It Never Rains On A Right Attitude!

The decision to win in life belongs to you, not to anyone else. No one else can make that decision for you. No one else can open up the top of your head and pour a can of luck down inside of you. The victory is available to you, so is the defeat. Notice I said the victory is "available", not automatic!
Feast Or Famine!
Have you ever noticed how things come and go in cycles? Everything in nature has cycles and so does victory and defeat. When we are in the victory cycle everything we do just falls in place. When we're in the defeat cycle even our crystal ball will tell us, no, that was just a "snow ball" that hit you! Yeah, Right!
It seems the victory cycle always ends too quickly and the defeat cycle always lasts too long. I don't think there is really a great imbalance here, but it really does seem like it especially in the defeat cycle.
Why do some people seem to settle into the defeat cycle? One reason is many people somehow think subconsciously they are getting what they deserve. Don't laugh! I have met and talked to them. This may not be a problem with you, and it's strange but they think mistakes they've made, and decisions they've made are the reasons.
There is something that gets cross-wired in their brain and actually makes them feel better to cause some form of lasting pain or punishment to themselves. And, the longer they go through it, the better they feel because they're removing guilt.
And, Round And Round We Go!
But, about as quick as the guilt disappears, then the circumstances suddenly reappear and they realize they didn't obtain what they desired, their emotions hit another bottom and the defeat cycle starts over again.
If this has ever happened to you take courage, there is very effective way out of it. But, to the person going through this dilemma it's tragic; because their attitude makes the pain of the circumstances much worse.
But, when a person comes to an understanding of their purpose and reason for living, he realizes that it's not something he deserves and opens the way to become a renewed man.
It's as if that old attitude has been erased and a new life has been formed. At one time or another maybe you feel like you've failed in life. And, maybe you feel like you're stuck in a rut of defeat. But, just because you've failed and made some mistakes, doesn't mean you have to settle for a cycle of defeat to more failure.

Denver's European connection

DIA is an unusual US airport, as it is one of the largest in the country, but surprisingly it is well behind smaller airports for its international
traffic. The City Hall and the airport authorities have been trying to build a successful strategy of international development since the early 1990s.

Denver International Airport (DIA) opened on 28 February 1995, replacing the old constrained Stapelton airport. The goal was clear: ensuring the development of the local market and economy by providing room for expansion to airline carrier such as United Airlines. It had since become one of the busiest airports of the nation. But despite this success, the city had yet to secure any non-stop service to Europe, which would boost the airport's traffic, and was important to for the city of Denver and the whole Rocky Mountains region to gain a worldwide reputation and recognition.

During the early 1990s, no European airline was present at DIA, and Continental Airlines had dropped its Honolulu-Denver-London route leaving Denver's travelers with the only solution of a first connection before reaching the Old Continent. Europe's largest single market, London, was obviously the prime target of DIA. Despite initial contacts in 1990s, it's not until 01 September 1998 that British Airways landed at Denver for the first time. The traffic would have been satisfying with two yearly peak periods with skiing season in the Rocky Mountains (March), and the summer holidays (July and August). United Airlines, Denver's dominant carrier with a 70+% market share intended to launch European flights from its Denver hub, and it announced it would launch a flight to London in April 2000. But the airline was not granted rights, and had to look elsewhere in Europe: a link to Frankfurt, the main base of UA's European partner Lufthansa was eyed by both airlines and highly supported by the airport authorities, proposing up to US$1 million in advertising incentives. Lufthansa initiated a daily service on 25 March 2001, receiving the US$1 million in marketing incentives and a US$700,000 landing fees waiver.

Denver airport is well-known for being an "hot'n'high" airfield, which has led to some technical problems for the operators, since the lift capacity of the airplanes is decreased. Airplanes either need to reduce their fare-paying payload -- and lose revenue -- or accelerate to a high speed -- which requires longer runways. In Denver's case, no runway was long enough for the heavy airplanes taking-off bound for Europe. The first idea the management found was to embed the lights located at the end of the runway into the ground to lengthen the existing runways (nearly 90ft gained). This has already diminished the technical restrictions, but a new 16,000ft runway is under construction and will be among the longest on earth for commercial use.

