View allAll Photos Tagged alignment
Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (Block 52) 2009 – until? The 2009 show season marks the transition to the US Air Force’s premier, front-line F-16 fighter. The Block 52s have an upgraded Avionics package that brings the Thunderbird fleet into alignment with the rest of the worldwide F-16 fleet. Additionally, the more powerful Pratt & Whitney 229 engine adds an additional 3,600 lbs of thrust. This in turn increases the maximum allowable gross weight for ground handling, taxi, takeoff and in-flight maneuvers nearly 5000 lbs. Note: The F-16 represents 53% of USAF Fighter Force Structure and 49% of the USAF’s total combat force (source: USAF as of 6/07)
The Squadron was activated, after 6 months training in an unofficial status, on January 1, 1953 as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke AFB, just west of Phoenix. They flew their debut exhibition at Luke a week later, and began public exhibitions at the 1953 Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The team had flown 26 shows by that August. The first team leader was Major General Dick Catledge, and the first plane flown by the squadron was the F-84 Thunderjet. As the F-84G Thunderjet was a single seat fighter, a 2 seat T-33 Shooting Star served as the narrator's aircraft and was used as the VIP/Press ride aircraft. The T-33 served with the Thunderbirds in this capacity in the 1950s & 1960s.
The next year, the Thunderbirds performed their first overseas air shows, in a tour of South America. A year later, in 1955, they moved to the F-84F Thunderstreak aircraft, in which they performed 91 air shows. The aircraft of the squadron was again changed in June 1956, to the F-100 Super Sabre, which gave the pilots supersonic capability. This switch was accompanied by a move of headquarters to Nellis AFB, Nevada on June 1 with their first show after the move being held on June 23. It also signaled a shift in their performance routine—for example, the Cuban 8 opening routine was dropped, and emphasis was placed on low, screaming flyovers and demonstrations of takeoff performance. For a time, if the show's sponsor permitted it, the pilots would create a "sonic boom" (this ended when the FAA banned supersonic flight over the continental U.S.)
In 1960 a decision was made to allow the tail (vertical stabilizer) of the #4 slot plane, blackened by the exhaust of the other planes, to remain black. (Contrary to rumor, the stabilizer was never painted black.) This practice remained in force through the 1973 season. In 1961, the team was compelled to discontinue the vertical bank maneuver due to an FAA regulation prohibiting aerobatics that pointed the nose of the aircraft toward the crowd. 1962 saw the introduction of dual solo routines, and the Thunderbirds went on their first European deployment in 1963, the year after the disbanding of the "Skyblazers" (see below). The team switched to the F-105 Thunderchief for a brief period, but returned to the F-100 in 1964 after only six airshows, following Capt. Gene Devlin's death resulting from structural failure of the aircraft in a high-G climbing maneuver. The F-100 was also judged to be more maneuverable for demonstration displays, and was retained through the 1968 season.
By 1967, the Thunderbirds had flown 1,000 shows. In 1969, the squadron adopted the noisy and huge F-4E Phantom, which it flew until 1973, the only time the Thunderbirds would fly jets similar to those of the Blue Angels, as it was the standard fighter for both services. A special white paint had to be developed to cover high-temperature metals, replacing the bare metal paint scheme of past planes. The white paint scheme has been continued to the present. Due to the 1973 oil crisis, the team was grounded for some time. In 1974 they switched to the more economical T-38 Talon, a supersonic trainer based on the F-5 fighter. Five T-38s used the same amount of fuel needed for one F-4 Phantom. The switch to the T-38 also saw an alteration of the flight routine to exhibit the aircraft's maneuverability in tight turns, and also ended the era of the black tail on the #4 slot plane, which would now be regularly cleaned and shined like the others.
In 1982, there was another disaster for the Thunderbirds, occurring during pre-season training on January 18. While practicing the 4 plane diamond loop, the formation impacted the ground at high speed, instantly killing all four pilots: Major Norm Lowry, leader, Captain Willie Mays, Captain Pete Peterson and Captain Mark Melancon. The cause of the crash was officially listed by the USAF as the result of a mechanical problem with the #1 aircraft's control stick actuator. During formation flight, the wing and slot pilots visually cue off of the #1 lead aircraft, completely disregarding their positions in relation to the ground
In 1983, the team returned to front-line fighters with the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon. They would change to the updated F-16C (now Lockheed-Martin) in 1992, an aircraft which has proven its outstanding effectiveness in both air-to-ground and air superiority competitions.
