really close to the subjects), but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with it at the airport. ;)

I like to draw and paint. I've been drawing since I was very little. Taking pictures is more like creating coloring books for me to play with afterwards. Adobe Lightroom makes raw processing very smooth and streamline, and basically made post processing more fun and less work. The software definitely encourages the imagination more than the logic of realistic representation of the subject. A huge thanks to Zack for introducing me to this software.

The predator of MCO

One of the many birds that made their home at the airport.

Sunset

Ted A320 taking off into the last gleam of sunlight.

Abstract

2007-04-14T01:55:00.000-04:00

Seagulls are evil...

2007-04-11T23:34:00.000-04:00

...but they sure are pretty when they fly.

Just practising for the Sun-N-Fun Air Show, coming up next week. ;)

Mito (Lumix) on eBay

2007-04-10T22:37:00.000-04:00

I finally got the courage to write up an eBay entry for the Lumix. I am sad, because this camera has helped my photography skills the past few months...and it is even sadder that I've only had it for such a short period of time. But there is no reason for me to have two cameras, so the Lumix is up for bid. He is in great condition, and I hope to find him a caring owner.

The eBay entry can be found here.

UPDATE

I pulled Mito from eBay yesterday. Just couldn't bear to sell him online...

D80: Things that fly, things that grow

2007-04-08T22:09:00.000-04:00

After my trip to JFK, I started considering getting a DSLR. I didn't expect to want anything more than the Panasonic but alas, the Lumix is not made for spotting. I have learned a lot on that camera. As far as spotting photos go, even under ideal lighting condition and good lens, the Lumix can only do so much with a very small sensor. I decided it was time that I graduate to a different type of camera.

Naturally, I considered the Canon Rebel XTi and the Pentax K10D (Fujifilm does not have entry-level DSLR...instead they go from point-and-shoot to professional grade cameras that will cost me a liver to purchase). Initially, I didn't really consider Nikon simply because the equivalent model costs so much more compare to the Rebel XTi. That was, until Zack introduced me to Thom Hogan's page and I saw the 18-200 mm VR and the 70-300 mm VR.

Taken from DPReview, Nikkor 70-300 mm with VR, for planespotting

Taken from DPReview, Nikkor 18-200 mm with VR, one of the most sought after lens

The 70-300mm will be perfect for planespotting, but the 18-200mm is the general purpose lens...the kind that I can keep on the body for almost any occasion. After reading rave reviews about the 18-200 mm, I went online and looked, and realized that not only is the 18-200 mm sold out everywhere, but places where they do have in stock are selling the lens for 200+ USD above the market price.

So I thought I discovered a tactic to save my money: I decided that if I ever get a hold of the lens at the market price or less, I will buy a Nikon body. For that to happen anytime soon would be impossible, since the lens is backordered for at least six months to a year.

Be careful with what you wish for.

A few days ago, someone from Tallahassee was selling both the D80 body and (I am not joking) the 18-200 mm VR lens. The seller mentioned that the camera was purchased in December 2006, but he currently prefers to have a light camera so he was selling the D80 and everything along with it.

I made him an offer to buy both the lens and the body for less than what he could've sold it for, thinking that he would reject my offer.

After a quick check, the seller wrote back accepting my offer.

Two days later, the D80 and the 18-200 mm VR lens arrived at my apartment. I stared at the boxes for a very long time before I opened it. My very first DSLR.

Learning to capture...all over again

For comparison, here is a photo of a brown pelican taken by the Lumix. The difference in sharpness is astounding.

Now begins a new chapter with a different camera: one that is more temperamental than my Panasonic (whom I will have to sell, since there is no reason for an amateur to have more than one camera). Starting almost from scratch, learning how to take photos and process them all over again...

Warbirds: 17 March 2007

2007-04-04T20:47:00.000-04:00

50 years of evolution...in one photo

When my flight to New York was rescheduled, I was free to attend the 2nd Annual Warbirds Air Show at the Space Coast Regional Airport (IATA:TIX). I witnessed, for the first time, the incredible feats that the pilots had to do in dogfights and to compensate for the not-so-powerful engines at the time. I left the air show with a newfound respect for the World War I pilots, and realized why back then, pilots from enemy countries were treated like friends by other pilots when captured.

In Flight

On the ground

And Finally...

*sigh* Biplanes are so romantic...

JFK Log: The A380 Arrival

2007-03-29T20:36:00.000-04:00

Introduction

On 19 March 2007, I stood on a ten foot mound surrounding an elementary school soccer field with my camera Mito. It was approximately -2 degree Celsius, and the fields were covered in clean white snow. I had traveled over a thousand miles to visit someone who is both a stranger and an old friend. That morning, I was privy to a piece of history in commercial aviation. And wow, what a beautiful day it was...

The Lady At Delta

There were so many reasons why this trip should have failed.

On Friday when my flight to JFK was supposed to take place, the northeast was experiencing terrible weather. New York City was hailing. My flight was canceled.

When I arrived at the ticket counter, the agent was nice but told me that there was a backlog and the earliest flight she could book was 4 pm on Monday. Her manager stood over her, affirming her statement. Somehow in desperation, I blurted out the reason why leaving on Monday at 4 pm would mean that I will miss out on greeting the plane before she touched down for the first time in the United States. Her manager said, there was nothing they can do.

I nearly cried.

When the manager left, the ticketing agent whispered to me that she could sneak me into a flight to La Guardia. I would leave on Sunday and transfer at ATL, and arrive at LGA around 9 PM.

At that point, I think I had tears in my eyes. I thanked her profusely.

On Sunday, I drove once again to MCO and after waiting in the Comair terminal for an hour, I pulled out my boarding passes and realized that there was something strange about my new itinerary:

My First FIRST CLASS Trip

In the first class cabin, I was addressed by my last name, given good food on real plates, a leather seat with a view from two windows, and all the alcoholic beverages I could drink. I got a mojito. :)

The Journey

A bus route map of southeastern New York City, courtesy of MTA.

1345h Zulu - Departure. My brother Wil lives in Astoria, so without a car I had to plan contingency routes via the Metro and the bus depending on the arrival runway. The ride from Astoria to the transfer station via the metro took about 40 minutes including the wait during rush hour.

