Fantasy of Flight November E-news

November 2010   Fun Facts of the 15th A continuing series of reflections in celebration of Fantasy of Flight's 15th birthday  Fantasy of Flight Opened with a BANG     At 11:00 PM on November 11, 1995, 1000 Fantasy of Flight Opening Gala guests were transported back in time by a ground-rumbling sound-scape and heart-quickening pyro-technical simulation of a World War II bombing raid. The explosions ripped through the airfield, culminating in a 200-foot wall of flame that proclaimed "Fantasy of Flight has arrived!"   Folks who were there still talk about it with astonishment.   The air raid was the climax of an unforgettable event featuring guests in formal period dress, a glorious World War II atmosphere, costumed characters, fireworks, a Big Band AND a Rock-n-Roll band, choreographed reveals of facility features, delectable food, champagne... champagne... and more champagne.      Jesse Douthit, Fantasy of Flight's original contractor who now serves as VP of Orlampa Inc., recalls, "It was a big celebration that marked the physical realization of Kermit's vision. As we look back now, we see that the celebration foreshadowed a vision bigger than we realized even then." Fantasy of Flight founder Kermit Weeks adds, "It was a great party but, looking back, it was a more significant milestone than we knew. We thought we were opening a great airplane museum; we later realized it was to become a unique aviation attraction; and now its morphing into the next generation of the theme park industry!"   The journey continues...       November 13 & 14 Feed Your Need for Speed   Classic Race Boats Vintage and Exotic Cars Sanctioned Slalom Course Vintage Airplane Demonstrations Short Course R/C Truck & Buggy Racing Giant Scale Radio Control Aircraft Powered Paragliders Hang Gliders Admission to Fantasy of Flight Great Food Special Live Entertainment Kids Activities    Click here to purchase Roar n' Soar general admission tickets.  Kids Free with each paid adult admission    More than 20 years ago the late Dale Earnhardt performed the legendary "pass in the grass" maneuver during the 1987 NASCAR All-Star race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The original No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt was driving during that famous race will be among the standout vehicles at the 4th Annual Roar n' Soar.     World's Largest Yellow Ribbon Under Construction at Fantasy of Flight     As part of the 4th Annual Roar n' Soar event, Fantasy of Flight is building the world's largest commemorative yellow ribbon, featuring messages and drawings that will ultimately be sent to service men and women all over the world!   You can still participate. Simply drop off your message or drawing ON YELLOW PAPER or pick up yellow paper at Fantasy of Flight. If you have a group, troop, school, club that wants to participate, call Fantasy of Flight, 863-984-3500, and the paper will be delivered to you!   Check out the progress and the great art in Fantasy of Flight's gallery.     15th Anniversary Celebration: 15 Flights in 3 Days   Annual Pass Holders will get extra value on Thanksgiving weekend: November 26 to 28. In celebration of Fantasy of Flight's fantastic 15th birthday, Kermit Weeks will fly 15 different aircraft over the three day weekend.   The flight list is still under construction and flight schedules are always subject to change depending on weather, flight conditions, and mechanical status. However, the list currently sports some collection favorites, including both Mustangs, Grumman Duck, Piper L-4 Grasshopper, North American AT-6, Travel Air 4000, Poikarpov Po-2, Ford and Stinson Tri-Motors, Nord Stampe, Fieseler Storch, AVRO Cadet, Bucker Bestmann... plus some special surprises AND once-in-a-lifetime "open cockpit" opportunities! You don't want to miss this! Click here to learn more. In this Issue: Roar n' Soar NASCAR Legend Car World Record Breaking Yellow Ribbon 15th Anniversary = 15 Flights Fantasy of Flight Day Proclaimed Meet a Real HeroRC Electric Sailplane Contest Sopwith Pups Arrive Pinktober Paintball Fundraiser Connect with Us     A Super Birthday Present Mayor Hamman and Kermit Weeks   "I Richard Hamman, acting under the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Auburndale, do hereby congratulate Fantasy of Flight and its proprietor Mr. Kermit Weeks on the 15th Anniversay of Fantasy of Flight and hereby proclaim November 21, 2010 as "Fantasy of Flight Day."       Fantasy of Flight and the Polk County Library Cooperative invite you to Meet Tuskegee Airman George Hardy     Saturday, November 6, 2010  10:00 am & 2:00 pm: The Tuskegee Story  read aloud. Ideal for kids 4 to 8 years old. Noon: Official Presentation 12:30 pm: Meet Tuskegee Airman George Hardy Continuous: Screenings of Silver Wings and Civil Rights, an award-winning documentary film Winter Haven Public Library,325 Avenue A, NW, Winter Haven, FL 33881      For More Information: sconner@fantasyofflight.com       Rare Electric Sailplane Contest at Fantasy of Flight On October 23, at  Gene Wooley Field/Fantasy of Flight, Mid-Florida Radio Control Club hosted the first electric sailplane contest ever in Florida. Excellent weather and 70 successful flights guaranteed a beautiful day... and to top it off, Fantasy of Flight's own Kermit Weeks dropped by to visit in the vintage German Fieseler Storch.     Fantasy of Flight Welcomes a Batch of Pups      Everyday at Fantasy of Flight is an adventure, but few can top the days that Century Aviation visits with their big truck. Just last month they delivered two Sopwith Pups  repaired for the Fantasy of Flight collection--one of which had suffered during the Hurricane Andrew melee (see September newsletter). All these historic aircraft need now are some instruments, fabric, a couple of engines, and they will be ready to return to the sky.   The Sopwith Pup is a deeply honored British World War I aircraft that was light, maneuverable, and eager to climb. Even Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron)  remarked, "We saw at once that the enemy airplane was superior to ours," after encountering the Pup in combat. Also notable is the fact that in 1917 the Sopwith Pup was the first aircraft to land aboard a moving ship!   Century Aviation's Karen Barrow receives thanks from G. Willie for safe delivery of the Pups.     Pinktober Fundraiser a Blast!  The World Cup of Paintball competition raised spirits, bruises, and--in the case of the "Take Aim at Breast Cancer" booth--funds!  Proceeds from the booth benefit Breast Cancer Research and the resulting artwork will be donated to Cassidy Cancer Center. Dr. Robert Cassell, Medical Director of Cassidy Cancer Center at Winter Haven Hospital, led the charge.  (Photo: Clyde Bielss)     Connect with  Fantasy of Flight

