Elle on Travel: Of Interest to Aviator Types

For some years I have been afflicted with the belief that flight is possible to man. --Wilbur Wright

Recent travel with friends and family took me to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I soon realized that we were very, very close to an important site to aviators worldwide: Kill Devil Hills (Kitty Hawk). In 1903, this windy expanse was where the Wright Brothers did their glider experiments and are recognized as having successfully made the first sustained powered aircraft flight...While at the Wright Bros. National Memorial, I walked the length of the marker for the first flight (120 feet) to the 4th--852 feet away from the takeoff point. Looking back down the way, I realized how phenomenal that must have been at the time. People thought they were crazy...
...but thanks to them, we can cross oceans and have even left the Earth altogether. We now take for granted what was but a dream to them then.

Caledon Firth Anniversary Regatta!

A year ago the Caledon Firth's expanse of central water void sims were created. They have become very popular and used for the recreation of Caledon's citizens for both aviation and sailing. Today, in an event hosted by Dia, the new Duchess of Sound, many of us came to celebrate with a regatta! I donned my European-style sailor's outfit...And took my fast little sailboat for a spin around the Firth...
Upon our return, we also took to the sky as well and I accepted a ride from DrBob Margulies in his new balloon by Miss Ilsa Munroe...We all flew along the Southern coast of the Firth from one end to the other, turning around to attend the formal...
DrBob and I decided to take a more direct route upwards to the dance platform upon reaching Sound. That is Lionsgate in the background...

And Elle Goes "Splat"!

"Hellooo! Come see my new toy!" I came outside of the shop to see Eds, aka Miss Caledon herself, in a very interesting steampunky air vehicle made by Loki Mahana of Castleworks. My reputation as a crash test dummy for new air vehicles precedes me (see any previous postings involving Kheph Enoch and flying), so of course I hopped in!We took to the air above Regency before finding ourselves in a rather unusual predicament...
We were in a nose dive spin that would not stop! "That is it! I'm getting airsick! We'll have to jump!" Eds said. "We have to what?!" I said as we stood up. "On the count of three. One...two...THREE!" she shouted over the din of the engines and we leapt out of the airship. I dusted myself off after my hard landing despite my parachute. "Are you alright Elle?" she asked and I nodded. "That was fun! I can't wait until it's truly ready!"

Air Commander Connolly--Tiny Flyer!

RCAF Air Commander Zoe Connolly decided to be tiny fox tonight and go flying...I personally love how agile tiny planes are...
That is her flying above me, and she enjoyed it so much that she has announced an upcoming tiny dogfight--in tiny dog AVs in the weeks ahead...
We both "hoooo'd" as she landed the plane. Way too much fun!

RCAF Screamin' Tinies Uniform!

After a certain Air Chief (by the name of Messmer) said he wanted one way too many times, I sat down and created the tiny version of the RCAF uniform. It will be distributed to all members of the Screamin' Tinies squadron and made available to those who would like one...I thought I'd test Mr Denver Hax's Boojum Bomber, which has beautiful textures...
I took it for a few laps around the Firth. It handled sim crossings beautifully, was very (almost too) responsive, and...
Was the first tiny aeroplane (airships aside) that I've actually managed to land on the runway! I will test its TCS and bombing capabilities another time...

Tiny by Sea and Air

I thought I'd take my little sailboat out for a spin. I think some folks in Morgaine did a double take at seeing a tiny ferret sail by...Afterwrads, I thought I'd test Denver Hax's tiny version of his JubJub Airship Bomber. It was a nice leisurely ride around the Firth to the Sound and back. It handled sim crossing very well and was easy to fly, using a Boomslang-style system...
And for once, I was actually able to land on the runway!

Aviatrix Skeeter

Sometimes, you just feel like taking to the air! I decided to create this flying outfit for myself (the goggles are not by me, but everything else is)...I decided to take the Cricket out for a spin...I got all the way around the Firth twice before being taken out in Murdann. My plane was recovered in Vic City. The next time I didn't do half badly either, but the third go, my aeroplane...well, took off from Penzance without me--and somehow ended up on Mr Drinkwater's land in the Highlands! Oh my! So sorry sir!
Once I recovered from my aviation mishap, I went to a flash rave at Carntaigh to debut Radio Riel's newest music presenter, Miss Jun Karoda...Here is Mr Hassanov wearing one of my new metal top hats...It just seemed right for him, no?

At the Aerodrome

I felt like flying and went to the Aerodrome to test out Mr D. Hax's tiny Boojum Bomber. I didn't get a chance......As I got caught up in conversations with the rest of the Crazies who were glad to see me back! In front of me is Biggles' tiny steampunky seaplane. All I could say was "Ooo! Ooo! Ooo!"

