Boeing Hip on Blogging

The Herald (Everett, Wash.) reports that Boeing invited bloggers to a private in-flight demonstration of the company's new Connexion Internet technology. A little wine, a little dine, and the blogs build big buzz for Boeing. Very clever, if you ask me.

Visit some of these blogs to see for yourself. (If the post isn't immediately visible, use your browser to search the page for "Boeing.")

• buzznovation
• molly.com
• Blog Business Summit

You can also Google (or whatever) "Blogging the Stratosphere" and you'll find other links.

Mid-air refueling for commercial aircraft

The Times reports that:

"Passenger jets could be refuelled in mid-air under proposals by the aviation industry to save fuel and reduce the environmental damage from flights.

"Giant tanker aircraft would fill the tanks of up to four airliners in a single trip, reducing the total fuel burnt by about a fifth even after taking into account the fuel used by the tankers."

Wow - I didn't see that coming!

"The proposal has been put forward in a report by the Royal Aeronautical Society's Greener by Design group. The group includes representatives from the Department for Transport, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Cranfield University."

Greener by Design was formed in 1999 by the Airport Operators Association (AOA), British Air Transport Association (BATA), Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), and Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC). It brings together experts from the aviation industry with Government bodies and research institutions to seek practical, environmental, and "economically sustainable solutions to the challenge posed by aviation's impact on the environment."

"The report concludes: 'The potential benefits of air-to-air refuelling for long-haul flights are sufficient to justify a rigorous assessment of it from an environmental, logistical and economic standpoint.'

"John Green, the group's senior scientific adviser, said that existing long-range aircraft were an inefficient shape because they needed large fuel tanks and big engines to propel the extra weight.

"He said that fuel was so heavy that a third of what was used on long flights was burnt simply in carrying enough fuel to remain airborne for up to 18 hours. Airliners also waste several tonnes of fuel on take-off because of the enormous thrust needed to lift so much weight. Fuel accounts for almost half of the 395 tonnes that a British Airways 747 weighs when taking off from Heathrow bound for Singapore."

I guess we'll see!

Fighter Plane Gift Rides

What's the most frequent question I receive here at Thirty Thousand Feet - Aviation Directory? That's easy: "where can I find a ride in a plane to give as a gift?" It's usually for a spouse, frequently in a fighter, almost always for the man, and practically always for a 50th birthday. I don't know what it is about 50, but at that milestone a fast plane ride seems to be the thing.

The answer depends on where you live and how far you're willing to go. Start with the Aircraft Rent-A-Ride section of the Directory. There you'll find Fighter Plane Rides like those offered by Air Combat USA and North American Top Gun, as well as places that offer sightseeing and touring rides, and hot air balloon "champagne" flights.

If that doesn't produce the result you need, Google:

fighter plane rides your-location

or something like that. If you're looking for a jet ride and can't find one, consider an aerobatic glider ride. That may sound ho-hum compared to a MiG, but I can tell you your knees will be weak when you get out of the glider. Negative G's will do that to you!

Have fun!

The Historical Aviation Society Of Ireland - Website & Online Network

The Historical Aviation Society Of Ireland (HASOI) started as the vision of a student from Dublin with a keen interest in aviation history. He went on to develop a website devoted to Irish aviation, which was relaunched in January 2005.

The Society has launched an ambitious development plan that includes a National Aviation Museum, a National Archive, and other activities that work toward the preservation of Irish aviation heritage.

Furthermore, there are plans to submit an affiliation bid to the NACI and they are looking for individuals who might be interested in becoming a member or committee member, should the Society become official.

If you are at all interested in Irish aviation history, you can help by getting involved and becoming a member. See the HASOI website for more information.

TSA Allows Empty Lighters

The New York Times (free registration) reports in their piece, "The Team From Zippo Goes to Washington" that:

"It's now O.K. to pack unfueled lighters, which had been prohibited from all bags in April. The latest change is described on the Transportation Security Administration's Web site, where the revised list of 'Permitted and Prohibited Items' can be found. While it is still forbidden to take a lighter in a carry-on bag, 'lighters without fuel are permitted in checked bags, but lighters with fuel are prohibited,' the revised list says."

The TSA site has a lot of useful information for air travelers, including "Security Checkpoint Wait Times" and "Am I wearing the right shoes?"

Prohibited items are generally defined as "...weapons, explosives, incendiaries, and include items that are seemingly harmless but may be used as weapons - the so-called 'dual use' items. You may not bring these items to security checkpoints without authorization."

Before taking a flight, you should review the Permitted and Prohibited Items list, which details what is allowable or not on carry-on and checked baggage. Some previously unallowable items are now allowed, like nail files and tweezers. My favorite allowable is "toy transformer robots." Carry-on unallowables (but allowable checked) include meat cleavers, pointed metal scissors, and spear guns. Gun powder you can't carry or check (duh), and hand grenades are specifically excluded.

The list also provides some information about your criminal liability and what the screener can do or consider. You'd be wise to review that before starting an argument over the allowability of an item as you stand at the security point.

Back to lighters, the Times article says,

"The revised list doesn't specify this, but it's now also O.K. to pack two Zippo-brand lighters, fueled, in your checked bags, if they're in a certified vaporproof case."

I don't see that on the TSA site, and I'm not sure what their source is.

Addendum: Strike that last sentence. I contacted the author at the New York Times asking about the source, and I learned that I did a poor job of reading the article. Here's what it says:

"On June 23, the Transportation Department granted an 'emergency exemption' specifically for Zippo, allowing passengers to pack two fueled Zippo lighters in the new, certified, vapor tight Otter cases."

The Zippo site has a Zippo Cargo Case link where you learn all about the case and order one.

Otter Box actually makes a very nice line of boxes (for PDAs, iPods, and cigars) and cases (for larger valuables) that are waterproof, crushproof, and they float.

Aircraft Mishaps

According to the news from the good folks at Airwise, July 6 was a difficult day for aviation:

Plane Stuck In Mud Keeps Angkor Wat Airport Shut

Cambodia's Siem Reap Airport, gateway to the Angkor Wat temples, was still closed on Wednesday after a Vietnam Airlines Airbus A320 slid off the runway and got stuck in the mud, officials said.

Air France Plane Hits Cow In Nigeria

An Air France passenger jet with more than 190 people on board struck a cow shortly after landing at the coastal city of Port Harcourt in Nigeria, a spokeswoman for the airline said on Wednesday.

and my favorite:

German Plane Lands On Speeding Porsche

A German pilot and car driver escaped unhurt when a one-seater plane landed on top of a speeding car at a little-used airport, police in the western town of Bitburg said on Wednesday.

It seems a local Porsche club was holding an event at this airport when the pilot decided to land. "The airplane managed to stay steady on the roof at first. They probably couldn't have done it that well if they had tried."

Keep an eye on the sky, I guess.

Handheld aviation solutions

I just received the latest Newsletter from PalmFLYING.com. (It says it's the June issue, but I got it July 3.) If you're a pilot and haven't seen this site, I suggest you take a look. Palm and Pocket PC. Two RSS feeds are up: one for forum messages and one for Aviation Technology News.

Their "application of the month" is the freeware PocketFMS for Pocket PC, a moving map and flight planning program.

They also have a quick 10 question survey about aviation technology you might like to participate in.