Fly Me Friendly

• 60 knot winds ripping around Melbourne & Victoria this morning are keeping us all on the ground today… #

• No ballooning today (high winds) and tomorrow’s looking bad – in fact, it’s not looking good until Wednesday or later :( #
• Late #FollowFriday: @pcdu @stevevisscher @FlightExpQV @stevenpam @RetailCare @jetwhine @stephenforce @airplanegeeks @maxflight @danwebbage #
• #FollowFriday 2: @karlacourtney @redbaronsydney @simpliflying @davidoptimal @flightorg @wilcofilms @smoke_on @downwindcomau @matthallracing #

• At the Balloon Association of Victoria meeting – easing into it with a beer :) #
• BAV meeting over – now heading home to record @pcdu episode with @stevevisscher :) #
• At the hotel to meet our pax – looks like we’ll get a flight in – driving the new Mercedes bus – bigger than I’m used to, that’s for sure :) #
• Arrive at Box Hill & checking out the sports field that Rob intends landing on – surface is wet but ground is firm underneath – excellent :) #
• Another great day to fly hot air balloons over Melbourne – now to go refuel, clean & put everything away – next few days look crap to fly :( #

• Low cloud in Melbourne this evening – can’t see the tops of half the buildings in the city, let alone the 1,000′ Eureka tower :) #

• WTF is up with the hipocracy of the US government? CEOs are bad for using bizjets but .gov gets more? Where are the torches & pitch forks? #
• Listening to @airplanegeeks episode #60 – what a HOOT! I’m lovin’ this interpodcast rivalry with @stevevisscher & I on @pcdu :) #
• Thought I’d have time for @pcdu – HAH! Spent today fixing computers for friends & tomorrow as well (plus meetings & an interview) oh well :) #

• Standing in a light, misty rain watching airliners on descent through the clouds – shafts of light announcing their arrival – beautiful! :) #
• Home with a sick kid, so I just subscribed @pcdu to a stack of podcast collection sites – now to see if the moderators accept it :) #

• AusDesk segement for the next @AirplaneGeeks podcast is done & sent – will record the @PCDU episode with @stevevisccher when he recovers :) #
• Bad news: my day job contract is winding up. Good news: more time to build @pcdu, blogs, study met theory & be available to crew balloons :) #

The latest trailer for A Pilot’s Story is up on their site. All three trailers are there, so you should go over and check them out. The third trailer was first shown as part of the nightly entertainment at Oshkosh 2009 and it’s wonderful.

I’ve been following the development of A Pilot’s Story through a discussions, interviews and plugs on a number of aviation podcasts. Will Hawkins of the Pilot’s Flight Podlog podcast and Rico Sharqawi have teamed up to form Wilco Films, an independent film company that, amongst other projects, is producing A Pilot’s Story.

From all that I’m hearing, A Pilot’s Story will be up there with One Six Right as it goes to the heart of why we fly and the joy of first solo, all accompanied with beautiful high definition imagery.

The guys are seeking funding to help complete the movie and distribute it. There’s a donation button on the web site. Help out if you can ‘cos this is a movie that deserves to be delivered.

At the least, go and watch the trailers. The latest one is great, and not just ‘cos it’s got balloons in it :)

• Ask for Tech Crew! :) RT @pcdu Another flight on @VAustralia coming up. Hoping to be able to interview some crew members if possible. #
• RT @pcdu Episode 4 is live on the iTunes feed & at http://www.planecrazydownun... – been up for about 2.5 hours & already over 20 d/l’s :) #

• #SydneyFly was a lot of fun – a few beers, some nibbles and chatting with people about flying, airlines, airports & social networking :) #
• Thanks to all who made it to #SydneyFly & helped make it so much fun – so good to share stories & opinions with everyone :) #
• On another QANTAS 763 but now to head home – this time sitting over the wing – better than the seat in the back I had coming up here :) #
• Landed on RWY 27 at YMML after a comfortable flight – clear skies under high cloud so Melbourne looked gorgeous as we came in #
• Just finished listening to the @AirplaneGeeks podcast with @SteveVisscher – what a hoot – wish I could have made it (danged work! :( #
• Home at last – yay :) #