Just sayin.

Just heading back after delivering a load of Christmas trees at Shannon. She has been fairly active over the last 12 months.

They fly Christmas trees to Ireland? Don’t they grow them there?
Or have I misread that?

They fly Christmas trees to Ireland? Don’t they grow them there?

Welcome to the environment-shredding insanity that is the global supply chain.

It’s okay those Antonov’s are hybrids. It’s basically a large Prius 🙃

They fly Christmas trees to Ireland? Don’t they grow them there?
Or have I misread that?

Yeah, but it’s going back with a split link from CRC, so not a total waste.

*doffs cap to Northwind

For bulky, low value, albeit slightly perishable items I’m surprised it’s viable.
I asked jokingly, I thought Colin had been delivering trees at Shannon and had seen it.
I have learnt something today

For bulky, low value, albeit slightly perishable items I’m surprised it’s viable.

According to Wikipedia, it costs $30 000 per hour to rent, so probably well worth it for emergency airlifts of artisanal cheeses

I thought Colin had been delivering trees at Shannon and had seen it

I could only get 3 in the back of the Octavia, so it wasn’t viable. I called the Ukrainians and they were available.

tomhoward
Full Member

Yeah, but it’s going back with a split link from CRC, so not a total waste.

*doffs cap to Northwind

That was the last joke I made that was actually funny, thanks for taking note!

On a slightly different scale, one advantage of working outside all day, and where I work, is that there’s quite a lot of air activity, although mostly regular military and small light aircraft. Today I could hear something that sounded different, an engine note that was familiar. It was, but not in the aircraft that flew over! It was this exact plane, flying south-east/north-west, but with no departure/destination shown on flight radar.

It’s a P-51D, registration G-SHWN
About half an hour later, I heard the same engine, coming from the same direction, which I thought was a bit odd, then as it flew over I recognised the wing shape, which meant only one possible aircraft:

It’s registration is G-RRGN, and it’s a Mk XIX

It’s not every day that happens. Or year, for that matter. 😁

Welcome to the environment-shredding insanity that is the global supply chain.

It doesn’t work like that. Big aircraft like this are utilised all the time and their specialist role is for large bulky outsized cargo. This aircraft will be primarily used for that – that is where it earns its money and charges its premium rates…stuff that cannot be transported by any other means…could very well be parts for a wind turbine being flown to a country that is in the process of decarbonising their power generation for example.

This means the aircraft often has to fly to different locations to pick up the next job, so rather than fly empty and earn zero revenue they might offer up their cargo space at lower prices so more conventional normal stuff can be shipped so they can at least earn some revenue on the repositioning flight.

Antinov’s are not normally be used to ferry Christmas trees or normal packet and parcel cargo around. Its a specialist aircraft and used to move specialist cargo and not normal stuff that can normally travel by other means but since the global system has been disrupted we don’t have the cargo capacity globally.

And those Christmas trees are sold by a company set up by an individual, who earns a living from selling them and is able to feed and clothe and educate and provide medical care for their family, and pay taxes to their government that will be used to educate other kids and provide that countries public services and some of which they will hopefully be pledging this week towards the massive costs to de carbonise their country and help to decarbonise poor developing countries. Yes, the global supply chain is so evil..fancy normal every day folk being given a way to earn a decent living and all the good that comes from that.

Seen that Mustang around here a few times, comes into Bobbington on occasions…believe it’s kept at Duxford

a company set up by an individual, who earns a living from selling them and is able to feed and clothe and educate and provide medical care for their family, and pay taxes to their government that will be used to educate other kids and provide that countries public services and some of which they will hopefully be pledging this week towards the massive costs to de carbonise their country and help to decarbonise poor developing countries. Yes, the global supply chain is so evil..fancy normal every day folk being given a way to earn a decent living and all the good that comes from that.

Ahhh globalized capitalism, doesn’t it just warm your heart.

@CountZero that mustang and spitfire were chasing each other all over the sky right over my sisters place in Shaftesbury, also had a large high-wing cesna with them so probably a spot of aerial photography.

At least they weren’t plastic Christmas Trees. 🙂