Indy Transponder 28-MAR-09 1500z

Snowbird saga reflects neglect of national icons - StarPhoenix, Canada
Defence Minister Peter MacKay's rueful observation that Canada desperately needs tanks, helicopters and bombproof road-clearing equipment for the Afghan mission more than it does the iconic Snowbirds team says it all about how successive governments ...

More WhiteKnightTwo flight tests info from RLV and Space Transport News
Rob Coppinger notices some "structural modifications to the vertical stabiliser fins of" the WK2 made apparently to "solve handling and stability problems " found in the initial flights: PICTURE: Virgin Galactic makes WhiteKnight Two structural changes - Flight Global.

===Videos from the rollout last summer: VIDEO: Virgin Galactic official WK2 roll out & Hyperbola's - Hyperbola

===AvWeek reports on the test and includes info on plans for SpaceShipTwo: WhiteKnightTwo Resumes Flight Tests - Aviation Week

Captive carry flights with the SS2, which will be unveiled in the third quarter of 2009, are not expected to begin until next year towards the end of a planned 18-month long test program. Initial space tourism flights are planned to start around 2011. In addition to launching SS2, the WK2 has also been developed for a range of science payload and training applications, including potentially launching an unmanned rocket capable of putting a satellite into low-Earth orbit.

Wings and Wheels will be 'better than ever' - The Advertiser, UK
Organisers have, however, been able to book two other aerobatic displays provided by The Swift Aerobatic Team. They will give one display with a S1 Swift Glider and another in a Twister which is a 'Spitfire' look-a-like, with all the speed and ...

History's war birds: Living aviation history display in East Texas - News-Journal.com, TX
Organizers call the event a living aviation history display, with opportunities for visitors to tour the B-17 Flying Fortress "Nine O Nine," the B-24 Liberator "Witchcraft" and a P-51 Mustang — all World War II-era aircraft. A UH-1E "Huey" helicopter, ...

March Field Air Museum to feature spy plane - Press-Enterprise, CA
Visitors to March Field Air Museum today will be able to hear Gilliland, 82, of Burbank, speak about that historic flight as part of a two-day event honoring the plane, nicknamed the Blackbird, and the people who kept it flying, including pilots, ...

Women's History Month: 'Eyes to the stars' - Joint Base Balad, Iraq
"She was the first to fly the P-51 Mustang, B-25, and B-17. Maj. Gen. Jeanne Holm, first female two-star general, as well as Maj. Gen. Marcelite Harris, who became the first female African-American general. "These are all amazing women who had goals ...

1947 National Air Races in Cleveland from Military Photos by 3mileVFR
Hey guys, new to the forums, lurked awhile before I joined. I love everything aviation and I thought this would be an acceptable first post. http://www.airrace.com/1947%20NAR%20.html

Take a ride in a Warbird at Sun ‘n Fun - By Janice Wood
Get your hands on history with the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) at Sun ‘n Fun when you take a ride in one of CAF’s vintage warbirds. Historic aircraft from the CAF fleet will be on display and available for rides at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida, April 21-26. The CAF Ride Program offers people a once-in-a-lifetime experience of flight in some the most historically significant aircraft of American military aviation, according to CAF officials. Read More→

A day in the life of the 5° Stormo of Cervia from David Cenciotti's weblog - the most visited Italian Aviation Blog by David Cenciotti
A few months ago, I published a photostory, named “A day in the life of the 9° Stormo of Grazzanise“, an article to provide a snapshot about the 9° Stormo and Grazzanise airbase in a day of 2003. The story contained almost all the pics I shot on that day, not just a selection of the most significant ones. The following one is a day spent in Cervia at the beginning of 2004, a few months after the first F-16 of the 23° Gruppo / 5° Stormo arrived in Italy, for a report that was published by Rivista Aeronautica (that, you can read in Italian, here: “Il 5° Stormo….la tana delle Vipere”)…

MOVIE GENIES TO VISIT THE CANADA AVIATION MUSEUM from Aviation.ca News
The Canada Aviation Museum, host of the 29th Annual Genie Awards on 4 April, is pleased to take part in Genie Week, in conjunction with the 2009 Genie Host Organizing Committee, the National Capital Commission and the Academy of Canadian...

40th moon landing anniversary planed from Aerospace-Defense News
The U.S. space agency says it will have several events and activities to observe the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing that occurred July 20, 1969.

Another Auckland Visit #1: Qantas, International Apron and Jean Batten from Rodney's Aviation Ramblings by Rodney
As I mentioned in my last post, I had another trip to Auckland planned for this weekend, and so earlier today, I had about 5 hours sitting around Auckland International airport. This time I flew up on Qantas [actually, Jetconnect here in New Zealand] instead of Air New Zealand. Nothing in it really, the in-flight service was equally basic [although Qantas had fresh fruit as an option - I liked my apple!], but hey, it's only a 45 minute flight so who cares if they give us nothing?? The Qantas seats felt very slightly more comfortable, but again, not much in it…

Wind-powered vehicle hits 126MPH, nabs world record from Engadget by Darren Murph
Sorry Mr. Schumacher, but your ten year record just got obliterated (okay, "beat soundly") by a Briton. On the dry, dusty plains of Ivanpah Lake in Nevada, Sir Richard Jenkins managed to perfectly harness winds of 30MPH in his futuristic Ecotricity Greenbird in order to hit a ridiculously quick 126.1MPH. In all honestly, we can't even fathom how you hit that speed with just 30MPH of wind, but clearly we're not up to speed when it comes to physics and engineering. At any rate, the milestone is pretty important for Ecotricity, which is trying to make wind power the go-to alternative energy source within the next score. Now, if only we could figure out a cheap and easy way to generate wind on demand, we'd really be onto something.

Indiana’s 2R2 to expand By Janice Wood
Planning has begun to expand Indiana’s Hendricks County Airport (2R2). Looking ahead 20 years, proposals would expand the 300-acre airport between Avon and Danville, lengthen the 3,400-foot runway, and add hangars and a second entrance for a passenger terminal area, according to a recent report in the Indianapolis Star. Read More→

-For the latest News @ Full Throttle and additional features visit www.IndyTransponder.com ©
-Subscribe for daily automatic E-mail delivery directly to your Inbox!
-Twitter: IndyTransponder -MySpace: IndyTransponder
-Send Notices > Releases > Updates > Be a Contributor > Contact: IndyTransponder@gmail.com