howwwzattt... mister postman...

Not too long ago, I never dreamed of seeing a mode of long distance communication without wires or cables attached to the apparatus itself. Even landlines or house phones were treated as a luxury items to many except for businesses and the fortunate ones.

To most of us normal folks, it is always the normal mail and to receive a reply from one it may get days or even weeks should the recipient finally decides to reply. Mister Postmen were known by their first names back then and it was a normal thing to see people sitting in front of the house waiting for the red bicycle riding VIP to stop by or at least a glimpse of him (at least he is not on strike), well perhaps tomorrow he will stop. He must!!!

Today, they still doing the delivery but mainly confine only to utility bills and reminders from the banks and using a more advance mode of transportation than the bicycles.

Then came along the mobile phone technologies and it started with just voice calls till someone from the R&D department realized that short messaging system is an equally if not more profitable to the network providers. For the past 5 years, the technology evolves so rapidly that it only takes a week for a new model with enhancements on steroid to replace a previous one.

Nowadays, everyone is using a smartphone. IPhone and Blackberry are the most common apart from the HTC and Samsung. No longer using the phone for idiots which is the early version of Nokia hence the simplicity of using it with closed eyes.

In Jakarta, I saw a single individual using 3 Blackberry smartphones of the same model. What the…

I guess one is for Facebook, the other one is for BBM and the other one is for emails? What about phone calls and SMSes? I guess they share those functions too. With the Wi-Fi capability, one doesn’t need to subscribe to any network, just be inside the Wi-Fi perimeters and there you go. Web browsing, facebooking, emailing you name it. A wonder of a small thing could do to mankind.

When Alexander Graham Bell accidentally invented the device, little did he know the impact of his creation to the world.

My BBM hasn’t gives me any sign of incoming message for two days now. Just like the days of the glorious Mister Postman where everyone knows him by his first name, I shall wait… forever and always…

howwwzattt... relapse pt. 2...

Yong Moh Kembara: Teman prefer yang dia ni...

Again, sleep has left him. Years ago he held back fighting for it until he could no longer stands the effect, he got just a remedy for it, but the remedy itself is destroying him bit by bit, little by little. At last he got a professional advice; he turned to pills popping for a few months and later reducing it with the guidance from his physician.

This time again it came but not because of what he had experience earlier but because he is restless and thinking of something. No, he won’t go into what he had left for he fears that he will no longer able to turn back and face the world. It is a kind of anticipation that is troubling him now. A power you have but of no use since you can’t use it for the moment.

He has to wait, because he is willing to. Be it will takes his lifetime in waiting, he shall. For what lies ahead gives him the will to live and move forward…

howwwzattt... relapse...

He waited nervously for the curtain to be raised. It has been always like that as far as he can remember. How the crowd would react to him, is he still relevant to the masses, will they appreciate things that he has for them.

Things are getting more difficult for him nowadays, it’s not like when he was young where everything was simple, he was simple then and yet the crowd loves him nonetheless.

Tonight he feels he is reaching his ending, his final curtain. Tonight he will do something different. Tonight he will go on stage and make a headline for years to come and for those watching him, seeing him perform lives will tell the generation after them that what a wonderful performance and a wonderful night they have.

“Quietly now while I turn the page… act one is over without costume change… the principal would like to leave the stage… the crowd don’t understand…” - Rod Steward

howwwzattt... for your info...

INFO: MIAT, POLITECHNIC AND METC CAREER GUIDE.

The airline industry is an ever-changing field. There are many types of aircraft being used today, including freight, commercial passenger and private passenger planes. Each plane has to be built, maintained and fixed when something goes wrong. The field of airplane mechanics is a growing and always changing area of job exploration. Skills as an aircraft mechanic can be utilized in the commercial airline field or at an airfield with private aircraft. They can also be used to work where airplanes are sold and brought in for maintenance and repair. It is a field that promises to continue expanding and as the world continues to globalize the opportunities will continue to increase.

Maintenance mechanics in the aviation industry are responsible for the safety of airplanes. As an important member of the maintenance team, an aviation mechanic will repair, service, and overhaul aircraft systems. These mechanics work with many different parts of an airplane, such as the propeller, engine, aircraft instrumentation and the electrical and hydraulic systems. The aviation industry has seen dramatic changes in the recent past due to the changes in structural materials, computer technology and solid-state electronics. Aviation mechanics service various aircraft systems. Each mechanic is assigned a specific responsibility for a different section of the aircraft. Aircraft mechanics are responsible for the inspection and repair of airplane engines and systems in accordance with specifications stated in technical publications.

Mechanics in the aviation industry will be required to comply with difficult maintenance schedules. Maintenance schedules are often interrupted by unexpected aircraft repairs that cannot be postponed. An aircraft mechanics may work long shifts that often include weekends, holidays and nights. Most of their time will be spent outdoors where most aircrafts are repaired and maintained. In addition, aviation mechanics will often find themselves surrounded by very loud noises, as much of their work is done in and next to loud aircraft engines.

The working life of an aircraft mechanic can be extremely varied. Aircraft maintenance is a hands-on job, so you’ll need to be practical and dedicated to unusual hours to excel in this job. Adjust, align, and calibrate aircraft systems using hand tools, gauges, and test equipment. Aircraft Mechanics are required to have their own hand tools. An aircraft mechanic job duties and responsibilities are innumerable but very crucial. This is because if not well done it could result in plane crashes and loss of lives. The duties include:

1. Carry out engineers, Lead Technicians and Technicians orders.

2. Test engine and system operations using test equipment.

3. Use tools such as ignition analyzers, compression checkers, distributor timers and ammeters.

4. Take apart and inspect parts for wear, warping or other defects.

5. Maintain aircraft systems by flushing crankcases, cleaning screens, greasing moving parts, and checking brakes.

6. Assemble and install electrical, plumbing, mechanical, hydraulic, structural, parts and accessories.

7. Use hand tools and power tools.

8. Remove or install engine.

9. Read, understand and work from aircraft maintenance manuals and specifications.

10. Modify aircraft parts or components.

11. Responsible for the general service and repair of an aircraft.

12. Resolves engine and hydraulic faults.

13. Inspects and repairs radar and communications equipment.

14. Line maintenance at airports.

15. Works on carrying out minor and major defects.

16. Makes spot-checks on security and safety issues.

17. Adjusting, aligning and calibrating of engine systems.

18. Repair the systems for any faults.

19. Inspect the engines.

20. Determine the tools and all the equipment required to perform a certain job.

21. Find problem areas and solve them.

22. Install all electrical and plumbing equipment.

23. Doing all the servicing and maintenance duties.

24. Performing inspections.

25. Controlling operations.

26. Watching of gauges and dials to ensure that everything is running, as it should.

27. Recognize any problems that may arise.

28. Examine and inspect engines or other components for cracks, breaks, or leaks.




Skills and Specifications:

To become an aircraft mechanic the skills and specifications required include:

1. Good written and oral communication skills.

2. Be able to work under pressure.

3. Possess technical and functional skills.

4. Be agile.

5. Have good hearing and eyesight.

6. Able to pay attention to detail.

Important skills, knowledge and abilities for Aircraft Mechanics include:

Installation - Correctly installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs.

Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Repairing – Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Problem Identification - Identifying the nature of problems.

Troubleshooting - Determining what is causing an operating error and deciding what to do about it.

Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Product Inspection - Inspecting and evaluating the quality of products.

Testing - Conducting tests to decide whether equipment, software, or procedures are working as expected.

Good in problems solving.





Aircraft Mechanic Jobs – Required Skills:

• Good team player •Hands-on, practical approach to work

• Flexible in terms of working hours

• A fast learner and good attitude.

• Close attention to detail •An investigative mind

• Patience and dedication

Work Environment:

Aviation mechanics must be prepared for a working environment that can be stressful at times, having to work to tight deadlines and flight schedules. They also have the responsibility of maintaining strict safety standards. They often suffer from work-related injuries from having to lift heavy objects and put themselves into awkward positions. The hangars and repair stations mechanics work in can be very noisy, and mechanics need to wear ear protection

Working Conditions:

Mechanics usually work in hangars or in other indoor areas. When hangars are full or when repairs must be made quickly, they can work outdoors, sometimes in unpleasant weather. Mechanics often work under time pressure to maintain flight schedules or in general aviation, to keep from inconveniencing customers. At the same time, mechanics have a tremendous responsibility to maintain safety standards, and this can cause the job to be stressful.

Frequently, mechanics must lift or pull objects weighing more than 70 pounds. They often stand, lie, or kneel in awkward positions and occasionally must work in precarious positions, such as on scaffolds or ladders. Noise and vibration are common when engines are being tested, so ear protection is necessary.

Nature of the Work:

Some Mechanics work out on the airfield on "flight lines" where aircraft park in order to make emergency repairs. Conditions can be hot day or rainy day, depending on the weather. Others work inside hangars and in repair shops that afford good lighting, heat, and air conditioning. A major discomfort of the job is caused by the noise from power tools and from aircraft in the process of testing, taking off and landing. Minor scratches and skinned knuckles from tool slippage are the most frequent injuries in this work. Burns from welding equipment and hot engine surfaces, and falls from ladders or scaffolds are less common.

Flight line jobs at airports can be physically demanding. Work often requires climbing on ladders or scaffolds, crawling under wings, or fitting into tight spaces. Work must often be performed under time pressure to maintain airline flight schedules. At the same time, Aircraft Mechanics cannot sacrifice high work standards to speed up the job.


As an aircraft mechanic you should take everything seriously because of the RESPONSIBILITY you have in making sure that an airplane is airworthy and that repairs are done to specification.Good Luck.


NOTE: Taken from E&M Portal

howwwzattt...soooo laju one...

The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) has unveiled a new hypersonic passenger project at the Paris Le Bourget air show.

The group says that jet hypersonic jet that is twice the speed of Concorde. The jet will fly above the atmosphere and use biofuel to take off from a runway initially. This will allow the plane to avoid the supersonic boom and pollution seen in concede.

It is not a Concorde but it looks like a Concorde, showing that aerodynamics of the 1960s were very smart.EADS officials said that the jet will not be operational until around 2040. . The plane is being developed in collaboration with Japan and will be able to carry 50-100 passengers at a time.

The jet will use Ramjet engines, which power missiles and will cruise at altitudes of 32km and travel at about four times the speed of sound. The project, known as ZEHST (zero emission high speed transport), is being developed with the help from EADS' space arm Astrium.

According to a report, the jet will use a mix of biofuel, hydrogen and water for its flight. EADS said that it expects the travelers to pay about £5000 for a return trip from London to New York.

Taken from MAS E&M Portal.

howwwzattt... the dream merchant...

Not too far in the distant future, lives an old man in a small cabin by the foot of the Himalayan, or is it the Andes, or is it on the vast plain of the great Mongolia and one never knows.

Some say the old man came from a far faraway place where the people, his people were pretty much different from the place he is now.

Nobody knows why he is there, by chance or by his own admission and only selected few knew the mystery which shrouded his person but those selected few too were long gone before they could tell the tale to the world.

On certain days when his hands are not shaking and his bones are not cracking, he would just graze his eyes to the east where the sun rises as if he remembers something and try hard to recollect what’s left from his memory and mind which never failed him since the day he made his pact, his promise, his only vow to those who had listen.

He is far from the modernization but not that far from the civilization where once in a while hunters and travelers would come by and sit along with him and they would exchange sweet and bitter tales from their journeys. On some cold nights he would offer them his homemade ale and in returns they would listen to his story.

He himself had lost his track on time because to him, time is just an infinite space that travels too fast and before one could grab the moment, it’s gone forever.

He is the last of his kind but before his time is up, he has to live with the burden of his memories of something that once he had embrace into his mind, heart and soul…

howwwzattt...of being sexist and telling the fact...

Bung collides with MPs, which was what The Star had carried out in its news today. This is not new in the Dewan Rakyat when not long ago he too was under fire when making sexist remark on women on how they “leak” every month.

He was wrong at that time I guess and yes he was being typically sexist in making that unnecessary remark.

The latest uproar came when he said that most women drivers were slow and did not pay attention to their surroundings while were at the wheel.

