Saturday, December 31, 2011

Indy Transponder 31-DEC-2011 0400z

THE INDY TRANSPONDER 
WOULD LIKE TO WISH 
ALL OUR READERS 
A VERY 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Volunteers Sought For 'Thunder Over Utah' Air Show - KCSG | Organizers of the mid-March air show titled Thunder Over Utah Air Show which will take place at the St. George Municipal airport, are seeking volunteers to help with the event. Thunder Over Utah's local representative... 

Leap Frogs Leap into Holiday Bowl - Shadow Spear | The U.S. Navy parachute demonstration team, the Leap Frogs, kicked off the 34th annual Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego Dec. 28.  In their last jump of the season, the team performed for approximately 55,000 college-football fans, including more than 100 local Marines who paraded an American flag that spanned the football field.... 

Reno Air Races Big Announcement Scheduled from Alabama Aviator
- Aviation News | Reno, Nevada - According to KRNV news in Reno, the Reno Air Races Association (RARA) says they will make a major announcement regarding the future of the National Championship Air Races on Wednesday January 4.... 

Aerobatic TRAINING AND POSTERS PRESENTED 2012 - Translated | Wednesday, December 21 at the historic hangar of the "Tricolour Arrows" of the 2nd Squadron of revolt, there was the traditional pre-Christmas meeting with the presentation of the training and the poster for the year 2012.  The event is an event that is characterized by many years of winter activities Aerobatic Training Squadron 313 Air Force, a special opportunity to meet with local authorities, the clubs' Tricolour Arrows ", friends, family and lovers, what year After years of trips follow the "Arrows".... 

Latest Newsletter - P-38 National Association | The current issue of the "P‑38 Lightning Newsletter" is now available for viewing.

Critical Mass Update - AAFO | Sniperjdp posted this video on youtube on Christmas eve. It shows Critical Mass getting it's new power plant. 

The Last 3km Record; Mojave Roots by Elliot Seguin | Full burner at an average speed of 988 mph, 200 feet agl for four passes.  A homebuilt aircraft attempting to topple a record set on a military budget.  Darryl had built his F-104 out of parts he had found painstakingly searching junk yards across the country; this took him 13 years.  All systems unnecessary for the attempt were removed and fuel bags replaced them, giving him 1,050 gallons of Jet A for the attempt (typical standard load is 850 gal).  He landed with 50 gallons...

100 years ago: Two young men of Lawrence build their own ‘flying machine’ - LJ World | From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Dec. 30, 1911:  "On December 12 the United States government granted a patent to Paul and Harry Elliott of Lawrence for a propeller that they have invented for the aeroplane they have built. The granting of this patent is an important step in the work that these young men have taken to perfect their flying machine.... The Elliott boys have been at work on their aeroplane for some time and it now looks as if success were theirs....

67 years in waiting - Tampabay.com | For three years, they had served side by side in the Air Corps as members of the 14th Air Force in China, a combat unit known as the Flying Tigers. During those years, Glaser and Watts flew dozens of combat missions. They faced down enemy bullets,...

Navy Lakehurst blimp veterans recall Cold War submarine hunts - Asbury Park Press | ...That Cold War cat-and-mouse game was the last hurrah for the Navy’s lighter-than-air program, which shut down in 1961 — and was revived almost 50 years to the day later in October 2011, with the formal commissioning of the MZ-3A, a 180-foot-long version of a commercial airship design....

Going to Rio — First Aerial Crossing of the South Atlantic - Travel for Aircraft | 1919 saw aircraft first crossing the northern Atlantic Ocean. Although relatively, and unfairly, unknown in the North America Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral were the first to fly across the South Atlantic — and they flew early, in 1922. The pair accomplished their feat with single engine floatplanes — Fairey IIID Mk II models — on a flight of several legs from Lisbon Portugal to Rio de Janeiro Brazil. The flight was also commemorative of Brazil’s centennial. The time in the air was just under 62½ hours but occurred over 79 days, using not one but two replacement aircraft. The total distance covered was 5209 miles (8383km) with the flight beginning on 30 March and concluding on 17 June....

Today in Aviation History – December 30 - CRUFC 

EAA Interview with Chicken Wings Comics Co-Creator from Alabama Aviator - Aviation News | Chicken Wings Comics newsletter reveals that Mike Strasser, co-creator of Chicken Wings bagged an EAA Timeless Voices spot during his first visit to AirVenture last year. If his "real job" permits, a commercial helicopter pilot, he will be back next year!... 

New WAI Scholarships - Apply Now from Alabama Aviator - Aviation News | Despite the deadline to apply for a Women in Aviation International scholarship having come and gone, two new scholarships are now available for 2012. These new scholarships bring the total to 73 individual scholarships valued at $520,900 to be awarded to WAI members....

Photos: Rare Last Look Inside Shuttle Atlantis from SPACE.com | These are some of the last photos of inside Atlantis you'll ever see.

Spaceport America poised for business - Las Cruces Bulletin | The desert between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences was host to an image in October that was sent worldwide – British billionaire Richard Branson hanging by ropes off the side of a glass-walled balcony for the terminal hangar at Spaceport America.  The Oct. 17 event was the ceremonial dedication for the 110,152-square-foot building that will hold Virgin Galactic’s fleet of spaceliners and be where its affluent passengers begin and end their $200,000 rides into space....

Friday, December 30, 2011

Indy Transponder 30-DEC-2011 1430z

2011 – The Year in Review: Air Shows - Flightglobal | Flightglobal travels to all the major air shows all year, every year to bring you news and industry gossip. The team works around the clock to deliver news on the web with our dedicated show pages that showcase videos, blogs, Twitter, images as well as iFlight, the interactive digital daily magazine that features heatmapped cutaways and videos.... 

Race #74 & Race #57 Together Again! - Moose Peterson Aviation Photography | These two, rare Super Corsairs have not flown together since 1949. The highlight of that year is when Cleland & Becker raced on the Cleland Team in the Thompson Race and #74 won (piloted by Becker). The low was when they were parked at the end of the field and left to rot that same year. 27 December, 2011 they were brought together again and flown over the skies of...

'Air Boss' Dick Cutshall called the shots at MacDill AirFest - Tampa Bay Times | Dick Cutshall had flown planes since age 16. He loved everything about them, spent his life around airplanes, helicopters and pilots, in control rooms and on airstrips.  He served in the Air Force as an air traffic controller, then as a civilian operations director at Avon Park Air Force Range. Starting in 1987, he also helped launch and maintain the MacDill AirFest, one of the largest air shows in the country....