DIA hopes that these first links to Europe will show the way to other carriers, notably Air France from Paris, to place the airport in the US' top airports and make Denver a more attractive place to make business.

Flying kites in Beijing

The sky in spring is kites' paradise. When the brilliant multi- colored kites embellish in the deep blue sky, you can immerse in the contented mood, enjoy the rare leisure and carefree, perhaps this is the most romantic thing in the spring. Kite, not only is it a kind of toy or a traditional continuing, it is more a cultural accumulating. In the "Three Stone Rooms", the capital's youngest kite master Liu Bin from the kite aristocratic family, said that kite contains too many different cultures, flying a kite also must emit the affective tone. There are three kinds of kites unique in their own ways. In the "Three Stone Rooms" at Dianmen, the rooms are full of all kinds of kites making human feeling dazzled, nonprofessionals really don't know where to start. Actually, most popular kites are categorized into three kinds: hard wing, soft wing and dragon. Liu Bin said that the hard wing is like a man, mature and strong; the soft wing is like a woman, slender and elegant; while the dragon kite flies a breadth of spirit and power.

Hard wing kites like "Shayan", "Triangle", use bamboo strips all around to outline the shape, the strips are glued together with paper in the center, but the designs on paper can be created at your own will. Soft wing kites are made especially attractive - dragonfly, butterfly, goldfish..., the list goes on and on. The bamboo strips are only put on top half of a kite, the bottom half that dances in the breeze of wind is in fact made with colored silk or nylon silk. Dragon really should be called "string" because it is actually a long kite that is formed by many small kites, for instance, the Gigantic Dragon, the Centipede, the Shoulder Pole kite.

Among the kites, the modern one is also a spotlight. Three-dimensional kite is just like a hot-air balloon, turtles, crabs each crawl happily and freely in the sky; "Plate Hawk" (Pan Ying) is the most difficult to fly, the 'hawk' spreads the wings and spirals in airborne circle recklessly with tremendous momentum; motion kite is simply like an aviation performance, it uses chute cloth and two operating ordinates, actions like turnover, gliding, diving, and other high level difficult movements can all be performed.

There are five locations in Beijing are the best for flying kites. Can't wait any longer? Go pick one to your liking quickly! There are couple of things you need to pay attention when choosing a kite - 1. choose the pattern that you like; 2. the strenth of the bamboo strips on each side of two wings must be the same, or it will not be able to balance itself in the sky.

Aircraft Purchase Agreements

It always surprises me when a potential aircraft buyer is unsure of whether he or she should use a purchase agreement when buying an aircraft. Most of these individuals have purchased homes and no doubt used a purchase agreement in such transactions. Yet, many of these same individuals would spend the same amount of money to purchase an aircraft, and often times a great deal more money, without the protection of a written aircraft purchase agreement.
Aircraft purchase agreements should be used in almost every aircraft sale transaction. First, the law in most states requires that a contract for an amount greater than $500.00 be in writing in order for it to be enforceable. This is called the statute of frauds. Although exceptions to this legal doctrine exist, complying with the law is usually safer than hoping you will be able to take advantage of an exception.
Further, using an aircraft purchase agreement can also help avoid confusion and misunderstandings. If the agreement clearly explains how the transaction will happen, when it will happen and what is included in the deal, the greater the likelihood that the buyer and seller will each know the other party’s expectations and the less chance for surprises or misunderstandings.

What Terms Should Be Included?

The number and complexity of the terms that should be included in an aircraft purchase agreement will often times be dictated by the type and value of the aircraft being purchased/sold. Although by no means inclusive, the following terms provide a good place to start.