“Some women drivers drive slowly and seem oblivious to traffic. When you honk at them, they get agitated with some even showing hand gestures to other drivers,” during the debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill.

He got it right I say. Well perhaps some of you might think that I’m beginning to join the alpha male league this time around. No, you wrong brader.

Well base from my personal experience, 90% of women do tend to be oblivious to traffic, jumpy and the worse of all is the inconsiderate trait they have when behind the wheels.

Imagine when you’re at a parking lots trying to slot your parking ticket into the machine with cars choking in front and on your back too. Same goes to the next lane besides you and there is only one machine that’s operates.

Male drivers would just take their turn, my lane next lane rule. An unwritten code of conduct when dealing with such situation. But wait, the ladies!!! They just love to inches into the flow without even thinking of the simple system that we had adapted ourselves into.

This happened everywhere, not confine of only getting oneself out of the parking lots. Junctions, toll booth, on a jam packed roads and what not.

You hollered when we tell you the fact, accused us the male species of being sexist but at the same time you just failed to use your reasoning. You demand the same treatment in modern society as men, you formed whatever women liberation associations asking for fairness but when it doesn’t suits you, you accused us with many things.

I’ve nothing against women. My mother, wife, children, girlfriends are all female. But please do reason yourself and just don’t simply get jumpy with the fact that when behind wheel, you do tend to be an INCONSIDERATE person and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

NOTE: I too do get snarling hissing looks from them, sometimes 2 middle fingers LOL...

howwwzattt... rambling and ranting in the wee hours...

They said that when someone dies unexpectedly such as when involved in an accident or even murdered, the brain still remains function for a few more seconds even the body went lifeless without pulse and heartbeat. The brain will keep on registering those last moments until it slowly went dead.

I don’t know how true it is because I did not experience the situation myself but perhaps there were some truth in it.

I have a friend where a few years back involved in a fatal accident which took the lives of his wife and his only child while travelling in his car. He went into a coma for a few days and when he awakes it was just like awaking from a deep sleep where everything seems to be fine and asking for his wife and son but just to be told that they were no longer around to be with him. This was related to me by him.

The last thing on his mind on the impact of the accident before he went blank was them. It was always someone that you love, not even yourself. Perhaps due to the fact that you’re not that sure will they be alright when you no longer around to see their needs and well beings. Or perhaps it was just simply the magnitude of your love towards them...

howwwzattt...the journey continues...

I’m writing again and yes I can’t sleep and it has been quite a while since I had both things coming into my life.

Some writes because it is what they do, some because they’re enjoying it but me, I write or tried to just because there were so much and so many things in my thought that circling non-stop as if there were voices telling me to pour it all out. Pour it all out in letters that will become words, words that will become sentences with commas and dots.

I was never good in essay during my school days and will never be good in it ever. Even with this entry, there is nothing specific about it. I'll just write.

Once not too long ago, I’ve met a songwriter that used to penned down songs for a popular rock band during the 80’s and I asked him why did he never make more songs nowadays since he has the touch in making beautiful songs that can lasted decades if not centuries. Even now his songs were the basic learning songs played by any rockers wannabe in the country just like Paranoid by Black Sabbath and Highway Star by the legendary Deep Purple during my times.

His answer was simple, “Those times I was so poor and miserable without foods to eat, without love to live for and full of miseries. My life was so pathetic that ideas of jotting down the pain and sorrow just came rushing through my veins...", and with that great songs were born.

Yes, great laureates and great poets lead a sad life. Take Chairil Anwar from Indonesia. He was a great man in literature but his life was full of tormented journeys till the day he died. Sometimes it was from their excessive negative lifestyles but it all started because once they lost something. But it was the pain and agony that keeps them moving.

Perhaps we both have something in common. Sadness gives us the adrenaline pleasure that drives us with stupid imaginations and doings beyond the thinking of any rational minds...

Loudness - In My Dreams With Lyrics

IN MY DREAMS - Loudness
Album: Hurricane Eyes (1987)

In my dreams, I was walking alone
The rain falling on my emptiness
In my dreams, I'm a long way from home
I walk through the gates of loneliness
I thought the love we had was in vain
And Just another story
My frozen tears, like the wind against the rain
Slipping from my eyes
In my dreams, in my dreams, without you

In my dreams, shadows fall on my face
And every corner is a different place
In my vision, I would knock on your door
I'd lost all that I was searching for
I thought the sun had come to an end
And you were gone forever
A change of heart, like the echoes in the dark
I fade into the sea

In my dreams, I was turning to stone
Until you opened up my eyes
Whoa, whoa...

howwwzattt... of new year and new resolutions...

New Years has always been a time of celebration and good luck. Different cultures celebrate New Years in their own ways, but almost everyone seems happy, full of hope and enthusiastic about the New Year and thus renews their vows and commitments for a good fortune.

A New Year's resolution is also a commitment that many individuals and/or organizations/business units make on New Year's Eve to bring positive changes and improvements within themselves or their businesses.

Did you know that almost 80% of resolutions fail as early as mid January the next year, and the percentage of failed/abandoned resolutions reaches 95% at around April? Why? Many things come into play: commitment, psychology, stress, fear of a change, the goals set are simply not realistic, people do not feel as equally motivated/energetic throughout the year as they may feel in the very beginning...you name it, people can find a reason not to follow through with their resolutions.

We will look into some tips on how to make realistic and achievable New Year's resolutions.

Think well before hand. Setting a New Year's resolution is a process of planning and setting goals that you really want to achieve. Find something that will improve/change your life, business, relationship, career, physical fitness or financial well-being. Understand that there is a difference between your wishes and what you want and need.For example, if your office is away from your home, you need to drive to your office. You may wish to have an expensive Ferrari to drive there, but that isn't your need. You need to have a car (any car that you can afford) so that you can drive to work, and, as such, your resolution should be about how to buy a new car that you can realistically afford.

Sometimes it's hard to determine what you really want or need, but you have plenty of time until the New Year. Think well, write down all the problems/needs/wants you have and choose which one you really want to get solved and improved. Think whether you only want to achieve the resolution or you are actually willing to achieve it.