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh RSS Feed ORBIS DC-10 'Flying Eye Hospital' Returning to AirVenture 2012 - EAA Airventure | One of the world's most unique examples of a humanitarian aircraft, the ORBIS DC-10 Flying Eye Hospital, will appear at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for the 60th convention and fly-in slated for July 23-29, 2012, at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh....

L-39 Aerobatic Team - Airstrike (photo gallery) | A new team of L-39 jets was formed to display for a major international brand that was launching their new product here in Cape Town over a period of about one month. The aircraft were all painted with a...

Ditching the average life: Six ways to say yes to Adventure - Flying with Amelia | Tomorrow morning I am about to climb in an airplane and complete my goal: a transcontinental flight across the US in a single engine aircraft, following Amelia’s 1937 route. Two months ago, this goal seemed impossible, more of a dream than a plan. Much has been realized about goal setting and accomplishment in this time, and while I by no means have things figured out, I certainly feel like I have discovered some universal tools to success....
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Pilot sets out on flight of passage - Waikato Times | The rite of passage for many 21-year-olds is 21 shots or perhaps a symbolic key to adulthood, but a Cambridge woman has set her sights much higher. Sky high, in fact. Weather and plane maintenance permitting, former St Peter's Cambridge student Chloe Milne, who turned 21 on November 21, has embarked on a "flight of passage" this week, by setting out to land at 21 runways around New Zealand.  Late yesterday, Miss Milne was preparing to leave Christchurch Airport for Invercargill as she continued on her ambitious mission.... 

Red Tails Movie a Hit With Museum Vice President - Museum News | Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum 1st Vice President, Rick Rehg, screened the yet to be released movie Red Tails and gave his review this week. “Red Tails is a wonderful film and I give it a superior rating.  It is a very action packed film about the Tuskegee Airmen. I researched the history of the 332nd Fighter Group and found that the film is historically accurate. These airmen gave it...

Start of the hunt for the Mad Trapper - Aviation.CA | …So started what became the largest police manhunt in Canada and created the legend of the Mad Trapper….Over the next number of weeks the Alberta Aviation Museum will be creating a special display to be unveiled February 17th, 2012 on the “Search for the Mad Trapper”, along the way we will add parts of the story as the dates fall into place.

ME 109 Rare WW2 video clip - via AirShowBuzz | WATCH: crashed ME 109 Rare WW2 video clip.

Poland: MiG-29 – cockpit. Radom AirShow 2011 from 360Cities - Panoramic Photography Blog by 360Cities

Convair B-58A Hustler - Planeshots

175 IAF flying cadets pass out - Times of India | HYDERABAD: As many as 175 flying cadets, including 30 women passed out from the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, to join their respective branches in the Indian Air Force on Thursday.  Chief of Army Staff General V K Singh reviewed the combined graduation parade at the academy. The parade marked the culmination of one-year training of the cadets at the...

Rare Scaled Composites ARES 151 jet stops in Amarillo - Black Horizon | A rare - one -of-a-kind military prototype made a surprise stop at Rick Husband Amarillo International today. It's called the Model 151 Ares and was designed as a proof-of concept demonstrator for the US Army's requirements for a low-cost - fast and agile attack aircraft - a sort of mini A-10 Warthog - the current US militarys' premier tank killer....

Indy Transponder 29-DEC-2011 2345z

US Navy Blue Angels to Visit St George Next Week - KCSG Television | Southern Utah will get a preview of the Thunder Over Utah Air Show featured performers in a winter visit by US Navy Blue Angels next week on Tuesday, January 3 to the St. George Airport...

Thank You - Reno Air Racing Association | The year 2011 brought unprecedented adversity to northern Nevadans. And, while we  have shared in the collective grief of our friends and neighbors over the numerous tragic events that have befallen us, we have been absolutely humbled and awe-inspired at the resiliency and compassion of our community. Though there are many people here and all over the world that have been affected by these tragedies, we have so much appreciation for the selflessness and empathy that has been displayed in our region throughout these challenging times....

Plans to hold 2012 Reno Air Races in Stead to be reviewed - Fox Reno | The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority (RTAA) Board of Trustees has formed a temporary committee to review Reno Air Racing Association plans to hold an event in 2012 at Reno-Stead Airport.... 

Chance to fly with top aerobatics team from Clacton and Frinton Gazette | ONE of the world’s top aerobatics teams has pledged to perform for free at Clacton Air Show next year - if people dig deep for charity.  The Blades, who are all former Red Arrows…

Retro-inspired paint scheme for CoNA is a wrap from AVIATION-NEWS | During 2011, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) celebrated the Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) with “green” vinyl wrap applications on historic aircraft displays. Being mindful of environmental impact and cost efficiency, both NAWCWD sites at China Lake and Point Mugu elected to wrap their historic static aircraft displays, in lieu of expensive and [...] 

ISAP 2011 - San Diego, California - Images - Tyson V. Rininger | Finally! A few images edited from the 10th Annual International Society of Aviation Photographers gathering in San Diego. [Photo sample used with permission]

Book: My Very Dearest Anna - General Aviation News | ‘My Very Dearest Anna‘ is a book about the letters Kara Martinelli’s grandparents wrote to one another… during World War II.  “World War II was raging. Everyone was stepping up to do their part, including my Grandpa, Richard B. Moore.  In 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps, a small town boy heading off to fly with the 5th Air Force in the Pacific. But before he could leave, he had to go see about a girl…

There Are Only 8 Pilots In The World That Are Qualified To Fly To This Airport - Business Insider | ...Paro Airport in Bhutan might look beautiful, but is actually considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world, according to The Daily Mail.  Pilots need to maneuver between mountains, fly within feet of houses, and land on a narrow, 6,500 foot runway. Planes are only allowed to take off and land during the day, since any flying at night has been deemed far too dangerous.... 

De Havilland B.35 Mosquito, RAF Museum, London and ‘The People’s Mosquito’ Project - Shortfinals's Blog  | This aircraft has it all – speed, power, grace. It was built against all the odds, when the Air Ministry just couldn’t understand the concept of a bomber without defensive armament or gun turrets. It was only due to the staunch support of the Air Member for Research and Development, Air Chief Marshal Sir Wilfred Rhodes Freeman, Baronet, KGCB, DSO, MC, FRAeS, RAF, that the De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was built at all; indeed, its detractors often refered to it as…

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Indy Transponder 29-DEC-2011 1400z

NAHF Selects “Class of 2012” - Flying Magazine | With the year coming to an end, the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) has selected the “Class of 2012,” the new members which will be enshrined into the NAHF in a ceremony next fall. Like most years in the 50-year history of the NAHF, four aviation pioneers are being honored for their contributions to aviation. These pioneers were selected by the NAHF Board of Nominations, which includes 120 air and space professionals nationwide....