Essentials of Special Forces Training

Special Forces personnel are highly trained and have extraordinary skills and knowledge to perform various missions. This is mainly due their skill and knowledge which comes from their experience, hence training is one of their most crucial activities, which requires tactical supplies, combat weapons, patrol clothing, expertise books and training materials. Whether training for jungle operations, mountainous terrains or cold climates, Special Forces Gear offers you all the essential gear and manuals required for Special Forces training.
One of the basic training essentials is the G.I. Navy Combat Knife, a tough knife used by the Navy SEAL for training its forces. Another field essential is the Bail out Bag, an easy-to-use bag, especially designed for those grab-and-go moments. You can easily toss in just about anything; ammunition, maps, camera, or your personal belongings. This is a sturdy water resistant bag, that is double and triple stitched with thick mountaineering harness to offer maximum strength and durability. The easy to use shoulder strap adjustments make it comfortable to carry and use. The Mountain Warfare Harness is a padded harness and is the ultimate for the special needs in extreme tactical situations involving climbing, rappelling, SWAT and rescue operations. Overlapping waist pad and fully padded legs offer maximum comfort and ease; the leg pad attachments are totally adjustable to suit your needs. The Patrol Officer Rig is an essential rig in tactical situations or for disease prevention, when in contact with an infected personnel. Slots and tool loops are added on this rig for officers with more advanced training; its also very easy and comfortable to carry.
Books that enhance the knowledge of trainees in various military techniques and missions are must-haves as training essentials. 'Fighting Skills of the SAS and Special Forces', discusses the most secretive and demanding military techniques used by Britain's Special Air Service and by Special Forces units around the world. Similarly, 'Cold Weather Survival', discusses the military history of operations in cold-weather environment. The manual covers subjects such as clothing and gear, tents and heaters, arms and ammunition, ration and diet, hygiene, wind chill, emergency signals, and much more. It is a must-have for soldiers operating in cold weather conditions. There are also books on jungle operations, map reading, military mountaineering and Special Operations aviation among others, which are also available.
Vests, Jackets, Holsters, Packs, Hard Cases, Shotgun Accessories, Pouches, Slings, Belts and Medical Gear - all these sturdy and practical items essential for Special Forces training, are available at Special Forces Gear. The quality and superiority of these products are unsurpassed, as they are actually used and tested in real life missions. With the best training equipment available at a click of your mouse, Special Forces Gear is easily the one stop source for all your training requirements

World's biggest model airport opens

The aircraft 'fly,' the cars move and the people queue. But Knuffingen Airport in Hamburg functions in a single room

You might think US$4.8 million is a bargain for a fully functioning airport -- but this one could fit inside your basement.
Knuffingen Airport is the latest exhibit at Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, and after seven years in the making it has finally opened to the public.
It features 40 model aircraft and 90 vehicles that move and 'fly' around the airport, and 15,000 mini people. Not a single moment of air rage, however.

The airport is a reproduction of Hamburg'€™s International Airport and joins the world's biggest model railroad system, also exhibited at Minatur Wunderland. 

The model includes around 40,000 lights, 15,000 figurines, 500 cars, 10,000 trees, 50 trains and 300 buildings.

The model covers 150 square meters and includes a variety of aircraft including Airbus A380s.

Lighting gives the airport a night-time hue and shows off the functioning lights on cars such as headlights and indicators.

Aircraft appear to fly thanks to the use of wires and disappear into a blanket of "cloud."

Foto and Source: CNN

Ann Coulter vs. One Billion Arabs

In a recent column, Ann Coulter expressed indignation regarding an apparent Federal Aviation Administration policy not to perform searches on more than two Arabs at a time. I was not aware of this policy, but not surprisingly, Coulter would like all Arabs stopped and searched. You know, because they’re Arab. I think Coulter is applying some sort of twisted logic to this subject. Something along the lines of, “The terrorists that attacked the United States on 9-11 were Arabs. Therefore, all Arabs are terrorists.” In essence, Coulter is advocating racial profiling. Which is an odd position for an attorney with a background in constitutional law to take. Innocent until proven guilty? Not if you look like you are an Arab. It was John Lehman, a member of the 9-11 Commission, that had brought attention to the policy that prohibits airlines from searching more than two Arabs at a time. To this, Coulter writes, “In a sane world, Lehman’s statement would have made headlines across the country…that it is official government policy to prohibit searching more than two Arabs per flight.”

African-Americans have dealt with this kind of injustice for years. And while Coulter thinks racial profiling is sound law enforcement policy, I have another word for it: racism. But that’s just me. And when you apply Coulter’s logic to other scenarios, the logic stops making sense. For instance, The FBI has profiled serial killers and what has emerged is that the majority of serial killers are white males. Does that mean the FBI should stop every white male in a particular city or region where a serial killer has struck? Of course not. That would be stupid.