Plan your goals and write them down. This will keep you on track during the process and won't let you lose sight of your goals and plans. Use any format you want to write down your plan. You can use a computer or simply write it down on a paper. Write out every step and detail about your goals and the way you want to achieve them. You may want to use different sheets of paper for each goal in order to be more organized and neat.

Set standard SMART goals. The goals you set should meet the following criteria:

Specific: The goal must be specific, concise and simple. It should state what is it that you want in simple understandable words.

Measurable: Your goal should be measurable, you should know and let others know (if they are also affected by your goals such as your employers, business partners, etc.) of what would it mean if you achieve the goal and what it will take to be successful. For example, if your goal is to get a new car, you must state how much money will be required for it, how much extra money will be needed for the tax, etc.

Achievable: Your goal should be achievable and realistic. Be practical. This is the most important step to keep in mind. People usually fail in goals because they set unrealistic goals that are simply not possible within the given scenario.

Relevant: Your goal should be relevant to what you have dreamed of. It should have something that, when you think of achieving it, will motivate you enough to put in the effort and actually achieve it.

Time bound: Your goals should have a time frame. You should specify the time you will need to achieve it. Be careful to set a realistic time frame. If your time frame is too short for the goal to be achieved it may be discouraging and prevent you from achieving it; while on the other hand, if you take too long to achieve a goal, you will soon get exhausted and more likely quit.

Set alternative resolutions as well. Be flexible in your plans and set alternative goals and methods to achieve your desired results, should you need to change your goals and plans. Always have a Plan B so that when Plan A isn't achievable you will have the option to work on plan B.

Start it with your mind. Set your mind and firmly believe that you will achieve your resolution. Constantly visualize how it will look and feel when you actually achieve your goals. Think how will you act once you have achieved the goal and act as though you have already achieved it. Encourage others to visualize your success and be around supportive people who will encourage you during the process.

Start from Zero. Take a tiny step at a time, as they say every long journey starts with a single step forward. Keep your spirit and always be in constant search of achieving your goals. Always look for clues and situations that might help you achieve your resolution.

Remind yourself of your resolution constantly. Write down your resolution and stick it to your monitor, on the front door of your fridge or any other place that you will notice it often, this way you will always be reminded of your resolution and slowly it will get into your sub-conscious mind. Then, all of a sudden, everything will start working in your favor to help you achieve your resolution.

Reward yourself when you're successful. Be it a Saturday night party, a long drive with your loved one or a dinner in your favorite restaurant, always reward yourself on your small achievements that bring you closer and closer to your resolution. Don't get too stressed during the process. Instead, try to convert each step in achieving your resolution into a fun activity.

Leave procrastination behind. As Nike says, "Just Do It". This small phrase has a whole lot of philosophy in it. People fail in their goals because they are always procrastinating. They are always in a mind state of "I will do it", but rarely do. Don't be in such a position and just act on your plans, start now and never wait for the next day, hour or even minute. Just do it.

Goals and resolutions can be set any time of the year, but one feels more motivated and encouraged to set resolutions in a New Year. After all, it is a fresh start, something new that has powerful feelings of joy, encouragement and hope for a better, brighter and rewarding future. Set your New Year's resolutions and keep these motivations and feelings in your mind. Every time you feel down and stressed, remind yourself of your goals and you will feel light and happy.

Happy New Year 2011

Taken from MAS E&M Portal

howwwzattt... of mystic and being mystical...

Imagine this. It was in a middle of the night, well past midnight to be exact and you were alone inside the elevator of your apartment. You’ve rode it hundreds of time by your own in the morning, afternoon and night without any fear of anything. It was a well gated and guarded apartment where outsiders were quick to be picked up by the security.

Well, tonight is different. Suddenly you just remember the Chinese movie you watched on the telly last night. A ghost story it was where the female character rode the elevator just like you are now in the middle of the night, well past midnight.

In the movie, of course the character was not alone inside the elevator. There was this old man standing just behind her but she can’t see him because that old man was a ghost. And you remember how the old man sticks out his long tongue trying to lick the back of the character’s neck.

Just the tongue was about to reach her neck, the elevator stops and the doors open. Save by it, she walks out. But you still stuck inside there for you have a few more floors to go.

Do you feel the fear? Everything from the movie racing into you now. How the long haired lady (always no face shown) dragging herself to the victims and funny enough that the victims just wait for her to come. The old man inside the elevator, and many more questionable entities that were far from human being.

Shit, no scary faces but the way they put it really makes you on a brink of wetting you pants or blouse at that moment.

Once in a while I did encounter that situation and I guess everybody must’ve too but luckily never saw one but the feeling when remembering did gave me the goose bumps.

Dusk in Langon...

Last July I went to Bali with a few friends and we stayed somewhere not far from the Nusa Dua area, something about Langon I think. It was a resort of sort and was run by the government to train students in the hotel services and all just like our INTEKMA in Shah Alam.

It was situated uphill and surrounded by lush greens and a few Tanah Adat, places where they carried out the rituals for the dead. Not just rituals, there were real dead bodies.


A hilly burial site (seen from my balcony)

Bali is truly the land of mystic where mystical things can just happen. Everywhere you go, you will see “dupa” (place where they put the incenses) be it in front of the door of the houses, business outlets and even on top the taxis roof. Not to mention that everywhere you turn, there are idols for worshipping for the majority of the Balinese practice Hinduism.

The place that I’m staying at is no different.

I’ve got a nice unit complete with a bedroom with an attached bathroom, a living room and a balcony with a pool view couple with green surrounding.

The scenery was scenic...

The first night was really nice, sleeps peacefully and couldn’t wait the morning to get around the island and feel the firsthand account what it is with Bali that newlyweds crave for their honeymoon there.

The second night was totally different. I could sense something just not right in there and even writing this gives me the creeps.

I couldn’t sleep that night and was sweating under the blanket even with the air-conditioning was in its full blast mode. Turn on the TV and every channels show the cultural events that were held during the day. Even their cultural events were full of mystical beings in it.

Just about midnight, I heard chuckles outside in the leaving room couples with footsteps like a child is running around. Damn, now it really got into my nerves. What the hell was that? No, I didn’t see anything, but I could feel the presence of someone or something else in there.
I’m telling you, even when writing this, my hair is standing.


