Archive for December, 2020

Twas The Night Before Christmas from 2020

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

Here are a few home made versions from 2020:

Twas three nights before Christmas
And all through the home
Not one creature disturbs her
For one night she’s alone
Oh glorious covers!
Oh glorious bed!
Oh glorious pillows for one weary head
No kid with sharp elbows
No paw slurping noise
No dishes. No laundry
No shelf asshole elf and his toys
Just peace in full slumber
All tucked in the nest
Cuz Christmas is coming
And that requires rest!!!

One for the COVID times:

T’was the week before Christmas, and all through the town, people wore masks, that covered their frown. The frown had begun way back in the spring when a global pandemic changed everything. They called it corona, but unlike the beer, It didn’t bring good times, it didn’t bring cheer. Airplanes were grounded, travel was banned. Borders were closed across air, sea, and land. As the world entered lockdown to flatten the curve, the economy halted, and folks lost their nerve. From March to July we rode the first wave, people stayed home, they tried to behave. When summer emerged the lockdown was lifted, but away from caution, many folks drifted. Now it’s December and cases are spiking, wave two has arrived, much to our disliking. It’s true that this year has had sadness a-plenty, we’ll never forget the year 2020. And just ‘round the corner – The holiday season, but why be merry? Is there even one reason? To decorate the house and put up the tree, who will see it, no one but me. But outside my window, the snow gently falls, and I think to myself, let’s deck the halls! So, I gather the ribbon, The garland, and bows, as I play those old carols, my happiness grows. Christmas is not canceled and neither is hope. If we lean on each other, I know we can cope…

And a short one COVID style:

Twas the week before Christmas

This mama’s gone crazy

She’s looking for presents,

Where she hid them is Hazy

For COVID has thrown her

A curve ball so crappy

She just wants some wine

And to take a long nappy.

Flymall December 2020 Wheels & Wings Newsletter

Friday, December 11th, 2020

Welcome to the Kraemer Aviation/Flymall.org Wheels & Wings Newsletter

To view our current newsletter click here. or copy and paste this link into your browser https://flymall.org/blog/2020/12/flymall-december-2020-wheels-wings-newsletter/ … You can view past newsletters here. Want to find something we covered in the past? Just use the search box in the newsletter section and search for the subject/topic.

Tis the season. Here is Harry’s collection of different versions of Twas The Night Before Christmas. Enjoy! If you have a version not included, please share it with us.

This month: Zimmerman Flying Platform, 280 mile 1986 Dodge Charger, Ford’s first assembly line, a mine find (we brought you barn finds, hangar finds, wall finds), the first hybrid vehicle, is it an engine or motor, and more. Plus, as a bonus, a collection of different versions of Twas The Night Before Christmas.

We had our first major snow storm of the season on Dec 16 2020.  Click here for pictures of the snow.

Interested in living at an airport?  Visit our Aviation Real Estate page here.

Want to have your business highlighted on the Flymall???  We offer inexpensive rates to have your business featured on our Wheels & Wings page.  Contact us for more info.

History Trivia:  On December 1 1913 Henry Ford’s assembly line was started for the first time.

If you enjoy history we have a new aviation history fact each day at the bottom of our webpages.  Some days there may be more than one, just refresh the page.  And if you like Beatles history, checkout our Events Calendar and select the Beatles category.  This is a work in progress, we’re building the most comprehensive calendar of important dates in Beatle history.

For those that like to stick with current news, we have an aviation news ticker on our home page.  This is updated daily to show the current aviation news.

Achievements & Special RecognitionInstructors, what to highlight your students first solo or other achievement here?  Just send us a short write-up and a picture or two and we’ll post it here for you.  Click here for our contact info.

Earlier this month, HiLi Lev passed her CFII checkride with Harry.  She has taken 3 checkrides with Harry (Commercial, CFI, and CFII).  Her entire family flies, her dad, mom, and all of her brothers. 