1425h Zulu - Arrived at transfer station. Walked to bus station to take the Q60.

1500h Zulu - Initially the 31L was designated for arrivals, but suddenly JFK ATIS reported a runway change to 22L. The change occurred while I was en route to a spotting site near 31L via the bus. As soon as I realized the change, I quickly left the Q60 bus around Rockaway and Farmers Blvd, walked several blocks to 147th Avenue, caught another bus (Q113) and got off at 147th Avenue and 230th St, lower right corner of the map.

1525h Zulu - From there I walked several more blocks until I arrived at a snow covered soccer field, surrounded by ten foot mounds and low flying planes on final approach to JFK.

The Arrival - 1611h Zulu

Aircraft: Airbus A380
Tail No.: F-WWJB, MSN 007
Date: 19 March 2007
Time: 1611h Zulu
Arrival Runway: 22L

Hello, there. Pleased to meet you, finally. :)

Epilogue

To the lady from Delta Airlines who helped me fulfill my dream,

Without you, taking these photos could not be possible. I would have been just as grateful if you had found a spot in the pressurized cargo area for me to be a stowaway. I had been waiting to see the A380 for a long time...it is a very special plane to me. Because of this plane, I made the decision to go into aerospace engineering. I hope that in the future I can design the next A380 or the 787.

I don't think anything I say can convey to you the gratitude I felt and continue to feel for your gesture. Nor do I think I can convey through these photos the awe I felt, standing at a soccer field in southeastern Queens, in between the glide paths for runways 22L and 22R near JFK, watching 590 tonnes of composites carrying 500+ passengers on final approach, gliding silently at 200 MPH and literally a few hundred feet in front of me.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make my dream come true.

A Small Surprise

2007-03-27T22:51:00.000-04:00

Today I picked up my first subscription to Airway magazine (it is written in Chinese and not to be confused with Airways, a totally different magazine written in English) from the post office. Right before I put the package in my saddle bag, I felt a small lump in the envelope. Intrigued, I opened the package right then and there and behold, an unexpected delivery:

It is funny that they included this pin along with this issue, considering that the cover for this issue is this pin model's future competitor:

I'm not going to lie: I stood next to my bike and for a moment, remembered what I saw just two weekends ago and smiled.

"At least she didn't get up constantly."

2007-03-24T01:15:00.000-04:00

While I work on my travel entries (a two-part story of epic proportion), allow me to amuse you with this article I found on my newsfeed this evening. From the people at Aviation Daily, here is a weird but true piece of news in today's airline industry:

A British Airways passenger was refused compensation and told by the airline to "get over it" after a corpse was placed in the row where he was sitting last week.

For the full story, link to the article here.

Priceless

2007-03-19T16:43:00.000-04:00

Round Trip Tickets to New York City: 258.00 USD
Gas used driving to MCO/Melbourne three times due to flight cancellation/change: 30.00 USD
Price of taking the MTA all around New York City: 20.00 USD
Slept at brother's apartment in Astoria: 0.00 USD
Realizing that all the hassle was worth it for that one beautiful moment:

Model: Airbus A380
Tail No.: F-WWJB (cn: 007), production model
Event: Final approach to JFK Airport, first landing in the United States
Photo taken by: The Bing

:')

Boeing 737 Technical Website

2007-03-10T17:54:00.000-05:00

Model: Boeing 737-790
Airline: Alaska Airlines
Date: 23 December 2006
Location: LAX - Tom Bradley International
Tail No.: N623AS
Spotted 25 times (as of 11 March 2007)

I have so many photos from my spotting trip at LAX last December, but not enough time to process everything for publication (plus I am learning new techniques as I go along, so the previously processed images gets redone again, and again, and ...). So I will dole them out a few photos at a time. I feel quite certain that not reporting my LAX trip will be of no loss to anyone. None of these photos are Airliners quality yet, but I do notice differences between my LAX batch and my November TPA spotting trip.

Meanwhile, I came across this website dedicated to the Boeing 737, one of the most adorable commercial planes to grace the skies. It is a good site, lots of diagrams and technical information on the plane. Now if there is a site dedicated to the A320 my life would be complete (sort of). :p

Skylog - 24 Jan 2007

2007-03-03T23:39:00.000-05:00

A typical Melbourne dusk after the rain.

JFK, here I come.

2007-03-01T18:35:00.000-05:00

Finally, an arrival

A few months ago, I was considering very seriously to attend the 2007 Paris Air Show to see the A380. Several of my friends cannot go, and I am currently applying to Florida Tech to get a master's degree in aerospace engineering. If and when I do get accepted, I will need to consider my own finances for the next few years in terms of tuition. So in January, I grudgingly accepted the fact that it is not feasible for me to attend this year. And then yesterday, I received the news that I have been waiting for over a year:

A380 COMING TO JFK AND LAX ON 19 MARCH 2007

When I read the news on Airliners and on NewsFire I literally went haywire. The Airliners forum went crazy for a while and I was no exception. I called up my brother in NYC and told him that I will be visiting him towards the middle of March. I purchased the plane tickets today after work. I haven't slept since last night. Somehow I managed to work through the day running on curry chicken and three shots of espresso.

Photos & Movies

My entire experience with the A380 has been through the blessings of the internet, where I am able to get a glimpse of what other privileged spotters are able to see in person. I hope this will change in a few weeks.

The photo above was taken by Richard W. M. Jones during the Farnborough Air Show 2006. He released it into the public domain via Wikipedia. The image was taken with a Canon Rebel, and he produced an excellent template which I went ahead and did some post processing to enhance the photo. The image above is the result of my smart sharpening/desaturating magenta fringe of the image. Click here to see the original photo for comparison.

Hopefully, after March 19, I will have my very own photo of this magnificent creature...

Racism (an event)

2007-02-23T23:14:00.000-05:00

Allow me to take this moment to release some thoughts. Something happened today that hadn't occur to me since elementary school.

I was driving on Babcock St, and was making a left turn onto Nasa Blvd when a dude in a car at the red light shouted at me:

"ASIAN FAGGOT!"

I didn't know how to react. I kept on driving, feeling peculiar. I haven't heard any racial slur directed towards me in a long time. Hearing them again brought back some familiar feelings from my childhood.