The living room where I heard it all...

How I wish at that moment the sun rise and I could escape the agony of not seeing instead listening at it.

Told my friends about it in the morning and they just shrugged me off. Imagine that, shrugged me off!!! They gave me their theory on it but one of them did experience the same thing as I did.
And that was enough for me to understand that Bali is truly the land of mystic. I won’t go to Langon in the future, Kuta beach is something different. Don’t you think so babehhh...? :-)

howwwzattt... i'm cool...

HIJAB KEKASIH - M. Nasir

Malai rinduku merintih kecintaan
Duduk termenung hanya bingung kerinduan
Walaupun jauh dari nyata kasih dan sayang
Kasih dan sayang telah lama kusatukan
Semua kasihku dalam gemala
Ke laut jawi 'kan kukirimkan sana

Duhai kasih hijabmu di sini
Masyur rupamu di mata kalbi ini
Berbaringan diusik rindu azali
Di manakah kekasih yang jauh dariku
Memakan debu... rindumu
Segenap nafasku melihat renunganmu
Wangi dan harum kau kekasih
Antara lamunan segala kalimahku ini
Siapa yang mengerti

Menghilang tahun kutahan dahaga
Setelah habis madah untuk sang puteri
Pautan kasih kukenal sendiri
Teringin ku melihat sebalik hijabmu
Wajah yang kupuja

Kekasih... lama sudah aku merindu
Larut nan denai larat nan damai
Haram kelamin untuk kita bercerai
Rasa kasih dan sayang dalam keredaanmu

howwwzattt... don't ever again cross my path...

Trust can take years to build, but only a second to break... – Self Quoted

He sees himself as a person who regards friendship dearly to him. It was not something that he can buy whenever he needs it, it must be earned. He earned it by building trust into the friendships.

Someone once said to him that she was amused on how friendships could stand so long within the circle of his batchmate back to those days in Taiping. In a jest he just said that we’re having the same “nasi kawah” and shares everyday of our entire 5 years there like brothers and sisters.

Well part of it was true he guesses, and the other part was hard to explain. It was unwritten anywhere, but for him, true friendships last because it was built on trust. Trust was the immortal foundation of a friendship that bonds the close-knitted relationship even closer.

When a friend stabbed him in the back, that was the last fucking straw for him. For once he did understand why the bugger did so but when the second and third came simultaneously, he blew his fucking top because he was so sick of the scheming behind his back.

Last fucking reminder from him: Do not ever cross path with him, for he’ll sure make that MF pays...

howwwzattt... before the big four... (the storm before the calm)

Don’t know what got into me last Saturday. What seems like a good day to begin with suddenly came down tumbling on me like two bails dislodged from the stumps being bowled out by a very fast bowler without me being in control of the situation at all.

Yes, true I was bowled out during the match. It was my mistakes by miscalculating and misjudged the length and line of the ball added with the damp condition of the pitch which did not gives the ball it correct bounce which makes it easy for a sweet scoop.

Well, this is different. It is life, my life not cricket but the anguish and frustration pretty much still the same except this one affects my emotion.

“Are you ok bro?” ask Bad (the fast bowler batting at number five) when he got the chance to be alone with me. Yeah he said, been there and experience the shitty feeling and he too got it when he was about my age now just before the big four zero.

It was the ultimate crisis, the mid-life crisis.

Is this happens to all males at this age? The feeling was kind of a yoyo like, similar to the other gender when they’re having their menstrual cycles at work not to say that I have it. But I guess it is pretty much alike.

True event: After the match last Saturday I left KTJ via Nilai trying to get to KLIA interchange. Ended up in Seremban instead because I just missed the turning...

howwwzattt... of restless and being calm...

The song that captured my imagination and soothed my restless soul during my darkest moment. Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World sung by the late Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and just with the sounds of ukulele in the background did took me to somewhere, somewhere where I belong...



Ooooo oooooo ohoohohoo
Ooooo ohooohoo oooohoo
Ooooo ohoohooo oohoooo
Oohooo oohoooho ooooho
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo

Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Once in a lullaby ii ii iii
Somewhere over the rainbow
Blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dreamed of
Dreams really do come true ooh ooooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me ee ee eeh
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney tops thats where you'll find me oh
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly
And the dream that you dare to,why, oh why can't I? i iiii

Well I see trees of green and
Red roses too,
I'll watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day
I like the dark and I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, I...I love you
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow,
They'll learn much more
Than we'll know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world (w)oohoorld

Someday I'll wish upon a star,
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top that's where you'll find me
Oh, Somewhere over the rainbow way up high
And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I hiii ?

Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo
Ooooo oooooo oooooo...

howwwzattt... i am your much needed adversary...

I thought I was dead that night, already dead. Did not feel anything when I got up myself with the help of a friend from where I had fell. No pain, no blood and no broken parts in my inside. I was in a daze. The thought of I’m already dead becoming worse when a pakcik whose saw the incident told me that “saya ingat kamu dah takde tadi”, loosely translated that he too thought that I am a goner. It was just like a dream to me.

Half an hour before that fateful night, I was just relaxing myself with another 2 friends at his house while tweaking on my motorbike somewhere in Kampung Pinjih, near Pasir Puteh Ipoh. I’m not interested in what there are doing at particular moment which is enjoying their rounds of weeds. I can’t stand the effect which will make me going “stim bodoh”, a state of stupor which makes me feels that anytime the police will take me and put me inside the lockup. Yes, I felt that way with weeds.

After they had their affair with that thing, knowing that I had just fully modified my cubcai with a bigger bore for the CG125 piston, modified engine head, closed ratio clutch plates, TS125 carburettor and many more, they asked me to test it against their machine. At that time, a fully souped up cubcai could easily whizzed by an RXZ135 cc in a kilometre sprint race.

Eagerly I just agreed, I am sober not them so I thought.

The location was a dark stretch opposite where Tesco Jalan Pasir Puteh stood now. Side by side we were ready for the race and another guy would follow from behind to see how fast we would go. Off we went with the speedometer keep on climbing until no valid reading could be read and still our bikes keep on going side by side until a car came from the opposite way.

