Jibrony @ Hollywood

My New Office at LAX

2011-07-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

First Deep Sea Fishing Trip in California

2011-04-26T02:22:00.000-07:00

I planned this fishing trip like 6 months ahead. At first i was going to bring my wife's uncle but he had some medical issues to attend and he offered his friend to take his place but he too could not make it. So i offered it to my wife's cousin ( Ritchie). All was set but few hours before i was to pick him up ritchie called up to say that he had to attend to his mom for some emergency issue and later i found out that Ritchie's mom had a minor heart attack. So i brought my son Muaz. Coincidentally it was his birthday. I wasn't sure how he'll feel going on a boat for a fishing trip. We've been on boat trips from Brunei to Labuan and Labuan to KK but this time its different. I too don't know how I'll react to the ocean waves as its been a while since my last fishing trip with my dad. I think that was like in 1980's. I remember that i get sea sick very easily if the fish does not bite. No matter how many times i went out to the sea i still get sea sick.

We left the house at 6pm heading west on freeway 101 towards oxnard. The drive took an hour.The boat was anchored at the jetty. It was a big boat that could take 40ppl. By 10pm we head out into the ocean. The winds were quite strong and the temp was about 9 Deg C. The water were choppy and it tossed the boat around real good. My son was already below deck resting on his bunk bed. I too followed as i could feel my stomach feeling akward. It took the boat 8 hours to reach the fishing ground. We only fished like 8 hours including moving to several spots. Me and my son we caught sea bass and red snapper. We really enjoyed oursleves. We reached the jetty around 8pm and reached home about 10pm.

Hopefully we 'll get to fish at other locations again.

Washington DC

2010-07-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

Capitol Hill

US History Museum

Natural History Museum

Carlsbad flower field and strawberry field revisited

2010-04-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Carlsbad is a city 90miles south of Los Angeles. one of its popular attraction is the flower field where all kind of flowers are planted and comes to bloom in spring. A mile away is the strawberry field where you can pick your own strawberries and fill a tub for $15. While doing so you can eat all you want.

The Things I Missed @ Home

2010-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

The things i missed being away from Home is "Real Food" and "Friends". 2 weeks just whizzed by and before i know it i'm back in LA. T'was just like a dream in 3 "D".

Space Shuttle Carrier

2010-02-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

I guess this is the closest i can ever get to working on space technology.

Beverly Hills Copper

2009-11-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

Testing a Beverly Hills police bike.

Halloween @ Micheltorena

2009-11-03T04:38:00.001-08:00

This year my daughter opted to design her own costume and she chose to be a chocolate bar carrying the brand of Willy Wonka. She even had a golden ticket stuck on her back. Many of the other kids bought their costume and were quite nice . I must say there were a lot of princesses this year

Around Long Beach Pier

2009-11-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

Pacific Aquarium, Long Beach California

2009-11-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I brought my family and a couple of my daughter's classmate to Pacific Aquarium of Long Beach CA. Its approx 30min drive from our house in Los Angeles. Entry fee was $45/person. The coolest part of the visit is that visitors were allowed to pet stingrays and sharks. In all it was really fun and educational experience for the kids.

VAL Revisited

2009-10-06T16:52:00.001-07:00

Its been a while since i last left Victorville Aerospace, the first company i worked for since arriving in US. Now i'm with a division of Lufthansa Technik and we're here to assist the mechanics in installing a B757 nose gear.

Pick Your Own Apple

2009-09-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

After so many Sundays without a family outing we finally managed to plan something. We decided to drive out to an apple farm located in the Mojave desert approximately 100 miles from LA.The drive took us almost 2 hrs.Mengalih jua ehh walapun dalam kerita ganya.Along the way we passed upon wind generators erected on the hills. The outside air temp was 100 deg F approx 38 deg C in the desert. I was skeptical on how an apple farm could exist out in a desert. The apple farm was ran by a family on a 1 acre land. The apple trees were the most 5 to 6 ft high.There were green and red apples of various sizes. They were sweet and we ate some while picking them. It cost $20 to fill a 5 gallon bucket with apples.