After switching to the F-16s the Thunderbirds had no major incidents until September 14, 2003 when #6 Pilot, opposing solo, Capt. Chris Strickland failed to calibrate his altimeter to the elevation of Mountain Home AFB where their flight demonstration was to be held. He instead flew with the same settings as their home base of Nellis AFB their home base. Moments after the start of the show Capt. Strickland sent his white F-16 thundering down the runway, pulling vertical then rolling his aircraft over to perform a Split-S, his first maneuver of the show. To the shock and horror of the onlookers, Stricklands aircraft failed to complete the maneuver and instead smashed into the ground less than 500 yards from spectators. "It was really quiet," remembers Michael Draper, who saw the crash first hand. "Nobody said a word until we saw the pilot stand up. Everyone shouted 'he got out! he got out!' he got out at the last second."
In 1986, the Thunderbirds did a fly-by for the re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty in New York City, which was viewed by tens of millions. They also performed the first American military demonstration in a Communist country when the team visited Beijing, China in 1987. Their 3,000th air show was performed in 1990. In 1996, the team participated in the Atlanta Olympics' opening ceremonies, which were viewed by an estimated 3.5 billion people worldwide. The squadron celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 1, 2003.
Also in 2005, the Thunderbirds temporarily grounded themselves pending an investigation into a minor mid-air incident during the Chicago Air & Water Show on August 20. During a diamond formation slow-roll pass, the tip of the missile rail on the right wing of the slot (#4) aircraft contacted the left stabilator of the right (#3) aircraft. A four-foot section of the missile rail snapped off, while the #3 aircraft sustained damage described by one of the Thunderbirds pilots as a "medium deep scratch" to the red paint of the stabilator. Amateur video showed the missile rail falling into the "safety box" on Lake Michigan away from boaters. While there were no injuries and the aircraft remained apparently flightworthy, the demonstration was immediately terminated, all aircraft returned to Gary International Airport, and the Thunderbirds did not return for the second day of the Chicago show. The Right Winger (#3) was Major D. Chris Callahan, and the Slot position (#4) was flown by Major Steve Horton.
The 2007 European Goodwill Tour was conceived as an opportunity to spread international goodwill and demonstrate the pride, precision and professionalism of Airmen worldwide. It was the Thunderbirds’ first visit to Europe after the tragic events of 9-11 and the team took to this monumental challenge with tenacity. History was made at the first stop during an expertly coordinated flag-panel unveiling in Ireland, which highlighted the Thunderbirds’ first-ever air show performance in the country. Despite inclement weather, more than 100,000 people attended the air show, garnering nationwide exposure by Irish media. Coverage also spanned the globe when Air Force Link posted the story and photos provided by the team.
Additional stops along the way included aerial demonstrations in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria's Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Italy, France and England, where the Thunderbirds participated in The Royal International Air Tattoo, world’s largest air show. VIPs in attendance included Parliament and even British royalty. Outside of aerial demonstrations, the team participated in eight official public relations events attended by heads of state and local civic leaders. There were also multiple community visits with needy children throughout the European theater in an effort to make new friends and eliminate the stereotypical Eastern view of Americans as the world’s police. It took months of planning and hundreds of man-hours to pull it off, but the five-week trip to seven different European countries was diplomatic, historic and sensational.
On November 10 and November 11, 2007, the City of Las Vegas and Nellis AFB saluted the U.S. Air Force, hosting the capstone event of the USAF's 60th anniversary celebration. Those that came to this historic event witnessed some of the best aerobatic performances and aerial demonstrations seen anywhere in the world. Thanks to endorsement and sponsorship by Las Vegas, Aviation Nation was the most publicized air show in America with more than $680,000 in guaranteed media reaching regional, national and international audiences through an extensive advertising and promotions program.
The 2009 air show schedule
March
Luke AFB, AZ Mar. 21/22
MacDill AFB, FL Mar. 28/29
April
Keesler AFB, MS Apr. 4/5
Ceiba, Puerto Rico Apr. 18/19
Langley AFB, VA Apr. 25/26
May
Robins AFB, GA May 2/3
Branson, MO May 9/10
Andrews AFB, MD May 15/16/17
Wantagh, NY (Jones Beach) May 23/23
USAF Academy, CO May 27
Ellsworth AFB, SD May 30/31
June
Hill AFB, UT June 6/7
Ocean City, MD June 13/14
Dover AFB, DE June 20/21
Helena, MT June 27/28
July
Battle Creek, MI July 4/5
Peoria, IL July 11/12
Dayton, OH July 18/19
Cheyenne, WY July 22
Milwaukee, WI July 25/26
August
Vienna, OH (Youngstown ARB) Aug 8/9
Chicago, IL Aug. 15/16
Atlantic City, NJ Aug. 19
Selfridge ANGB, MI Aug. 22/23
Hillsboro, OR Aug. 29
September
Cleveland, OH Sep. 5/6/7
Sacramento, CA Sep. 12/13
Hickam AFB, HI Sep. 19/20 (Start of Far East Tour)
October
The final list of Far East Tour locations is still to be determined
November
Homestead ARB, FL Nov. 7/8
Nellis AFB, NV Nov. 14/15
Twin Arrows is a ghost town located in the central part of Arizona on U.S. Route 66 (US 66) in Coconino County between the city of Flagstaff and the town of Winslow.