Though my family are from Taiwan and I was born in the U.S., I was raised in both countries. While I was living in Taiwan, my Chinese was poor and I had to catch up academically with my classmates. My classmates in Taiwan regarded me with suspicion and picked fights with me and taunted me a few times claiming that I was an American spy. Luckily those incidents were few, and I made a few friends during those two years.

When I returned to the U.S., my English was poor, hence I had to adapt again. First couple of years consisted of classmates chanting "Ching Ching Chong Chong!" and slanting their eyes with their index fingers and telling me to go back to China. But again, the tauntings were rare and pretty soon I made friends and my English improved.

Since then, no one has openly said anything to me regarding my ethnicity. I know that racism still exists but I look at the population around the world and saw the heterogeneity in all the people and felt that a case like today cannot be explained logically. Racism is just another manifestation of xenophobia...and no amount of public policies can change a person's view. They just prevent people from killing what they fear and getting away with murder.

It just so happens that I was driving my car today, which made my physical features visible to the public. I am beginning to appreciate the anonymity that my helmet provides when I ride my motorcycle. What happened to that man that made him say that statement? Was he venting? Was he having a bad day? Did he know someone who was asian and did something wrong to him? These are questions that will never be answered.

Have we, as human, improved after several thousand years of civilization? I really think improvement is hopeless for us, but it is a nice illusion. We strive to continue this illusion of progress, in hopes that someday it will become real. Plato observed this phenomenon over two thousand years ago, and to this day this observation still holds true.

Cape Canaveral

2007-02-11T12:03:00.000-05:00

It was just one of those days. I had just turned 25. A lot of changes happened the last few weeks. I felt somewhat depressed, and then I looked outside saw that the weather was wonderful and realized that the perfect remedy for brooding is go out into the sun. I hadn't taken any pictures since I got back from Taiwan, so I decided to pack everything and head north to Cape Canaveral.

A Confession

I have been lying to some of you for a month now. I am no longer a panda on a scooter...I got a motorcycle in December 2006, a Suzuki Boulevard S40 650 cc engine. Basically, the motorcycle is the same as the Suzuki Savage, the style hasn't changed since 1980s. His name is Glenn, and he is a one cylinder, belt-driven, air-cooled bike that the Americans affectionately call a "thumper". A few people asked why I didn't get a bigger bike. I always thought, in amusement, that Glenn's engine size is actually bigger than the Norton that Ernesto Guevara rode on during his trip through the west part of Latin America. 650 cc? The possibilities are endless... ;)

Seagulls

The last time I went to Jetty Park was to watch the space shuttle Discovery launch from several miles away in the cool, brisk night. During the day, cruise ships go by, and seagulls hover the picnic areas for scraps of food. They can be quite vicious, fighting and chasing each other for a slice of cheese. However, all that is forgotten when one manages to capture an instance of their flight...

Pelicans

In stark contrast to the seagulls, the pelicans are much more cooperative and social creatures. Often I see them gliding together across the water, in packs of three to five birds. There were a few times when I thought the birds were going to crash into me. They were flying very close to the jetty, and I was awestruck as to how large these birds really are.

The Stork (aka The Alien)

While I was taking photos, this one stork stared at me intently for a long time. I wasn't sure if it was a bird or not...the head and the beak looked like part of a ceremonial headress. Nevertheless, it stared at me until several tourists chased it off. Very neat looking bird.

台北市 - Taipei City (a rainy night)

2007-01-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

It looks like I am not going to be able to write at length about my travel in Taiwan all in one blog, so whenever I have a chance, I will post a few tidbits here and there. Work has been busy, and weekday evening is just too short of a recharge period after a nine hour work day.

This photo was taken when my uncle's car broke down in the middle of Taipei en route from work to his house. While we waited for a cab, I leaned on the roof of his car and started taking pictures of the traffic and experimenting with slow shutter speed. It was a wet evening, and my camera's UV filter unfortunately acquired a small nick from my planespotting journey at LAX (more on that in a few weeks...). The result is this bloom in the middle of the photo above. Despite the blemish, I'm still quite proud of this picture...

Peace.

Spotter's Log - 27, 31 Dec 2006, 7 Jan 2007

2007-01-23T00:27:00.000-05:00

Note the markings on the ground denotes how far for the plane must park at the terminal, depending on the model of the plane. (TSA)

Taiwan (especially Taipei) was dark and grey and wet 90% of time during winter. That was bad news for my camera, who is happiest when the sun is out. I have actually been processing/re-processing a lot of images the past few weeks--even while I was in Taiwan. Since I got back I haven't had a lot of time to work on the photos, and I'm writing this entry right now at the risk of falling asleep at work tomorrow.

So I will start off this tour of Taiwan with planespotting. Hopefully I will have other plane/non-plane related photos by the end of next week.

Preamble - Registration Number

Besides photographing the metal birds, I have also started collecting used boarding passes and aircraft registration (or tail number, since it is almost always located near the tail cone). Tail numbers are especially interesting because they are unique, and the first few letters indicates which country the plane belongs to. You can search Airliners.net by the tail number and see the same plane (sometimes with different liveries) being photographed by different spotters. For the U.S., the letter prefix for registration is 'N'. So if you see an aircraft with the registration number N420UA, you will know that it is a U.S. aircraft (and in this case, United Airlines, as indicated by the last two letters of the tail number).

Most of you probably know about the never ending debate on whether or not Taiwan should be independent from People's Republic of China. It might be worth noting that aircrafts from Taiwan use the same letter prefix, 'B', as the ones from mainland China. The only difference is that Taiwan uses a five digit registration, whereas mainland China uses only four.

高雄國際機場 - Kaohsiung International Airport, IATA: KHH

Kaohsiung Airport is neat in that there are no jetways for the domestic terminal. You get to walk outside next to the planes before you board, which is really cool. Unfortunately, both times I was outside, we were rushing to go somewhere else or to board the plane. And of course the sky was cloudy. So these two Uni MD-90s are the best I could do.

Tail No.: B-17922
Airline: UNI Air (domestic version of EVA Air)
Model: MD-90
Taken: 7 Jan 2007
Spotted 22 times.

