Indy Transponder 04-NOV-2011 1315z

Cocoa Beach Air Show streaks across the sky this weekend - 13 News | COCOA BEACH -- The Space Coast is gearing up for big crowds and big money as an annual event returns to Coca Beach.  The 2011 Cocoa Beach Air Show runs Saturday and Sunday at Lori Wilson Park, but there's also a preview event at noon Friday.  Tourism leaders expect 80,000 people to flock to the Space Coast for the annual air show and pump $3 million to $4 million into the local economy.  Officials on the Space Coast said...

Rob Holland New Aerobatic Champ - PacificFlyer | Aerobatic pilot and airshow performer Rob Holland is the new United States Unlimited National Champion after his recent performance at the North Texas Regional Airport inSherman/Denison, Texas.  Despite only a few days of practice in his new aerobatic aircraft, the MXS-RH, Holland won the Four-Minute Freestyle competition at the 2011 World Aerobatic Championships in Foligno Italy, August 31- September 11....

Florida Air Museum begins expansion - General Aviation News | The Florida Air Museum (FAM) at Sun ’n Fun has begun construction on a 4,000-square-foot addition to the Tom Davis Educational Center that will provide additional space and facilities for FAM’s programs and activities. The new addition will be called the Piedmont Hangar Aerospace & Technology Lab, taking its...

Mustang Gathering At Nut Tree - PacificFlyer | Seven P-51 Mustangs just barely outnumbered a good showing of six smaller- scale Thunder Mustangs at the Third Annual Mustang Days - renamed from Mustang Gathering - held October 8th in Vacaville at the Nut Tree Airport.  The airport, in Solano County, is located about one hour northeast of San Francisco.  Hosted by the Travis Air Museum and...

Big Boys With Big Toys - PacificFlyer | The Red Star PilotsÕ Association conducted Desert Thunder VII last month at Jackie Cochran Airport (KTRM)in Theremal, Calif.  Desert Thunder is an annual training program for general aviation pilots who want to learn to fly tactical formation, low level navigation routes and attack mock targets.  All participating pilots...

Edwards AFB Celebrates 60th - PacificFlyer | It's been said that if you want to see what the Air Force will look like tomorrow, look at the ramp at Edwards Air Force Base today.  The Air Force Flight Test Center celebrated its 60th anniversary Oct. 14, still pushing the boundaries of flight through ingenuity and innovation.  Established in 1951, the center celebrated its extensive history...

Aquila — this early eagle hardly soared - Travel for Aircraft | The Vietnam War saw the introduction of laser guided smart bombs which met with great success. The small UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) was also researched for designating targets on the battlefield which was much less than successful. Back in the day a UAV was known as an RPV (Remotely Piloted Vehicle).  The concept began with DARPA and was handed off to Ford Aerospace once the concept had proven its promise. The U.S. Army ultimately awarded the development contract to Lockheed where poor project management...

Historic battle: Air Force and B-36 vs. Navy and carrier aviation - Sky Talk | Just run across a fascinating piece from the current issue of the U.S. Naval Institute's Naval History Magazine on the internal Department of Defense political battles between the Air Force and the Navy circa 1949 over the future of Naval aviation.  The article should be of special interest in and around Fort Worth given the role in it of the Convair B-36 bomber, which the relatively...

Mathew Coombs Friday Fabulous Flyer! - Flight to Success | ...Unlike those aviation enthusiasts who tell me they were born to fly, and that passion made them do it— Matt has a different story. Because his Grandpa flew the B-25 in WWII, and ended up retiring as a Captain at United, Matt was introduced to the lifestyle of a pilot. And he liked what he saw. There were also travel benefits, that apparently he’s taking advantage of. He also believes aviation is still a respected profession. So Matt made a career choice and headed off to Purdue....

Lawn-chair balloonist to fly in Iraq - UPI | BEND, Ore., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- A Bend, Ore., man known for traveling 235 miles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons is planning a two-man journey over Baghdad.  Kent Couch, a Bend gas-station owner, was contacted by Fareed Lafta, known as the Iraqi "superhero," about the flight in Iraq, KTVZ-TV, Bend, reported...

The Multicopter Flies! - Flight Monkeys | With full credit to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) for bringing this marvel of aeronautical science to our attention, please help us celebrate the achievement of a German team that has brought multi-engine electric power to a workable helicopter. They call it the Multicopter, a vertical takeoff and landing machine that sports 16 electric motors, a single seat, and a big bouncy exercise ball that appears to provide an exceptionally low-tech but highly efficient suspension system that makes landing a joyously playful experience...