Free Republic

WASHINGTON - Weighing in at 150 pounds or more, the all-time biggest bird couldn't just hop into the air and fly away, researchers say. A team led by Sankar Chatterjee of Texas Tech University used computer programs originally designed for aircraft to analyze the probable flight characteristics of Argentavis magnificens, a giant bird that lived in South America 6 million years ago. Like today's condors and other large birds, Argentavis would have had to rely on updrafts to remain in the air. Doing so, it could have soared for long distances, they conclude in a paper in Tuesday's edition of...

Accounts of actual exchanges between airline pilots and control towers around the world. ==================================================== Tower: "Delta 351, you have traffic at 10 o'clock, 6 miles!" Delta 351: "Give us another hint! We have digital watches!" ============================================================ "TWA 2341, for noise abatement turn right 45 Degrees." "Centre, we are at 35,000 feet. How much noise can we make up here?" "Sir, have you ever heard the noise a 747 makes when it hits a 727?" ============= ========================================= From an unknown aircraft waiting in a very long takeoff queue: "I'm f... ing bored!" Ground Traffic Control: "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!"...