Tail No.: B-?????
Airline: UNI Air
Model: MD-90
Taken: 31 Dec 2006

臺北松山機場 - Taipei Songshang Airport, IATA: TSA

The airport is situated at the heart of Taipei City. However, there are discussions regarding the fate of Songshan. With the implementation of the bullet train in Taiwan, people are taking the train and flying less out of Songshan. Also with Taoyuan International Airport located about 30 minutes away, people are grumbling that Songshan is redundant and the jet engines adds to the noise pollution. The city's tall buildings are also potential hazards for planes. With high fuel prices and the inability to fill seats, it looks like Songshan may be on its last leg. I remember when I was little, Songshan was actually a busy little place that one could almost mistaken it for an international airport. The last time I went there, there were only a few people sitting in chairs. There was no line at the security.

So, looking out at the sunless scenery, I pulled out Mito and started to shoot...

TransAsia Airways

Tail No.: B-22306
Model: Airbus A320-231
Taken: 31 Dec 2006
Spotted 26 times.

Tail No.: 22607
Model: Airbus A321-131
Taken: 31 Dec 2006
Spotted 46 times.

Mandarin Airlines (domestic version of China Airlines)

Tail No.: B-12292
Model: Fokker 100
Taken: 31 Dec 2006
Spotted 35 times.

Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT)

Tail No.: 28011
Model: MD-82
Taken: 31 Dec 2006
Spotted 46 times (very popular...probably because of the special livery...).

UNI Air

Tail No.: B-17919
Model: MD-90
Taken: 31 Dec 2006
Spotted 23 times.

Scenes From Above

Taiwan is a very mountainous island with fertile soil but not a lot of land mass. Because of these factors, Taiwanese people live on a mostly pescetarian diet.

The Tainan Airport (TNN) airport, en route to Kaohsiung.

Last, but not least...

Tail No.: B-22606
Model: Airbus A321-131
Airline: TransAsia Airways
Spotted 19 times.

Because of the weather, I didn't get very many takeoff shots of the planes. I stood near the cargo area at Songshan (a lot of people stared at me) for a good 40 minutes before the rain chased me inside. But I did manage to get this shot of TransAsia A320, flying into the unknown...

The Guardian: On Racism

2007-01-13T10:26:00.000-05:00

I was browsing through the newsfeed when I encountered this article from The Guardian:

BNP ballerina dances through protest by anti-racists

Mr [Richard] Barnbrook, returning to the subject of Clarke, said she had his full backing and that he did not object to her relationship with Cuban-Chinese dancer Yat-Sen Chang. "She's not racist - she's going out with someone who is not of her own race," he said. But he said, he hoped the couple would not have children.

"I'm not opposed to mixed marriages but their children are washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people," he explained, quickly adding: "That's my view, it's not the party's view."

People who make comments like that disgusts me. We are all progeny from centuries of settlers intermarrying natives, of rape and pillage, of love and hate. You'll never know who you are related to because human history is full of holes. Washing out the identity of this country's indigenous people? Coming from a person who is well aware of the country's notoriety regarding her imperialistic method, I am laughing my ass off.

Skylog - Sunrise at Flight Level 370

2007-01-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

Price of tickets to Taiwan: WAY TOO MUCH.
Time it takes to get from Taiwan to Florida: WAY TOO LONG.
Quality of the economy seats: WAY TOO CRAMP.

See a sunrise at 37,000 feet: Priceless. :p

There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, we will have to hope that the A380 will solve two of the three problems listed above. ;)

For the curious, it takes about 17 hours of flight to return to Florida because of the jet streams, which are westerly winds. Without the jet streams, it takes 20 hours to get to Taiwan from Florida.

Pandas...On Scooters.

2007-01-01T02:13:00.000-05:00

Waiting for traffic light at the entrance of Taiwan History Museum in Taipei

Remember that every Chinese people are pandas, because we're cute, we're cuddly, and we like to eat food of questionable nutrition.

I'm in Kaohsiung right now visiting relatives. It is 25 degrees celsius here and people are wearing polar fleece. I have taken lots of pictures, and will post some of them over the next month or so.

Happy New Year everyone!!! I'm looking forward to the Year of the Boar. See you guys in couple of weeks. :D

Discovery Launch - Port CanaveralFlight shots, night shots, and other challenges

2006-12-10T13:24:00.000-05:00

Strong winds and excessive clouds contributed to Thursday's launch abort.

Pre-Launch

Birds in flight is one of the hardest types of image to capture. I've been practising for a few weeks and was finally able to produce a couple of decent pictures. The wind was around 15 to 20 knots, pretty strong. Chasing seagulls at that point was like watching several F/A-18s practising combat maneuvers...only they are a thousand times smaller with no sense of direction. I still have no idea how Constellation was able to produce this amazing shot. The pelicans however, are much more consistent gliders and therefore easier for me to follow.

The more I work with pictures the more I learn to correct strange little defects from the captured image. Take the two pelican images below.

At full resolution, note the cyan fringing at the front outline of the bird, and the magenta fringing at the back.

Aberration corrected.

The one on the top has chromatic aberrations, and the one of the bottom is corrected by slightly desaturating the magenta and cyan channel in Photoshop. I learned how to do it through this page I found on Google. Though the overall vividness of the subject might decrease somewhat, the result is an image that doesn't make you feel like you might be on LSD.

Launch Log - Port Canaveral

The space shuttle launch was supposed to happen at 2047h. Due to the wind I was worried that the launch might be canceled again. But around 1730h I checked the NASA blog and everything seemed to be in order. I phoned my friends to get ready for the drive to Port Canaveral.

I went with Chris, Joe and his sister Anna. Chris and Joe were my classmates while we were in the computer science program.

We arrived at Jetty Park, approximately 1.6 kilometer (15 miles) from launch pad 39B where the shuttle Discovery was poised for takeoff. 39B is a significant area: it was where the last launch of Challenger took place before it disintegrated in the sky.

A large crowd turned out at the park, including several news agencies. Reporters were interviewing spectators at random. Experienced launch watchers brought chairs. Several people were taking countdown information from friends watching the launch on TV.

Please forgive me for the really crappy launch pictures you are about to see. It is sad, but they really are my best ones. To purge your eyes of my filthy images, please visit NASA's mission page for much nicer photos of the launch.

Someone shouted, "TEN SECONDS!", and everyone stood up for the countdown.

