Indy Transponder 31-DEC-2013 1300z

The U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbirds will Conduct a Pre-parade Practice Flight Over Colorado Blvd. on December 31st - Pasadena Now | On December 31st at 8:00 a.m., the U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbirds will conduct a pre-parade practice flight over Colorado Blvd. The flying unit, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, will fly six aircrafts west to east from Colorado Blvd. and Orange Grove Blvd. This same flying unit will perform on January 1, 2014 for the Rose Parade, and as always, the flyer-over promises to a be a spectacular event....

Friends celebrate life of stunt pilot Alex “Jimmy” Rae - The Press, York | THE widow of a North Yorkshire pilot who died in a biplane crash in Australia has spoken for the first time following a celebration of his life. Alex “Jimmy” Rae, 26, from Easingwold was piloting the vintage Tiger Moth biplane in an aerobatic flight at about 3,000 feet over the coast of Brisbane, when it crashed into the sea. Mr Rae and his passenger, 21-year-old Taissia Umenc, were both killed...

Air Race Attracts International Competitors as Entry Date Approaches - PR Web | The 38th Air Race Classic will begin accepting entries for the annual transcontinental air race. | The annual Air Race Classic entry opens on January 2, 2014 at noon (EST). Over one hundred female pilots compete each year. The Air Race Classic, Inc. (ARC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating current and future women pilots while increasing public awareness of general aviation...

Reno Air Race Shakeup: Houghton Departs As President and CEO - Aero News Network | "...To Further Reduce Expenditures And Streamline Our Efforts..." | One of the toughest jobs in aviation, that of running the embattled and historic Reno Air Races, is now vacant. Few details are available right now, the announcement being just minutes old, but a statement from the Reno Air Racing Association states that, "In its ongoing effort to revise and evolve its organizational structure and business model to ensure long-term sustainability, the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) announced today the departure of its president & CEO Mike Houghton. The recently restructured board of directors cited recent changes in the governance of the organization and input from key stakeholders that emphasized a need to restructure the day-to-day operations in light of the financial challenges facing RARA as reasons behind the departure."...

Mike Houghton talks about his departure as Reno air race CEO - Reno Gazette-Journal | The Reno National Championship Air Races on Monday announced it has eliminated the position of longtime president and CEO Mike Houghton amid what it called an ongoing effort to reduce overhead in putting on the 51-year-old event at Reno Stead Airfield...

WWII B-17 pilot from St. Augustine signs historic wing Thursday - St. Augustine Record | Lt. Walter Harvey walked into a bootmaker’s shop to see what kind of a deposit must be made on a new pair. It was London in 1943 and the bootmaker replied deposits were unacceptable — he must be paid in full — and told a skeptical Harvey to come with him...

During World War II, Sam Robertson was a gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress, flying in the belly of the beast - Fayetteville Observer | Sam Robertson hasn't worn a seat belt in decades. It's not that he doesn't care for his own safety. It's just that Robertson, 96, doesn't like to be strapped in. He hasn't, he said, since World War II. For more than 20 missions, Robertson folded his body into the cramped ball turret on the underside of a B-17 Flying Fortress...

Gone West: Nadezhda Popova - Aero-News Network | One of Russia's woman pilots who flew ag planes converted into bombers during WWII has passed away at the age of 91.  The "Night Witches" were crediting with dropping 23,000 tons of bombs on German troops invading Russia in some 30,000 missions, according to a report in the New York Times. The women were all volunteers who became legends in their time, but are now largely forgotten. They flew only at night with no parachutes, guns, radios, or radar, navigating with only maps and a compass. A hit from...

The Legacy Of Walker Air Force Base · Warbirds News | In March 1963, the Base was ordered shut down and operations ceased August 1, 1963. Little remains today to remind visitors of the history enjoyed by this former military base. From 1941 to 1942, it was known as Roswell Army Flying School. From 1942 to 1947, it was known as Roswell Army Air- field. From 1947 to 1948, it was known as Roswell Air Force Base. From 1948 until closure in 1963, it was known as Walker Air Force Base. The last name of the facility was in honor of General Newton Walker, a native of Los Cerrillos, New Mexico, who was killed during a bombing mission over Rabaul, New Britain, Papua, New Guinea on January 5, 1943. After his group...

Long-stored Pitts Special nearly ready to fly again - Carolinacoastonline | BEAUFORT — Vintage cars and classic motorcycles increase in value and desirability usually based on their rarity and performance capabilities and, for aviation enthusiasts and collectors, the same holds true for aircraft. Kevin Snyder, owner of Tailwind Aviation in Hangar 84 at Michael J. Smith Field, has for years dreamed of owning and flying a hot rod airplane. That dream is now coming true – thanks to a little detective work, groundwork laid by a former airplane owner, some good luck, hours of effort and help from student volunteers....

Merrill’s Marauders — the book correcting the record of their history making mission by travelforaircraft | Gavin Mortimer thankfully goes well beyond the usual factoids regarding Merrill's Marauders and their historic special forces mission into the jungles and mountains of Burma (known today as Myanmar). This story will make the reader proud of the soldiers of Unit Galahad as well as angry at high level command staff. Mortimer corrects the record and shows the reader how incredible their success was, as well as how important completion of the mission was to the war effort. He places the overriding reasons for their achievement where they belong — and they are not with Stilwell or Merrill as is usually related. This book truly is the untold story of Unit Galahad and not the public relations version...

Inverted over the enemy: Mirage 2000 intercepts F-16 upside down By David Cenciotti | The photo was taken by a pilot of a French Air Force Mirage 2000-5F pilot during a training intercept on a Belgian Air Force F-16AM. Most probably, the Belgian “Viper” did not react at all to the simulated attack by the French fighter jet belonging to the Groupe de Chasse 1/2 Cigognes (that posted the image on their Facebook page): every now and then, NATO and allied air forces take the opportunity to practice interception on military traffic transiting through their airspace of responsibility that agrees to be intercepted for training purposes....

There’s a few soar points when it comes model planes - The Boarder Mail | ANYONE can buy a model plane but not too many can make it soar into the sky. The chances are it will crash within 10 seconds, according to Albury’s Twin Cities Model Aero Club president David Balfour. There is also the issue of the law when it comes to the planes with Mr Balfour saying most people were unaware of their obligations once they had a remote-control plane — often given to them as a Christmas or birthday present...