Skeeter's Flight Log: Connolly's Crazies

Some of Connolly's Crazies were gathered at the Aerodrome. Air Chief Biggles was playing a round of En Garde with Miss Pamus "Soapy" Bing as Pilot Officer CronoCloud "Maven" Creegan, Air Chief Phineas "Liftoff" Messmer and I watched. Biggles then went on to demonstrate Mr Denver hax's new bombs...I thought that I would try out my new Frederickson Airships wonderfully steampunky Flight Hawk. This was my longest flight to date! Once I got the controls down, I was in the air for over 15 minutes despite the rolling restarts that were literally taking out Caledon sims to the left and right of me. Quite harrowing, but the Hawk handled well. I do like this one! Now, I just need to learn how to land it...

Caledon Morgaine, Pipin' Hot!

Here I am in my plane flying over Morgaine, fresh out of the LL oven! I can not wait to see what this will look like once it is terraformed and the amazing levitating mountain is added!My only problem was that upon hitting the sim crossing, I lost my wonderful plane--which was unfortunately no copy(!!!!) This is a situation that most of us have encountered at some point whether on land, air or sea. I am a designer and merchant myself, so I understand protecting one's work, but please vehicle designers--no copy equals a problem when sim crossings and full parcels make vehicle travel so unpredictable! Mod/Copy or No Mod/Copy is fine as long as it is no transfer! Arrrrgh!!

Caledon Screamin' Tinies of the RCAF

Who knew I that am a MUCH better pilot as a tiny?!While talking to Air Marshal "Foxy" Connolly, we discussed the creation of a tiny air squadron for the Royal Caledon Air Force and I suggested a name for it (I seem to have a knack for that!)...
You're looking at Flight LT Elle "Skeeter" Laval of the Caledon Screamin' Tinies squadon!Don't let my pretty dress from earlier fool you...Air Chief Marshal "Biggles" Trenton remarked upon my propensity for mayhem and love of explosive things. Here I am standing next to my plane...
While we were all chatting, Mr Izaea Qinan stopped through to show us a creation to consider after he tweaks it to more steampunk standards. It was quite a nice vehicle. I wonder how it handles...

In the Skies Above Caledon

While chatting with Miss Connolly about my upcoming little storefront in Babbage, I was inspired to give flying an aircraft another go. Most of my efforts have been rather disastrous and usually involving water, but tonight, I felt brave and daring so I headed over to the Aerodrome, where Cap'n Trenton met me...My first attempt crash-landed in the waters at Murdann, but I thought I'd try again, lining up on the runway and getting settled in my Demoiselle...
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!
This time, I actually brought her in for a landing! "Not sideways, or upside-down, but even--on the wheels!" Cap'n Trenton said. Of course, we had to celebrate with a galvanic swordstick fight!

Mr McMillan's Wild Ride...

After my tour of the interior, Mr. McMillan offered me an aerial view in his copter. I hopped on the back and held on tight!A daring, skilled pilot, I cheered as we dipped and swerved around the Southern duchies. At one point, we hovered for a moment to wave at Lord Vid, who was reclining under a tree at Cymru, before zooming off again...
The views really were breathtaking...
...and we landed in the main hall--the first time I had ever been on an air vehicle and not ended up upside-down in water at the end! Thank you for the ride sir! It was a lot of fun!!!

Up, Up and Away Tiny-Style!

Thought I'd fire up the tiny Boomslang airship for the first time and take my small ferretty self for a ride...Went across Regency and Eyre and on to the skies above the Sound and Firth waters. Came upon the storm in Speirling...
And had a flying fish following me...
...before flying over my store andneighborhood in Mayfair...
...of course, I hit a full parcel and landed upside down in water in Victoria City!

E. Laval, Crash Tester & Steampunk Model

I love the inventors and scripters of Caledon. Their imaginations come to life within their creations and lead to interesting things happening on a regular basis. I was out sailing my tako the other day when Mr. Enoch whizzed by on his hovering aircraft and offered me a ride. Echoes of Capt. Trenton's "It's a prototype so...well...hope you have insurance..." when he offered me the Suicide Runner rang through my head, but I shook that feeling off and me being me...of course I hopped onboard!

Mr. Enoch and I whizzed over Caledon's Firth border sims and it was a lot of fun...and then the parcel hit. "Aaaiigh!" I said as we went down, upside-down in some water. Was this payback for my hair-raising Runner ride with him the other day? I laughed, wet, and turned the water out of my wings before hopping on again! So, when he asked for a model for his "Flaming Flying Piano" (which does play!) ad I was game. How could I resist dressing up AND a flying piano on fire? We got in some good shots before taking it for a spin...and hitting a parcel and ending up upside-down in Tangle!
"We really must stop ending our meetings this way Miss Laval!" he said. "I suppose," I said. "But where would the adventure and fun be in that?!"