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"ONE! LIFTOFF!!!"

There was loud rumble that was heard and felt for miles around. People cheered while the Discovery struggled to free itself from the earth's gravity. The rocket was so bright that for a few seconds, it became a small sun lighting up the heaven above and turning the waters into the colors of lava. It was incredible. 5 seconds into the launch, people fell into an eerie silence. It was a silence of anticipation for the separation of solid rocket boosters. For that few seconds, almost everyone witnessing the event were united in the single hope for the safety of the crew.

When the SRB separated, there was another round of cheers, and shuttle Discovery was on its way to the International Space Station.

I have learned to NEVER try and take picture of the shuttle itself at night. It is impossible with my camera. At the next night launch, I will set up a tripod, high ISO setting and slow shutter speed. At least that way, I can capture the brightness of the water and the sky as the shuttle hurls itself to space.

Post Launch

As soon as the last traces of Discovery vanished into the night, people started to leave. We decided to explore Jetty Park a little bit to avoid traffic congestion. I was still excited from seeing the night launch, and I am looking forward to the launch in March for Atlantis.

The jetty that leads out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The light tower at the end of the jetty.

The last shot was particularly interesting because I took the image in almost complete darkness. I couldn't see anything other than the blinking light from the tower. So just for fun and curiosity, I setup the tripod, change the ISO setting to 400 and the shutter speed to 60 seconds (mwahahahaha!!! :p). The result is an eerie image where the contour of the rocks is visible against the non-existent twilight.

Conclusion

The space program started out as a tool of war against the Soviet Union. Now it has evolved (at least in terms of public relations) into a vision for unity and peace amongst people of different nations. I don't know how optimistic I am about the potential of the space program, seeing that it can be use for betterment (e.g. researching hydroponic farming under low gravity) or destruction (e.g. Strategic Defense Initiative).

Nevertheless, living creatures will never stop being curious. Somewhere in the universe someone will look up to the sky and wonder...

Skylog

2006-12-04T19:45:00.000-05:00

Bing learned that:

Sky + (ISO > 100) == VERY BAD

Planespotting: 25 - 26 Nov 2006

2006-11-27T22:23:00.000-05:00

Last week while I was planning this spotting trip, I decided that TPA would be a better place for Mito's debut, since it is one of the few airports where we are allowed to take pictures on top of the parking lot. I will be very sad if this privilege is revoked in the future.

Part I: Battery Powered Car

Sunset, taken from the emergency roadside on I-4.

I was approximately 47 miles from Tampa when Schroeder started to sputter and decelerate. I pulled over to the emergency lane, and immediately the car died before I could turned it off. Schroeder is a car that I have had a love hate relationship for the last five years. That day, he decided to become an electric car when his alternator broke en route. Trouble is, he is a 1989 Toyota Celica. He does not run on battery.

Within minutes of breaking down, an I-4 Road Ranger pulled up behind my car and inquired about my problem. He decided to test out the battery to make sure that the alternator was the issue. While he was running tests, I stood there staring at the horizon, and like an idiot, went into the car and took out my camera. There is no safer place to take photographs than standing on the interstate a feet away from traffic moving at 130 km/h. Everytime a car passed by my car moved a little due to the strong wind.

The Road Ranger accessed that by the time a tow truck comes and take my car away, all the auto repair shops will be closed. So he drove me to the nearest Pep Boys, I bought some oil and a brand new alternator, went back to the rest stop and performed the transplant right there. Many thanks to the one I-4 Road Ranger who helped me get back on the road to Tampa.

Part II: Tampa International Airport - IATA:TPA

A model of 787 on display at TPA with Continental livery

Weather in Tampa couldn't have been more perfect. There was no cloud in the sky, a rare occurance in the bay area. I drove by MacDill Air Force base and stopped on the side of the road to take a few pictures of Tampa Bay, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico. Not surprisingly, this is also one of the dangerous places for hurricanes. Nonetheless, for that day it was a very peaceful and beautiful.

As a quick summary of this spotting trip, here are the statistics:

120 - number of photos taken during spotting
10 - number of photos of ok, but not great quality
0 - number of photos good enough for Airliners.net

Air Canada

Model: Airbus 321 (Tail No.: C-GJVX)
Flight No.: 903, Destination: Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
Departure: 1320h
Runway: 36L

Air Canada visits Tampa only a few times a day, around five arrival/departure flights total as of 26 November 2006. They come from Denver, New York City, and Toronto, Ontario. On December 15, Air Canada will add direct routes to Montreal and Seattle.

AirTran

Model: Boeing 737-700 (Tail No.: N268AT)
Flight No.: 122, Destination: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL)
Departure: 1110h
Runway: 36R

AirTran is a frequent visitor at TPA. Often one does not fly international (or even across the US) without being transferred to ATL with this little Orlando-based airline.

Southwest Airlines

Boeing 737 with new Southwest livery

Originally called Air Southwest, this fairly young low-cost airline is now almost 10 years old. Southwest can be sighted at all times at TPA, sometimes taking off in sequence. One particularly amusing hour was when five Southwest 737s took off within 30 minutes. I overheard a plane watcher say "Oh, it's just Southwest again. This is getting boring."

Southwest is currently an all Boeing 737 fleet.

Boeing 737 (Tail No.: ?)
Flight No.: 250, Destination: Chicago Midway (MDW)
Departure: 1110h
Runway: 36R

Boeing 737, old Southwest livery (Tail No: N650SW)
Flight No.:1576, Destination: Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
Departure: 1335h
Runway: 36R

JetBlue

Model: Airbus A320 (Tail No.: N632JB)
Flight No.: 65, From: JFK
Arrival: 1338h
Runway: 36L

I jokingly call JetBlue the "Airbus counterpart" of an all-Boeing Southwest Airlines, since its fleet consists of only Airbus A320s and Embraer 190s. The principles behind the two companies are very similar, but JetBlue is a younger airline and currently more generous of the two in terms of customer service. One of my friends rode JetBlue a few months ago and came back with the words: "Food! They served REAL FOOD on the plane!!! And it was FREE!!!" From what I've heard, JetBlue is a really fun company to work for.

