NIGHT LANDING AT LONDON HEATHROW

LANDING AT JFK, NEW YORK AFTER THE SANDY HURICANE

The John F Kennedy Airport was just opened when we arrived. Not many planes around, it was still closed for domestic flight, in fact we were the third planes that came in after the airport resumed normal operation , with only one runway opened for landing, 31R. 

On the way to hotel, many cars stalled, out of gas, many places still dark, no electricity, including the hotel that we stayed in.

My First Youtube Upload.

  I captured this while cruising at 36000 feet over the Iraq and Turkish border. In few weeks time, the background will be all white, snow covered.Pay attention at time 01:30.  Enjoy.

Jom Kayuh

Akhirnya, tamat sudah pencarian. Sangat berpuas hati  selepas beberapa bulan buat survey dan window shopping.

BIANCHI Infinito 105 C2C.

C2C to maknanya coast to coast. Minta minta kena lah dengan namanya nanti kayuh dari pantai barat hingga ke pantai timor Malaysia. Beli jauh ni, di New York, sebabnya harga disana murah banyak dari tempat2 lain, tambang free, bolehla, kalau kena bayar tambang ,hmmm tak berbaloi pulak. Boleh al guna untuk riadah semasa berada di Abu Dhabi, sebab kat sana tak ada hutan, ada jalanraya dan padang pasir jer. Ni sempat bergambar semasa buat laps kat F1 circuit di Yas Island Abu Dhabi. Litar lumba ini dibuka untuk orang awam pada setiap hari selasa dari jam 6 petang hingga jam 9. Litar lumba Sepang ada? hehe

CUBE REACTION GTC RACE

Yang ini Germany mari, ringan jer, 10.4 kg, senang sikit untuk panjat bukit. Guna di malaysia masa off days atau bercuti, lagi pun ramai kawan2 yang guna MTB ni.

Do I look Fit ?

SO NEAR YET SO FAR

At this time of the year, the westerly jet stream blowing quite close to the latitude of 30 deg South. To avoid this strong headwind when flying to the West, ie flying back to Abu Dhabi from Australia, the route selected will be further North than usual routing. We flew this route in early October recently, covering over Bali, Singapore and my house in Malaysia. Feel like jumping out of the plane to be homed with my kids ....  So near yet so far....

Another Long Flight

From Abu Dhabi to Sydney. Flight time was 13 hours and 15 minutes. Not bad, picked up jet stream somewhere over Pert with an average wind speed of 130 knots tail over there.

MY NEW TOY

Yes, finally, after considering Giant XTC, Scott Aspect, Coratex and Trek, I found this CUBE Reaction GTC. Carbon bike weight slightly more than 10 kg, hopefully easier to climb up the hill. Have not been riding for some time, only once during Ramadhan and onece after Raya. Looking for off day on Sunday so that I can join my fellow riders.

Captain ! May I know the iftar time ?

 Ever face the situation where the cabin crew ask you about the iftar or suhur time especially flying during Ramadahan? They have to know because some passengers are fasting and the timings are so important for them.Well, worry no more. Here is the the application for the iphone or ipad for you to get the almost instant answer, without opening any almanac sunset and sunrise table. Just download it for free from itune. It is called SuninFlight.

Put in the coordinates for a known waypoint 1 with the estimated time passing that coordinate and another waypoint 2, if unsure how to put in the figures, just refer to the given examples. Next ,put in the altitude flown and the date. If the altitude field is not filled, it is defaulted to zero, means at ground level.

 Next, just tab the sun to get the sunset position that you will be passing and the time of the sunset. To get the suhur time, tab the Twilight. If the sunset time or the twilight time will not be passed in between the two waypoints, change it to more reasonable position.

This was my flight few days ago, from London to Abu Dhabi. The sunset time was so accurate as per this calculation. All times is in UTC, so plus or minus as required to get the local time. This is the screen capture picture of my iphone. Yes we do have internet and mobile phone service in flight. So, Ramadhan Mubarak !!

MASJID SHEIKH ZAYED, ABU DHABI

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah, ramadan kareem !!! 