So, even though she supports a racist method of law enforcement, it would not be fair for me to say Coulter was a racist. I don’t know Ann Coulter, so I can’t say she’s a racist. That would be wrong. Maybe we can find some answers in her columns!

Here’s a good one. September 25, 2002. Why We Hate Them. Coulter writes, Americans don't want to make Islamic fanatics love us. We want to make them die. There's nothing like horrendous physical pain to quell angry fanatics. So sorry they're angry – wait until they see American anger. Japanese kamikaze pilots hated us once too. A couple of well-aimed nuclear weapons, and now they are gentle little lambs. That got their attention.

No love lost there, eh Ann? Maybe we should emulate the policies of the Hitler-era German government. They didn’t like Jews very much, so they rounded them up and killed millions of them.

Conservatives do a lot of whining about how liberals are always quick to label conservatives as “racists” or “homophones” or “stupid.” These assessments, at least for me, are based on what I hear coming out of a conservative’s mouth, or what they write.
Actually, conservative hate-speak is very easy to pick up on. Take Sean Hannity. He likes to begin sentences with statements like “You liberals…” or he’ll say “You and your liberal friends…” The key is to take the word liberal and replace it with a minority. Give it a try the next time you hear Hannity, or some other right-winger, on television or read it in print. If you can stomach hearing Hannity. Maybe you’ll need to find someone less annoying.
Speaking of annoying, let’s get back to Coulter. In her Sept. 4, 2002 column, titled Murder for Fun and Prophet (get it? Prophet refers to the Prophet Muhammad. Hilarious!), at the end of the column, Coulter dismisses the Muslim faith as irrelevant. “Muhammad makes L. Ron Hubbard look like Jesus Christ. Most people think nothing of assuming every Scientologist is a crackpot. Why should Islam be subject to presumption of respect because it's a religion?”
That’s right, Ann! Over one billion people around the world are crackpots because they are Muslims. Idiots! As a comparison, there are only a few million members of the Church of Scientology, according to the Religious Tolerance web site.

And let’s not forget Ann’s most infamous column, from Sept. 12, 2001. At the end of that column, she says, “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war.”

Call me crazy, but I get the impression that Arabs and/or Muslims are not Ann’s favorite people.

For instance, in an interview with the Guardian of London newspaper on May 17, 2003, Coulter said, “This is my idea…I think airlines ought to start advertising: 'We have the most civil rights lawsuits brought against us by Arabs.’” Oh, man, Ann, my sides are splitting! In fact, as a solution for Muslims to use air travel, Coulter offers helpfully, “They could use flying carpets!”

Flying carpets! Brilliant! Ann, you know, if the whole racist pundit thing ever comes to an end, you’ll have a career in stand-up comedy.

We know Ann hates liberals, and it’s pretty clear she hates Muslims. And, apparently, Scientologists. I don’t know what Ann likes. My guess will have to be, hearing her voice. Or Sean Hannity’s voice.

