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Sky High

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January 21, 2010 at 2:53 pm in reply to: New Aircraft Cost Overuns #2411937

Sky High
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There have always been budget over runs. Thing is, look what was accomplished before compared to now. Look at how many areas the Blackbird broke new ground in and then look at how long it took from initial napkin drawings to first flight. Now look at the A400 and how long it’s taken. A turboprop powered cargo aircraft no less. Not to pick on the A400 as the same thing could be applied to any modern aircraft program but the A400 is a four-engined CARGO aircraft for god’s sake. What excuse do they have?

Too many cooks spoiling the broth, perhaps? Multinational projects resulting in 3 people doing one person’s job and laborious decision making?

January 21, 2010 at 2:50 pm in reply to: Your first car #1914163

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I had the pleasure of sharing the driving with my mate in his 1949 Morris Minor – black, split windscreen – down to Turkey via the then very communist Hungary, Bulgaria and Jugoslavia in 1961. Went a dream until I ripped the bottom off the sump in Greece on the way back. Nothing the local blacksmith couldn’t sort and we were on the road again after a day.

January 21, 2010 at 2:50 pm in reply to: General Discussion #341810

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I had the pleasure of sharing the driving with my mate in his 1949 Morris Minor – black, split windscreen – down to Turkey via the then very communist Hungary, Bulgaria and Jugoslavia in 1961. Went a dream until I ripped the bottom off the sump in Greece on the way back. Nothing the local blacksmith couldn’t sort and we were on the road again after a day.

January 21, 2010 at 2:31 pm in reply to: New Aircraft Cost Overuns #2411978

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The SAAB Gripen came bloody close of being on time and on budget, they delivered the goods six months late and roughly 150 million US$ over budget, they managed this AFTER crashing a prototype.
Another well (by comparison with the rest of the industry) led program was the McDonnell Douglas Super Hornet project. General Dynamics did a fine job with the original Viper, etc.
Cost overruns on military projects go back to the stone age, there are historical records of budget overruns for the production of “Gladii” in jerusalem right before the first (the Great) Jewish Revolt in 66, recently i´ve read a bit about “Dreadnought” production in Great Britain and Germany in the first decade of the last century, cost overruns and late deliveries were a problem then has they are now.

Cheers

Ah! Just seems as though for a multitude of reasons they rarely hit budget and if the problem goes back as far as you say then I guess what will be will always be. Depressing though, isn’t it, since it is mostly our money!:(

January 21, 2010 at 2:16 pm in reply to: New Aircraft Cost Overuns #2411993

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I’d be interested in hearing of examples of a program from any era that did get delivered on budget and time. I think there is always a tendancy to state that things are worse now than previously but i’m not sure that is the reality.

Me too – I asked the same question a few posts earlier. I do not think there is a single programme that has been on budget on delivery or at cancellation since the 60s, or possibly even before that. Miles was probably an exception!

January 21, 2010 at 1:58 pm in reply to: New Aircraft Cost Overuns #2412051

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Seriously, talk to people familiar with how it’s done compared to how it WAS done say, back in the 60s. Consider that the US went from the Mercury Redstone suborbital flight to landing on the moon in 8 years. Everything had to be developed from scratch with slide rules, pencils, and computers less powerful than is probably in your washing machine. Now consider that the “plan” to go back to the moon (Ares) was going to take MUCH longer than 8 years and much of the equipment was simply modified Shuttle and Apollo hardware that had ALREADY BEEN DESIGNED.

I take your point and understand your comparison. So, why? But cost overun programmes go back to the 60s anyway, don’t they? Did any programme since 1960, say, come in on budget by completion or was on budget at cancellation?

January 21, 2010 at 1:34 pm in reply to: New Aircraft Cost Overuns #2412130

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The reasons could fill volumes. Boiled down we’re a damn sight less efficient than “back in the day”.

I see…………

Your GBS quote applies to our present Prime Minister perfectly.

January 21, 2010 at 1:31 pm in reply to: UK Defence Review Part I #2412186

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And our next Prime Minister will almost certainly be an ex PR man, doesn’t look like this is going to change much in future.

Don’t rub it in!:(

January 21, 2010 at 1:12 pm in reply to: The Last Film You Saw….. 3D!!!! #1914175

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The Naked Gun

Another film not seen all the way through. Forgot how funny it was with all the visual gags, almost on a par with Airplane!

Brilliant! Did you ever see the series “Police Squad” which followed “Kentucky Fried Movie”, the start of the whole series of Zucker/Abrahams films, and Airplane II memorable for William Shatner’s marvellous send-up of himself. I don’t think they have had a miss so far and Abraham’s “Hot Shots” send up of “Top Gun” with Charlie Sheen playing it dead straight was on Film 4 a few days ago. 😀

January 21, 2010 at 1:12 pm in reply to: General Discussion #341825

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The Naked Gun

Another film not seen all the way through. Forgot how funny it was with all the visual gags, almost on a par with Airplane!

Brilliant! Did you ever see the series “Police Squad” which followed “Kentucky Fried Movie”, the start of the whole series of Zucker/Abrahams films, and Airplane II memorable for William Shatner’s marvellous send-up of himself. I don’t think they have had a miss so far and Abraham’s “Hot Shots” send up of “Top Gun” with Charlie Sheen playing it dead straight was on Film 4 a few days ago. 😀

January 21, 2010 at 1:06 pm in reply to: General Discussion #341828

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Kev

“There’s a lot more to all this than meets the eye.”

There usually is, but I don’t think it detracts from the principle that these days the benefit of doubt always tends towards the perpetrator of a crime rather than the victim.

January 21, 2010 at 1:06 pm in reply to: Some really good news! #1914178

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Kev

“There’s a lot more to all this than meets the eye.”

There usually is, but I don’t think it detracts from the principle that these days the benefit of doubt always tends towards the perpetrator of a crime rather than the victim.

January 21, 2010 at 12:47 pm in reply to: Elliott's Flying Legends 2009 experience – Friday 10 July #461842

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Firstly, thanks for the comments, always appreciated.

Nope, all shot with a Canon EOS400D. All but the final Yak 3 close-ups were taken using the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM (to be all technical). The ‘White 100’ shots were taken with the small lens that came with the camera – something like a 30-75mm, or thereabouts – so nothing special at all!

Unfortunately, the 300mm lens was suffering for much of the 2009 season. It was damaged in the car at North Weald in March when I carelessly left it on the passenger seat whilst chasing the Hurribomber to the end of the runway on the peri-track – it fell onto the floor and was never quite the same, particularly in focusing. It had been very quick focusing and reliable, but after the fall, it struggled badly. Very stupid mistake on my part, but you live and learn. Even more gutting was that my larger zoom lens was knocked out of my hands whilst changing lenses on the flightline walk by a family member who will remain nameless *glares*!

Still, onwards and upwards – I have new and improved kit for the 2010 season and can’t wait to start using it. 😀

Well if these are the results of 2009 I look forward to looking at the 2010 efforts. And I suppose the damage to the 300mm lens was in a good cause, as long as you got the Hurribomber in a different lens!

January 21, 2010 at 12:42 pm in reply to: BA " treating male passengers like perverts ". #486898

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Tony

“Stuff like this nonsense needs to be stamped out…”

This was better than your second idea……….

January 21, 2010 at 11:43 am in reply to: General Discussion #341946

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Call me cynical if you will but I have noticed that these disasters have a habit of occurring in areas where over population is a problem as though nature was finding its own way of solving the problem.

Mmm – nature’s way….are you allowed to suggest such a thing?
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