The area in which Twin Arrows is located was inhabited by the Hopi and Navajo tribes. The Navajo fought against the Apaches in the area. The first setters to arrive in the area of European descent were the Spanish conquistadores. The area became part of Mexico when Mexico gained its independence from Spain.
The United States fought against Mexico in what is known as the Mexican–American War. The war ended officially when the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and forced onto the remnant Mexican government. It specified its major consequence, the Mexican Cession of the northern territories of Alta California and Santa Fe de Nuevo México to the United States.[1]
Old US 66 in Twin Arrows
Wagon roads routes between Flagstaff and Winslow were surveyed in the 1880s. The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad choose to build the railroad along it. The railway passed to the north of the modern alignment of the National Old Trails which would eventually become US 66. The U.S. Highway System established US 66 in 1926. US 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The road supported the economies of the communities through which it passed.[2]
Traffic began to flow through the Twin Arrows area because Route 66 was aligned along the National Old Trails Road. A business named the Canyon Padre Trading Post, named for the gorge that cuts nearby, was established in the late 1940s in Twin Arrows. Business was slow for the store and diner until the owners changed its name to "Twin Arrows Trading Post", inspired by nearby town of Two Guns and added a service station. Two 25-foot (7.6 m) giant arrows which were placed on the property were easily recognized by traveling motorist and the business began to flourish.
The Twin Arrows Trading Post began to fail with the construction of the Interstate 40 (I-40), because motorists no longer had to take US 66. Business for the Twin Arrows Trading Post began to decline and it was not long before the store/diner/service station/gift shop passed through the hands of various owners. This continued until 1995, when it was finally closed and abandoned. The land where Twin Arrows is located is in the Navajo and Hopi reservations and owned by the Twin Arrows Navajo Casino.
from Wikipedia
The moon, the peak of the sunlit cumulus cloud and Moel Famau's summit line up as the sun rose and I headed to the top of Halkyn Mountain.
I'm pleased to announce that this image and the one below, "Pipe Dreams", have been nominated in the Photography Masters Cup 2012. This one in the Fine Art Category.
Analysis of primary structure and conserved domains of SGT1 proteins.(A) Sequence alignment analysis and the predicted conserved domains of SGT1 proteins. GenBank accession numbers: Rice (AAF18438), Wheat (EF546432.1), Arabidopsis (AF439975, AF439976), Barley (AF439974). The black (100%), pink (80%), and blue (60%) boxes represent levels of amino acid identity or similarity. The conserved domains were underlined. (B) The phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence of SGT1 genes from different species. GenBank accession numbers: OsSGT1 (AAF18438), TaSGT1 (ABQ23992.1), TaSGT1-1 (ABO18602.1), TaSGT1-2 (ABO18603.1), HHvSGT1-Barley (AF439974), BdSGT1 (XP_003569394.1), SbSGT1 (EES01101.1), Zm-SGT1 (ACG34278.1), NbSGT1 (AAW82048.1), AtSGT1a (AF439975) and AtSGT1b (AF439976). The tree was generated by ClustalX1.83 analysis with the corrected full-length Hv-SGT1 protein sequences using Neighbor-Joining method (MEGA4.0 software). The bar beneath the dendrogram represents a distance of 0.05 change per amino acid.
Today I was on the 174 just passed Blair Rd. heading west and stopped to get a shot of this track alignment machine that is working on the city of Ottawa's LRT project. There was another one there but to many trees in the way.
On board unit 4018 as we run along the shared alignment with Network Rail, both running lines here between Pelaw and Jarrow are single track, the disused freight line on the left goes to the now closed Shell Oil storage facility at Jarrow, whilst i am on a service for South Shields, on the Tyne and Wear Metro system's Yellow Line, having not ridden this system before it was a rather nice surprise to be offered a drivers eye view that you have on these 1978/81 Metro-Cammell Birmingham built units, of which there are 90 two car articulated units, which usually operate in pairs.
Maybe in the future the disused freight line could converted to become part of the Metro system to form a double track section as most of the Metro system is.
Nikon FG - 2008
Kodachrome 64
Athens, GA - Clarke County
A very familiar scene here in my photostream... but this time, in Kodachrome.
Workforce Alignment workshop "Building strong partnerships to support Wisconsin’s workforce need." A conversation hosted by UW Oshkosh, Department of Workforce Development, Fox Valley Tech and WAICU.
Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis of EsMYBA1 and related plant R2R3-MYB proteins known to regulate the flavonoid pathway.(A) Alignment of deduced amino acid sequences of EsMYBA1 and other plant R2R3-MYB proteins. Identical amino acid residues are shaded in black, similar in gray. The R2 and R3 domains shown refer to two repeats of the MYB DNA-binding domain of selected MYB proteins. Three conserved motifs, the bHLH interaction motif, the ANDV motif identified in Rosaceae and the motif 6 from Arabidopsis R2R3-MYB family classification are boxed. The two arrowheads indicate the insert position of intron I and II, respectively. (B) Phylogenetic tree of EsMYBA1 and selected R2R3-MYB proteins from other plant species using the neighbor-joining method by the MEGA 5 software. The scale bar represents the number of substitution per site and the numbers next to the nodes are bootstrap values from 1,000 replicates. The EsMYBA1 are indicated as a diamond. The putative regulatory functions of the different R2R3-MYB proteins in the control of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway are indicated. All R2R3-MYB protein sequences were retrieved from GenBank database and accession numbers are as follows (in parentheses): Antirrhinum majus AmROSEA1 (ABB83826); AmROSEA2 (ABB83827); AmVENOSA (ABB83828); Arabidopsis thaliana AtPAP1 (AAG42001); AtPAP2 (AAG42002); AtTT2 (NP_198405); AtMYB12 (ABB03913); AtMYB4 (NP_195574); Citrus sinensis CsRuby (AFB73913); Diospyros kaki DkMYB4 (BAI49721); Fragaria x ananassa FaMYB1 (AAK84064); Garcinia mangostana GmMYB10 (ACM62751); Gerbera hybrid GhMYB10 (CAD87010); Ipomoea batatas IbMYB1 (BAF45114), Ipomoea nil InMYB2 (BAE94709); Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanum lycopersicum) LeANT1 (AAQ55181); SlMYB12 (ACB46530); Lilium hybrid LhMYB6 (BAJ05399); Lotus japonicus TT2a (BAG12893); Malus x domestica MdMYB10a (ABB84753); Medicago truncatula MtLAP1 (ACN795410; Morella rubra MrMYB1 (ADG21957); Nicotiana tabacum NtAN2 (ACO52470); Oryza sativa OsMYB4 (BAA23340); Petunia x hybrida PhAn2 (AAF66727); Vitis vinifera VvMYBA1 (BAD18977); VvMYBA2 (BAD18978); VvMYBPA1 (CAJ90831); VvMYBPA2 (ACK56131); VvMYBF1 (ACV81697); VvMYB5a (AAS68190); VvMYB5b (AAX51291); Zea mays ZmC1 (AAA33482); ZmPl (AAA19819).
Workforce Alignment workshop "Building strong partnerships to support Wisconsin’s workforce need." A conversation hosted by UW Oshkosh, Department of Workforce Development, Fox Valley Tech and WAICU.
With Dduallt station just out of sight this was the original alignment of the Ffestiniog Railway between Dduallt and Tanygrisiau, before the building of the 'Great Deviation' route to raise the level of the line above Tanygrisiau reservoir.
22nd October 2017
Valley Metro Light Rail Project Alignment.
valleymetro.org - Phoenix, AZ, USA
Join Flickr Valley Metro, Phoenix, AZ Group at
This abandoned alignment is on the property of Traders Point Christian Church. The remains of a building foundation stretch across the road. Historic aerials show that this segment has been bypassed since the 1950s, and that a small building was once built here.
This abandoned alignment is on the property of Traders Point Christian Church. The remains of a building foundation stretch across the road. Historic aerials show that this segment has been bypassed since the 1950s, and that a small building was once built here.
The reference phylogenetic tree and evolution of mitochondrial intergenic spacers.Maximum likelihood tree (?ln?=?44305.147421) inferred from the aag13sp-set ALN. The analysis was performed by applying the GTR+G evolutionary model and according to the most complex partitioning scheme described in the main text. Blue-coloured numbers indicate bootstrap values expressed as percentage, whereas red-coloured numbers indicate posterior probabilities computed through Bayesian inference analysis on the same data set. The scale bar represents 0.1 substitutions/site. Occurrence and evolutionary pathway of isps exhibiting a uniqueness in term of genomic position plus sequence identity. Multiple alignments of isps, representing unique molecular signatures, are provided with invariant positions depicted on a blue background. Red/pink background is used to identify nucleotides characterizing peculiar clades. Single sequences/multiple alignments of isps, not representing unique molecular signatures, are depicted on a purple background. The inset on the bottom shows the placement of isps in the lepidopteran complete mitochondrial genome. Genes are coloured as in Figure 1.