Monday, March 31, 2008
Up in smoke
This gas flare stack is a little ways off to one side of our helicopter runway but the other day it really was putting out the flame. I don't know if it's off a refinery or gas from oil wells, but I don't think the US can get away with this anymore with all the stuff about global warming.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Visitor
This is a Bell 412 from a sister company. They stop by occasionally drop off or pick up someone or something. Its called Pan African, but they are owned by the same company that owns Bristow, which is an american company called AirLog in Texas. Anyway, Pan African flys mostly for Texaco Oil here. Its kind of funny but americans say Bell Four-Twelve and here the Europeans and all say Bell Four One Two.Saturday, March 22, 2008
I don't feel so bad.
The other morning after the night of dualing lizards keeping me awake, I went to work a little more tired than normal. When I went in to the parts room, Jacob, a local young married father, asked me how I was. I said I was tired and he then said he and his wife had been up all night trying to cool off their baby, because their side of the block had no electricity, and hadn't for days and the fans that they normally use at night didn't work. My lizard wars didn't sound too bad after that. Some times I forget just how it is to live outside the compound for my co-workers.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Roomates
I'm not sure I like the fact that my roomate likes to walk around the ceiling, but I know he is only trying to help keep the insect population down. He seems to like to rest under the wood that goes around the top of the wall. I also saw two of his buddies go behind a bookcase in the corner, when I moved the bookcase, I saw a mouse-like hole in the corner by the floor where they are coming and going. So far I'm up to 4 different lizards, from about 3 inches to 6 inches, and that's when the lights are on. Who knows what kind of parties they throw after dark.Friday, March 14, 2008
Laundry Soap
The shocking purchase this week has been the small box of laundry soap. It comes from Ireland for some reason. The woman at our market said laundry soap is hard to come by. Anyway this box which isn't much bigger than that small hamburger maker cost about $37 bucks. At least it says we don't have to pre-soak anymore!Friday, March 07, 2008
Always yard work to do (not by me)
The work involved around the houses here is kind of amazing. The complex has a full time crew of gardeners that spend all day cleaning up after the abundance of plants and trees we have. I can't even imagine what it would look like with out their constant work.
A small garbage truck comes down the street once a week to collect the piles of leaves and limbs and of course our stuff.
Some flowers just seem to always be blooming and some plants have latched on to the houses over the years.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Under the floors
The entire EC155 Cabin, Cockpit and Baggage Compartment have fuel tanks under them. These show the aircraft, first from front to back, and then from the rear of the cabin, forward with the floor panels taken up and the open areas actually have rubber tanks in them. Right now all the tanks are out. There are two systems, one for each engine. The tanks will feed into each other with hoses and pumps such that the weight is always adjusting itself so the back or front doesn't become to heavy or light making the aircraft difficult to fly.
We took out the tanks to do an inspection that only comes around every 6 years to look for corrosion under the tanks.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Back at Work
I left Salt Lake City early monday morning, Feb 25th, first stop Atlanta and then a non-stop flight from Atlanta to Lagos Nigeria. The flight from Atlanta to Lagos took almost 10 hours. I got to Lagos tuesday morning, but had to spend the night before getting a flight to Warri. That plane only takes about 50 minutes.
I moved to the house next door to my old one, it was empty, the only other guy is on leave now. My new housekeeper is the sister of my old housekeeper.
This Korean Airlines plane was in Atlanta. I'm not sure what the advertising campaign is all about with Mona Lisa on the side.