 

Indy Transponder 02-NOV-2010 1030z

Big crowds, big money - Florida Today | COCOA BEACH — In just its second year, the Cocoa Beach Air Show proved to be an economic boon to ...

Cocoa Beach Air Show: A Pictorial Review – Part 1 « AmericaSpace by Jason Rhian | Such is the case with the Cocoa Beach Air Show, held on the beach October 30-31. An amazing, American experience that sets a new standard in air show entertainment. Our first set of images will deal with the opening act, the Navy Seals ...

Discovery Shuttle Astronauts Cut Loose in Goofy Photo from SPACE.com | The six-astronaut crew of space shuttle Discovery's final mission, set to launch Wednesday, recently took time out for a goofy photo with their orbiter…

Military museum set to take over Stuart Air Show, bring new acts – TCPalm | STUART — A small, local military museum has taken over as the lead sponsor at the 2010 Stuart Air show this November and promises to bring ...


The Aerobatic Racing Challenge Series™ Announces Its 2010 Winner - Julia Wood - Los Angeles, CA (November 2, 2010) – With pilots all over the U.S. battling for the top spot in the Aerobatic Racing Challenge Series (ARC Series™), Texas' rookie race pilot Julia Wood fought off her closest challenger, Mike Niccum, to become the 2010 National Aerobatic Racing Champion…

Blue Angels jet through North Texas | North Texas Daily - By Josh Pherigo / Assigning Editor - Packed tightly in the diamond formation they've made internationally recognizable, six F/A-18 Hornets roared across…

Blue Angels to salute veterans - Pensacola News Journal | The Blue Angels have scheduled a three-day homecoming show this month that will include a performance on Veterans Day. The air show will be at Pensacola ...

