Off Topic: Wheels, Gears, Turbines, Whatever...

Scrap that... they seem to have cancelled it.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

All flight missions to collect data for the area of disturbance in the mid-Atlantic (AL93) have been cancelled. We will continue to monitor the system in the event it becomes a viable target in the future.

IL-76 cargo crosswind takeoff from Farnborough...

Jet Kart they say...

Yeah how interesting was that. He ended up on the back of the bike.

Cadets from the Civil Air Patrol have achieved a new world record, bringing a paper airplane to the edge of space. The Fox Valley Composite Squadron of CAP's Illinois Wing launched a FVCS-5 near-space balloon on Saturday, towing a bright orange paper airplane from the Kankakee Airport (3KK) in Kankakee, Illinois, to 96,537 feet. At that altitude, the helium weather balloon burst and the airplane started a very long glide. The record flight lasted nearly 2 hours and 7 minutes and the paper airplane eventually ended up in Rochester, Indiana.

The mission was a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) project for the CAP cadets, aged between 12 and 18 years, who constructed the traditionally shaped paper airplane, which is 30 inches long, has a 14.5-inch wingspan and weighs one pound. The CAP cadets now have a lot of data to analyze as the paper airplane was equipped with a GPS tracking system, temperature sensors, a barometric pressure sensor, a computer, batteries, a solar panel and an HD video camera. While the record is unofficial until the required documentation has been submitted to Guinness, the flight shattered the previous Highest Paper Airplane Flight from a High Altitude Balloon record by nearly 7,000 feet.

A little more than two years after daredevil Felix Baumgartner stunned the world with his record-breaking skydive from 128,000 feet — constituting the first time a human ever broke the sound barrier during freefall — Google executive Alan Eustace has successfully jumped from an even higher 135,890 feet. (Flying)

Allegedly taking the mile-high club too literal.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/sexual-images-air-canada-flight-010255359.html

Aircraft manufacturers and pilots alike are strengthening their call for a ban on large lithium battery shipments, according to a paper acquired by The Associated Press. The document mentions that recent FAA tests have illustrated the fire danger posed by bulk lithium battery shipments, which can at times include up to tens of thousands of batteries in one container. During the tests the shipments showed a risk of overheating, which could trigger explosive fires that aircraft fire suppression systems are unable to combat effectively.

While the International Civil Aviation Organization recently banned the shipment of lithium metal batteries aboard passenger aircraft, it has not yet prohibited the shipment of lithium rechargeable batteries. The proposed ban on lithium batteries would not apply to batteries included in passengers' carry-on luggage or personal electronics. (FM)

Ever had a time where throwing paper planes was something you did when you were younger?


College students around the world are putting their aerodynamic prowess to work in their attempts to become the world's top paper airplane creator through Red Bull's international Paper Wings competition. Tens of thousands of competitors from Singapore to Sydney to Los Angeles and many other cities are joining in the challenge, which judges paper airplanes according to three categories: distance flown, time spent airborne and aerobatic performance.

Several qualifying events have already taken place, with the longest airtime to date achieved by Karol Gut from Poland, whose creation remained aloft for 14.22 seconds, and the longest distance attained by Canadian Addison Asuchak, whose paper bird flew 189 feet. With more than 100 qualifying competitions still slated to take place over the next few weeks, the preliminary rounds are far from over. A total of 2,000 participants across America are vying to represent the U.S. at the Paper Wings World Finals in Salzburg, Austria. Within the next two days alone schools including the University of Virginia, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Texas A&M, among others, are holding their qualifying events.

A new solar-electric aircraft has entered commercial production and is getting ready for its first delivery. Named the Silent Falcon, the UAS is produced by Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Silent Falcon UAS Technologies (SFUAS), a former subsidiary of Bye Aerospace, which specializes in alternative energies for aviation application that is also involved with Aero Electric Aircraft Corp., the developer of the Sun Flyer. For the Silent Falcon, SFUAS is also working in close collaboration with Ascent Solar Technologies, a company that produces very thin, lightweight solar cells. (FM)

Meanwhile in Baltimore... violent protests cause widespread property damage

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/27/u...tml?sr=fb042715baltimoreunrest930pVOtDopVideo

Cessna 185 Float Plane crashes with Cessna 172 but watch the final moments as the Float plane pilot manages to crash land. This happened in Alberta, Canada.

Calgary man who took off in a lawn chair attached to helium balloons now in big trouble with the law.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=79&v=mID7P3M6ong

Private jet booking service/company JetSmarter benefits from major investment from key investors. 20 million has been raised and is said will go towards tech upgrades and global expansion. Investors like Jay Z, His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdullaziz Al Saud, execs from Twitter and Goldman Sachs are said to have helped raised the capital. His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdullaziz Al Saud said, “We are thrilled to be an investor and are committed to JetSmarter’s growth. At the forefront of this new era in travel, we believe that JetSmarter’s proprietary services and offerings have, and will continue to revolutionize the industry.”

ISS Reconfiguration

A single-engine Piper aircraft has gone down in the waters off Haulover Beach

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2016/02/02/plane-goes-down-in-haulover-beach/

Who remembers this unfortunate incident?

JetPack for maned personal flight? This concept is becoming closer and closer to reality. Check out this video we found by Jetpack Aviation