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Archive for the ‘Aeroplane’ Category

Get the weather from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) on your phone via SMS.  You need to be allowed to send Premium SMS's.  It is on by default however some older telstra plans aren't activated.  If you have an issue you just need to call their provider and get it turned on.  90% of people don't have to do anything. Read the rest of this entry »

Recently, you may have read about “Animal Active,” a gym in Britain that’s meant for pets. The latest on the list of luxury pet services is the first pets-only airline, Pet Airways, that indulges your pets in a first-class travel experience so you will never have to sedate them when flying or leave them in a cargo. Dan and Alysa Binder founded Pet Airways after becoming discouraged with traditional flying options for their pets. According to a study by the San Francisco SPCA, about 2 million pets ride in plane cargo areas each year, and about 5,000 of them are injured during the trip. The airline provides the utmost care to make sure your pets will arrive safe and sound. Pet Airways’ fleet of 20 planes come complete with flight attendants and lounge check-in areas. “Pawsengers” will be flying in style in their own pet carriers in the planes’ climate-controlled cabins. Potty breaks for pets are provided two hours before takeoff. And you can even track your pet during flights by receiving timely information. Flights start at $149 and are available to and from New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.

Presenting the Eclipse 400, the aircraft from Eclipse Aviation that will lead the single-engine jet market. This is the only single-engine jet to boldly unite the hallmarks of Eclipse Aviation - impeccable safety, quality, and value - into a personal and exhilarating ownership experience. The latest member of the Eclipse Aviation family debuted as the Eclipse Concept Jet (ECJ) at last year's EAA AirVenture. After the tremendous amount of positive feedback, we now know that the time is right to bring the Eclipse 400 to market. Read the rest of this entry »

In the market for a new form of transportation? Trying to decide between an Agusta A109 and a Pilatus PC-12? Well, forget those, just forget them. Mortgage your house, rob a couple banks, and sell your friends into slavery 'cause a civilian version of the V-22 Osprey is now up for grabs. Called the Bell 609, it's functionally the same (albeit a lot smaller) than its big brother, sporting the ability to take off and land with the versatility and precision of a helicopter. After takeoff, it can rotate its engines forward to vertical allowing it to fly with the speed and efficiency of an airplane. It'll seat up to 9 passengers, has an 1100 mile range, and can hit 300 mph at 25,000 ft. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are the first photos of the WhiteKnightTwo, which will shuttle Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo into suborbital space. It's being unveiled in the Mojave desert, and is completely made of carbon fiber composite (except for the engines and landing gear). Read the rest of this entry »

July 3 marked the first flight, a 45-minute jaunt, of Cirrus Design's The-Jet -- the company says the five-plus-two seat aircraft "performed flawlessly." The first aircraft is dubbed "V1" for verification and validation testing. It, like other Cirrus aircraft, flies with a full-plane parachute -- unlike other Cirri, The-Jet is powered by a Williams FJ33-4A-19. Performance targets are 300 ktas at 25,000 feet, range was not specified in Cirrus' latest release. Cirrus Chairman and CEO, Alan Klapmeier set the bar for the aircraft at holding "the unique promise of redefining general aviation." Aimed at owner-pilots, if The-Jet hits the mark it will be simple to fly and wrap efficient single-jet operation in a package that offers more flexibility and "more lifestyle pursuits" than other aircraft. The-Jet recently completed wind tunnel tests at Langley and has been further tested to substantiate the structural load capacities of its sub-assemblies.

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Cirrus says the aircraft marks the first application of the v-tail on a major consumer aircraft in 60 years and touts its backpack engine mount design as a common sense solution that keeps the engine outside of the fuselage structure and though it employs vectored thrust, "makes for smooth handling and excellent engine efficiency."

A prototype flying car, dubbed Sky Commuter Aircraft, has been listed for sale on eBay. The vehicle, which has an electric gas assisted lexan bubble canopy, electric controlled directional driving and landing lights, electric joystick, dual foot pedals for double pilot based controls and an advanced Carbonfiber and Kevlar front dash shell, marks the potential end to the oft visited, flying automobile dreams. Read the rest of this entry »

You think a Tesla Roadster is news? Try flying in the Electra, a single-seater airplane with a 25 horsepower motor and 47 (105 lbs) kilograms of lithium-polymer batteries. Anne Lavrand, the president of the APAME group, said. "This will be a real aeroplane that will have an airworthiness certificate. It's a machine built for anyone with a pilot's license." Read the rest of this entry »

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Once private air travel was the exclusive preserve of the rich and famous. Sadly, it still is, unless you happen to have the lion's share of half a million lying dormant in your bank account. The Skycar, though, has whipped us into a collective frenzy with its vertical take off capability and vaguely enticing 380Mph top speed.  Read the rest of this entry »

Having problems with digesting this one but at least Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Noaimi, (Emir of Ajman Municipality in the UAE) can do that easily. And why not, as the leader of an Emirate, his need for an $80 million dollar jet is more than justified or may be he’s trying to catch up with another Saudi billionaire who spent $400 million on an Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger plane, earlier this year. Read the rest of this entry »