It was just enough for us to get past the oncoming car until my friend made a slightest movement for him to avoid the car side mirror and his handlebar hit mine. I remember went off flying and that was as far as I could remember.

I thought I was dead that night, already dead. Did not feel anything when I got up myself with the help of a friend from where I had fell. No pain, no blood and no broken parts in my inside. I was in a daze. The thought of I’m already dead becoming worse when a pakcik whose saw the incident told me that “saya ingat kamu dah takde tadi”, loosely translated that he too thought that I am a goner. It just likes a dream to me.

Pic: A year after that fateful night.

The car just went off without stopping probably telling himself that I deserved it. I didn’t go home that night, instead went to the clinic to get me fix.

That was the time the pain came, blood just started to oozed from every part of my body that went against the asphalt. The nurse just ripped off my jeans making it easier for her to do the dressing. It was the time when she tried to remove the loose bitumens and sands that got buried in my knuckles and knees that I went berserk to the point where my friends had to hold me down. It was so goddamn painful.

The scars on my shoulder, knees, knuckles and arm still remain to this very day to remind me of the good, the bad and the ugly heydays.

And a secret, sometimes I do feel sexy with all those scars. Don’t you feel so babehhhh? :-)

howwwzattt... of losing and acceptance...

Lost his cell phone last night and to think about it, he didn’t even know how he lost it. He never lost his phone before except for a time when he dropped it from the upper deck of a 747 onto the hangar floor an equivalent of a 2 storey building and smashed to pieces. Only the sim card survived that short encounter with the gravitational pull.

But last night was different, he actually lost it. It was not an expensive one only a Nokia E72 but he loves the phone so much and unknowingly he hopes those who found it would return it back to him. Tried to call his number but was diverted to the voicemail which mean somebody had found it and decided to keep the phone but not the sim card.

He wasn’t too sure if the phone was any good to its new owner since he had put 2 passwords for the phone to works but in this era of technology he doubted that will stay long before any Low Yat techies could crack his passkeys anyway.

He still hasn’t make up his mind whether to get the same replacement or a BB instead and whichever way he has to wait for the next pay check first... sigh...

howwwzattt... ahhhh... stop whining...

“Your battery had reached its usable life but it still can operates normally...”, that was the auto generated reminder which I always get when I turn on my notebook.

What seems to be an adequate 3 hours of power without scampering erratically for a power supply, slowly diminish less and less with the current supply from the battery could only last for about 28 minutes when it is fully charged.

Now it has become a habit for me to make sure whenever I bunk myself for a cuppa in a kopitiam, the power supply is within reach but sometimes I did failed when every seats, every tables or every stations were taken. It has become such a habit even the time the notebook was left behind, still I look for the power supply. Dang... now I’m a power supply stalker.

Well, this is life. Everything will come to an end. Even a non-living apparatus do have its shelf-life, pot-life, working-life and whatchamaycallit. A friend of mine told me that there is this extended battery that could stands for an 8 hours supply but it’ll cost over a thousand bucks. It was a bomb, at least it is for me.

Nah... For the time being let me stick with the remainder 28 minutes and a free supply of power from any power outlets until the next pay check.

No, I won’t buy the 8 hours extended battery pack. Just the normal one should be fine... I’ll be fine...

howwwzattt... a ballad of a troubled mind (and soul) - the beginning...

This is the beginning, his beginning.

Someone once said to him that the day the sun no longer shines, it was the day the moon too will stop beaming itself and he believes it. He believed the sunshine will always be there to give him guidance and leads him.

Since the moment he could remember, the mere mention of him could spell trouble, not just confine to himself but the people surrounding him too.

Now he is in his middle of his journey, the journey that was full of lessons for him to face the challenge that lies in front of him.

He should’ve keep a journal for all of his experiences, instead he just let it sinks deep inside him. He could sometimes feel that he begins to forget certain things and events, be it in the past or in the future. Especially when he got up in the morning.

He fears that he’ll lose his memories. He must protect it with all his might but will he remember it.

He must stay focus for he need to, he need it badly. He needs to stay afloat because there is one thing that he must do and feel before he leaves...

Quietly now while I turn a page
Act one is over without costume change
The principal would like to leave the stage
The crowd don’t understand...

-Rod Steward

howwwzattt... fyi...

MANILA - Research firm Frost & Sullivan recently categorized the Philippine aviation industry as a niche segment in Pilot training and aircraft maintenance in Asian Aviation.

Pilot training market in Asia Pacific became a $ 10-billion industry in 2008 with compound annual growth rate (CAGR) at 11 percent, according to Frost & Sullivan.

Subhranshu Sekhar Das, Malaysia-based Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific director for aerospace & defense, said that "In Asia Pacific, there are requirements in pilot training and I'm not surprised if any of the investment is going to be in the Philippines, recruiting new cadets and giving them the training for PPL (private pilot license), CPL (commercial pilot license), or ATPL (airline transport pilot license) licensing."

There has been an upsurge of aviation school opening in the Philippines with foreign students from India and South Korea taking flying courses due to Western style teaching patterned after the United States and English proficient instructions.

Das reported that while there is a current slump in air travel the aviation industry as a whole has been experiencing a shortage of pilots, which drives the market for training he added during the firm's 2009 aviation summit held in Singapore earlier this month.

There are close to 700 pilots in the Philippines and demand is growing. They may have some shortage by 2013. Pilot requirement may have to grow to almost six percent CAGR.

Frost & Sullivan 2008 data showed that China has most of the pilots accounting 37% of the entire Asia Pacific aviation market, followed by India and Japan at 12% market share, while Australia, Malaysia, and South Korea each accounting for 6 percent. Thailand meanwhile has 5%, New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore has 4% each while The Philippines and Vietnam accounted for two percent of the total number of pilots in the Asia Pacific region last year.

Also, the Aircraft maintenance business, known in the aviation industry as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), is also emerging as another niche for the Philippines.

In 2008, Frost & Sullivan projected the region's overall MRO business to have generated $ 22.55 billion in revenues. It forecasts revenues to reach $ 66.58 billion by 2030, with the commercial fixed wing segment accounting for 54 percent of MRO business from 45 percent last year. By 2030, the global consultancy firm expects diminished markets for the military rotary and fixed wing segments, as well as for civil rotary wing.