Aviation/Aviators in the newsThe aviation section of the Flymall is full of aviation news, training info, and much more for the aviator.

Ofir and Inbal, two applicants that Harry tested recently for their instrument rating, completed a long trip across the United States to build time for their Commercial Pilot Certificate.  The trip took 63 flight hours and 14 days to complete.  See map below.  Click on the image for a larger view.

 

Sources are saying that Boeing’s two T33 flight test chase planes are “going to the boneyard”.  Too bad that they may not be saved or even put in a museum.

Air show season is always just around the corner.  Want to travel to air shows in your own aircraft?  Visit our used aircraft page on the Flymall to view our inventory.

Car/Motorcycle Show NewsIf you’re a car enthusiast, you know the song “Hey Little Cobra”.  But do you know the origins of it?   The story goes that the song writer Carol Connors (best know as the lead singer on the Teddy Bears’ single To Know Him Is To Love Him) owned an AC Ace Bristol similar to the one pictured below.  Carol Shelby made this car famous by putting a Ford engine in it and it became the Shelby Cobra.  Connors’ AC was damaged and she could not find anyone to repair it, so she went to Carol Shelby.  Shelby was aware of the success of the Beach Boys songs about cars and he told Carol Connors if she could write a song about the Cobra and get it to a number one hit, that he would give her a Shelby Cobra.  She did, and he did! And the rest is history.  Click here for a version of the song by The Rip Chords via YouTube

 

When speaking of legendary sports cars, Porsche is usually one that comes to mind.  Did you know that Porsche had the very first hybrid vehicle back in 1900? It was know as the Lohner-Porsche Electromobile.  It is pictured below.  Nowadays Porsche is known for racecars.  RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR.  Does a racecar have an engine or motor?  Click here for a post Harry did on this topic

Our Events Calendar has the most current info regarding local and national car shows, air shows, and more.  With nearly 30 categories, there is something for everyone.  The Day Tripper section of the Flymall has dozens of day trip ideals and interesting places to visit.  Check it out here.

Barn Finds/Hangar Finds:  Need an appraisal on your barn find?  Visit our Appraisal Page for information on our appraisals. 

Here is an “ebay find” for this month.  How would you like to have a 1986 Dodge  Charger with only 280 miles?  That’s correct, 280 miles.  As of the writing of this newsletter, the bid was up to $8,100.00 and the reserve was not met.

Over the years we have highlighted barn finds, hangar finds, and even a wall find.  Click here for the post on the wall find.  This month we have a mine find.  Here is the Davis Motor Mine Cart. This was found in an abandoned Gold Mine in Northern California sometime in the late 1970s.  A home made creation using most of a 1926 Harley Davidson B-Model motorcycle, a Ford Model-A transmission, and an electric starter.

Visit our online store to search for hard to find car parts, aircraft parts, and much more.  You can pay online in our secure store, just click on the Store button on our home page.

Visit the Test Drive section of the Flymall for reviews on automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and more. Read about it before you buy it.  You can also research price info on a wide variety of vehicles, collectibles, and more in the Market Watch section of the Flymall. Our Market Watch section is an online searchable database and it is smart phone friendly. It was set up as a database for vehicle prices, however we have added other collectibles as well. For example, under “Make” you can search for Paul McCartney for data. You can also use the database to see what celebrity ownership of a vehicle does to the value. For example, under “Model” search for Trans Am, click here to view the results. You can also search the Market Watch for famous collections that have sold, for example, here is the data for the Bruce Weiner Microcar Auction. And here is the data for the Lee Roy Hartung collection that sold a few years ago. We have also included price data from TV shows such as Jay Lenos Garage, American Pickers, and others, simply search under “Make” for Jay Lenos Garage and click on search.

If you’re restoring a fabric aircraft, Ira Walker of Walker Aviation is your resource.  Visit his page on the Flymall by clicking here

CFI / DPE NotesYou can follow Harry on Facebook to stay up to date with his checkrides and other adventures. He does daily post on his Facebook page. 

