The General Chat Thread (2016-2022)

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caseydog said:
I love FlightRadar24. I like to look at the area over Dallas to see what's coming and going. This time of night, the sky is full of FDX flights, or FedEx. Quite a few UPS flights, too. Almost all the large aircraft in this capture are FedEx and UPS.

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CD
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In normal times the sky over my house is quite busy as we sit beneath one of the main flight corridors from Southern Europe to North America, plus we are near East Midlands and Birmingham airports. These days things are much quieter with mainly DHL planes travelling between their main UK hub at EMA and their other European centres. We do get 747 freighters coming from further away too, an unusual sight for many.
 
As an aviation lover FR24 is a classic for me. Sadly Lisbon airport is as boring as it gets and it got even more boring with Covid. Tap and Ryanair are the main carriers, we get few heavies and no A380 which cannot land here. Back in the day some charters were flying the B747 from here to the Caribbean but even those are gone now.
 
LissaC said:
As an aviation lover FR24 is a classic for me. Sadly Lisbon airport is as boring as it gets and it got even more boring with Covid. Tap and Ryanair are the main carriers, we get few heavies and no A380 which cannot land here. Back in the day some charters were flying the B747 from here to the Caribbean but even those are gone now.
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I actually had a layover at the Lisbon Airport many years ago. So, I can say that I've been to Portugal, if only for a few hours. :okay:

CD
 
caseydog said:
I actually had a layover at the Lisbon Airport many years ago. So, I can say that I've been to Portugal, if only for a few hours. :okay:

CD
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🤣 similarly I have been to America, a whole 5 hours at LAX. I do trust that the rest of America has better air quality and nicer citizens than what I encountered there.
 
It looks like a good day for gliding.
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caseydog said:
I love FlightRadar24. I like to look at the area over Dallas to see what's coming and going. This time of night, the sky is full of FDX flights, or FedEx. Quite a few UPS flights, too. Almost all the large aircraft in this capture are FedEx and UPS

CD
Click to expand...
The Velvet Curtain said:
In normal times the sky over my house is quite busy as we sit beneath one of the main flight corridors from Southern Europe to North America, plus we are near East Midlands and Birmingham airports. These days things are much quieter with mainly DHL planes travelling between their main UK hub at EMA and their other European centres. We do get 747 freighters coming from further away too, an unusual sight for many.
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Wyshiepoo works in flight control on Guernsey so I guess he looks at this sort of thing all through his working day.
 
As much as I like to be a self sufficient independent woman I suck at home repairs. Spent the last two weeks trying to fix a broken toaster, the lever doesn't stay down, otherwise the toaster works, so I guessed there must breadcrumbs stuck somewhere around the lever and tried to open the toaster, to no avail. Even bought an expensive torx screw to remove a nagging screw, after removing all the screws the toaster still wouldn't open, and the cap of the lever wouldn't come off. End of story, got myself a new toaster (it's the box on the right).
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The Velvet Curtain said:
🤣 similarly I have been to America, a whole 5 hours at LAX. I do trust that the rest of America has better air quality and nicer citizens than what I encountered there.
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When was it? LAX has long been a $#IT#OLE. They are remodeling, and the terminals that are finished are very nice, with some good restaurants.

Just be glad you weren't stuck at NY LaGuardia for five hours. Think of a third world bus station, but not as nice.

And no, you can't judge the country by five hours in LAX. You can't even judge all of LA by LAX, actually.

CD
 
caseydog said:
When was it? LAX has long been a $#IT#OLE. They are remodeling, and the terminals that are finished are very nice, with some good restaurants.

Just be glad you weren't stuck at NY LaGuardia for five hours. Think of a third world bus station, but not as nice.

And no, you can't judge the country by five hours in LAX. You can't even judge all of LA by LAX, actually.

CD
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It was 2008, we were transiting to go to Fiji to get married. There was a lot of building work, a very hot day and total confusion. Our bags were supposed to be checked through, but when we landed we were told that all baggage must be claimed and re-checked. Access through transit gates was closed so we had to cross the border with the legendary grumpy US border security. When we finally managed to get rid of our bags we made the mistake of leaving the terminal where the air was more putrid than inside and we were immediately pounced on by chuggers. Retreating back inside we got a drink from a fast food concession where it became clear that all the staff had fallen out with each other and we got the drink pushed at us, and growled at. Then back through security and border control where utter disinterest seemed to be the order of the day, and finally an hour queuing in a corridor in a building site before getting on the plane.

Then there was the flight; our Fiji Airways 747 had developed a fault, so they had substituted it with a United aircraft and crew... a crew who by their demeanor made it clear that they didn't relish a night flight across the Pacific. The evening meal was thrown at us then quickly removed so they could turn the lights out - customer service had clearly already gone to bed. Then there was breakfast, by far the worst meal I have had put in front of me in my entire 55 years, and worth a post all on its own.

Finally the aircraft stopped, the doors opened and we spilled out into paradise, palm trees, birds singing, everybody smiling 'Bula' even the border guards greeted you like an old friend and the previous 24 hours was immediately forgotten.

I'm sure my next visit to America will be better.
 
The Velvet Curtain said:
It was 2008, we were transiting to go to Fiji to get married. There was a lot of building work, a very hot day and total confusion. Our bags were supposed to be checked through, but when we landed we were told that all baggage must be claimed and re-checked. Access through transit gates was closed so we had to cross the border with the legendary grumpy US border security. When we finally managed to get rid of our bags we made the mistake of leaving the terminal where the air was more putrid than inside and we were immediately pounced on by chuggers. Retreating back inside we got a drink from a fast food concession where it became clear that all the staff had fallen out with each other and we got the drink pushed at us, and growled at. Then back through security and border control where utter disinterest seemed to be the order of the day, and finally an hour queuing in a corridor in a building site before getting on the plane.

Then there was the flight; our Fiji Airways 747 had developed a fault, so they had substituted it with a United aircraft and crew... a crew who by their demeanor made it clear that they didn't relish a night flight across the Pacific. The evening meal was thrown at us then quickly removed so they could turn the lights out - customer service had clearly already gone to bed. Then there was breakfast, by far the worst meal I have had put in front of me in my entire 55 years, and worth a post all on its own.

Finally the aircraft stopped, the doors opened and we spilled out into paradise, palm trees, birds singing, everybody smiling 'Bula' even the border guards greeted you like an old friend and the previous 24 hours was immediately forgotten.

I'm sure my next visit to America will be better.
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If you ever fly from London to Dallas/Fort Worth on British Airways, you will land in Terminal D, which is relatively new, and is very nice. It has great restaurants, and a Hyatt Regency hotel. Most International flights come into Terminal D, especially from Europe. The other terminals are older, but being upgraded. Most of them have good food, and are clean... just older.

Getting around the airport is pretty easy, too, even thought it is huge. Getting around LAX is a chore. Atlanta is huge, but nice. Avoid Miami as your entry point to the US. Actually, avoid the Miami airport if at all possible.

CD
 
caseydog said:
If you ever fly from London to Dallas/Fort Worth on British Airways, you will land in Terminal D, which is relatively new, and is very nice. It has great restaurants, and a Hyatt Regency hotel. Most International flights come into Terminal D, especially from Europe. The other terminals are older, but being upgraded. Most of them have good food, and are clean... just older.

Getting around the airport is pretty easy, too, even thought it is huge. Getting around LAX is a chore. Atlanta is huge, but nice. Avoid Miami as your entry point to the US. Actually, avoid the Miami airport if at all possible.

CD
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Travelling through Dallas is a distinct possibility as it gives the best connections to get to Belize, a destination high up on my list.
 
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