DAY 1955
Jalsa, Mumbai Aug 22/23, 2013 Thu/Fri 1 : 41 AM
Amidst the rain laden clouds the plane rides a careful path, cautious to not cause the ‘bumpy’ ride for its passengers .. you look about and discover that many a seasoned flier pays scant respect to the possibility of that sudden and un warned quiver and violent shake up in the aircraft, as it negotiates the cumulus ..
On the road, where the bearings seem based on the factual assurance that we are at least grounded, such jerks and bumps go beyond notice, but in the sky at 38,000 ft, it makes a difference .. the commander makes a quick announcement for the belts to be clamped in, crew moves about securing those that do not, and then there is a call for the crew to be clamped and seated as well .. that is like a deep warning signal that matters are going to be really bad .. you buckle up, straight in your chair, grab the handle that separates you from your guest next door, push against any support that the leg can be driven to, to keep you stable and not be thrown around, tighten your stomach … and wait ..
Daytime flying, by the window, you look outside and decipher the extent of the time that such condition shall prevail - the cumulus drifting by, dark and ominous .. at night it is the flashes of lightening that raises your heart beat .. all in all it is an experience that one does not wish to be involved in ..
The clear sky gives hope of smoother ride, but there is that phenomena of the CAT … noooo ! cat lovers .. who perk up suddenly as they read through this mundane experience .. its not what you think .. there are no sudden appearance of the species knocking at your window from the wings ..
“let me in” … NO ..
Its Clear Air Turbulence … no clouds no flashes of thunder or light, just the force of the wind speed being strong enough to put your Boeing into a condition of a leaf in a storm .. or at times, being in the same route of an airstream of previous aircraft that has flown by, leaving a trail of its intensity behind …
45,000 ft or above, say 55,000 ft where the Concorde flew, is a safer region for turbulence .. cumulus takes many a thought before it can climb up to such, but commercial airlines have been given an Internationally agreed corridor of 35 - 38, 000 ft and must fly within that range … corridors of power we hear, but these are corridors in the air within which all airlines must comply. Many that face extreme turbulence even at this height, often seek permission from the nearest ATC - air traffic control - to break away from the lane so to say, in order to break away from the pounding, but it is never complied with … reason … there are hundreds of other aircraft flying along same corridor and this precaution is to be reconciled with, to prevent collision. Modern manufacturers have now equipped planes with collision detectors which can give signals of oncoming aircraft at same height .. AND … I believe the practised rule for all pilots the world over is, since speeds are so extremely high, to dive LEFT, if there is even a remote indication of a collide.
Technology now, has given sophisticated radar equipment to detect nasty cumulus along the route and miles ahead of their appearance, but miles are covered pretty rapidly when you move at 500 mph or more ..
Oh dear !! this is not the most entertaining post at all .. so let us put an end to it .. imediatemoi !!!!
Motor Vehicle Act of the city bans the use of coloured film on the window glass of the car .. the coloured or darkened film is used to bring the temperature down through the process of tinted glass not allowing the intense sun to warm you up inside, despite the air conditioning … and for those that do not wish to be seen from the outside … like many of us in the status of celebrity … it becoming the cause of audience and fan attraction to your window or door when stationary or when on the move .. hazardous often ..
The department clearly states that the law must be followed and no one is authorised to have darkened glass windows. However they do say that their is nothing said about the use of curtains, inside the window if you were to travel unnoticed … !!!!
CURTAINS ??? and no TINTED GLASS ??? But this is really funny …
The tinted glass objection, is that in todays time of terror strikes and security thereof, the persons outside and in particular the forces that guard us, need to be able to see inside .. with the tinted glass there is the issue of not being able to make out the occupant if they were to be having terror instincts.
BUT … my dearest departments of the city … the allowance or permission of curtains, creates the same problem. Were I to put in curtains, and pull them down so no one can see inside, they are preventing visual detection … are they not ????? !!!!!
So …
No answer from any quarter on this … the law is the law they say, and must be followed …. even when they do not have a sufficiently credible answer to this argument of the CURTAIN … !!
Its CURTAINS then to the post tonight … pulling it down to prevent any further connect from the outside world of the Ef …
Love to all … and happy to see that thanks to the immediate reactions from the Ef and the TwFmXt, and FBfXt … the news channels and the people involved have taken a most gracious view of the matter and either apologised or removed the FAKE video … !!
Long may the Ef Sena live ..
Amitabh Bachchan