AirFest 'air boss' Cutshall dies at 62 - Tampa Bay Online | If you have ever been to AirFest at MacDill Air Force Base, watched fighters zoom over Raymond James Stadium or heard the thumping drone of military helicopters over your house in Brandon, you have witnessed the handiwork of Richard "Dick" Cutshall, a retired Air Force captain and aviation pioneer. Cutshall — who helped launch AirFest in 1987 and since then served as its "air boss," running the show — died on Christmas Day after more than a decade battling breast cancer. He was 62....

A difficult promise and a lot of hard work… are you game? - Flying with Amelia | Never before, in my nearly twenty-nine years have I experienced such a straight line of learning in direct coordination with practical application of a skill. Just three months ago I was sitting in my downtown apartment, feeling like my aviation goals were out of reach. I knew I wanted to do something big but I didn’t know what it would be. The flight around the world will come in time, but there had to be ways that I could become a smarter, more flexible pilot in the meantime. When the...

Award Winning Skydiver and Aviator to Speak at Amelia Earhart Museum Benefit Luncheon - Alabama Aviator | ...the Alabama Ninety Nines and the Birmingham Zonta Club joined to help support Amelia Earhart's Birthplace Museum with a benefit luncheon. On Saturday, January 7, 2012, the Ninety-Nines continue their fund-raising efforts to maintain and improve this treasured National Historic landmark and its contents. Despite living in many different citie...

WATCH: 2011 USN Year in Review - YouTube via AirShowBuzz

Reno Air Racing Association Thanks Nevadans for Their Strength - News4 | The Reno Air Racing Association wrote the following letter thanking fellow Nevadans. The year 2011 brought unprecedented adversity to northern Nevadans. And, while we have shared in the collective grief of our friends and neighbors over the numerous tragic events that have befallen us, we have been absolutely humbled and awe-inspired at the resiliency and...

2011 Year in Review - By Kevin Garrison | AVweb | ...Reno air racing pilots and fans have known the risk and done it anyway for decades because they are Americans who knew the risks and love it. Let's all hope they keep racing and don't let anybody shut them down....

F2Gs. Yes. As in "multiple." - AAFO | I think we were the first to shoot both flying F2Gs today... (I could be wrong, but listening to the logistics today, it seems like it...)...

Fairey Swordfish with wings folded - Planeshots

Wild ride for UCRA this year - Herald-Citizen | 2011 was a year of ups and downs for the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport. The community mourned the death of a local pilot who was killed when his plane crashed during an airshow in Florida. Lightning struck twice at the airport causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. Adults and children alike delighted in an airshow that attracted large crowds....

Gov't to Pay Family $17.8M for Military Jet Crash - ABC News | A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the U.S. government to pay $17.8 million to a family that lost four members when a Marine Corps fighter jet crashed into their San Diego home in 2008....

McAllister Museum donation to help expand display space - Yakima Herald-Republic | YAKIMA, Wash. -- The McAllister Museum of Aviation accepted a $5,000 donation Wednesday with an eye toward bringing home a piece of local aviation history.  The donation from PepsiCo. and the Noel Corporation, the local Pepsi bottler, will help start a museum expansion effort aimed at creating a suitable display...

Museum Hosts Fun Events During Vacation Week - Patch | On Tuesday, the New England Air Museum was filled with families checking out the planes and engines, climbing into airplane cockpits and testing flight simulators.  Gina Marie Alimberti, gift shop manager at the New England Air Museum, said the holiday week...

St. Louis County Lewis & Clark Branch Features Display of World War II Japanese Airplane Models By Carmelo Turdo | The Lewis & Clark Branch of the St. Louis County Library featured a display of World War II Japanese model aircraft in remembrance of the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941.  The models, in1:72 scale, were made by Mr. Frederick Busse, and have been in a handsome case in...

Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum Builds Relationship With St. Louis Science Center - News | The Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum is building a mutually positive relationship with the nearby St. Louis Science Center.  The two organizations have worked together in the past, with the Science Center previously exhibiting space memorabilia from the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum’s premier Mercury and Gemini space program artifact...

Monocopter Mk2 - The Original Rocket Dungeon | Check out this cool carbon fiber monocopter. If you click through you will find additional photos.

He helps Young Eagles fly - Democrat Herald | Tim Corban of Brownsville has reached a goal he set last year, to put 200 youngsters in the air by the end of 2011....

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Indy Transponder 28-DEC-2011 1600z

Navy Blue Angels to perform in March at Thunder Over Utah Air Show in St. George - The Republic | The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will be the featured performers at the next Thunder Over Utah Air Show at the municipal airport in St. George.  The show is set for March 17-18.  This will be the Blue Angels' first time performing in southern Utah....

Phantoms and Angels: Blue Angels F-4 Phantom Teams | Precision, team work, unending dedication to perfection.  Since its formation in 1946, these have been the traditions of the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron - the Blue Angels.  From 1969 to 1973, the Blue Angels flew the F-4J Phantom II, a high-performance jet fighter which flew more than 1,600 miles per hour and achieved altitudes in excess of 100,000 feet. For the first time, read the first hand accounts of the Blue Angels who flew on the wings of  the F-4 Phantom....

My biggest fan came for a visit in Burbank - Flying with Amelia | We woke in Oakland, CA to a bank of fog that keep many a pilot on the ground. Rather than taking off at 6am and heading straight to Burbank, we waited until 9 am to head to the airport when the fog cleared. We thanked the crew at Attitude Aviation for their hangar space and gracious hospitality. With a cliff bar in hand, we climbed in the plane and started a cold engine. We decided to fly VFR to Santa Barbara in...

Air show officials remember pilot - News and Sentinel | Local air show officials remember a pilot who was a staple at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport events and other aerial programs throughout the state.  On Dec. 22, pilot Michael Lakin, 42, who had participated in many Air Expos at the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, was killed while performing aerial stunt maneuvers for recertification near Columbus, Ohio....

More Info On Sponsorship for the Air Race Classic - You Fly Girl | We can certainly use all available hands. But I would like to add a comment about sponsoring the race: Sponsorship does not entail thousands of dollars. We have sponsors for $25 on up and we have many who sponsor the race by...