Aviation Icon Returns: Fifi Takes Flight by chronicwanderlust - The following article was written and photographed by Chronic Wanderlust contributors James Pritchard and Jacob Pelham in Midland, Texas. | The creator of Chronic Wanderlust once said that using the phrase "Hidden Gem" is a cliché. I hate to say it but he's correct. But sometimes there really is no other way to describe something that truly is unknown to most people. In Midland, Texas, a city known mainly for oil and natural gas production is the hometown of a few people such as Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Spud Webb, George W. Bush, Matthew McConaughey and my personal favorite, "FiFi"…

World War II bomber returns veteran to air - Paducah Sun | Sitting on the tarmac at Barkley Regional Airport, the shiny B-17 Aluminum Overcast stands apart from sleek corporate jets and other personal aircraft. ...

Former bomber may fly again - NewsOK.com | It was returned to the US Air Force in 1955, according to the Warbirds Resource Group. After sitting in storage in the Philippines for three years, ...

Spectacular flying and wing walkers to honor veterans - Examiner.com | The Pearl Harbor bombing will be recreated with spectacular flying, smoke, fire and explosions for the Warriors and Warbirds Air Show this weekend at the ...

Volunteers resurrect Cold War planes on shoestring budget - Mountain View Voice | Among the collection being restored is an F-18 that used to fly as one of the Blue Angels, a U2 spy plane that used to take pictures from high altitudes of ...

Old school journalism meets new media buzz from Av8rdan's World of Flying by Dan Pimentel | It is with great pleasure that I present issue No. 2 of Airplanista Magazine. The response from the aviation community has been both overwhelming and humbling, and it made producing this second issue all that much more rewarding…

Pacific Northwest Boasts Variety of Air Museums | News Summary - There are examples of aviation history all over the Northwest, but many are concentrated in the Seattle-Everett area because of the influence of Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer that has produced thousands of aircraft in Puget Sound ...

The Day US Customs Found a Bullet in My Pocket
by MastaHanky - Interesting read. The following hour and a half of my life is a period of time that I will never forget and truthfully, never really want to endure ever again…

Weather balloon carries KU research project to lofty heights from This Week in Amateur Radio | Paul Verhage and his team of students and amateur radio operators spent their Halloween morning with eyes toward the sky. When not looking upward, their gaze was fixed on high-tech tracking equipment and GPS units…

Vought's Not-So-Fearsome F6U Pirate from Aviation Trivia of the Day by JP Santiago | In September 1944, the US Navy gave eight aircraft manufacturers a shot at a contract to build its first carrier-based jet fighter. The Navy relaxed its usual carrier and landing takeoff limitations as much as was practical in order to "obtain the highest possible performance for a carrier-based VF type."…

The Aerobatic Racing Challenge Series™ Announces Its 2010 Winner - Julia Wood

Los Angeles, CA (November 2, 2010) – With pilots all over the U.S. battling for the top spot in the Aerobatic Racing Challenge Series (ARC Series™), Texas’ rookie race pilot Julia Wood fought off her closest challenger, Mike Niccum, to become the 2010 National Aerobatic Racing Champion. 

ARC’s Race Operations Director Spencer Suderman stated, “What’s remarkable about Julia is that she flew two completely different aircraft during the season and claimed top honors by mastering successful race strategies in each, the Russian built Sukhoi Su-26 as well as the American made Pitts S-2B. Transitioning between a monster monoplane (the Sukhoi) and a smaller biplane (the Pitts Special) is no easy task. By consistently winning with that kind of multitasking, Julia really carved out a name for herself and deserves her ranking as this year’s number one pilot.” 

Julia lives on a ranch north of Dallas, TX and benefited from flying and practicing nearly every day from the runway that she built next to her home with husband Tony, also an ARC Series Race Pilot. Tony races a turbine-powered Sukhoi boasting over 600 horsepower. When asked about how she can defeat aircraft with a superior power advantage Julia explains, “It’s not always horsepower that wins an Aerobatic Race. Managing airspeed and cornering like a sports car help gain the lead rather than just raw horsepower.” 

The International Federation of Aerobatic racing (IFAR), which manages, promotes, and sanctions the ARC Series, has greatly popularized Aerobatic Racing over the past two years. The ARC Series has doubled in size since it was first brought to air shows in 2009 and is planning even further expansion, exposure, and notoriety. According to IFAR’s Executive Director Dick Schulz, “ARC Series is being embraced by spectators and event organizers because it’s different and entertaining while offering unique marketing values for the show. I’m very happy how Aerobatic Racing energizes the crowd as well as pleases the sponsors.”

