Coast Guards, Lifeboats.
Every nation that has a Sea or a coastline, water has a boat and air rescue service of some kind. Big nations have coastguards, while smaller one just have a rescue service. The UK-Eire share the RNLI and Trinity lights.
Equipment is made up of cutters and helicopters, while on the small scale Zodiac types. The RNLI have a series of their own publicly financed dedicated rescue boats. The Sikorsky Sea king and the Mil Mi-14/17 are the main stay of the worlds rescue fleets, because they have long range flying. Today are are a whole host of newer types becoming available.
The main aims are to get people out of the water, off boats and ships, which are either sinking or they are badly injured. Meanwhile helicopters serve to work with inshore mountain rescues and medivac.
Thursday 28 February 2013
Thursday 21 February 2013
The Paris Metro. Part-One.
A different system.
The French do things differently from everyone else, that is why they are noted for their style and taste. This also applies to the Paris Metro system, which has always been much more of a tramway, than a train network.
Over the last thirty years it has moved away in some aspects from a track based system to that of rubberized wheels, making it unique in that sense.
The network is large for a capital city, it has gradually been modernized, but the old style has been kept and enhanced where needs be.
The French do things differently from everyone else, that is why they are noted for their style and taste. This also applies to the Paris Metro system, which has always been much more of a tramway, than a train network.
Over the last thirty years it has moved away in some aspects from a track based system to that of rubberized wheels, making it unique in that sense.
The network is large for a capital city, it has gradually been modernized, but the old style has been kept and enhanced where needs be.
Thursday 14 February 2013
Tupolov Tu-95 (Bear).
Unique aircraft.
Throughout the Cold War period the Russian Soviet long-range reconnaissance aircraft that filled the skies of the world was the Tu-95 Bear. It was large and had a very long range, but what made it stand out from other aircraft types was it engines and the double sets of counter rotating propellers.
This type of propulsion system is still believed to be one of the most efficient ever created? I wonder why no one has ever followed up on them as a serious consideration in western aircraft design?
Today the bear has been sent to the grave yard as more newer and faster aircraft and spy satellite technology has improved capability.
Throughout the Cold War period the Russian Soviet long-range reconnaissance aircraft that filled the skies of the world was the Tu-95 Bear. It was large and had a very long range, but what made it stand out from other aircraft types was it engines and the double sets of counter rotating propellers.
This type of propulsion system is still believed to be one of the most efficient ever created? I wonder why no one has ever followed up on them as a serious consideration in western aircraft design?
Today the bear has been sent to the grave yard as more newer and faster aircraft and spy satellite technology has improved capability.
Thursday 7 February 2013
Roll on, roll off..
RO/RO Ferries.
This is the type of shipping that brings in the buck's. Right across the globe, where ever a ferry is needed the 'roll on -roll off system is employed.
Over the years there have been many accidents and disaster in relation to ships leaving or entering ports with their doors open, before actually docking or leaving. Water has entered and ships have capsized with sometimes great loss of life. Greed seems to be the main factor in many of these cases, despite international agreements on safety.
Originally the 'roll on- off concept was for ships that carried trains and later adapted for truckers. This is probably the best system to date and will continue until some other shipping design replaces what we have today.
This is the type of shipping that brings in the buck's. Right across the globe, where ever a ferry is needed the 'roll on -roll off system is employed.
Over the years there have been many accidents and disaster in relation to ships leaving or entering ports with their doors open, before actually docking or leaving. Water has entered and ships have capsized with sometimes great loss of life. Greed seems to be the main factor in many of these cases, despite international agreements on safety.
Originally the 'roll on- off concept was for ships that carried trains and later adapted for truckers. This is probably the best system to date and will continue until some other shipping design replaces what we have today.
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