Good MRO Performance:

Among the US Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) -certified repair stations in the country are FFC Services Asia-Pacific Operations and Honeywell Ceasa Subic Bay Co. Inc., both located at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone; International Aviation Service Assistance at the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ); Moog Controls Corp. at the Baguio ecozone; Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) headquartered at the MacroAsia Special Economic Zone of Villamor Airbase, with operations in Cebu, Clark and Davao; as well as Nordisk Aviation Services Phils. Corp. located in Parañaque City.

The 2008 performance of LTP, a joint venture between MacroAsia Corp. and Lufthansa AG initially formed to service the fleet of Philippine Airlines (PAL), boosts the positive outlook on MRO business in the Philippines. In its 2008 annual report presented in March 12, Lufthansa Technik Group announced LTP revenues for the year at 160 million euros (equivalent to P10.6 billion).

Aviation Week, an industry magazine, noted in its report on the financial results that LTP was among the strongest revenue earners in the global network of the Lufthansa Technik Group last year, next only to its sister plant, Ameco Beijing, the latter's joint venture with Air China, and N3 Engine Overhaul Services, the joint venture with Rolls Royce Plc.

LTP is currently providing MRO services from its facility in NAIA to PAL, Lufthansa Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and other international airlines that fly to Manila. It also provides technical ground handling services to Air Niugini, China Airlines, Egypt Air, Eva Air, KLM Royal Dutch, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Silk Air and Cathay Pacific Airways.

The Regional Race for MRO Hub:

There is a race between Singapore and Malaysia to become the regional MRO hub. Currently, Singapore corners 90 percent of the region's MRO business, but Malaysia and the Philippines is catching up and may eat up Singapore's share in the future.

Currently, work is underway for the 300-hectare Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore, which it touts to be a world-class industrial park for a wide range of aerospace activities, including MRO, OEM and training for pilots, aviation professionals and technical personnel. It is expected to be completed by 2018.

Meanwhile, Malaysia plans to transform itself into a global aerospace player by 2015 through its Malaysia International Aerospace Center being developed at the former Subang Airport.

Here in the Philippines, a 2,715-hectare Civil Aviation Complex is being developed at the Clark-Subic Economic Zone (CSEZ). The Clark International Airport Corp. announced last year two major locators at the Civil Aviation Complex. These were Kuwait Gulf and Link, which plans to build 125-hectare logistics park, and Singapore Airlines Engineering Co. (SIAEC), a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Cebu Pacific ,which will locate a 10-hectare MRO facility at the DMIA that will complement existing operations at Singapore's Changi Airport.

"It's all about the country strength and weaknesses and how they are going to position the country to create that environment. There are opportunities in the Philippines. It all depends on how the government is going to attract the investors to set up the industries," Das said.

Since Asia Pacific region can never be an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), it can be a big OEM integrators [that] could also tap the Philippines for Tier 1 or Tier 2 components or parts manufacturing. Manufacturing industries are definitely China and India. Singapore and Malaysia can drive the research and development in other high-tech jobs. The Philippines can probably continue MRO industries, pilot training schools or maybe create the general aviation potential for the other countries.

Other opportunities would also be presented by the massive airport development in China and India until 2020, which could generate design and build projects for Philippine contractors.

But Das noted the country's strongest suit remains with service-oriented segments of the aviation industry due to its skilled workforce and their English language proficiency.

Taken from Malaysia Airlines E&M Portal.

howwwzattt... a ballad of a troubled mind... part. III

When there’s no sunshine, the moon will no longer beaming nor shines... – Anonymous

FATHER AND SON:
Songwriter: Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens

It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go...

howwwzattt... a ballad of a troubled mind part. II...

Again, he can’t sleep. 5 years ago he got the same problem, for more than 6 months he suffered sleepless nights. It affected him so much, depressed and feeling lonely at times when everybody else enjoying their beautiful slumbers.

He turned himself to what he thinks he knows best. Intoxicate himself just for that one sleep that he needs.

He wondered if the same problem still inside him, lurking beneath the many layers of emotion and feeling that he kept away from the world.

Someone did mention to him to start writing again. Write just about anything she said, just to keep your sanity at bay. For she knows that he will writes when something is troubling him, when he is down. He was troubled then and he is now.

He is doing it now; he felt the depression mounting on him. He’s been living in lies. For 15 years he lied to the world, for 15 years he lied to those that dear to him. He resented himself for that and prays silently for them to understand him. He had failed them.

Certain thought did cross his mind. Someday on a very fine morning he would just lay everything down and leave everything behind with a haversack fill with his personal belonging and a few fresh clothes, just leave and roam the world and be his own Revolving Jones...

howwwzattt... my piece, my memory lane being educated as Anak Malaysia...

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali has joined calls for strong action to be taken against Teo Nie Ching for entering a surau in her constituency last week, saying the Serdang MP must be charged for ‘desecrating’ the Surau Al-Huda. (more here)

This is what was reported in the MalaysianInsider today and I believe major daily publication carried on the same thing for these few days.

I remember when I was in form 1 or form 2 (85/86), our school hockey team had travelled down to Ipoh for a match with one of the team there. Those days it was an affair that everyone would look forward to since the trip could be disguised itself into everything from having cendol to smuggling contrabands into the school and the fact that our coach (cikgu Abdul Rahim Udin aka ARU) was the most feared individual in the school didn’t make a difference for us at all.

Come to think of it, the reason I left hockey for cricket was because of him.

The match was held at Ipoh Padang where as usual we won the match. While waiting for our bus to pick us up back to Taiping all of us took our rest and shower at the Masjid India across the Ipoh Padang besides the St. Michael Institution. Some went to pray and some just cool themselves under the tree shade outside the mosque.

Suddenly there was this heavy downpour and all of us scampered inside the mosque for shelter accept for this one Indian boy a star player himself, Shankar Ramu (ex-national player) who didn’t know what to do and where to seek his refuge from the heavy rain.

Our most feared coach, yes cikgu Rahim just went up to him and told him to come inside the mosque while handing him a sarung to cover his lower limb. Shankar did hesitate whether it is alright for him a non-Muslim to enter the mosque. I can’t remember what did our coach told him but after that Shankar was among us inside the mosque wearing his sarung of course. Of course who do know Shankar Ramu could verify this with him.