Unusual Finds

Spirit Airlines, Model: Airbus A319 (Tail No.: N157NK "Spirit of Orlando")
Flight No.: 341, From: Atlantic City (ACY)
Arrival: 1115h

Spirit Airlines is another Florida-based company that provides direct flights to tourist places like the Bahamas and Atlantic City, NJ. I like the livery on the plane, the monochrome steel grey against red gives the plane a very retro-futurist look.

There is only one regular flight with Midwest Airlines, and that is flight no. 805 direct from Milwaukee, WI to TPA, arrival at 1105h. Tail no. for this MD-82 is N814ME.

I also saw a cute, sunny little propeller plane landing on 36R. The livery is eye catching with its liberal use of Caribbean blue.

Conclusion

Photographing planes is not easy. At least with with my camera which has a digital viewfinder, it was hard for me to continue tracing the path of a plane taking off when the viewfinder was still on the previously snapped image. That is the advantage of the SLR, so while the image is being stored, you can still follow the plane with the viewfinder until you are ready to take another shot. Another problem with Mito is that his burst shooting is not very good, but I knew that from reading dpreviews. I used continuous autofocus for this trip, and looking at the results that might not have been the best idea. Most of my plane pictures came out blurry, and even the clearest ones do not look as sharp as some of the plane photos from Airliners.net. It is either the autofocus or my shutter speed was not fast enough.

Hopefully with practice I can take better pictures on my next spotting trip. May be next year I will produce something that I feel worthy to be submitted to Airliners.net. Any suggestions are welcomed.

No More Red Lights

2006-11-24T00:33:00.000-05:00

Riding a scooter and/or motorcycle in the US can be a real pain, especially at various traffic lights where there are sensors beneath the asphalt to trigger a change in the signal. Scooter riders like myself get stranded constantly because the light simply will not change color when we are at an intersection. Contrary to popular belief, the sensors do not detect the weight of the vehicle, but rather the metallic content of the vehicle itself (specifically iron). Scooters and motorcycles do not have as much iron as a basic car, so the traffic lights do not acknowledge their existence.

OhGizmo! recently posted a neat tool that will save us two wheelers from checking for cops before going straight or turning left on a never-changing red light. Signal Sorcerer is a device that allows the sensors to detect you regardless of your vehicle's metallic content and triggers the timer for the traffic light. It is not illegal, and it is very, VERY handy for scooter riders.

Click here for the website.

Skylog (a cold day in Melbourne)

2006-11-20T21:51:00.000-05:00

It is rare for southern Florida to go below 10 degrees, but when it does it is fantastic (at least for me). My co-workers were griping about the cold, but I used to live in places where sheets of ice form on the sidewalk. During snow days, when you cannot walk (unless you have ice shoes), you sit down on the sidewalk and slide down the slope. Florida winter simply cannot be called harsh.

Today I tried shooting everything in RAW. I figured instead spending the time on the spot trying to figure out the best settings (and there are so many), I might as well just concentrate on the fstop and shutter speed and tweak the images later. A few of my photography friends suggested it, and in the end I think it is a better idea. Plus I just got my 4 GB SDHC card...can't let it go to waste now can I? ;)

New Haven, 192

I ran out after work to the bridge in order to practise on taking sunsets. The precious twenty minutes I had on the bridge, I was able to literally witness the sun sinking into the horizon. It was pretty cold (especially when you're close to the ocean) and after 20 or so shots I couldn't really feel my hands. It was worth it though. How can you die and not see something like this?

Skylog

2006-11-13T17:55:00.000-05:00

This photo was actually an accident. I meant to focus on the sky in the background, but I ended up focussing on the silhouette of the leaves. But I wasn't really awake at 700h this morning when I stopped the car at a nearby retirement housing to take a few shots on my way to work. The fstop I think was too small...

Skylog & The Carnival

2006-11-11T21:12:00.000-05:00

Joe and Anna took me to the Space Coast Fair at Cocoa, FL. Though I'm not one for carnivals, I haven't been to a fair since I was 12. Luckily for me, the sky was beautiful and I took several pictures en route to the fair.

Interesting "fish-eye"-ish effect...without the lens!

The sky is always changing...

Silhouette of the rides against the majestic sky.

One of the patrons. Her eye makeup was interesting...

This photograph actually demonstrated how powerful these cameras can be: When you view the image at normal size, you'll notice that there are small dots scattered around the sky. At first I thought the lens was dirty, but there was nothing on it, not even a speck of dust. It turned out that those specks were little birds flying...and I didn't see them when I took the picture because they were so far away.

I would've taken more pictures of the carnival, but currently I am using the stock 32 MB SD card that came with Mito...which unfortunately, means that I can only take up to 12 photos at 3 MP.

Meet Mito, My New Friend

2006-11-09T19:20:00.000-05:00

4:3 aspect, MF

If you've seen Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind, then you would get the reference to Nausicaa's loyal one-eyed steward. The etymology of his name means "to see" in Japanese. Mito arrived via Fedex at 1220h. I specifically used my lunch hour to drive home and sign for him. He traveled two long days from New Jersey to Orlando, then to Rockledge where they deploy the packages to the residents of Brevard County. Mito is a Panasonic Lumix FZ50K. For a camera with a lot of manual settings, he is surprisingly easy to use. The secret to Mito is the Leica lens that gives him an edge in the competitive field of digital cameras.

As soon as the work day ended, I took some test shots on 192, a bridge that connects the barrier island to the rest of Florida. I used to jog there because of the scenery but I had to stop when my knees started to hurt. The sunsets on 192 are incredible.

16:9 aspect, MF, on bridge 192

16:9 aspect, MF, Indian River

I'm considering getting some filters for the light shots, and maybe a telephoto lens for planespotting. Hopefully I'll have the latter before the next spotting trip, which will be in Rockledge, FL.

4:3 aspect, AF, probably faster shutter speed for better image resolution?

16:9 aspect, AF, boat fishing

4:3 aspect, AF

Coming from someone who has used a poor resolution palmcorder for most of her photography, this is a huge leap for me. This is my inaugural posting to Mito. May this be a start of a long and beautiful relationship.

