With this issue, it's almost all she wrote for 2025. 💥 We kick off with Editor @terencecgannon.com enthusing about Japanese animé. He then takes a crack at the practice of directly linking press releases and then wraps up with the first annual Roy Bishop Stokes Aviation Book Christmas List. | 🛩️ 🥇

In the final section of this month's editorial, Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com credits cover photographer @goodnrg.bsky.social, who also captures stunning images of our natural world 🌎 like this little fellow. 🐸 Thanks again for your enthusiasm and your wonderful cover for November, Cheryl. 🙏🏻

Hey, @talkhoops.bsky.social: based on last night's fixtures, at least, the @nba.com Cup games seem to be taking on a distinctly All-Star, all-uncontested offense, no-defense vibe. Thoughts? 🤔 Or maybe it's just me. 🤡 | 🏀

Okay, this ticks ✅ a lot of boxes. (📸 LEGO) | 🛩️ 🔍 🥇

Just out today: « IndiaOne Air Signs Letter of Intent for up to Ten De Havilland Canada Twin Otter Series 300-G Aircraft at the Dubai Airshow » Works for me. 🙌🏻 (📸 De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited) | 🛩️ 📰 | 🔗 dehavilland.com/partnerships...

Amongst the gaggle of 172s chugging around the circuit today at Springbank, there was this very unusual sighting: a Seawind 3000, which its manufacturer bills as « world's fastest amphibious aircraft. » It certainly seemed quite spry on departure. | 🛩️ 🦆 📹 📍 🇨🇦 | 🔗 seawindaero.com?utm_source=t...

Tell you what: when you’re done with all of this, give us a call. | 🍁

My reaction to that publicity stunt yesterday. | 🏀

We're pleased to formally announce our brand-new imprint dedicated to bringing back the classics. The best part? Avergreen articles feature a pristine format optimised for the human reading experience. Watch for the 🌲 emojitag in the near future, for the very best of legacy aviation writing. | 🛩️ 🥇

Two CH-146 Griffons, which I believe were from 417 Combat Support Squadron out of Cold Lake, made an appearance at Springbank yesterday afternoon. Despite the gusty, swirling winds, the outstanding pilots made slipping these brawny helicopters … | 🛩️ ⚔️ 🚁 📍 🇨🇦 | 🧵 1/3 | 🔗 www.canada.ca/en/air-force...

These Pilatus' PC-12s are really elegant-looking aircraft. Also, I can somehow imagine a through line from my own modest piloting accomplishments to at least the right seat in one of these. Probably not, but I'd like to think it might be so, regardless. | 🛩️ 📍 🇨🇦

You don't see one of these every day, at least not around here: a @sikorskyair.bsky.social EH-60A Black Hawk in civilian livery. Spotted today at Springbank. | 🛩️ 🚁 📍 🇨🇦

Just another election in 'no drama Canada': well-organized, well-trained, and pleasant staff with a substantial number of chatty voters patiently waiting in line. In and out in five minutes. There is absolutely no reason not to vote, folks! | 🍁 🗳️ | 🔗 www.electionscalgary.ca/for-voters/w...

This month, Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com leads off with this month's barnstorming-themed cover photo triggering him to soliloquise about his not-yet-written screen adaptation of Richard Bach's 'Nothing by Chance'. But he could use your help. (📸 Richard 'Zulu' Souza | Full Disc Aviation) | 🛩️

My third go 'round with sourdough baguettes from a Sylvia Fountaine recipe found on her 'Feasting at Home' site. Made with Organic Unbleached Bread Flour from The Scottish Mill. The only tweak was to add some diastatic malt powder as per Maurizio Leo. | 🥖 | 🔗 www.feastingathome.com/sourdough-ba...

Friday Pizzapalooza 🍕 Homemade crust; Olivieri® 🍁 Classic alfredo sauce; sliced barbecue chicken with Weber® Kick ‘n Chicken® seasoning; pre-cooked and crumbled Greenfield bacon; Armstrong 🍁 mozzarella; cup 'n char pepperoni from Lina's Italian Market 🍁; sliced red onion; … | 🧵 1/2

Look who's back in town: the 2Solitude 'Airshow Camper' conversion of an Antonov AN-2 captured yesterday at Springbank. | 🛩️ 🦆 📹 📍 🇨🇦 | 🔗 www.2solitude.com

Hey, NBC Sports: just so you know, the fans at the Ryder Cup are rendering your coverage unwatchable. | 🤡

Picked this up at Lina's Market Hall yesterday evening. I may not be able to afford the car, but at least I can afford the coffee. | ☕️ | 🧵 1/2 | 🔗 toninolamborghinicanada.ca?utm_source=t...