Air Racers 3D | 3D Entertainment has released the new poster for the upcoming Giant Screen film "Air Racers 3D." - "A Spectacular Air Show Experience"
Fly into Nevada’s “Valley of Speed” for a breathtaking exploration of the fastest race in the world combined with spectacular air show entertainment: the legendary Reno National Championship Air Races. Join today’s elite pilots as they fight for position, wingtip-to-wingtip, and skim 50 feet (15 m) above the ground around an oval course at twice the speed of a “Nascar” race.
Discover this ultra-competitive world through the eyes of rookie pilot Steve Hinton Jr. as he attempts to fly his P-51 Mustang fighter plane to victory in the most highly-anticipated and unpredictable race class. Learn about the history and science behind the sport, whose concept dates back to the dawn of aviation and see top-notch aerobatic performers, including the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
With spectacular aerial photography filmed entirely in 3D and unprecedented access granted to the course, Air Racers puts you in the cockpit to experience the intensity and high-speed thrills of a sports event like no other for the very first time in IMAX 3D theatres.
The film opens in IMAX and Giant Screen theaters April 5, 2012.

Old Buckenham airshow to return in 2012 - Norfolk Eastern Daily Press | Officials from the Touchdown Aero Centre, which operates the airfield, said the airshow would offer displays from perennially popular vintage aircraft to the latest in modern aerobatic machines. The event will also feature a fairground, military static...

Venues set New Year's Eve plans By LINDSAY PEYTON, CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT | As 2011 draws to a close, local restaurants are creating special menus and area venues are booking acts for their New Year's Eve celebrations.  Spring residents will have their pick of entertainment for the big evening – from listening to the classical compositions of the Houston Symphony to dancing to Sinatra tunes in an airport hangar-turned 1940s nightclub....

Studio plans to film 'Duggy' episodes - AndersonValleyPost.com | He recently starred in “Thunder Over Reno,” a film that partially takes place at the Reno Air Races. The movie was directed by Mitch Farley, creator of “Duggy.” “He (Foxworthy) did share his excitement for the project and he appears to have quite a bit...

Museum to feature B-25 - Fremont News Messenger | The centerpiece at the Liberty Aviation Museum, under construction at the Erie-Ottawa Regional Airport, will be a B-25 bomber manufactured by NA Aviation in 1945. The plane has 13 machine guns and is one of only 30 worldwide....

U.S. Air Force & Combat Infantry: Intense Love-Hate Relationship - Salem News | ...The first American Airplanes got to Britain in June ’45. By July 27th there were 47 B-17 Bombers, 74 P-38 Fighters and 52 C-47 Cargo planes. Almost none of the Bombers survived their missions. The Memphis Belle was the first to survive 25 missions to great celebration!...

Secret Squirrel Stratofortress — the B-52 known as El Lobo II - Travel for Aircraft | 16-17 December 1991: 57 men in 7 B-52 Stratofortresses completed a record setting historical combat mission which was designated Secret Squirrel.  This mission was the first strike of Operation Desert Storm — initiating Gulf War I — flying 35 hours over 14,000 miles to...

Video: Nearly 14' Wingspan RC Airbus A400M - With Paratroopers! - AirPigz | This amazing and very large (1:10 scale) Airbus A400M RC model has been around for a while but there's so dang much cool stuff on the interwebs these days that sometimes it takes a while to find the must-see items. With a nearly 14 foot wingspan, a little over 90 pounds, and with 18 servos operated by two people with two radios, this is one complex RC model. And, as this video shows, it has video cameras mounted in the cockpit(!), under the...

Video: Wingsuiters at it again - in formation! - Bayou Renaissance Man

Aviation for Kids - NBC26 |  E.A.A. Airventure may be about a half a year away, but that's not stopping the staff       at the E.A.A. Airventure Museum from getting Northeast Wisconsin kids excited about airplanes....

XB-70 Engines - The Unwanted Blog | A photo from a  NASA report showing the tail end of a B-70, with engine #3 removed. The B-70 was a carefully shaped vehicle, every line and....

NASA space camp scholarship offered to children of military from Air Force Link Top Stories | NASA Space Camp is a place of learning where children come together for a journey they will never forget. For many, it is a life-changing event - helping them make decisions about their educational and vocational careers. This extraordinary adventure teaches our youth about astronauts and space travel and so much more. They learn leadership and they develop bonds of friendship that can last a lifetime....

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Indy Transponder 27-DEC-2011 2345z

In 1937 or 2011, it is still Amelia’s Airspace: A photo recreation over Treasure Island - Flying with Amelia | Day one: Denver to Oakland | As we launched out of Centennial Airport at 7:00 am on Monday December 26th, a huge mountain wave cloud sat over the foothills of Denver, waiting to rock our wings and remind us that flying is still a challenge and a feat that is not for the faint of heart. After a clearance... [Also: 9News Coverage]

Cable Air Show Jan. 7-8 - Upland Now | The 37th annual Cable Airshow will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 7-8 at Cable Airport, 1749 W. 13th St. in Upland.  Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5-12 and free for children under 5 years old.  Parking is free.  Just in Time Skydivers and the Freedom Parachute Team will jump...

Warbirds, wheels to fascinate all - Otago Daily Times | After many months of preparation, the Warbirds and Wheels attraction at Wanaka Airport will open its doors to the public for the first time today.  The attraction is located in a purpose-built hangar opposite...

CAF B-29 Pilot David Oliver – Warbird Radio LIVE! – Tuesday | Commemorative Air Force B-29 pilot David Oliver joins Matt Jolley on Warbird Radio LIVE!  It’s our first...

Skip Hit - Low level flying in West Germany - Vintage Wings of Canada | Seems a long time since we had enemies we could trust!  The Cold War was real: a long, bi-polar stand-off stretching from the end of the Second World War until 1989 - when the time was right for The Wall to be taken down.  It was a time fraught with real uncertainty and both real and perceived risks affecting the entire world under the sword of nuclear deterrence.  The period was really a measure of why the RCAF and Canadian Army were stationed at bases and casernes across Western Europe.  After all the sacrifices of the Second World War, we had to continue our air and ground presence and readiness to swiftly counter the Eastern Bloc nuclear and conventional threat....

Aviation enthusiasts work to identify plane found in water off Jupiter - Palm Beach Post | Randy Jordan was just following the fish.  Diving at a depth of about 200 feet four miles off Jupiter Tuesday, the owner of Emerald Charters wasn't expecting to see much more than sand and seafood.  But the deep waters were hiding something: the remains of a mostly intact aircraft upside down on the ocean floor....

Scuba Diver Uncovers WWII Plane - ABC News Video | The fully intact plane could contain live ammunition or human remains.

Tonopah Air Field had its share of tragedy during WWII - RGJ | Tonopah has a secret, a jinxed World War II military base. The Tonopah Army Air Field played an important role during the war but is known today to few, except military buffs, outside the area....

Former female WWII pilot takes to the skies again - Sun Sentinel | Every person is filled with stories, and for Tex Meachem, the roar of a propeller is one that tells hers.  The 93-year-old woman lives in John Knox Village in Pompano Beach and her home shows hints of her past: a teddy bear dressed as a pilot, old photographs of her in a jump suit. While men were shipped overseas to fight in World War II, the women held down the fort back home. Meachem was one of a handful of women who pioneered the skies as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs....