Low Resolution Magic

2006-11-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

A while ago, Constellation sent me a link to a blog written by an active A320 pilot by the name of Manuito. Today, Manu posted an entry on using different radar settings to detect surrounding airplanes in order to avoid mid-air collision. He uploaded a couple of videos on YouTube showing him changing the range while he was in flight, and towards the last few seconds of the video I had a double-take:

Based on the radar screen, Manu located another plane flying ahead and above his aircraft. But for a brief moment, it looked like an angel with enormous wings...

How To Build A Fixed-Wing Aircraft

2006-10-29T16:45:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry I'm bombarding POAS with so many posts today...but this one is cool and worth a look.

Sketch Your Own Furniture

2006-10-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

During the summer of 2005, I interned at Apple Computer for three months. Every summer, Apple holds an iContest for the interns to come up with innovative ideas involving Apple products. You can design anything you want, ranging from marketing to modification of hardware. There were some good ideas, and there were some awful ones. Most of the awful ones made it to the final round, and my only consolation is that the team who won actually had a really neat product.

There were some good ideas being thrown around. Zack for example came up with a client/server central database system for hospitals to allow doctors to easily interact with lab tests using Xserve RAID. Neil and Ryan fiddled with GPS in Powerbook (thanks Ryan!), and Kevin "Fan Boy" (the team that won) came up with Gestures!, an image recognition software that can trace the movements of hands via a camera and map the result to a command in Mac OS X. The best of part of Kevin's demonstration during the final round was that a middle finger at the camera will do a 'kill -9' on the active window.

Being an idealistic sop that I am, and knowing that Apple and PIXAR are very close (or were, I don't know about now), my proposal was iHolo, a three dimensional drawing environment where the user actually interacts and views his results in three dimension. Currently we are mostly translating the idea of two to three dimension via clever use of alpha channel or stereograms. iHolo will allow the user to draw in the air, and view his results realtime in the sensor area where he is drawing as well as in a holographic screen. Of course, we don't have the technology for the latter, but the iContest did allow concept projects. Needless to say, I didn't make it to the final round, since it didn't involve existing Apple products. iHolo was by no means an original concept...just something that I'd love to have when I was a kid.

So enough with the introduction. Sketch-A-Furniture is almost exactly what I was going for with iHolo interface-wise, except the result would not be plastic resin but displayed within the user's drawing area and on the holographic screen.

Trip To Taiwan

2006-10-29T08:18:00.000-05:00

Click here for an image of the plane that I will be riding in December.

This week I finally saved up enough to buy a ticket to Kaohsiung for the winter break. Prices jumped (oh how they JUMPED) since last month and I ended up paying 400 dollars more for my travel in December. My roommates think I am a little crazy...

I was discussing my itinerary with my grandmother over the phone a few minutes ago. I will arrive at Kaohsiung at night around 2340h. She started listing names of people she could call to pick me up from the airport, and I said "It's alright grandma, I can take a taxi. It's not like I don't know how to speak Min Nan."

"No, no," she said, "we had some incidents recently of women being kidnapped and murdered at night by taxi drivers. We are not letting you taking a cab."

Initially, scenes from the Bone Collector vaguely popped in my mind, and I shuddered. But then I remembered the news and felt a great sadness. The incident happened back in summer of 2005, during my last visit to Taiwan. The woman was brutally murder by an unknown assailant. To this day we are still not sure whether the perpetrator was a real driver or posing as one. The case is still open.

When I grew up in Kaohsiung I was very young, and I remember that it didn't seem so bad back then. But youth can give a false impression of the circumstances, especially since I was living in one of the most polluted city on the island. Taiwan has been going through a political mess since the demise of Chiang Kai-Shek. I've heard many stories of cunning people gypping money out of vulnerable individuals. Rape and murder became prevalent in the news. A few months ago, when my grandparents were visiting in the U.S., my grandfather's bonsais were stolen right out of his patio. On the ninth floor. My grandparents think that Taiwan is morally getting worse, and that people no longer hold considerations for others. I don't know if that is the talk of nostalgia or truth. It is hard to say, watching the news, because for all I know most of the negative information were censored twenty years ago. My mother has stories of her classmates from dissident families disappearing without a trace. No news, no reports. Maybe it was always like this, people just didn't know it.

Hopefully, this visit will make a difference in my grandfather's health. We are very close, in the fact that we were both born on the same birthday, and he is the only engineer on my mother's side of the family. We always have this weird mutual understanding of each other. I remember how we would spend our time together on his bonsai farm, not speaking at all. Because we understood that people change and stay the same, and given the fact that people are inherently crazy and destructive, tending to plants seems like the only good thing we can do for this world.

Sleeping In Airports

2006-10-21T00:29:00.000-04:00

The Budget Traveler's Guide to Sleeping In Airports

I'm not kidding. That is a real link. With reviews and EVERYTHING. It's too bad that people aren't allowed sleep in the terminals anymore unless they have a valid ticket in hand. Several reviews were dedicated to sleeping in train stations near the airports.

I think I'm going to attend the Paris Air Show 2007. If I can't get NG to fund my trip, I might invest some purchased vacation hours to the journey. Anyone who's interested in going, let me know. The event is in June of 2007. The trade show (aka stuffy businessmen convention) starts early in the week (13th of June), and the general public show starts on the 22nd. If I don't go as NG representative then I'll go for the general public. Price to CDG is quite expensive: Last time I checked (a few days ago) a round trip to Paris is about 1000 USD. I can't wait for the A380 to come out so the fare prices will eventually be cheaper...

Mariscal-Sucre Airport: Quito, Ecuador

Fernando and I were discussing about possibly planespotting at Mariscal-Sucre in Quito, Ecuador before it shuts down in 2010. I've never been to a Latin American country, and having friends in other countries means that I don't have to worry about "being" a tourist during the visit. UIO is one of the few airports located at the heart of a city surrounded by mountains. Kai-Tak International (currently closed) was one of those infamous airports, surrounded not only by mountains and dense buildings, but the landing strip was built on water. If you check out Giancario Giuliano's videos on FlightLevel350.com, with the proper connection you can get yourself 100 feet away from the runway. Of course, one might want to invest in a nice pair of ear plugs for the noise...

Ferrofluid

2006-10-13T15:57:00.000-04:00

Image above taken from Wikipedia.