I like to think myself of having a liberal view on our very own politics and some did say I was having a liberal standing on Islam itself. I don’t know how they saw me with the latter one.

Today NST page 4, column 3, paragraph 7:

PAS VP Salahuddin Ayub said the National Fatwa Council which had met for the 90th time on Mac 1 this year, had decided that non-Muslims and non-Muslims tourist were allowed to enter mosque or surau. It was a decree.

Since the time I had remember, thousands and thousands of non-Muslims and non-Muslims tourist had gone inside the Masjid Negara for “lawatan” provided they cover their “aurat”. The Masjid Negara authority had even provides “jubah” at the main entrance for the purpose.

Remember earlier this year when our DPM went to this Sikh temple? He was praised and hailed with many good things no? Political? Of course it was no matter to those from BN, PKR or PAS.

But what did failed me was, when it is come to others apart those from the reigning federal administration, it was blown ridiculously out of proportions as if it was a big sin, bigger than the first Rukun Islam itself.

howwwzattt... a ballad of a troubled mind...

“If you want to be recognized, you stand. If you want to be respected, you speak but if you don’t want to make fools of yourselves, just remain seated...” (improvised it to suit the language)

This is what I’ve learnt, those wise words from someone that I didn’t know but will keep on sticking forever in my mind. Just like the 5F=9C+160, the unofficial temperature conversion formula that was taught to me during my schooldays.

Long ago there was this young man who was so helpless in determining what he is going to do and going to be when he all grown up as a man. His mind and his soul were so twisted in determining what is right and what is wrong.

He turned himself to be a delinquent, a truant just to justify his course of action to the world and never once he thought that someday he shall regret his misdeed to himself.

Once his discipline master said to him that in future if he still remains as he was then, he shall face failure heads on in life but he never took it seriously and yet deep inside him he knows, they were right. The world was right.

He took many wrong turns, been to where he shouldn’t be, roam carelessly and aimlessly. For him, life is just for that moment, so why must spoil it with something tedious such as good education, anyway everyone is going to die someday he thinks.

Yes, he was blessed with the chance to be schooled in one of the best school at that time and somehow he blew the opportunity big time just with one shortcoming in his being.

That little tiny faceless thing was called love.

As an adult now, that once a young rebellious young man took all those failures in a good stride and accepted it as lessons he learnt along the way to become the man he is now.

He had learnt the hard way but he never regret those lessons he learnt for he knows, he is brave enough to smile at the world for what he is now, calloused and hardened with failures, he embraced it with his own kind of love.

Only with failures he should learn to become a better man...


p.s: Dedicated to those paths that crosses...

howwwzattt... the dangerous of volcanic ash clouds (INFO)...

According to CNN, European countries shut their airspace one after the other Thursday as a cloud of volcanic ash wafted over from Iceland and posed a danger to flights.

Airspace over the United Kingdom was due to be closed for six hours from midday but air authorities later extended the closure until at least 7 a.m. BST (2 a.m. EST) Friday.



Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands also announced the closure of their airspace, authorities in each country said.

Here are some infos on why volcanic ash clouds are a serious hazard to aviation.

Volcanic ash clouds are a serious hazard to aviation, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail.

Encounters between aircraft and volcanic ash can happen because ash clouds are difficult to distinguish from ordinary clouds, both visually and on radar, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Ash clouds can also drift great distances from their source. The recent volcanic eruption in Iceland sent a huge plume of ash moving across the Atlantic, disrupting air traffic across Western Europe.

What happens when aircraft encounter ash clouds?

According to Airbus, flying through an ash cloud should be avoided by all means. The aircraft manufacturer says experience has shown costly damage can occur to aircraft surfaces, windshields and power plants, while ventilation, hydraulic, electronic and air data systems can also be contaminated.



Critically, it says the ingestion of volcanic ash by engines may cause serious deterioration of engine performance due to erosion of moving parts and partial or complete blocking of fuel nozzles.

Volcanic ash contains particles, whose melting point is below that of an engine's internal temperature. During flight these particles will immediately melt if they go through an engine. Going through the turbine, the melted materials rapidly cool down, stick on the turbine vanes, and disturb the flow of high-pressure combustion gases.

In the worst case this disorder of the flow may stall the engine, the manufacturer's operational guidance says.

Can these ash clouds be detected?

Each year millions of passengers fly over volcanically active regions such as Iceland and the North Pacific, which has more than 100 active volcanoes and four to five ash-producing eruptions each year, the USGS says.

As weather radar is not effective in detecting volcanic ash clouds, pilots rely on accurate forecasts of volcanic eruptions along their air routes.

There are nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAAC) around the world designated by international organizations to provide expert advice to national meteorological agencies about the location and expected movement of volcanic ash clouds.

Have there been any fatal incidents?

No. But a number of aircraft have flown into ash clouds over the years, resulting in a few near-fatal incidents.

In April 1982, British Airways Flight 009 en route to Auckland from London flew into a cloud of dust and ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, on the Indonesian island of Java, resulting in the failure of all four of its engines.

Fortunately the pilots were able to glide the Boeing 747-200 far enough to exit the ash cloud, before three of the engines were restarted, allowing the crippled flight to divert to Jakarta and perform a safe landing.

At the time it was the longest glide in a non-purpose-built aircraft.

The event was also remembered for the announcement made by the airliner's remarkably calm captain, Eric Moody.

He told passengers: "Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them under control. I trust you are not in too much distress?"

In December 1989, KLM Flight 867 en route to Anchorage in Alaska from Amsterdam flew into a normal looking cloud, which turned out to be a volcanic ash cloud -- the result of an eruption of Mount Redoubt, a volcano in the Aleutian Range.

The pilots increased the power in an attempt to climb out of the cloud, but all four engines on the Boeing 747-400 failed shortly after and the standby electrical system failed.

Fortunately the crew eventually managed to restart the engines two at a time, enabling the airliner to land safely at Anchorage, despite extensive damage to the windshields, internal aircraft systems, avionics and electronics.

Source: MAS Engineering Portal