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32341

General Discussion Area / Re: Child hood toys

« on: 03 April 2008, 14:28:17 »

Best toy I ever had was a bit of old junk that I crafted into a nozzle that held the top of a 2 litre plastic coke bottle with a perfect seal. Had a feed from the garden hose to fill it with water, and a feed from a foot pump in case more pressure was required. pump up the bottle and release...

I perfected the ratio of air and water required for maximum height, and things started to get a little scary with respect to the neighbour's greenhouse, so I tied a 150 foot length of kite string to said bottle thinking that'd keep my little rocket under control. Nope. String pulled tight and snapped, bottle carried on regardless.

Had more fun playing with that than I would with any expensive toy.

I suspect it's a good thing I didn't have an air compressor then. I have now, though...

Kevin

32342

General Discussion Area / Re: New Job Offer!!!!

« on: 10 March 2008, 14:43:16 »

If you booked the day off then it's all above board. Up to you what you do on your days off. You weren't looking for a job in company time so, although it feels awkward, you are in the right.

I think you've just got to tell him that you've been offered a job, and explain, like you have to us, what attracts you to it over the current job. Explain that it's not just money, but satisfaction, and he should understand. Beware they he may promise the earth to keep you, and may not be able to deliver what he's promised a few months down the line, so if you've made your decision, don't let him change your mind.

.. and try to keep your side amicable, as said, even if he reacts badly. Most industries are small worlds and it's surprising who you might come across further downt he career path.

All the best in the new job.

Kevin

32343

General Discussion Area / Re: Son wants to be a mechanic

« on: 29 March 2008, 17:46:46 »

If he wants to be a mechanic i suggest aircraft too. its has very wide prospects and well the money (if not in the forces ) is very good. With some companies they send their own mechanics to downbird aircraft around the world rather then usin someone elses. so you get free trips abroad!

Yep, and with aviation getting more and more regulated every day there will always be plenty of "jobs for the boys" (and girls  ).

Kevin

32344

General Discussion Area / Re: Sober reading.......

« on: 03 April 2008, 19:58:28 »

It is indeed sobering, and something to remember when we're waiting in the queues at airport security.

Kevin

32345

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 03 April 2008, 19:26:15 »

i don't know a thing about your hobby Kevin, why has someone decided that theirs a need for gliders to have a tracker fitted

There are pages and pages of boring consultation documents on the subject but the long and short if it is that whereas currently commercial air traffic uses controlled airspace to which gliders, prvate aircraft, hot air balloons, microlights, hang gliders, etc. have no or very limited access the plan is to allow us both to share the same airspace. This requires them to be able to reliably identify and track anything that flies in open airspace in the UK by radar, and route commercial aircraft away from it, hence the requirement to fit transponders.

This is being justified on the basis of a huge projected increase in commercial air traffic - so it'll really fit in with the government's commitment to halting "climate change"!

The other argument is that it will allow commercial airliners to fly much shallower approaches to major airports, saving them some fuel but meaning much larger areas of the country will be subject to low flying jets than is currently the case.

The hidden agenda that they won't admit to is that the government are committed to development of UAV (pilotless aircraft, which they'll no doubt use to spy on us). These clearly need to know what's around them because the pilot, and his eyes, have been removed from the equation. I suspect the prospect of robot aircraft flying around would not win them much public support, hence it being hidden.

So, we shell out £7k per aircraft (more than many gliders are worth), assuming it's even feasible to run this equipment from a battery (a glider has no other source of power) and the only benefit is to the airlines and BAA's coffers.

We won't be receiving information from air traffic control so there is no safety benefit to us. They could sit and watch 2 gliders collide on a  radar screen without being able to do anything about it.

Meanwhile, the gliding community has developed a system that can give real collision avoidance at a cost of 400 quid per aircraft.

Anyway, going way off topic now but as you can see this makes the road tax situation look positively inexpensive.

Kevin

32346

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 03 April 2008, 16:21:36 »

I am afraid I am getting very cynical over politics, but when will they realise less buearacracy = less taxation required

You and me both, mate.

I haven't even started about the CAA trying to impose the fitting of £7K's worth of transponder in my glider just so they can extend their "surveillance society" to the air.

(and have low flying airliners all over the country into the bargain)

Problem is, a lot of this stuff has been devloved from government into unelected organisations who simply impose their will without caring how many people they upset because they don't have to win votes.

Kevin

32347

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 03 April 2008, 12:52:26 »

Martin for PM  

32348

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 02 April 2008, 23:21:39 »

As I said, only the manual saloon 2.6 scrapes into the second highest of the new bands. 3.0s will definately be in the highest, 2.5 probably similar to 2.6.

And the 2nd highest band is almost as much of a rip off.

Kevin

32349

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 02 April 2008, 19:14:09 »

Correct. Pre-2001 cars weren't rated for CO2 so they are taxed by engine capacity. Nothing has been announced that will bring your tax to such silly levels. (doesn't mean it never will. They could always bring in an "above 2 litre" band, for example.

Kevin

32350

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 02 April 2008, 19:08:22 »

The above aren't the new bands either. Any post March 1st 2001 V6 Omega apart from a 2.6 manual saloon will be up at 440 in 2009 and 455 in 2010.

Kevin

32351

General Discussion Area / Re: road tax

« on: 02 April 2008, 18:37:13 »

Is that all models after 2001?

All cars first registered on or after 1st March 2001.  

Kevin

32352

General Discussion Area / Re: Does anyone here play rFactor?

« on: 03 April 2008, 09:12:33 »

A lot of my kit car mates who are competitive drivers get their fixes from RFactor during the winter months. Not ever got round to trying it myself.

Kevin

32353

General Discussion Area / Re: Insurance cover for non UK resident - Help Me!

« on: 01 April 2008, 10:26:30 »

How long are you going to be driving in the UK?

I remember someone from abroad having a similar problem with a kit car that they bought in the UK and wanted to drive home. I can't remember how or if they resolved the situation but it is clearly an issue, at least with the mainstream insurers.

If it's just a case that you need to get the vehicle from point of purchase to a port maybe you could get a UK resident to help out. Failing that try the more specialist insurers, as already mentioned.

I've just recalled I was in a South African bar in London last weekend and there was a poster on the wall advertising specialist insurance for road trips, campervan holidays, etc. Can't remember who it was though. :-/

I use this guy for my kit car insurance: http://www.msminsurance.co.uk/. Very knowledgeable chap and specialises in the less run of the mill insurance needs. Might be worth giving him a call.

Kevin

32354

General Discussion Area / Re: how much should i get for my car

« on: 02 April 2008, 16:11:51 »

As it's a nice one I'd be tempted to post it on AutoBahnStormers. It'd be worth more to someone with an interest in preserving the cars than someone just after cheap transport (and it's more likely to be kept in the manner it deserves, TBH).

Kevin

32355

General Discussion Area / Re: how much should i get for my car

« on: 02 April 2008, 14:23:29 »

ahhh a Senny    

Barley worth £500  

Rarely seen looking that good though.

Kevin