The Great Female Pilot – Pancho Barnes - Top Secret Writers | Pancho Barnes was an unconventional character that had a big effect on aviation and aviators during some of the most dynamic years in aviation history. Though living through pain, prejudice, and the Great Depression, she maintained a love of life. ...

High Flying Fiorello and the Airfield that Bares His Name - Patch.com | And with so much oft-overlooked trivia about this hub of aviation history, there's certainly a whole lot for passengers to ponder the next time they wait patiently in line at LGA's security check point. Like the fact that Time once called Queens' ...

Secret Japanese Aircraft of WWII - Military Photos | History Channel - Starting in the 1930's, Japanese aircraft designers made incredible strides, and by the time hostilities broke out, the Imperial Air Force had some of the most sophisticated and effective planes in the world. SECRET JAPANESE AIRCRAFT OF WORLD WAR II traces the development of the Japanese industry and its famous creations, like the Nakajima Ki-43 Oscar and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. But the program also exposes the...

Eastern Airlines DC-7B — her latest challenge - Travel for Aircraft | Ralph Petterson wrote this article from September 2008 on the aircraft and the work done by the Historical Flight Foundation (link also provided by Dave “Mac”).  There is also this more recent article from August 2010, also by Ralph Petterson.  She has been flown on revenue flights for the last year or so, as far as Oshkosh. On her latest flight, in...

Notes on the Sea Dart and the Atlantis - Travel for Aircraft | ...article written by Robert F. Door that is the most concise and thorough history of the Convair Sea Dart I have read....may be the last photos of the cockpit as well as payload bay of Space Shuttle Atlantis prior to her preparation for display...

F-16 Pilot Reaches 4,000 Flight Hours - Airforce-magazine | Lt. Col. Brian Egger, an instructor pilot with the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, became only the 34th USAF pilot to amass 4,000 flight hours in the F-16, according to members of the unit. "This is very rare," said Lt. Col Aaron Piepkorn,...

Rise of the drone: From Calif. garage to multibillion-dollar defense industry - Washington Post | Lake Forest, Calif. — In 1980, Abraham Karem, an engineer who had emigrated from Israel, retreated into his three-car garage in Hacienda Heights outside Los Angeles and, to the bemusement of his tolerant wife, began to build an aircraft.  The work eventually spilled into the guest room, and when Karem finished more than a year later, he wheeled into his driveway an odd, cigar-shaped craft that was destined to change the way the United States wages war....

China to start work on world’s highest airport - Pilot News Magazine | China will start work on the world’s highest airport next year, in Tibet’s Nagqu town, state media said on Tuesday, which will be about 100 metres (328 ft) higher than the existing record holder in another part of the remote and restive region.  Nagqu airport will be at an altitude of 4,436 metres (14,553 ft) above sea level, slightly higher than the airport in Qamdo town at 4,334 metres (14,219 ft), Xinhua news agency reported....

Replica of Wright brothers' invention soars at Bozeman High - Bozeman Daily Chronicle | Kelsey Horn was thrilled Thursday when the replica she built of the Wright brothers' 1902 glider was installed in its permanent home in Bozeman High School's library...

Aspiring pilots win Young Eagles scholarships from General Aviation News by Janice Wood | Four young people are on the path to fulfilling their aviation dreams as recipients of scholarships through the EAA Young Eagles Scholarship Program, which funds flying lessons and flight experiences for teenage student pilots interested in aviation and aviation careers...

December 27, 2011 Girl Scouts at Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport  - Ely Air Lines | It was a stormy day last week when eight girls, ages 8-9, climbed inside the airport fire truck. There a fireman entertained and educated the group, pushing the water cannon button blasting 750 gallons a minute in a high arch across the ramp so they could see how it works....

Why aviation people need to be better at telling media's stories from Letters from Flyover Country by Bob Collins | I'm a big fan of the podcast, Uncontrolled Air Space, which is three very knowledgeable gentlemen gassing on for an hour about all things (general) aviation. They're smart, they make excellent points, and they're a great companion for me out at the hangar....

The Dungeon's Top Ten of 2011 - The Orginal Rocket Dungeon

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Aviation show to be held in January - Gulf Times | The Fifth Fly-in Open Day will be held at Al Khor Airstrip on January 13 and 14 from 9am to 4.30pm in a revamped format featuring light aircraft from all over the region. The event is jointly organised by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, the Qatar Aeronautical College, owners of light aircraft from the region and the remote flying section at the Science Club....

Planes of Fame asking the public for their vote - Contra Costa Times | CHINO - There are only a few days left to help Planes of Fame Air Museum win $50,000.  The museum at 7000 Merrill Ave. is looking to get the Pepsi Refresh program to help them build its Korean War Memorial Project on a quarter-acre plot on the corner of Cal Aero Drive and Merrill Ave.  People can vote for - The `Chosin Few' - two ways:...

Dubai big way ! - Bonjour Bluesky

Cadet parachuting team to appear 3 times - Air Force Times | An Air Force Academy team will be stealing time in the spotlight at three college football bowl games this season, but this team won’t be wearing shoulder pads or showing off their skills on the gridiron.  These cadets will be stealing the show from the sky....

Former fighter pilot tells of surviving ordeal - Air Force Times | HAMMOND, La. — Clinging to the side of a burning fighter plane traveling an estimated 200 miles per hour is not exactly a recipe for longevity, but Lewis Smith of Hammond managed to survive that experience over North Vietnam in 1966 and went on to complete an exciting and successful military and finance career.  Retired from the military at the rank of lieutenant colonel, Smith looks back on that incident 45 years ago and says that actually, he shouldn’t be alive today....

Unmanned Helo Makes First Delivery to Marines - Military.com | CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan -- Unmanned systems have revolutionized combat aviation, providing a colossal advantage in the fight against terror with surveillance and close-air support....

GA marketing company launched - GAN | Kandi Spangler recently launched Vertical Markets, a company specializing in marketing solutions for the business and general aviation industries. Spangler recently left Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) as vice president of marketing to start the new company....

WOUNDED MARINE RECEIVES FLIGHT  TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP - Able Flight | It's a testament to his fighting spirit and to modern battlefield medicine that Marine Corps Sgt. Adam Kisielewski is alive. In August of 2005, Adam's life changed in the time it took for him to pass through the explosives-rigged door of a school in Iraq.  The blast cost Adam his left arm, and his right leg below the knee, and it cost the life of the lieutenant who was with him. His injuries could easily have added  his name to the many fatalities of the war, but good and immediate care kept him alive. Now, Adam is the father of a young son and serves other veterans with his work at Operation Second Chance, and soon he'll begin to live his dream of becoming a pilot.  To learn more about Adam's story of  service, sacrifice and survival, visit here.