The ARC Series format challenges pilots to race head-to-head in airplanes that often have quite different performance and handling characteristics. After dashing through a series of thrilling aerobatic maneuvers, the first plane to finish the sequence wins the race. With varying pilot strategies and no two aircraft exactly alike, there’s always a battle for the lead and a close side-by-side finish. 

Mr. Schulz praised Julia’s winning performance this year by saying, “Julia is a great competitor and role model for all of us. She delivers a top performance each time she flies while being personable, professional, and fun. She always has time for the spectators and is easy to work with. She’s quite an aerobatic pilot and will have plenty of competition next year when she tries to defend her crown. For more information plus race video and images, visit WWW.ACRORACING.ORG and become a fan!

For more information plus race video and images, visit WWW.ACRORACING.ORG and become a fan!

Contact:

Dick Schulz
dick@acroracing.org
(213) 455-1490 x104 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Indy Transponder 01-NOV-2010 2300z

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Performs Air Demo For First Time Over Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex from AVIATION-NEWS 
FORT WORTH, Texas, November 1st, 2010 — The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-22 Raptor performed its precision aerobatics at the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show Oct. 30-31, marking the first time the aircraft has demonstrated its aerial capabilities in the skies over the Dallas-Fort Worth area. F-22 pilot Maj. David ‘Zeke’ Skalicky of the U.S. [...]  Photo from ACC - F-22 Demonstration Team

Strapped in and ready to face fears in flying fiesta - Weekend Post
I was fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to be a passenger flying with some of the best aerobatic pilots in the world, who were preparing to ...

Wings of Freedom Tour coming to area this week - Montgomery Advertiser
The planes that will fly in to Montgomery include the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the North American P-51 Mustang. ...

Former wartime RAF airfield in Cumbria hosts charity airshow - News & Star
The air show was organised by Andrew Lysser a gyroplane instructor from Keswick. He said: “I thought it would be a good idea to organise something to ...

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force to operate on special schedule on Veterans Day from National Museum of the USAF Top Stories 
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will be open special hours on Thursday, Nov. 11, due to a Veterans Day Tribute featuring former President George W. Bush as the keynote speaker. Tickets for the event, which coincides with the release of his memoir, Decision Points, are no longer available. ...

Aviation Film Fest This Weekend from AVwebFlash Current Issue
This year's Reel Stuff Film Festival of Aviation launches this weekend at the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. Each of the five films screened on Friday and Saturday will be introduced by an actor, producer, or other key contributor to the production, and each film will be followed by a question and answer session. Friday's opening night reception is hosted by Cliff Robertson, followed by the film "Flyabout," introduced by director Monika Petrillo. The film chronicles the adventures of a young pilot who aims to complete a circumnavigation of Australia by air. Saturday's schedule features four films as well as a reception and a silent auction fundraiser to help support the Hall of Fame Learning Center.

Blue Angels in Action - James Brandon
I haven’t been to an air show since I was probably about 6 or 7 years old. I spent the last two days at the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show and let’s just say I made up for lost times! I was crazy blessed to get into the Bell Helicopter VIP tent which was only about 30 yards from the runway. Then I was able to get a spot at the front of the fence line, so I was basically as close as possible to the action as I could be! I got SO many images that I can’t wait to process, as well as quite a few amazing video clips with my 5D Mark II. ...

Image of the Week: Apache display in Ede, Netherlands from Flight Image of the Day 
This week's Image of the Week (featured on page 3 of Flight International), is taken by AirSpace user EnoAeroPics (Ed Nolte). Ed's photo depicts an Apache of the Royal Netherlands Air Force "Apache Solo Display". He took the photo (or "made the photo" as Ed says the Dutch term is) during the air show over Ede heath near Arnhem in the Netherlands on September 18, which took place to commemorate the Battle of Arnhem during operation Market Garden in 1944 and the first flight of a Dutchman in the Netherlands, Jan Hilgers on July 29, 1910. Ed says at that time there was an airfield on Ede heath, but it was soon closed. ...