Alhamdulillah, dalam kesibukan terbang ke sana sini, saya berkesempatan untuk menunaikan sholat taraweeh di Masjid Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi. Saya rasa bertuah sangat kerana semasa sholat di situ, imam sembahyang taraweeh adalah Sheikh Misary Al Afasy. Patut la ramai sungguh orang datang berpusu pusu pada hari itu. Beliau terkenal kerana bacaannya yang sungguh sedap dan sayu didengar.  Makmum menangis semasa beliau membaca surah surah semasa sholat adalah biasa, lebih lebih lagi semasa mendengar bacaan doa qunut semasa sholat witir. Doa nya lebih panjang dari bacaan surah dalam rakaat.

Ini adalah gambar gambar yang sempat saya ambil semasa berada di sana pada 5 ramadhan yang lepas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgAP4FOi0dM&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BupOAXn_npg&feature=related

BERBASIKAL DI HAHN

For the NATO Military use of this facility, see Hahn Air Base

Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (German: Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn) (IATA: HHN, ICAO: EDFH) is a commercial airport located 10 km (6.2 mi) from the town of Kirchberg and 20 km (12 mi) from the town of Simmern in the Rhein-Hunsrück district of Rhineland-Palatinate to the west of central Germany. Despite its name, the airport is virtually equidistant between Frankfurt and Luxembourg - about 120 km (75 mi) to each city (by road); it is closer toKoblenz (about 70 kilometres / 43 miles) and Mainz (about 90 kilometres / 56 miles

Tengah lepak berehat di Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel ni, teringat kepada my trip ke Hahn, yang tak jauh dari tempat ni, dalam bulan March lepas. Puas dapat naik basikal keliling kampung dan ladang anggur sepanjang sungai di situ, kebetulan kami ditempatkan di hotel didalam pekan kecil Traben-Trabach, di tepi sungai. 

Ladang anggur sekitar Traben-Trabach, nampak cantik dan German memang terkenal dengan well organized dalam apa bidang sekali pun baik industri, pertanian, penternakan dan lain lain lagi. Ternampak sebuah helikopter ,sedang digunakan untuk menyembur racun serangga, memang sesuai untuk ladang2 yang besar sebegini.

 Asyik masuk ladang kelapa sawit jer bila buat aktiviti mountain biking kat Malaysia, tukar angin pulak masuk ladang anggur. Ini pun kena keluar waktu tengah hari, sebab waktu pagi masih sejuk di paras bawah 15 darjag C, walau pun sudah berada di awal summer. 

Berbasikal sepanjang sungai, ada cafe cafe kecil untuk singgah sarapan atau mengeteh, alangkah baiknya kalau sepanjang sungai2 di Malaysia ada trail basikal macam ni... 

Hotel tempat penginapan, sebenarnya more to homestay sebab asalnya adalah rumah rumah persendirian yang di tranform jadi hotel tetapi mengekalkan keadaan asal, jadi setiap bilik berbeza beza keadaannya. Seronok jua, rasa macam duduk di rumah.

Berehat sekejap sebelum naik ke bilik, ini selepas berbasikal sejauh 40km, memang tak letih sebab cuaca yang cantik dan pemandangan yang indah tak jemu mata memandang sepanjang perjalanan.

Alangkah baiknya jika sungai sungai di Malaysia dibela secantik sebegini, kemudian dibuat trek untuk berbasikal sepanjang sungai...

Ladang anggur di lereng bukit.

 Sayup mata memandang.

Suasana di sini memang menyamankan, udara segar, senyap dari karbon dan bunyi bising kenderaan..

Pekan pekan kecil di sepanjang sungai... memang rasa seronok tinggal di sini. 3 hari solid, rasa macam tak cukup.

Buah anggur yang baru berputih, cuba teka yang ini anggur merah atau hijau...  hehe, saya pun tak tahu. Kena pegi lagi dalam 2 bulan kot nak tahu jawapannya...

PILOT'S SON

When he was born, I was at the last 2 years of my tenure in TUDM, teaching young boys how to fly, at   Alor Setar Flying School. So he missed all the actions, watching his dad flying the only supersonic jet in TUDM inventory at that time. By the way, he grew up as an airliner's son so his interest was narrowed down to becoming one. This picture was taken when he was 7 years old, keeping his dad's seat warm for a while. Well, obviously before the 9/11 incident, the cockpit visit regulation was a bit relaxed.