If you'd like a feed with nothing but military aviation or, conversely, a feed with everything but, we have two new @bsky.app Custom Feeds for your perusal. Or perhaps you like your aircraft motorless? If so, we have a Custom Feed for that, too. Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com explains. | 🛩️ ⚔️

Friday Pizzapalooza 🍕 Homemade crust; Cirio pizza sauce; Armstrong 🍁 mozzarella; fontina; cheddar; pre-rendered Piller's 🍁 cooked and chopped chorizo; Venetian 🍁 dry-cured pepperoni; … | 🧵 1/2

This is quite stunning: Boeing announces Westjet's order for sixty 737-10s with options for an additional twenty-five, along with seven 787-9 jets with options for an additional four. According to Boeing's press release (below), it's Westjet's largest single order ever. | 🛩️

It's a new month 💥 and September, for Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com, will forever mean one thing: the Reno Air Races. 🏁 He also announces some exciting new Custom Feeds, toys with the idea of a BluFly mailing list, and explains the new, slimmed-down profile name. (📸 Don Ramey Logan) | 🛩️ 🥇

An outstanding review of Daphne du Maurier’s classic gothic novel ‘Rebecca’ on @velshi.com’s ‘Banned Book Club’ today, including a thoroughly engaging conversation with @egangoonsquad.bsky.social. TV thoroughly worth watching. | 📺 📚 | 🧵 1/2

Friday Pizzapalooza 🍕 Homemade crust; Mutti Classic pizza sauce; Piller's 🍁 cooked and chopped chorizo; Armstrong 🍁 mozzarella; red onion; mystery homegreen pepper; fennel seed, all baked on a heat-soaked stone for seven and a half minutes at 500°F with convection. | 🧵 1/2

I'll sleep well at night knowing the next generation of Albertans' knowledge of the world is based on the Hardy Boys, World Book Encyclopedia, and Roget's Thesaurus. | 🤦🏻‍♂️

Even though they were completed fifty-six years apart, the builders of both this RV-7A and the previously posted 'Bird Dog' chose the same paint(less) scheme. Not only does leaving your rivet work exposed take guts and lots of elbow grease, it absolutely never gets old. | 🛩️ 📍 🇨🇦

If the exquisite 'Praetor 500' in my previous Springbank post represents one end of the General Aviation spectrum, then this 'Bird Dog' likely represents the other; the one warbird I would have a fighting chance of flying with my measly ~100 hours of flight experience. | 🛩️ 📹 ⚔️ 📍 🇨🇦

Friday Pizzapalooza 🍕 Homemade crust; Mutti Classic pizza sauce; Armstrong 🍁 mozzarella; fennel seed; homemade hot peppers; Piller's 🍁 Cup 'n Char pepperoni; crushed red pepper flakes all baked on a heat-soaked stone for … | 🧵 1/2

Delighted to hear the tariffs have been removed from the orange juice 🍊 I will not, in a million years, ever drink again. | 🍁

An unexpected visit from an Embraer 'Praetor 500' at Springbank yesterday afternoon. Turns out it was simply waiting for an empty slot at CYYC, so they could reposition when one was available later in the evening. So question for Air Sprint, the aircraft's operator: when … | 🛩️ 📍 🇨🇦 | 🧵 1/3

Okay, so this is the first time seeing one of these at Springbank: a Game Aerospace GB1 'GameBird'. You'll definitely want to turn the sound up for this one. | 🛩️ 📍 🇨🇦

The 'Turbine Legend' flies! Back at the beginning of July, the first flight was imminent, and now it's already part of this magnificent aircraft's history. | 🛩️ 📹 📍 🇨🇦 | 🧵 1/2

This Diamond Aircraft DA62 had at least one cowl off and was doing some engine testing yesterday at Springbank. The Austro diesel aircraft engines run on jet fuel and make a wonderful purring sound when at idle, as was the case in this shot. | 🛩️ 📍 🇨🇦