Candidates Graduate for US Army Parachute Team Golden Knights 2010 Assesment and Selection Program at Raeford Drop Zone from US Army Golden Knights 
The U.S. Army Parachute Team the Golden Knights’2010 Assessment and Selection program will be conducting the annual Graduation program on Tuesday, November 2 at Raeford drop zone.  The program began with 16 and ended with 9 Soldiers who endured the  8 weeks of intense training vying for a position on the elite team. They have [...]

Flight of the Phoenix museum raffles Cherokee 140 from General Aviation News 
The Flight of the Phoenix Aviation Museum in Gilmer, Texas, is conducting a raffle to fund the museum’s annaul budget, as well as acquire a USAF T-37 “Tweet” aircraft for static display. Only 1,100 tickets will be sold for the grand prize, a a Cherokee 140. Tickets are $50 each ...

Fournier Promoted to Deputy Director At Wildwood NASW Aviation Museum - Cape May County Herald
... while also holding his former responsibilities for educational programming, the annual Historic Lecture Series, AirFest and the museum newsletter. ...

Canada Aviation and Space Museum
When the Canada Aviation and Space Museum first opened at Uplands Airport in Ottawa in 1960, it presented one of three major collections owned by the Canadian government. At that time, the National Aviation Museum’s focus was on bush flying and early aircraft manufacturers in Canada. A second collection, held by the Canadian War Museum, concentrated on military aircraft from the First World War to the 1950’s, while the third collection held by the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) emphasized military aircraft related to RCAF history.  ...

Restoring and Preserving Aircraft from AirSpace by The National Air and Space Museum
Next year, the National Air and Space Museum will begin restoring and preserving aircraft in the brand-new Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hanger, part of the Phase Two complex now under construction at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.  To treat the aircraft, the Museum applies a philosophy and range of techniques that have steadily evolved through the years.  A project may start with an incomplete grouping of components or a complete aircraft in pieces, but most aircraft that pass through the Engen Restoration Hanger will be largely intact with worn exteriors that often hide extensive corrosion beneath fabric, wood, or metal skin.  The   ...

Sky Ranch, Original Site location? from www.aafo.com
A great thread on some Reno Air Race history. Before Stead airport, there was Sky Ranch - which is now a sub-division. But historic photos and Google Earth, along with memories from those contributing to the thread, provide a very interesting thread for your reading.

Vulcan Bomber Saved By Donations from Aviation Earth
November 01, 2011 - Last minute donations have saved the world’s last flying Vulcan Bomber from being grounded indefinitely. £400,000 is what was needed to be raised by The Vulcan to The Sky Trust in order to keep the aircraft in flight. Almost 2 million people have seen the magnificant cold war aircraft fly demonstrations [...]

Soar, Elinor: The story of Elinor Smith, who did something no other aviator ever has! from You Fly, Girl 
Just wrote a book review for Soar, Elinor, the new children's book by Tami Lewis Brown that tells the story of Elinor Smith. She set quite a few aviation records in her day, but did one feat in 1928 that no one, male or female, has ever matched. She flew under all four bridges that span New York's East River. ...

P-51D Cutaway 1 from The Unwanted Blog  

November 1 from Cut and Paste Aviation 
... 1954 -- The U.S. Air Forces retired the B-29 Superfortress from service. The aircraft had less than 12 years in the active inventory. ...

MIT Unveils Plans for Revolutionary New Green AirplaneFournier Promoted to Deputy Director At Wildwood NASW Aviation Museum
Cape May County Herald
... while also holding his former responsibilities for educational programming, the annual Historic Lecture Series, AirFest and the museum newsletter. ... from ASB.tv 
Thanks to a $2.1 million research contract from NASA, MIT has developed a green airplane that they’re calling the “double-bubble.” The name is derived from the position of the engines, which meet on the fuselage and form a bubble-like shape. ...

AV8RDAN’S AIRPLANISTA MAGAZINE November 2010 Issue Is Out! from Aviation Blogs 
The November 2010 issue of AV8RDAN’s AIRPLANISTA MAGAZINE is now available, check it out.

