Building and flying free flight model airplanes is a pastime so obscure it doesn't even register on the geek heirarchy. But in the period between Lindberg's flight across the Atlantic until the start of the Second World War,
thousands of boys (and some girls)
around the
world succumbed to the allure of rubber,
lube, and
dope.
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posted by gamera
on Aug 6, 2009 -
13 comments
Point Niner -
"Satisfying an unnatural infatuation with airplanes and rockets." A regularly updated blog with nice bits of aviation goodness.
posted by Burhanistan
on Jul 14, 2008 -
5 comments
As the
Seattle PI notes "Paul Allen's '
Flying Heritage Collection' of 15 planes, mostly dating from the 1930s and '40s, is noteworthy both because of its rarity -- several are the only models of their kind remaining -- and its condition -- almost all of them have been refurbished so that they can be flown."
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posted by maxwelton
on Jun 6, 2008 -
30 comments
Remember when air travel was viewed as glamorous and exciting? Of course you don't. So check out this collection of vintage flight attendant photos:
Part 1,
Part 2,
Part 3
posted by brain_drain
on Nov 13, 2007 -
37 comments
Save the Girls! A
gallery of WWII era fighter & bomber nosecone art is the highlight of this site dedicated to the history and preservation of such works.
posted by jonson
on Sep 6, 2006 -
12 comments
After the first time I flew on an upgraded ticket, I wondered why some airline didn't just make slightly more expensive tickets on a plane filled with fewer, roomier seats for those that crave comfort (basically, all business class). Well, it looks like someone has at
Eos Airlines.
The seating arrangements look fantastic, going from roomy seat area to flat bed to double table with two seats (for a coworker), with privacy and aisle access for all. Unfortunately "slightly more expensive" is pretty high at $5k for NYC to London, though that's cheaper than major airlines.
Business Week has the full story on this new venture.
posted by mathowie
on Nov 12, 2005 -
47 comments
"We're going to hit houses, dude," (NYT Reg. ),
Alone in their 50-seat commercial jet, the two young pilots decided to see what it could do...A few minutes later, though, both engines were dead, and the pilots were struggling to glide to an emergency landing at an airport in Jefferson City, Mo. (or the non-registration Jefferson City NewsTribune
version, or the NTSB
site)
posted by R. Mutt
on Jun 14, 2005 -
48 comments
Patrick "Ask a Pilot" Smith opines on "Terror in the Skies, Again?" Smith: I, for one, fully admit that certain acts of airborne crime and treachery may indeed open the channels to a debate on civil liberties. Pray tell, what happened? Gunfight at 37,000 feet? Valiant passengers wrestle a grenade from a suicidal operative? Hero pilots beat back a cockpit takeover?
Well, no. As a matter of fact, nothing happened. Turns out the Syrians are part of a musical ensemble hired to play at a hotel. The men talk to one another. They glance around. They pee. That's it? That's it.
posted by skallas
on Jul 20, 2004 -
68 comments
On 1 July 2002 at 21:35:32 hrs a collision between a Tupolev TU154M, which was on a flight from
Moscow/Russia to Barcelona/ Spain, and a Boeing B757-200, on a flight from Bergamo/Italy to Brussels/
Belgium, occurred north of the city of Ueberlingen (Lake of Constance). Investigation Report as of May 2004, PDF. Very detailed, intelligibly written.
71 people were killed in one of Europe's worst peacetime air accidents. The report comes the the conclusion that human error was the main cause. The
TCAS system (PDF) which should have prevented the collision worked, but the Tupolew crew followed the ATC instructions.
It turned out that the air traffic controller missed a key warning on his radar screen in one of a chain of errors.
ATCs from nearby airports realized what was going on but weren't able to contact the responsible
Skyguide controller
because the telephone network did not work:
the main telephone line was switched off because of work being done on the telephone network, and the collision warning system was temporarily shut down for maintenance.
The ATC in charge was
stabbed to death in February 2004 by a Russian man
who lost his wife, son and daughter in the plane crash.
posted by tcp
on Jul 1, 2004 -
9 comments
Pull up! Pull up! Several detailed Quicktime VR tours of aircraft and spacecraft cockpits, from the National Air & Space Museum.
[QTVR plugin required, natch.]
posted by stonerose
on Feb 6, 2004 -
6 comments
Aviation Explorer "Your online source for aviation information and media...aviation web resources for pilots and flight enthusiasts." I'm neither a pilot nor a flight enthusiast, but still found this site interesting (especially the
accidents section, which reminded me of
this previous thread on cockpit voice recorders).
posted by jdroth
on Jan 21, 2004 -
5 comments
Fantastic Plastic "A celebration of science, engineering, daring and imagination, what follows is a chronicle of Man's highest aspirations as expressed through his flying machines, both real and imagined."
posted by anastasiav
on Jan 19, 2004 -
5 comments
Paperplane.org : Ken Blackburn holds the World Record for time aloft for a paper airplane. Visit his site to read how he did it, the history of paper airplanes, read some competitive airplane flying rules, and learn to fold some new airplane designs of your own.
posted by anastasiav
on Nov 10, 2003 -
6 comments
Knee Defender is a product that airline passengers can
use to keep the person in front of them from reclining their seat during a flight. They market it as an alternative to
deep vein thrombosis and
lawsuits (Warning: Flash Menu). It is creating a
stir in the
news. But people with long legs who do not want to detract from a fellow passenger's enjoyment can always save their money and consult the
Seat Guru (SG previously discussed
here).
(Via Fark.)
posted by cup
on Oct 25, 2003 -
77 comments
Mile High Dating: combining Internet dating with unlimited free flights is allowing America West employees to become jet setting bachelors (anyone can do it, but according to the story it's mostly men taking advantage of this combination). It costs them next to nothing for a weekend trip (if everything works out) but seems amazingly romantic to the women.
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posted by Irontom
on Jul 9, 2003 -
15 comments