Ofek passed his instrument checkride with Harry earlier this month.  He did an outstanding job.  He was very detailed in his flight planning and briefings. Outstanding!

In September of this year Rachel passed her Private Pilot checkride with Harry.  She did it just a few months after her 17th birthday.  She recently received news that she was accepted to both the United States Air Force Academy as well as the United States Coast Guard Academy.  She is pictured here with Harry on her checkride day.

 

On December 15 German passed his CFII checkride with Harry.  The most amazing part was December 15 was a picture perfect day for flying.  December 14 and December 16 we had major storm systems in the Northeast, see below.

Visit Harry’s Practical Test page for information on his checkrides.  You will also find useful information there to help you prepare for your checkride.  You can also visit Harry’s Lesson Plan section of the Flymall for other flight training information.  Visit our Flight Training page for information on our aviation training classes.

Weather in the newsDecember 5 2020, the Northeast saw a Nor’easter pass through the area with heavy rain and strong winds.

Mid month, we had back to back storm systems move through the Mid-Atlantic area.  The first one was on December 14 that was mostly a rain event.

 The second storm system was on December 16.  Checkout the forecast for Dulles below.  It includes just about every type of hazardous weather for a pilot; moderate snow, heavy freezing rain, moderate ice pellets, gusty surface winds, and wind shear.  Click on the image for a larger view.

Here is the radar image for the December 16 storm system.  It has every type of precipitation included.

 

Three Wheel Association (TWA)Visit the Three Wheel Association page on the Flymall for more info on the association.  Click here to view Harry’s collection of rare and vintage three wheelers

Earlier in this newsletter we talked about the origins of the song “Hey Little Cobra”.   The Cobra was a car made by the AC Car Company originally as the AC Ace Bristol.  Did you know that this iconic car company got it’s start by producing a 3 wheel delivery motorcycle?  It was known as the AC Auto Carrier Delivery Box Van.  Here is the 1912 AC Delivery in Harry’s collection.  It is most likely the only one in North America.  Click here for more information on this 3 wheel delivery trike and some history on the AC Car Company. 

 

Want a reproduction vintage 3 wheeler.  Walker Aviation can scratch built from pictures or drawings.  Visit his page on the Flymall.  

Prototypes:  This month we have the Flying Platform prototype aircraft.  This was developed by Charles Zimmerman. The aircraft was controlled by an individual’s “kinesthetic control,” giving the pilot the ability to stand upright and steer by leaning toward the direction of intended motion. The concept was designed with military applications in mind. Operated by an individual soldier, the platform was designed to be used for easier travel over rough terrain, assisting in reconnaissance, or spotting land mines.  Zimmerman was known to think “out-of-the-box” and this was just one of his unique designs.  Unfortunately, the concept could not compete VTOL aircraft, and the idea was discarded. 

 

And for the automotive readers, here is the 1969 Vega Pickup Prototype.  Any of our subscribers “Vega lovers”?  This is one cool pickup.

Nautical NotesThis month we’re introducing a new section in our newsletter.  Harry grew up on the Chesapeake Bay often spending the entire day on the water with his grandfather.  Harry learned to sail large sailboats in the early 1970s.  Seaplanes are a way to combine your love for flying and your love for the water.  Harry & Pat are both commercial seaplane pilots.

This month we are highlighting a vehicle that is part boat and part airplane.  While they have been around a while, there is a new “term” to describe them.  They’re called a WIG craft.  It’s basically a boat that cruises just above the water.

Animals in the headlines:  This month he have a poem dedicated to Harry’s neighbor who’s dog Twix passed away recently.

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.”

Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.” “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a human.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.”

 

Visit Jett’s page on the Flymall for more poems regarding man’s best friend.

We close this newsletter with these words: Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

We’ll see you in 2021!!!

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