At 14, he followed his father's footstep, joining Royal Military College, Boys Wing, from form 2 till form 5, solid 4 years of hell and fun as I myself experienced it, but a good place to grow up for stubborn, energetic,quick thinking and full of surprises boy like him. Managed to complete 4 years in RMC, man !! its something to be proud of.

Without wasting any time, at the same time avoiding from turning him into a mat rempit or whatever not good for society, I enrolled him into a flying school, learning to fly from the scratch, keep his mind busy with all the flying syllabus and the high discipline fly boy environment.

Graduated with Airline Transport Pilot Licence .

Visiting me at Abu Dhabi, almost like father like son.. 

And now, doing his training as a First Officer on Boeing 737, the same type that he took a picture as above. Hopefully everything will be ok, and soon will be hearing his voice over the radio requesting for  air traffic clearance, take off and landing etc etc. Sincerely I wanted him to join the Air Force, flying those Migs, Sukhoi, F18 or the Typhoon, Rafale, whatever next fighter planes Malaysia will buy, but he made his own choice . Being a fighter pilot before, I know his ability, attitude and aptitude, he could be an ace. Welcome to airline world, all the best to you son.

BONJOUR.....

Lama tak terbang ke Paris, asyik terbang jauh jauh jer. Hari ni berpeluang buat penerbangan dari Abu Dhabi ke Paris CDG , berlepas jam 0400 pagi dan selamat mendarat jam 0840 pagi waktu tempatan di Paris. Sebelum memulakan penerbangan turun, sempat bersarapan pagi, menu, telur mata lembu dengan sekeping roti, atau sunny side up and a toast.. disediakan oleh chef penerbangan. Oh ya, kalau kapalterbang ada first class seats, chef will be onboard, masak dan sediakan makanan didalam pesawat dengan menggunakan oven.

Banjaran Alps, dalam musim panas, kelihatan dengan jelas, tetapi kalau dalam musim sejuk, samada dilindungi awan atau di liputi salji. Memang indah pemandangan, awan kelihatan seperti air yang memenuhi lembah lembah dan mengalir ke kawasan yang lebih rendah.

Sebelum mendarat , sempat mengambil gambar lapangan terbang Paris, Charles De Gualle. Selalunya sampai sini pada waktu subuh, tetapi sebab flight dah kena delayed masa kat Abu dhabi, dapat la pemandangan yang jelas.

Sempat juga mengambil gambar bandaraya Paris, agak jauh dari airport jadi gambar tidak berapa elas, tapi kalau perhati betul betul, boleh nampak Eiffel Tower di tengah tengah gambar ini.

Selamat mendarat, parking di Terminal A of Paris Charles De Gaulle International Airport.

HANDPHONE IN FLIGHT

Siapa kata handphone tak boleh guna semasa dalam flight  ? Well, masa berubah, teknologi bertambah. Gambar ni masa saya terbang dari Abu Dhabi ke London pagi tadi, sambil terbang pada paras 36000 kaki, boleh lagi ber SMS dengan isteri yg berada di Malaysia. Saya guna samsung yang boleh letak 2 SIM, satu Celcom Malaysia dan satu lagi Etisalat UAE, dua dua dapat signal full bar. Bukan itu sahaja, kalau nak log on ke internet pun boleh dengan onboard wifi. Ada alat khas, berupa antena yang boleh menerima signal dari satelit. Untuk keselamatan, fungsi ini hanya dibenarkan bila ketinggian sudah mencapai atas 20000 kaki, dan apabila turun semula, di bawah paras 20000 kaki, alat ini akan disable secara automatik. Tapi semasa berlepas dan mendarat , anda semua masih lagi diperlukan mematikan telefon bimbit dan juga alat alat elektronik yang lain..

ABU DHABI TO NEW YORK

Flying close to North Pole. The best route on that day, avoiding the head wind, cut the flight time, reduce the fuel burnt, most economical. This route is not always the same, planner , after analising the weather especially the upper air wind, will choose the best route.

Satellite picture of the JFK, New York Airport.



DUSSELDORF

Another new destination for Etihad Airways. Dusseldorf , in German, situated North of Cologne and Southwest of Hannover. Could not resist myself from snapping pictures of the beautiful country side of the city.