Middle School Culmination

2009-04-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

My son attended his school Thomas Star King MS culmination ceremony today. It was held at Benjamin Franklin High School in Pasadena. This marks the end of Middle school term for him and the beginning of freshman high. Like his elder sister Yasmine, Muaz will be attending John Marshall High School, the SAS school. This school has successfully ran an academic program for highly gifted students who completed middle school . SAS stands for School for Advanced Studies. Upon completion of this program students will get to go to prestigous universities of their choice throughout America.

Both my kids Yasmine and Muaz upon coming to America had to graduate twice. Yasmine was in Form 2D at STPRI and when she continued schooling here, she was enrolled in Grade 7 which is eqivalent to Form 1 back in Brunei. Muaz had just finished PSR exams at Riverside School,Kampong Pelambayan in Brunei .When we came here he was enrolled again in Grade 6 at Luther Burbank Middle School,Burbank, which is equivalent to Pr 6 in Brunei.

Had it not been for my childrens' wish to come here to study, i guess i won't be here. The pace of life is really fast and demanding for a cosmopolitant city like LA. Not much fun for a Bruneian like me who's used to the slow paced of life in Brunei.

Day Out With My Friends from Brunei

2009-03-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

My ex colleagues from RBA were in California for a one week seminar. Its almost been 3 yrs since we last saw each other.They haven't changed much except for receding hairlines just like me...

Sky Ads...

2009-01-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

The skyline view from the front of my house was being transformed into a billbord on new year's day. T'was cool....

Halloween @ Micheltorena Elementary

2008-11-02T15:47:00.001-08:00

My daughter's school held a Halloween costume contest.As usual my daughter elected to dress as a princess again... holding true to her childhood ambition...

Halloween Costume Contest

2008-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

My son's costume choice for the school's Halloween's costume contest.

Vegas Scenery

2008-10-19T18:59:00.001-07:00

Land Mark @ Vegas

Curved escalators...

Interior Decor @ Cesar's Palace shopping mall

Harrah's Casino

Cesar's Palace Architectural wonders

Replica of Eiffel Tower @ Vegas

Blue Man Group

The Venetian's Landscape

The Venetian's Interiors

The Venetian's most elaborate interior is a replica of Venice's landscape.

Vegas

2008-10-19T18:50:00.000-07:00

The hotel i stayed at

Its interior decor

Its interior decor

Cesar's Palace shopping Mall

Gear Retraction Test

2008-09-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

Final Stages

2008-09-28T07:53:00.001-07:00

Been busy with the final stages of this D Check for Kabo Air's B747. The landing gear retraction and alternate extension tests were all ok. Was really scary to raise this massive structure on 4 jacks and get 4 main/1 nose gear to swing in and out. The hyd pumps ran on pneumatics instead of electrics as i was used to on the B757&767.

New Body Gear Strut

2008-08-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

This is a newly overhauled Left Body Gear Strut without the components. We will now have to transfer the electrical components, hydraulic hardware,wheels and brakes on to it to ....

look like this.....but this is the right body gear assy.

Another Nose Gear Installation Job

2008-08-21T20:18:00.001-07:00

This nose gear was removed

from this B747

And now fitted to this B747

All in 8hrs work.

The next job is to install this main wing gear. I wonder how long will this one take

The Real Flight Engineer

2008-08-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

This is a Flight Engineer's Panel on a B747-200. The person who mans this panel sits just behind the co Pilot and center pedastal. The Flight engineer is part of the flight crew and his job is to assist the flight crew and monitor the aircraft's systems. Most of the flight engineer duties have been replaced by the aircraft computers. On /B747/B767/B757 its called the EICAS - Engine Indicating And Crew Alerting System.New generation B747-400 has done away with the flight engineer. How ever the flight Engineer these days is loosely termed. In my days with RBA Engineering whenever i accompany the aircraft for flights requiring certification at stations where there are none, I'm known as the flight engineer. In all my time as a Flight Engineer all i ever did was eat and sleep just like the rest of the travelling passenggers. The only time i do work is when the aircraft was on the ground as nothing much can be done when its in the air. The only thing is as the flight engineer you are the first to arrive and the last to leave the aircraft for a day's work.

B747 on Jacks

2008-08-10T14:27:00.001-07:00

Another view of the B747 on jacks with all landing gears removed.