‘Top Gun’ sequel in the works from General Aviation News 
Maverick, the lead character in the iconic aviator film “Top Gun,” has been cleared for another flyby at a theater near you, according to a report at EAA.org, which notes that Tony Scott, who directed the original film,  ...

Joining a Flying Club from Let's Go Flying 
When you want to learn to fly, one of the options that you can look at is to join a flying club. Most aviators get a good headstart when they decide to join a flying club.
Now, what is a flying club? It is an organization that is dedicated to bringing aviation home to those that would might want to learn to fly or rent an aircraft but the cost of doing such are a bit out of reach. Specifically, it provides a source of aircraft ownership. It helps ease your concerns by simply providing a pool of aircraft  ...

R&D Magazine names recipients of Scientist, Innovator, Young Innovator awards - R & D Magazine
Burt Rutan. Anthony Fauci. Werner von Braun. The names of past scientists and inventors who have been awarded these top individual honors read like a Who's ...

Farewell, Richard Speck from The Launch Pad 
We have some sad news to pass along. Two weeks ago, Richard Speck, the founder of Micro-Space--a competitor in every space related X PRIZE competition to date--passed away in his sleep.
Although I'd read about him during the Ansari X PRIZE days, I first came to know Richard personally through the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander X CHALLENGE. In all of my dealings with him through that prize and  ...

Astronaut alumnus addresses academics of all ages - The Exponent
Astronaut David Wolf spoke to the University on Friday and elementary age students on Saturday as the guest of honor at Purdue's Space Day. ...

Shuttle launch pushed back a second time from Flightglobal Events
Last-minute repairs have again pushed back space shuttle Discovery's launch. NASA now plans for the shuttle to take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida at...

Indy Transponder 01-NOV-2010 1030z

Aviation Nation – Nov. 13-14th 2010 from photorecon.net | The largest free public event in Nevada returns to Nellis Air Force Base Nov. 13-14 when the U.S. Air Force hosts Aviation Nation 2010– the Nellis Air Force Base Open House and annual Las Vegas air show. Aviation Nation celebrates the work of America's military and its achievements on land, at sea and in air, [...]

Cocoa Beach Air Show wraps up - Florida Today | COCOA BEACH — Flying in pyramid formation from the west, the Air Force Thunderbirds screamed over Lori ...

A reporter's dream comes true at Alliance Air Show – WFAA | It was the annual Fort Worth Alliance Air Show featuring the Navy's Blue Angels and Army Golden Knights demonstration teams. There were also commercial ...

Air show under texas sky | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (D Double H Photography (AKA MHDouglas)) What a sky for an air show at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth Texas today!

Like the Dickens: air show by Sarah | DH & J went to an air show rehearsal with his friend Jack & Jack's dad. The actual airshow was on Saturday & Sunday but they do a practice run through of the show on Fridays. Jack's dad's company got tickets to the practice. ...

Halloween Plane Crash Scene Draws Hundreds Of On-Lookers - KTSM News Channel 9 | EL PASO - A home in West El Paso drew a crowd of the little ghosts and gobblins after a plane full of skeletons ...

Reno 2010 – From a First Timers Perspective from photorecon.net | Reno 2011 (September 14-18) is less than a year away and I am ready for my second Reno National Championship Air Race and Air Show experience!  Reno 2010 was my first time covering an air race.  My experiences at Reno this year were nothing short of incredible.  As a first timer attending the Reno Air [...]

Jimmy Leeward and his Mustang warbird are in Air Classics ... - Ocala | A 24-page section includes coverage of the 47th National Championship Air Races & Air Show held in Reno, Nev., on Sept. 15-19, and there is a separate story and photo spread featuring Leeward and his P-51 Mustang racer, the "Galloping ...

Bernie Vasquez solos and joins the ranks as the latest P-51 pilot at Reno 2010…
from photorecon.net | One of my 2010 Reno National Championship Air Race and Air Show highlights was being there when a young pilot named Bernie Vasquez soloed in a P-51. I was out on the ramp when I saw the "Jelly Belly" #44 P-51 taxi in and shut down.  As soon as the plane shut down, I saw [...]

Warriors & Warbirds Airshow – Warbird Radio LIVE! – Monday ... by Matt | MONDAY - Bob Russell from the Warriors & Warbirds Airshow in Monroe, North Carolina joins us on Warbird Radio LIVE! Find out what's in store for this.