Is Taylor Swift 🎶 in town? Actually, no, but it's nice to know that when she does come to Calgary, she can slip unobtrusively into Springbank and avoid all the paparazzi. 📸 Except Michelle and I. We'll be there. In fact, if she lets us know ahead of time, we'll put the kettle 🫖 on. | 🛩️ 📍 🇨🇦

This magic carpet (also known as a TBM 900) had just arrived from Kelowna yesterday afternoon at Springbank. | 🛩️ 📹 📍 🇨🇦

Friday Pizzapalooza 🍕 Homemade crust; Olivieri® 🍁 Classic alfredo sauce; Armstrong 🍁 mozzarella; San Daniele® 🍁 prosciutto; Parmigiano-Reggiano; baked on a heat-soaked stone for seven and a half minutes at 500°F with convection. | 🧵 1/2

I usually post this video on Christmas Eve, but with the sad news of naval aviator, test pilot, and astronaut Jim Lovell having gone west, it's entirely appropriate to post it today. This world very much needs more Jim Lovell, not less. | 🌎 🚀 🌖

As is his wont, from time to time, Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com waxes philosophical in his editorial this month. 🥱 This time, it's about this left wheel fairing of a certain RV-6 and his hope that it might escort him — or perhaps he will escort it? — to Oshkosh someday. (📸 Alex Doughty) | 🛩️

A SNAFU with a brined and smoked chicken led to this giant Chicken Tetrazzini from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe. I screwed up the brine concentration, making the chicken very salty. By omitting all the salt from the Tet recipe, the net saltiness was perfect. | 🔗 www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giad...

We're back with a brand new issue. 💥 This time, Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com takes a crack at Oshkosh envy, the late Johnny Carson's *other* gift and its contribution to this month's editorial, and finally, some hard data and hard truths as to why the honeymoon is over with @bsky.app. | 🛩️ 🥇

An interesting new article by @scottsimmie.bsky.social‬ of InDro Robotics, wherein: « a newly funded research initiative that will explore delivering healthcare supplies by drone to three separate rural Indigenous communities … » Continue reading with link below. | 🛩️ 🚁 ⚡️ 📹 🥇 | 🧵 1/2

Looks like fun: a nice Cessna 185 amphib heads for the active at Springbank today, and then departs seemingly for some test flying out near Sundre. Also, my first chance to try out my new Manfrotto monopod recently purchased from the helpful folks at @thecamerastoreinc.bsky.social‬. | 🛩️ 🦆 📹 📍 🇨🇦

Question for @bikebikeyyc.bsky.social or anybody who might know: is there any organization in Southern Alberta offering custom bicycle frame building courses? Paul Brodie used to run one out of @goufv.bsky.social — something like his course. (📸 Cyfac via Wikimedia under CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped) | 🚴🏻‍♂️

Question for @bsky.app, @jay.bsky.team, @pfrazee.com, or anybody else that might know: does the presence and/or quality of the ALT text in Bluesky posts have any impact on rankings in the Discover feed? | 🦋 (actual footage of us working our fingers to the bone trying to write helpful ALT texts ⬇️)

An excellent story @pbsnews.org , @wbrangham.bsky.social and Diane Estes. However, focusing on the nonsensical, throwaway 51st state rhetoric misses the bigger issue: I suggest there are much greater concerns discouraging not only us Canadians', but *all* foreign tourists' travel to the US. | 🍁

The tragic news of Felix Baumgartner having gone west far too soon left us feeling very sad 😢 here in the home office. We choose to memorialise him this way: with the best TV commercial ever made, which he both narrates and in which he's featured. His words therein are all that need be said. | 🛩️ 📹

Well done to the Raptors who are 'leading with defense' and have jumped out to 3-0 and top spot in their @NBA.com Summer League division. Also, kudos to commentators Tom Crean and Drew Carter for their outstanding work on these games. They are truly showing how it's done. (📸 @ESPN.com) | 🏀 🦖

A very nice Eclipse EA500 on the taxiway at Springbank this past weekend. With its T-tail, twin engines, straight wings, and tip tanks, it reminds me of a baby Learjet. | 🛩️ 📹 📍 🇨🇦

Planespotting in the backyard: this just flew right over the house. It would seem to fit the planform of a C-17, but the best guess would be the Canadian equivalent, known as the CC-177, as at least one has been in the area of late. | 🛩️ ⚔️