Plymouth Aero Club accepting applications for 2012 aviation scholarships - Patriot Ledger | The Plymouth Aero Club is now accepting applications for its 2012 aviation scholarships.  The scholarships are for students pursuing post-secondary education or training for a career in aviation, including aviation management, aviation maintenance, flight or other related careers....

Sporty’s offers fast track to first solo - GAN | No matter your ultimate goal, if you want to learn to fly, you have to solo. For most pilots, soloing an airplane is even more memorable than earning their license. Now, Sporty’s Pilot Shop has made this milestone even easier by offering a DVD course that includes everything a pilot needs to fly solo — just add flight instructor.  “We know from the experience gained at our own flight school, if you get a student to solo, his chances of dropping out are virtually zero,” says Sporty’s Founder Hal Shevers. “This course will help student pilots make it to that milestone, whether they plan to continue on towards a license or simply solo.”...

The 12 Most Anticipated Space Missions of 2012 - Space.com | The space shuttle program is over, but that won't mean a lack of launches in 2012.  Between commercial and government spaceflight, manned and robotic, there's a lot on next year's spaceflight docket. For NASA,...

Monday, December 26, 2011

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Tickets already on sale for chance to see Air Force Thunderbirds in 2012 - Bangor Daily | The
2012 Great State of Maine Air Show is scheduled for closer to next Christmas than this one, but tickets are already on sale for a show that has the United States Air Force Thunderbirds booked.  In its decades-long history, the air show — which until last summer always was organized and manned by the U.S. Navy — has welcomed the Thunderbirds to Brunswick only once. The Thunderbirds, a flight demonstration and military recruitment tool, performed at 70 air shows in 2011. In Brunswick, they are expected to fly F-22 Raptors, according to Marty McMahon of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the group overseeing the civilian redevelopment of the now-closed Brunswick Naval Air Station, which is now called Brunswick Executive Airport....

Hill Air Force base to hold Thunderbirds air show - Herald Extra | Hill Air Force Base officials announced this week that an open house and air show featuring the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will be held at Hill on May 26-27. The two-day event, which is free and open to the public, will include aerial demonstrations and displays to provide the public a personal look at the Air Force and its airmen.  "Open houses and air shows serve as premier platforms that enable us to showcase the Air Force mission and the extraordinary things our Airmen do every day," said Col. Sarah Zabel, 75th Air Base Wing commander. "This is significant to our recruiting efforts, but also essential to educating the American public on the training and capabilities of their Air Force."...

Thunder Over The Blue Ridge Moves On - Aero-News Net | A West Virginia airshow which closed early this year following a fatal T-28 crash will be back for 2012. The website for the Thunder Over The Blue Ridge Open House & Air Show in Martinsburg announces, "The 167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard will once again partner with the local community and Thunder Over The Blue Ridge, Inc., to host the 2012 Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Open House and Air Show. The event is scheduled for September 15-16, 2012....

Leuchars Airshow will be held in 2012 - Fife Today | THE RAF Leuchars Airshow will definitely take place next year, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.  In a letter to North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell, Armed Forces Minister Nick Harvey said the annual event would be held on Saturday, September 15.  However, Mr Harvey warned that the future of the Airshow beyond 2012 could not be guaranteed...

With skyscapes painted on the tops of our wings… - Flying With Amelia | Every pilot I meet seems to want to put into words the vigor and excitement that flying brings to the table. Photos, words, videos… all of these options come close to personifying our need to soar into the big ole blue sky, but there was always something missing. Until now. I am excited to share the videos that we took today during our....

Aviation Nation 2011 – Sunday - Parrot Head Jeff | It’s Christmas Eve and I’ve been working on getting a whole bunch of photos edited and ready for uploading.  Oh, I’ll have some pics from...

A Rare Opportunity for an Up Close Look at the F-22 Raptor - Airplanista |"Congratulations," the email started, "you have been selected to attend our first Lockheed Martin Tweetup". That led to frantic trip planning, and a bunch of excitement.  Twitter and these 'Tweetups' have given me an incredible number of experiences that most could never imagine, something I'm very thankful for. My first Space Shuttle launch at STS-129, visiting...

The San Joaquin Siren: Another Great Pilot Story - Fly Me Friendly | I really enjoy reading aviation books (funny that) and especially (auto)biographies that give me an insight into the experiences of the times, from growing up to learning to fly and then on to surviving various aviation adventures. With that in mind, it was a pretty even bet that I’d probably enjoy reading The San Joaquin Siren, An American Ace in WWII’s CBI by William M Behrns & Kenneth Moore.  Not only did I enjoy the book, I loved it. It starts with a...

Combat Air Museum features P-51 fighter - CJ Online | Holiday visitors to the Combat Air Museum can view a World War II-era fighter on display.  The P-51 fighter is valued at $1.8 million, said Gene Howerter, chairman of the museum’s board of directors.  The P-51 Mustang originally was part of the Royal Australian Air Force....

T6 – So African Style - Moose Peterson Aviation Photography | Brian Churchill out of Phoenix has a couple of amazing T-6 Texans. I photographed another of his T-6 a few months backed and love its color scheme which is authentic for the field in which he flies out of, Falcon Field, AZ. One of the many training fields around the country, that kind of living history is just cool....

Ice Pilots' Buffalo Joe down to earth - Times Colonist | Buffalo Joe McBryan is a hard man to pin down.  The head of the Northwest Territories' long-standing renegade airline Buffalo Airways and gruff centre of History Television's hit reality TV series Ice Pilots NWT is sitting in his cluttered Yellowknife office on an relatively warm December morning. (It's roughly -10 C.)...

Soyuz reentry over Europe (not a comet) - High Power Rocketry

Astronaut Cady Coleman To Visit International Women’s Air And Space Museum - Aero-News Network | The International Women’s Air & Space Museum, in partnership with NASA Glenn Research Center, will host a special guest appearance from astronaut Catherine “Cady” Coleman on Tuesday, January 3rd.  Cady (pictured) will provide a post-flight mission briefing with a question and answer session. Following the presentation, there will be an informal meet and greet and autograph session....

Saturday, December 24, 2011

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Air Show funds Cornelius children's library programs - Oregon Live | Friends of the Cornelius Public Library received a $750 grant from the Oregon International Air Show to support fun and educational children's programs that encourage reading and literacy.  One of the Friends' primary goals is to support an annual Summer Reading Program. This year 409 Cornelius children participated in the program, reading more than 6,250 books....