My Other Home at work

2008-08-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

TOYS "R" US @VAL

2008-08-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

The B747 on jacks with all landing gears removed

B747-200 Resuscitated after a long coma.

Panoramic view of VAL

B747 -200 Engine Removal

2008-08-02T16:54:00.001-07:00

This is what an engine looks like without its aerodynamic panels and waiting to be removed from the pylon.

This is what the wing looks like after the engine is removed from its pylon.

The engine on the ground and resting on its transportation stand.

This engine is a Pratt & Whitney JT9D series which is mostly installed on the older B747-200.

Lockheed L1011 for D Check

2008-07-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

I'm also working on this Aircraft too. We don't see much of them in South East Asia as McDonnell Douglas stop production and merged with BOEING Co. Most of the L1011 have been retired.

VAL

2008-07-28T21:18:00.002-07:00

B747-200 D checks

VAL

2008-07-28T21:18:00.001-07:00

Lotus Festival @ Echo Park

2008-07-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Echo Park is located about 20 min walk from my house. This festival take 3 days to finish. Its purpose is to promote the understanding of Asian and Pacific Islander culture.

Moon rise shots

2008-07-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

I was trying to capture some shots of the fireworks display of Jul 4th behind my house but no decent shot came. Just impossible without a tripod.Ended up capturing the moon in its "Sickle" pose instead.

Sunflower closeups

2008-07-06T13:16:00.001-07:00

On Fremont Street

2008-06-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

Sights and Sounds @ Fremont Street

2008-06-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

M&M's Chocolates Outlet

2008-06-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas Sights

2008-06-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hotel Excalibur @Vegas

2008-06-29T18:21:00.001-07:00

One of the most unique looking structure belonging to Excalibur Hotel.

Motorbike designed and built exclusively for Excalibur Hotel by Orange County Choppers

Eiffel Tower @Vegas

2008-06-29T17:47:00.001-07:00

This is a replica of the Eiffel Tower complete with the observation deck. It cost $7/person to go up to the deck and the view is spectacular.

Desert Bloom @ Vegas

2008-06-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

Taken at a chocolate factory which maintained a desert garden. The temp was around 35 degC.

6 Flags Hurricane Harbor

2008-06-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

We brought my Bro's family to 6 Flags Hurricane Harbor located in Valencia City for their vacation. Its about 30 miles from LA. My bro is currently based in East Coast Virginia. This theme park actually has the same rides as "Raging Waters" theme park in San Dimas. Only difference is at 6 Flags the theme park has water rides and roller coaster. The park is much bigger.

The roller coaster rides

Griffith's Observatory revisited with Panoramic View

2008-06-09T12:33:00.001-07:00

View on top of Griffith's Bldg

View of downtown LA which happens to be the back yard of the Observatory.

Americana@Glendale revisited

2008-06-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

My bro and his family came in from Virginia for vacation. We visited Americana @ Glendale. I remember posting some shots and a video but that was during the night. This is how it looks in the day.Enjoy the panoramic view.

LA's Best Family Outing

2008-06-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

LA's Best of Los AngelesUnified School District (LAUSD) organized a family outing for all the elementary and middle schools under its care. The event is intended to to promote the good health through sports and exercise activities.

Another Milestone in My Career

2008-06-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

My FAA License was finally issued.After passing the exams I was issued a temporary certificate after passing the exams. Unlike my other licenses issued by Brunei DCA and UK CAA it has no expiry date. It is no longer valid if its suspended or revoked by FAA. This allows an individual to certify for maintenance task performed on US registered aircraft/rotorcraft. Aviation Industry in the US have many variations. There is General Aviation which is to do with private ownership of aircraft which are normally single/twin engine aircraft. Then there is Commercial Aviation which deals with heavy weight aircraft for the purpose of transportation of cargo/passengers. There are other categories which deals with aircraft for the purpose of crop spraying, rescue and so on. The subject of Aircraft Maintenance is so wide and it sole purpose is to ensure and promote safety thru proper inspection, maintenance and operational procedures by way of regulations. To learn by having an accident or incident is not recommended in Aviation and should be avoided at all cost.....

All that is involved in aviation knows that its truly a unique career requiring higher discipline for those who fly and maintain any kind of aircraft of any size.