No, the image above is not from Digital Blasphemy, nor was it rendered in any sort of simulated environment. This is a scene from some Japanese anime made partially into reality. Coming from a computer graphics background, the image is another interesting peek into the capabilities of nanotechnology.

Basically, ferrofluid is nanoscale ferromagnetic particle suspended in fluid. It does not exhibit magnetism unless it is acted upon by an external source of magnetism. It is also widely used in today's technology, ranging from printer ink to paint used on military planes for RADAR deflection.

TechEBlog posted a link to a YouTube video where Japanese researchers attempted to "sculpt" the liquid into some interesting visualization. The result is some seriously eerie images.

InterFlight Studio

2006-10-08T13:37:00.000-04:00

The Zim sent me a link to a specialized furniture designer website called InterFlight Studio which was later featured in OhGizmo!.

If you really, REALLY like to have a piece of the metal birds as your everyday household appliance (and you have a lot of money), you can purchase these custom made furnitures made out of airplane parts. They have desks constructed out of engine casing, a lamp made out of piston, and lots of tables and benches made out of wings from various planes.

A table made out of parts from an engine of a Boeing 727...

...or a bench made out of wings from a Boeing 707.

Their main office is in Miami, Florida. Visits by appointment only. All images taken from InterFlight Studio.

A380 delayed...again

2006-10-04T20:41:00.000-04:00

:(

Aviation Week published an article today that the delay for A380 is definite. There will be layoffs, and budget cuts, and the first delivery won't happen until the second half of 2007.

You can read about it here and here.

*sigh* Sadness is the Bing.

Looks like the A380 isn't coming over to LAX (or the United States) anytime soon. I guess I won't see my first A380 until next year when either:

1.) I take my mother to Toulouse for her graduation present, or
2.) I manage to bum a ride with the avionics people at NG to the Paris Air Show 2007.

Here's hoping.

A380 Flown by Journalist

2006-10-02T23:42:00.000-04:00

Aviation Week came out with an article from a journalist who flew CN001. Read it here.

Photojournalism

2006-10-01T20:25:00.000-04:00

The Mur made a comment once that you can tell if it is Bing's room by the fact that there are random crap on the walls. The habit started while I was in high school, when my mother had subscriptions to the New York Times and various other magazines. Plus, I didn't have a car. If anyone has ever lived in Tampa, one would know that living there without a car is like having your limbs cut off in the middle of nowhere. Being in the IB program didn't help my after school social life either. Luckily high school was only four years.

For some reason my mother never really read the stuff she subscribed, so I took over the papers and in between studying, would browse through random articles in search of interesting pictures. This past weekend, I went back to Tampa *shudders* to search for a piece of official document. I had the palmcorder with me, so I took some pictures of my infamous room so my friends will know what The Mur meant by "walls of random crap".

When I made the clippings, I was not particularly interested about the political aspect of the articles. I was more drawn to the way the photos depicts the human condition. The clippings have yellowed due to age and exposure...most of these articles are almost ten years old. My room is by far the least sterile part of the house because of these newspaper clippings.

Collection Preview

Haunting Faces

Mourning is one of the hardest thing to capture and even harder to revisit.

Aftermath of a war...

An adorable photo of a Buddhist child holding a cat.

Her hardship is etched in her eyes.

Unification of one Korean family separated by two governments.

Pictures by photographers during the Vietnam War who didn't make it out alive. The article mentioned "...as if they were seeing their own deaths through the photographs they have taken..."

This is one of my favorite pictures. The sadness on this armed man's eyes is indescribable.

Protests

A mother braving the soldiers to figure out the fate of her son.

My friend Fernando should be proud that I have something related to Ecuador on my walls (and the fact that I'm actually acknowledging his true nationality instead of calling him a Colombian like I normally do). The Ecuadorian farmers were protesting against then President Fabian Alarcon.

Debating gender equality regarding Jewish services in Israel.

Culture

Amish kid on rollerblades.

A familiar celebration of life, from an alien, alien world.

DJ Twisty-Tie, this is for you.

I don't think I was a Kubrik fan at the time since I didn't watch enough of his movies to make that judgment. I just liked the way he stared like a madman in that picture. Next to a famous picture of Duke Ellington and one of my military aircraft information cards on SR-71 (and you thought I only recently got into aviation).

Harlem Week. I didn't take a good picture here, but I love the look on that little girl's face sitting on the steps.

My artsy-fartsy side. Every music major must have Foss somewhere in any way shape or form. It's about as fashionable as Corigliano or Stockhausen.

Most beautiful women aren't stick thin, Andrei Sakharov was a cutie, Herbert von Karajan was an awesome conductor, and I'm a total dork.

Barefoot street soccer!!!

Random Ads

Apple embedded a chip on the base of my brain when I was an elementary student playing on an Apple IIe. Since then I'm inexplicably drawn to Apple no matter how unhappy I am with them at the moment.

An ad from Daimler Chrysler, one of the contributors for...Airbus. *ducks* The caption says: "Thanks to Nelson Mandela, future generations of South Africans will grow up unable to read this."

Ah...good ole' Dell. *insert snide comment here*

Random Comics

It never ends, does it?

The fate for all computer science majors.

A Small Tribute To Horace Bristol

If any of you have ever read Grapes of Wrath, then you might have heard of Horace Bristol, a photographer who was supposed to collaborate with John Steinbeck to produce a book describing the hard life of migrant workers. Well, Steinbeck decided to cut off the partnership and embark on his own project, and the resulting product became the bane for most high school students in the US.

I consider Margaret Bourke-White and Horace Bristol as two extraordinary photojournalists of the 20th century.

Finally...

I couldn't resist, but these are my stuffed animals that I've had since...forever. The koala bear was given to me when I was four, and the lion I've had since I was born. My mom had to cut off the whiskers on the lion so it wouldn't poke my eyes out.

Alright, I think I've bombarded you with enough pictures. Thank you for viewing the random crap on my walls.

New Deliveries!!!

2006-09-27T20:16:00.000-04:00

I bought two poster prints from Airliners.net. A380 CN001 and CN004.

I was very surprised that both pictures were printed on very nice Fujifilm photo paper. The site has a huge database of high quality plane pics...a lot of the spotter groups are featured on the site. Both of the pics are from the Toulouse-based spotter group French Frogs Airslides.