Podcast: Amelia Earhart Flies Again - AVweb | Amelia Rose Earhart, who works as a reporter at a Denver TV station, has been inspired by her famous ancestor to learn to fly. She's now re-tracing Earhart's 1937...

Video: Amelia Earhart to retrace flight of namesake - 9News | Denver- 9News Traffic Reporter Amelia Earhart is about to embark on her first trans-continental flight in a single-engine aircraft.  Evoking memories of a legend, Amelia Earhart will once again take to the skies over the United States, retracing the North American route of her namesake, distant relative and legendary aviatrix. Fueled by a love of adventure and passion for inspiring others to pursue their own dreams, this modern-day Amelia will fly a Cirrus SR22 from Oakland, California to Miami, Florida.  Amelia's thrilling quest to recreate Earhart's trans-continental flight soars on Dec. 26, 2011. Why Oakland? In the late spring of 1937, Earhart flew from Oakland to Miami where she announced her bold...
[Don't forget to check out Amelia's blog too! - which is where the photo came from]

Amelia Earhart Flies A Cirrus - AVweb | Denver traffic reporter Amelia Rose Earhart is distantly related to the famous aviator, and says her parents gave her that name to inspire her -- and it worked. Earhart already has earned her private pilot certificate, and this week she's flying from Oakland, Calif., to Miami in a Cirrus SR-22 to re-trace one of her namesake's famous flights...

Help with the Air Race Classic, June 19-22, 2012 - You Fly Girl | ...Most of us can't be sponsors, but we can certainly be volunteers...

TEASER TRAILER SNEAK PEEK! - THE BOB HOOVER PROJECT Team | An early teaser for an upcoming feature documentary film, currently in production, on the life of flying legend R.A. “Bob” Hoover – THE BOB HOOVER PROJECT....

Roadrunners Internationale December Newsletter | For those of you who did not attend the Roadrunners Internationale 22d reunion last October, the reunion was a major success. As Reunion Committee Chairman Harry Martin put the event together, it appeared at first...

How an A-12 Avenger II canopy landed on eBay [UPDATE] - Flightglobal | Seth Kettleman makes a living buying and selling surplus aircraft machinery on the web. In late November, a strange item popped up on GovDeals.com: an A-12 Avenger II fighter canopy. Kettleman had never heard of the A-12, but he was intrigued so he started Googling. He read that the highly classified A-12 had been canceled in 1991. He also read that the A-12 was canceled before McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics assembled the first aircraft....

Jimmy Stewart showed us that ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ COMMENTARY William C. Kashatus - Times Leader | ...Stewart was a genuine hero, a highly decorated fighter pilot who flew 20 combat missions against Nazi Germany during World War II. After the war, he refused to act in any movie about the conflict or his role in it. It contradicted his personal code of honor.  Instead, Stewart, a bona fide star before the war, renewed his Hollywood career with a film that celebrates life and has become an annual holiday classic...

Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum Displays Newest Attraction By Carmelo Turdo | The Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum is sprucing up its hangar to accommodate its newest display – an F-4 Phantom II cockpit restored by Joe Steimann. The aircraft cockpit, originally from a McDonnell Douglas F-4F stricken from the German Air Force after an accident, is now in the colors of the MO ANG 131st TFW formerly based in St. Louis. Other aircraft on display include...

Scuba divers discover airplane submerged off coast of Palm Beach County Divers say plane may be from WWII  - Kathryn Report | It was supposed to be a typical scuba dive. Randy Jordan, owner of Emerald Charters in Jupiter, grabbed his gear and ferried a small group of divers to a spot about four miles east of the Jupiter Inlet. "Completely random drop and the captain just dropped us right on it," said Jordan. "It was just totally by accident."...

Wings of Mercy pilot says volunteering is "highlight" - Smart Brief | Wings of Mercy pilots volunteer to fly medical patients for treatment. "The whole experience has been a highlight of my life," said pilot George Schraft. He recently flew a 26-year-old with brain cancer for treatment from Michigan to North Carolina....

Aviation Nation 2011 – Saturday By Parrothead Jeff | ... I’ve often seen the doors open for tours on these E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) jets, but there’s always been too long of a line for my interest to override my dislike of standing in line.  Thankfully, there was no line during the Saturday airshow so I jumped...

US authorities give Santa Claus’s reindeer-powered sleigh the green light to fly - Pilot News Magazine | WASHINGTON — US aviation authorities have given Santa Claus’s reindeer-powered sleigh the green light to fly on Christmas Eve after a rigorous inspection of the “Santa One” aircraft, officials said Friday.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said safety inspectors at the North Pole have given the thumbs-up for Santa’s sleigh to cruise through US airspace and came away impressed with improved technology allowing Saint Nick to avoid other aircraft....

NORAD’s Santa tracker pulls out high-tech stops - Air Force Times | Come Donner! Come Blitzen! Come North American Aerospace Defense Command! That's right. This Christmas, NORAD, the premier U.S.-Canadian air defense directorate, is once again using its super high-tech tracking equipment to keep tabs on jolly old Saint Nick.  For 365 days of the year, NORAD is serious about tracking the skies over North America. But beginning at 3 a.m. Saturday, the generals and air-sovereignty commanders will be telling Virginia that, yes, there is a Santa Claus. And they've got the satellite tracking of his sleigh to prove it....


Merry christmas everybody, hope a lot of cool jumps for 2012 ! - Bonjour Bluesky

How Does NORAD 'Track' Santa? - Space.com | For more than 50 years, NORAD — the North American Aerospace Defense Command — has used its high-tech missile-tracking systems to track Santa's progress during his annual Christmas Eve flight around the world....

Local students named winners in PennDOT Aviation Art Contest - Abbington Journal | ..."These students came up with very creative ways to show why aviation is important in Pennsylvania," said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. "Considering we received more than 900 entries this year, these winners should be extra proud to be chosen as the best. I thank all of the students, parents and teachers who made this contest a success."...

Video: This Year @NASA: 2011 in Review - Spaceports | ...From the end of one monumental mission, to the beginning of a new era in the human exploration of our solar system....

Indy Transponder 23-DEC-2011 2345z

Blue Angels landing in Fargo again in 2013 - DL-online | FARGO – The Blue Angels will be back in 2013.  That was some of the good news Fargo AirSho co-chairman Dick Walstad received while attending the International Council of Air Shows last week in Las Vegas.  Walstad said the Blue Angels have penciled Fargo into their schedule on Aug. 10-11, 2013....

flying santa claus from Planeshots

An Example of Citizen-Soldier - Metro News |Members of the 130th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard are heavy hearted this Christmas season amid news one of their own has been lost. Michael Lakin, a pilot with the Air Guard, was killed in a Thursday plane crash in Ohio.  Lakin was flying a small craft and doing aerobatic stunts for a recertification. An investigation into the crash is underway.  "His missions required him sometimes to go to places you needed high level skills to fly," said Lt. Colonel David Lester of the West Virginia Air Guard. "The work he did on the weekends with these acrobatic air shows was amazing.   His love for flying was never in doubt.  If you were to say somebody passed away doing what they love, that was the case with Michael."...