Rose Pelton Solos Skycatcher from AVwebFlash Current Issue | The owner of the first production Cessna Skycatcher has soloed for the first time and is looking forward to completing her training. Rose Pelton, wife of Cessna CEO Jack Pelton, announced her accomplishment on her Facebook page Friday…

Video: STOL Testing The McDonnell Douglas YC-15 - Circa 1975 by Martt |  I was a young teen when the McDonnell Douglas YC-15 and the Boeing YC-14 were built and tested to fulfill the proposed Advanced Medium STOL Transport (AMST) role. I was really interested in this kind of stuff back then (and still now), so it was fun to see some of the thinking that went into these unique airplanes. You may have seen my CoolPix post of the YC-14 a while back where I make it clear that the Boeing aircraft caught my eye more than the MD one, but that doesn't mean I didn't find the YC-15 to be a very cool airplane…

Book Review: Jet Age by Sam Howe Verhovek from A mile of runway will take you anywhere. by Steve | I recently was given the opportunity to review a new book, Jet Age: The Comet, the 707, and the Race to Shrink the World by Sam Howe Verhovek. It was released on October 14, 2010 and is available for about $15. Grade school book reports aside, I have not ever formally reviewed a book before so I'll do my best and happily accept your criticism…

Birds swarm around US navy plane landing at Fort Smith, Arkansas of 29 October 2010. Photo by Kala; Lawson from Pixdaus: Popular Today Pics:

Indy Transponder 01-NOV-2010 0045z

Free Tickets Available to Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino ... by Press Edge
See the P 38 Glacier Girl Plane, Japanese Zero Fighter Plane and planes used in move “Pearl Harbor”. California, – For a limited time free tickets are available to the Planes of Fame Air Museum in California at ...
   
Hot-Air Balloons Race At Halloween Fest - WESH Orlando
After the race, guests watched an air show from the Warbirds Adventure and Sky Dive Space Center. WESH 2's Greg Fox attended the event and caught video of ...

Red Bull pilot Matthias Dolderer offers plane on James (interview ... by Love Blomquist
The Red Bull Air Race is probably one of the most exciting competitions around – certainly in the aviation circuit – and has quickly grown to become the premier organization for aerobatic shenanigans. Each year, thousands of fans from ...

The Latest Photos from Fencecheck

• Air Force One
• E-2 Hawkeye
• NAS Fort Worth - 2010 Postings
• A-10 Thunderbolt II / Warthog 
• F/A-18 Hornet & Super Hornet - 2010 Postings

October 31 from Cut and Paste Aviation

Top Gun 2! from Aviation Blogs 
Maverick, the lead character in the iconic aviator film Top Gun, has been cleared for another flyby at a theater near you. Tony Scott, who directed the original film, confirmed during a press junket for his most recent film that he will direct Top Gun 2. The news is great timing for the Navy, which claimed a 500 percent increase in recruiting after  ...

Scheyden partners with renowned designer - General Aviation News
The sunglasses are a favorite of military, commercial, private and aerobatic pilots — including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Redbull Air Race star Pete McLeod. Retailing from $259 to $445, Scheyden Precision Eyewear is available ...

On-board video...from pumpkin chunkin'! from The Original Rocket Dungeon 
Check out this video from the pumpkin chunkin' event sponsored by the U.S. Space and Rockets Center in Huntsville.  Although the chunkers weren't the big dogs found at the World Championships, the event was a lot more accessible to the spectators.  About 10-seconds in begins the first ever (?) on-board video from a chunked pumpkin.  I found this pretty cool!

Jetpack creator to drop in for chat - Otago Daily Times
Ten years later, the Martin Jetpack was unveiled at the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture in the United States. Before that, the Bell Rocket ...

Discovery enters launch countdown – Crew look forward to STS-133 from NASASpaceFlight.com 
Following the changeout of leaky couplings and successful repressurization of Discovery’s Right OMS (Orbital Maneuvering System), STS-133 has entered the launch countdown for Wednesday’s launch. Discovery will be launching on her final mission, with her crew excited and honored to be riding on the veteran orbiter. ...

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