Attan

Psychomotor and similar tests are conducted by air forces and airlines to weed out candidates who most likely will take a long time to acquire flying skills because of poor coordination. This ensures that the trainees complete their flying course as soon as possible. People with low psychomotor skills can still fly but may take many hours of practice to develop their flying skills.

Sandeep, I notice you have omitted other tunes from "Top Gun" such as "Take My Breath Away" (Berlin)and "Danger Man" (Kenny Logins) which to me are always in my mind ahen I fly. "Wind Beneath My Wings" (Bette Middler) also has the word "fly" all over the song.

Thank you guys (and Cik Rohana as well) for the kind wishes. Of course I'll fly again soon and hope to make it to Buleleng (Bali) for a fly-in in September.

Hi Guys Sorry I couldn't get online earlier as my Streamyx is still out after I installed my Wireless LAN this morning (though I think it's Streamyx that's not working and not my new installation). I'm now using Jaring 57K, so here I am. Can't give you the details yet until the DCA investigation is over. They've got the ATC tape, I gather and so it will be quite easy for them as all the conversation with Sempang tower can be analysed. It was the first time I was in that aircraft which belongs to a friend who started flying in Tiger Moths and Robins in England when he was a young man. He built the all-metal Mogas-powered kitplane over a year and had been flying it for more than 6 months but it was only yesterday that I managed to get a ride on it. I love that aircraft from the moment I stepped into it and I'd fly in it anytime without any hesitation. The DCA may call me for an interview perhaps if they think it can throw some light on the causes of the accident. I'll gladly assist them if requested. Many things strangely happened to make the event as untraumatic as possible such as the descent towards oncoming highway traffic which allowed them to see and avoid us, the fact the the highway was much higher than the runway surface, the use of Mogas and not Avgas (which is more flammable), the full restraint safety harness which we wore and the spacious cabin and leg room. Both of us left the wreckage without even a scratch and I immediately helped to pull the aircraft to one side to allow traffic to pass through. The only pain I had was the after effect of my head being thrown forward on impact while my shoulders were tightly held by the safety harness. I thank the fire, rescue and ambulance units of TUDM, the two exemplary doctors and several staff of the Institute of Aviation Medicine of TUDM who gave us a thorough medical examination and cleared us to go home, the RSFC members and staff who assured my wife that I was safe (she was waiting at the clubhouse for me to come down from my so-called "40-minute" flight). Thank you MWingers for your kind wishes. I hope to be able to give your a detailed account of the incident one fine day.

Love that L1011 pic.

Thanks for the info, Ed. Better to sort it all out now than after delivery.

The choice of having the pilot/PIC sitting on the left is probably because mass aircraft production started in the US and so it is likely that the Americans decided on that arrangement based on how they drive. The question of whether the captain can sit on the right instead of on the left may have legal implications but I haven't read enough of the aviation laws and regs to be certain on this. Maybe our commercial pilots can help here. From what I know, air crash investigators would first investigate who was sitting in the left hand seat at the time of the crash and the next question would be who was doing the flying. In the C172 that I usually fly, the front left hand seat has a lower insurance coverage than the other three seats, probably because that seat is presumed to be the pilot's seat.

IIRC, SV, it's in the Maori Village in Rotorua. The windows at the far end are stained glass from what I can remember. Sorry for the poor picture as the photo print has lost the original colour over time.

Traditionally the captain sits on the left and probably most access points into the aircraft are also via the left. Airport facilities are therefore mostly geared towards this configuration.

For RM500 per head I can fly 3 of you KUL to LGK and back in a C172

Totally agree with you, Lim. AK would have been far better off in Subang.

Were the non-trunk routes profitable for MAS? If not, it's better that someone else with low operating cost take them over. With lower fares, the pax load will also increase. Even if they were profitable, how much did they contribute to MAS in proportion to total profit? If this is negligible, shouldn't MAS divert its resources where they can strengthen its international operations?

TK can answer all the questions, I guess. He flies that route.

Good question. Also why TR? Was it a super rich corporation equal to Petronas?

An engineer once told me that the B747 windshield is made like a lens in such a way that what the Captain sees outside is exactly what the co-pilot sees and distortion is negligible.

Nice pan shot there, Norman.

All these excellent shots from the US leave me speechless. You guys rock.

Wonderful pics, thanks for sharing. Love the stained glass walls which remind me of a Maori church. Hope they don't change that part in future developments.

Sneeze I was looking at Funky Lily in the AK A320 Man U aircraft on takeoff. The others were concentrating on Jon's face.

Which sectors are the A380's going to serve? Are these sectors now not being adequately served? If so, will the A380's help to fulfil current demand (not the expected future demand) and at the same time reduce the cost per pax mile? If so, then going ahead with the purchase is a good shot. Until the delivery of the A380's some leasing of B777/B747 may be required to cater for the unmet demand if that is really the situation. The key thing is MAS must not chase their customers away by imposing penalties and surcharges and offering unattractive FFP's as complained by some members elsewhere in this Forum.

I am informed by a seasoned traveller that Southwest Airlines started making comical safety and cabin announcements many years ago. Aparently when pax boarded the aircraft a couple of the cabin crew would be lying in the open overhead luggage compartment with half their body hanging down like pythons. I am also told that they didn't wear uniforms but casual and colourful attire at work. Wonder if this is still true now.

Well taken shots...and what a convenient spotting spot.

Idham, what engines power the TH MD-11? Saw one taking off from SZB, what a beautiful song from that bird!

Very unusual shots for us. Thanks, Aaron.

Love this shot especially. Nice angles, Yuh Loh.