Our Crib

2008-05-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

The view from the frontThe view at the back yard

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab

2008-05-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

Little that i know i was photographing a model NASA's space craft named "Phoenix" which landed on planet MARS a few days ago.

Honour All @ John Marshall High

2008-05-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

We attended our eldest daughter's Honour all Ceremony. She's attending the School of Advanced Studies program run by John Marshall High. This program is intended to nurture the gifted students so they can reach their educational excellence in a shorter time. I can see that a majority of the students are of south east asian ethnicity. Maybe thats why America is well known because it is a culmination of great minds and talents.

Strawberries

2008-05-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

The strawberries are bigger this year due to the favourable weather.The one i have in my hand is by far the biggest I've seen. The taste is mildy sweet. Smaller ones are sweeter.

Strawberry Season Again

2008-05-21T19:19:00.001-07:00

I guess the strawberry season is back and the berries are bigger.

The tree at my back yard turned purple.

The Fountain of Americana @ Brand

2008-05-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Americana @ Brand

2008-05-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

Some shots i took at a shopping arcade that recently opened at the City of Glendale. The landscape is similar to the one found in the Grove @ Los Angeles.

2008-05-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

Fun Day with LA's Best

LA's Best is an after school enrichment program run by LA Unified School District (LAUSD).In LA School starts fm 8am to 2pm. Some children in lower grades ages 5 to 13, their parents are unable to pick them up as most work normally finish at 3 or 5pm. So the kids remains at school after the academic session is done for the day. This is where LA's Best comes in. They offer after school enrichment program. Its supervised by young adults. Besides caring for the students the kids are instructed to play games,art works,handi craft etc. This keeps the kids out of mischief and safety is the utmost priority. The kids gets healthy snacks too. The program starts from 2.30pm till 6pm. Only authorised adults besides the parents can pick the kids up.

On Saturday May 10, LA's Best organised a fun trip for the children accompanied by their parent or guardian. There are about 200 elementary schools within LA county participating. It was held at a water recreational park called "Raging Waters" in San Dimas. The whole park was closed for LA's Best. When we arrived the temp was 15 deg C. but despite that the kids still took to the water. By afternoon the temp was more conducive for water activites. We really enjoyed it.Thanks LA's Best. What will we do without you...

These are the ladies of LA's Best which takes care of the children at Micheltorena Elementary,the school where my youngest daughter attends.

Cinco De Mayo

2008-05-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

This festival celebrates Mexico's Independence from colonizing forces. This is my youngest daughter's first participation in celebrating event.

My Kidz

2008-05-05T10:58:00.001-07:00

We've been blessed with 2 girls and 1 boy. Sharifah Yasmine is our eldest daughter. Syed Muaz is the only boy in the family just like me. Then there's Sharifah Nadine, our youngest. My children as far as their own identity crisis is concern is even worse than me. They are half of what I am and the other half is of Filipino origin. But that does not matter. What matters is the kind of human being they will grow up to become in time and what contribution they will make towards society and humanity.

My Family

2008-05-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is one of the very few family foto that i have in my possesion. We took this in a studio in Seria. We're just a family of 4. I think i managed to squeeze in a " Peace" sign on both my hand after being told not to do so by my parents and the photographer. It was the "IN THING" to do during those days when taking photos. I think it still is. The japanese girls do it all the time when taking photos.

My dad is of Arab descendant from the "ALIDRUS" clan. That's as far as i know. My granddad on my dad's side hails from Penang. I was told he was a policeman. He came to Sarawak as an imam where he met my grandmother. They later went to Labuan and on to Brunei. My dad told me that in the family there were 4 children but 2 died during the Japanese occupation leaving my dad and his elder sister.

My mom hails from Taiping Perak of West Malaysia. She came over to Brunei. My mom's ethnic is Eurasian. It means to be of European and Asian descendants. She has 1 brother and 2 sisters.

I wonder what is my identity as far as ethnicity goes??? Anyway what matters most is that we have lived a pleasant life thanks to living in Brunei all those years. Theres no other country that can compare to Brunei Darussalam in terms of the pace and peacefullness of life. Hope fully we can maintain the harmony of life in years to come Insyallah....Amin ya rabul alamin.