ADDRESSING SAFETY WITH NEW AVIONICS

"How safe is it?" Along with "How much does it cost?" this is a question we often hear when someone is considering flight training as an option for depleting his or her discretionary income. Our industry has experienced a marked reduction in overall accidents and statistically, a 27.8% reduction in the most recent 7 years! During this same time period General Aviation fatal accidents dropped 32.6% to just over 1 fatality for every 100,000-flight hours.
Of these accidents, 80% are either partially or completely pilot induced, with weather related accidents and controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accounting for the majority of fatalities.
So what is the industry doing to address the issue of pilot errors?
Bendix/King has taken the bull by the horns and addressed this challenge with several new avionics products, and Cessna has taken the next step by including the Bendix/King advanced avionics package in their aircraft.
Situational Awareness: With its moving map and IFR approach capability, the KLN94 GPS provides added safety through increased situational awareness. This GPS with its full color screen is as easy to operate, as it is to view.
Weather: Bendix/King Data Link Weather features a state-of-the-art data link system to bring textual and graphical weather to your cockpit with a high speed, high bandwidth system. With the KDR 510, weather information (including METARs, TAFs, and PIREPs) is automatically updated and displayed on your KMD 550 (multi-function display) in your cockpit. For a small monthly fee, you can also receive NEXRAD radar and additional weather products that promote additional weather avoidance capability.
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT): The KMH 880 Multi-Hazard Awareness System combines traffic and terrain avoidance features in one unit. Combined with the KDR 510 and displayed on the KMD 550, you can have all the situational awareness available to ensure an up-to-the-second picture of your flight situation.
Workload Reduction: The KMD 550 Multi-Function Display (MFD) lets you spend less time looking at your instruments and more time flying your aircraft. The system gives you the information you need without added clutter, all while reducing the time required to manage each safety system. Along with its capability to display traffic, weather, terrain and moving map information, the KMD 550 also provides a wealth of reference information to the pilot including airports, NDBs, intersections, VORs, special-use airspace, victor airways, rivers, roads, lakes, cities and towers. When interfaced to the KLN 94, the KMD 550 can also display holding patterns, procedure turns and DME arcs for even greater situational awareness. Most importantly, this MFD is simple to use and sports a bright, razor-sharp display!

Aircraft Mechanic's Liens In

If you provide storage, repair, maintenance or other services to aircraft, you have the ability to assert a lien on that aircraft and retain possession until you have been paid. This is commonly referred to as a mechanic’s lien.

What isn’t as commonly known is that, in Minnesota, you don’t necessarily lose your lien rights if you no longer have possession of the aircraft. The situation arises when an owner pays you with a check and leaves with the aircraft. Later, the bank dishonors the check. Now what?

Under Minnesota Statute § 514.221, you can re-assert your mechanic’s lien against an aircraft by filing a verified statement and description of the aircraft and the work done or material furnished. The Statement must be filed with the “appropriate office under the Uniform Commercial Code.” This would be the FAA’s Aircraft Registry in Oklahoma City, OK.

The verified statement must include N-number, make and model of the aircraft, amount owed for the services and date of last work. The statement must be signed in ink, with title if on behalf of a corporation or limited liability company and must be accompanied by the $5.00 filing fee.

Also, if the owner of the aircraft is located in Minnesota, you may want to file the statement with the Secretary of State. Although it is not necessary to perfect your lien, it will provide notice to anyone who doesn’t know to check with the Aircraft Registry.

This is called “perfecting” your mechanic’s lien and must be done within 90 days after you provide the work, materials or service. Once perfected, you now have a lien on the aircraft.

Perfection secures the amount you are owed with the aircraft. You then have several options. First, in order to sell the aircraft, the owner will need to pay you and obtain a release before the owner can give a buyer clear title to the aircraft.

Second, you also have the ability to repossess and foreclose on the aircraft. This means you can force a sale of the aircraft and then receive payment out of the proceeds of the sale. Any excess money is given to the owner.

Under the first option, you run the risk of having to wait until the owner attempts to sell the aircraft. The second option gives you more control, but is also more costly than simply waiting. However, under either option you are definitely in a better position to get paid than you would be without the lien.

Cabotage And International Operation Of Corporate Aircraft

Most countries have laws regulating the airspace over their lands. Each time an aircraft enters a foreign country’s airspace, the aircraft operator must comply with that country’s regulations affecting flight operations and the carriage of passengers. Particularly with respect to passengers, the majority of countries have rigid limitations on who may be carried within their borders and how.



Specifically, the rules and regulations relating to carriage of passengers and goods within the same foreign country are referred to as “cabotage”. Cabotage regulations are not uniform or necessarily consistent from one country to another. They usually apply to both commercial and private operators. However, as we will discuss shortly, whether a foreign country considers a corporate aircraft operator to be a commercial or private operator will also vary by country.



Regardless of which country the corporate aircraft operates within, the pilot in command of a corporate aircraft is responsible for knowing and complying with that country’s cabotage restrictions. Failure to comply can, and has, resulted in six-digit fines and penalties imposed against the corporate aircraft operator, and corporate aircraft have been impounded by foreign governments until such violations have been resolved to the satisfaction of the governing authority.