Another Favorite E-mail

January 4th, 2009 by Chris Penningroth

     I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or appropriately enjoyable holiday if not Christmas) and a happy New Year!

     I’ve received the e-mail below on a couple occassions.  I figured it was worth posting here.  I’ve received a Navy and a USMC version, but I’m posting a USAF version.  Hat tip to whomever started this one, it looks like it was written by someone who knows an airline pilot.  Enjoy!

*****

In addition to communicating with the local Air Traffic Control facility, all aircraft in the Persian Gulf AOR are required to give the Iranian Air Defense Radar (military) a ten minute ‘heads up’ if they will be transiting Iranian airspace.

This is a common procedure for commercial aircraft and involves giving them our call sign, transponder code, type aircraft, and points of origin and destination.

I just flew with a guy who overheard this conversation on the VHF Guard (emergency) frequency 121.5 MHz while flying from Europe to Dubai. It’s too good not to pass along. The conversation went something like this…

Air Defense Radar: ‘Unknown aircraft at (location unknown), you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.’

Aircraft: ‘This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.’

Air Defense Radar: ‘You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft!’

Aircraft: ‘This is a [United States Air Force F-16]. Send ‘em up, I’ll wait!’

Air Defense Radar: (no response … total silence)

Ewa Kupiec Online

December 14th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

     My favorite concer pianist now has a home on the web! Click here for Ewa Kupiec’s home page!

     My wife and I got to see her perform George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in Mainz, Germany.  It was a fantastic event! The Mainz orchestra was pretty good, they played four other pieces that night withougt Ewa, but Ewa basically was the show during the Rhapsody

     My two caveats for this post:  1) In the interest of full disclosure, Ewa provided us with some choice seats in the second row; and 2) I’m not a classical music critic by any stretch of the imagination, I just enjoy listening! 

     Please check out her site, and if you get a chance to hear her in concert, I highly recommend it!

Seventy-Nine

December 7th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbK3RhCQoI8

     Here’s an academic take on the financial crisis.  This is 58:19 long, so grab a break and a cup of coffee if you mean to watch this! [Update - Sorry, for some reason embedding it did not work this time.]

     I also just ran across a new favorite quote by Brian Rogers, T. Rowe Price Chairman and Chief Investment Officer:  "Statistically speaking, the world does not end that often."   

     In case you were wondering, seventy-nine is 2008 minus 1929.   

Update 2 - Attempt 2 to embed is below:

 

Raptor Punks

November 5th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

     Congrats to the first F-22 B-course graduates!

     (In our squadrons, we refer to the first-operational-assignment lieutenant pilots as "punks.")

Mentally, but not Physically

November 5th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth
     If anyone needs me, I’ll be clinging to my religion. 

Sunset

October 19th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

Ft_Walton_Beach_Sunset_Photo.pngGreetings from Ft Walton Beach, Florida! The sand is white, the Fall is warm, and the water is mild.

It’s good to be back in the USA!

Laying Low

September 21st, 2008 by Chris Penningroth
     Not that I’ve been posting a lot lately, but I’m going to be mostly offline for the next 7-10 days.  We’re getting ready for one of those "Major muscle movements" that occurs every 18-36 months in the life of a government employee in my line of work. 

Most Ironic Ironies

September 13th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

     The most ironic irony I can think of:  Discovering that you’re allergic to Kleenex tissue.

     What are some of your most ironic ironies?

Something in Common

September 4th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

     Governor Palin and I have something in common:  She and I have both won second prize in a beauty contest!

     It may have been a little tougher going for her!

Six Times the Calories

August 15th, 2008 by Chris Penningroth

     If this is true, then I pray Mr Phelps doesn’t end up having severe health problems later on!

***Update:  H/T to Anwyn (and apologies for forgetting in the first place!)***