An interesting whoops with pics and vids:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...s-airport.html

Does anyone else remember the Guppy?
http://www.tested.com/science/space/...irreplaceable/

I do.

My pic is a bit old for tracking, I think. It was actually taken on 4/20/18.

I don't want to join up w/a gold membership to track it.

But, I didn't know I could track an older flight, though. So thanks for teaching me that.:)

I've often wondered how a sudden discharge of water or other material might affect the aircraft's C of G.
Presumably a swift re-trimming is required or perhaps the necessary measures are built in.
Anyway, an impressive bit of flying!

They try to dump from the center of the aircraft, and fortunately loss of weight tends to make the aircraft rise. Paying attention is a plus.

:yesnod:

Ah, true truth finally revealed...

Why some jet engines are mounted under the wings and some are mounted near the tail...

♫ Coming in from London from over the pole
♪ Flying in a big airliner
♫ Chicken flying everywhere around the plane
♪ Could we ever feel much finer

But only on the right airline and having paid Putin.

A mention of Korean Airlines flights 902 and 007, both shot down by the Soviet Union, would have added a bit more Cold War context to the video.

Korean Air Lines Flight 902

Korean Air Lines Flight 007

I was taken aback by the fact that Russia profits by about $100 per passenger.
My connections with aviation have long since vanished in the mists of time so things might well have changed, but my understanding is that route charges are levied by states providing navigational infrastructure and air traffic control services to overflying aircraft.
By definition they can't levy landing fees so en-route charges are made instead.
I didn't think that they could be used as a passenger tax which now appears to be the case.

First pic in the OP, edited:

Attachment 64007

You might like to have a look here:

https://www.adsbexchange.com/

Click on the 'Global Radar View' tab for a comprehensive real time representation of air traffic around you.
Unlike other sites, it doesn't filter out military traffic. From the above screen, go to options and enable the filter for military traffic.
It should shed some light on the wanderings of your AWACS next time you see it.

Much obliged.[/tipofhat]