Wings Over Wine Country Air Show - Holiday Stocking Stuffers | "Dec. 23:  Santa Rosa, CA - Tickets for the 2012 Wings Over Wine Country Air Show to be held August 18-19, 2012 at the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport are on sale now just in time for the holidays.  Let the Pacific Coast Air Museum be your Santa's Helper with a variety of exciting and fun air show ticket packages.  Click here for details.  Holiday packages will be on sale through Christmas and New Years for your convenience.  See http://www.facebook.com/wingsoverwinecountry for more information."

Tricolour Arrows, the "diamond" enters a new pilot / Video - Translated | The Tricolour Arrows presented Aimed at the airport in the town of Codroipo (Udine) training with which they will fly in 2012, and the poster for the new year. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Lant, Commander of the Tricolour Arrows, after presenting the activities carried out during 2011, pointed out the numerous commitments of solidarity involving men in uniform....

Convening an air show - Translated | First in a series of three major air shows in the metropolis, that of Rochefort - St. Agnant takes place on the air base 721, 28 and May 29 These two exceptional days of presentation of the Air Force are placed under the leadership of Air Vice (CPN), Christophe Motte....

122nd revives air show, set for Labor Day - Fort Wayne Journal Gazette | FORT WAYNE – The 122nd Fighter Wing is taking the lead to bring the first air show to the city in nearly 13 years when it invades Fort Wayne International Airport on Labor Day weekend. The aviation showcase of both civilian and military displays is...

Museum of Flight B-29 - Planeshots

December Round-up 2011 - Autogyro circumnavigation of the globe | Here we are again! For the second year running I have found myself in an unavoidable position of preparing Roxy for another long winter 'rest' period. I have recently returned (during November) to Tsuruoka and Shonai Airport to perform some ongoing (and annual) maintenance tasks on Roxy - background jobs that need to be done to every aircraft in order to keep it fit and healthy. Performing these works, on a UK...

On This Day: First Non-Stop Around-the-World Flight Completed - Finding Dulcinea | On Dec. 23, 1986, the Rutan Voyager aircraft, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, completed the first non-stop, around-the-world flight without refueling....

Leg 1 D.C. to Denver: If the key fits, turn it and see where it takes you from Amelia Earhart | ...They are small but important. When this set of keys is grasped by the eager hands of a pilot, they are electric. These keys are never apathetically, absent-mindedly picked up. They are always held tight, with authority, by a knowing hand, who plans to fly....

The Making of the last movie! - Apache Roll | A llez, the making of the images are as beautiful as the film itself, so we do not deny it!  "Too Late Baby" second! ...

From Antique Airfiled:
The yearly NORAD Santa tracking post from The Original Rocket Dungeon | You and your kids and their kids and so on can track the Jolly Old Elf's progress here. Merry Christmas!

All systems go: Santa passes tests with flying colours from Aviation.ca News | Transport Canada is pleased to announce that Santa has passed all his required pre-flight tests and is ready to make his deliveries again this year. Despite a flurry of last-minute activity to make sure all of his seriously fun cargo...

How big-hearted French pilots made 200 toys for British children in just three ... - Daily Mail | The detailed photographs have been unearthed by researchers at the Yorkshire Air Museum and reveal an amazing World War Two story of generosity. In December 1944, a generous French Air Force sous lieutenant was inspired to give something back to the ...

Air Force Week in Photos from Air Force Link Top Stories | This week's photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

Norman Thomas "Pep" Petrocine - Estes Park Trail-Gazette | After Army Air Corps training in Yuma, Ariz., Pep became a B-17 pilot, flying 35 combat missions out of England with the 8th Air Force. 1st/Lt. Petrocine was awarded the prestigious Distinguishd Flying Cross for one of these missions....

Airman survived POW camp - Sarasota Herald-Tribune | Robert Pelletier served as a navigator on a B-17 when he fought in World War II. By ROBERT PELLETIER After Robert Pelletier enlisted in the service as a civilian pilot in 1942, he was soon assigned to the 385th bomb group of the Eighth Air Force. ...

The Shepherd - a Canadian Christmas Classic - Vintage Wings of Canada | Back we go to a night not long ago. A night like twenty others.  It's Christmas Eve and though just early evening, the dim light of winter is long receded, replaced by the orange vapour darkness of an urban night. Outside my house a Canadian hibernal front descends like a northern spirit to hush the city under a blanket of snow. Pressing my forehead against the windowpane, I feel the cold scrabbling at the glass and hear the faint swish of a trillion snowflakes crashing onto Adelaide Street. High above the walk, veils of snow sift across the streetlight's reach. It’s a Christmas Eve most see only in greeting cards and the cinema. It’s a Canadian Silent Night. On nights like this I am envious of no one....

The Flying Winnebago - Air & Space Smithsonian | For some reason the heli-camper never really caught on.

Today in Aviation History – December 23 - CRUFC

Astoria and Newport angling to land Tillamook Air Museum - OregonLive.com | Tillamook Air Museum says it has one of the "top five privately owned aircraft collections in the nation," but the cavernous hangar it occupies is bigger than it needs and other ...

Navy helicopter from Fallon crashes in the Sierra and all walk away - RGJ | FALLON (AP) — All five members of a Navy helicopter crew from Nevada are reported to be okay after crashing during a training mission on the edge of the Sierra.  The MH60S helicopter based at the Naval Air Station in Fallon went down Thursday morning near the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif....

Friday Fabulous Flyer: Aisling Tarpey - Flight to success | ....This year my holiday wish is that Aisling will find the means to achieve her dream of becoming a pilot. She is one dedicated young lady who is focused and flying open throttle toward her dreams. I know she will achieve whatever she sets her heart to... and her heart is in the sky. ...

Future drone pilots may fly four warplanes at once - Reuters India | But the human aspect of UAV deployment is stronger than in the past," said a person familiar with the new initiative. Most current drones are flown either manually from a desk, often thousands of miles away, or via parameters programmed before a flight ...

European Astroanut André Kuipers Dubbed "The Space-Flying Dutchman" - Spaceports | European astronaut André Kuipers is on his second voyage to the International Space Station to begin a nearly six month stay as a part of the six-member crew of Expedition 30....