Tag: aviation
The FAA has lifted its ban on the use of cell phones during take-off and landings in airplanes.
The FAA has lifted its ban on the use of cell phones during take-off and landings in airplanes.
The ban on mobile devices has been in effect since the early 1990s, when cellphones began to crop up, and the FAA and airlines summarily freaked the hell out for no good reason. Despite no direct evidence that the use of mobile phones or other electronic devices would interfere with the plane’s systems, the ban continued — even after the FAA hired an outside safety agency to find if anything could go wrong. They didn’t. But the FAA and airlines decided to continue the policy. Until today.
The requirement to stow laptops during takeoffs and landings remains, however, as the FAA fears these larger objects could too easily become dangerous projectiles should something go wrong.
A civilian jet has set a new world record for circling the globe.
A civilian business jet has set a new world record for circling the globe.
A plane you can drive to the airport.
A plane you can drive to the airport.
After landing the wings fold up and the plane becomes legal to drive on the roads. With video.
The real cause behind the plane crash that killed Yuri Gagarin in 1968.
The real cause behind the plane crash that killed Yuri Gagarin in 1968.
It appears that Homeland Security and Customs teach their officers that pilots have “no right to refuse a search” of their planes.
The law is such an inconvenient thing: It appears that Homeland Security and Customs both train their officers to believe that pilots have “no right to refuse a search” of their planes.
To put it another way, these agencies think that they don’t need a warrant to search the private property of pilots.
Engineers in the Czech Republic have built a bicycle that can fly.
Engineers in the Czech Republic have built a bicycle that can fly.
The demonstration does beg the question “Why a bike?”. Once those big, knobby tires are lifted off the ground, aren’t they rendered more or less moot? According to the project website, the central concept was to create a flying vehicle that could easily be ridden to a more suitable takeoff site and then be capable of a 3 – 5 minute flight. In order to offset the extra weight added by all the rotors, they could be used to help propel the bike along the ground, besides allowing it to fly.
Video below the fold.
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A U.S. company is planning on building a commercial jet capable of traveling routinely just under the speed of sound.
A U.S. company is planning on building a commercial jet capable of traveling routinely just under the speed of sound.
It is only a two-seater, and the design is based on a military fighter jets.
Seven horrifying aircraft landings in which no one died.
Seven horrifying aircraft landings in which no one died.
Solar Impulse has completed the second leg of its journey to fly across the United States powered only by the sun.
Solar Impulse has completed the second leg of its journey to fly across the United States powered only by the sun.
The Solar Impulse has broken its own record for the longest distance flight of a solar-powered aircraft following the second leg of its journey across the USA. Solar Impulse touched down in Texas at 1:08 a.m. local time after a flight of 18 hours 21 minutes having covered at least 868 miles (1,397 km). Two different distances have been reported for the flight. The Solar Impulse website says the flight “amounted” to 868 miles (1,397 km). However, according to a Phys.org report, Solar Impulse covered a distance of 1,541 km (which it rounds to 950 miles, though this is not the precise conversion).
It is thought the two distances exist because the plane actually lost ground during part of its flight due to headwinds.
A solar-powered airplane landed safely in Phoenix today on its first leg of an attempt to fly across the United States.
A solar-powered airplane landed safely in Phoenix today on its first leg of an attempt to fly across the United States.
I totally support this effort to develop new technology, but must note that the capabilities of this solar-powered plane, as described in this article, are woefully limited. Nonetheless, I can see many applications where these liabilities will not be an issue, so all power to them. I hope they succeed.
The man who taught the air forces of the world how to fly.
The man who taught the air forces of the world how to fly.