Antonov Family. Part-Two.

Into the Jet age with the An-72/74.

The need for speed was perhaps one of the driving forces in the demand for this type of aircraft transport, which may also be seen as their copy of the BAE 146-100. 

The same principles for the An-24/32 was still demanded in this jet age version, but it was not initially as successful as the turbo props? Perhaps because it was not offered for export for some time and the turbo-props were good enough for foreign export.

India received the type and like the Antonov-28/32 was permitted a license to build their own. This policy continues to this day. One cannot be sure if the Ukraine is still capable of building and exporting or if the aero facilities have been moved to the Russian federation.

Apart from the giants like the An-124/224, a smaller aircraft to replace the An-22 was long overdue with the development of the An-70 transport. it has very good weight lift capability and uses the twisted propellers of the Tupolev Tu-95 bears.

Antonov followed with its own version of the BAE/RJ-100/300, but only with to engines rather than four. This aircraft has seen better success in the civilian commercial market one believes instead of the military.

Cruise Liners. Part-One.

On Cruise.

Many people when they come to the end of their working lives or have made a win on the lottery dream of going on a world cruise. This type of ship has been designed to provide for that luxurious adventure, it will technically be a floating hotel with everything includes, swimming pools to casinos, shops to theatre.

Food and fine dining to fast food and snacks, gyms to fitness games and massage/saunas. This is the modern vessels. Originally this was only for the rich and privileged few. If you watch murder mystery's such as Agatha Christies, Poirot you see several episodes on ship travel like the River Nile.

Others films have been made about the Titanic and there are many more famous true and fictitious world films and series covering the matter.

Caravaning.

(Please note update on space on the space page this week).

The Caravan.

The caravan is essentially just a wagon that is towed behind a automobile/car or truck and has no real motive power of its own. Yet it is one of the biggest business pullers across the globe both in N-America and Europe.

Caravaning took off in the United Kingdom in the 1920's and up to 1960, one could park anywhere and enjoy the view. But today we have Caravan sites and trailer parks, unless you are part of the travelling showman circut. 

The temporay home on wheels has progressed from a wooden box with basic facilities to the present state of the art mobile homes. With everything now from power shower to sat nav, microwave cooking to solar panel powered.

Even comforts that are better than we have in our houses and heating systems. But despite all these wonderful things, accidents in towing from A to Z remain a problem.