RichC | August 26, 2012
Neil Armstrong was not only the first astronaut to walk on the moon, but a brilliant science minded and steely-nerved pilot who’s skills were the envy of his peers … as well as this small town Ohio boy. He grew up in Wapakoneta, Ohio, went to Purdue University in Indiana, flew 78 combat missions in the […]
RichC | August 6, 2012
Although not the most interesting of photographs this morning, it definitely excited those who are interested in space exploration and the study of Mars. Early this morning, NASA’s billion dollar rover plunged at 13,000 mph through the thin Mars atmosphere and landed inside a giant crater. It “beamed” back this black and white photo confirming […]
RichC | July 31, 2012
Unmanned, but then who’s looking out the “faux” window? Remember the ‘UFO’ that motorists spotted along D.C. highways back in June? The saucer-shaped object caused a stir in the area prompting many to call 911 and to post photos on Twitter. We later learned the mysterious object was an experimental, unmanned aircraft called an X-47B. […]
RichC | July 31, 2012
With the slow economy and the associated weak income/high expenses related issues … combined with my lack of aviation motivation in recent years, it only makes sense to show my Sonex project to interested builders. After cleaning up the shop a little bit, I picked up a potential buyer, Dennis, and his friend Tom […]
RichC | July 18, 2012
Do you ever wonder what aircraft of the future will look like? Well according to a CNET post from Edwards Airforce Base and the Dryden Flight Research Center, the X-48 “flying wing” inspired prototype could look something like the next generation aircraft … or are we closing in on spaceplanes? (click images for slightly […]
RichC | July 2, 2012
I’ve posted a few times back in 2009 regarding the flying car from the MIT developers called the Terrafugia Transition and after phase one flight testing in New York it is one step closer to being ready for production. As we all know, here in the United States things are not as simple as they […]
RichC | May 13, 2012
Archiving and supporting a aviation article with Ohio connections – as in connecting airports: KSU professor to attempt to land antique aircraft in each of Ohio’s 88 counties – Local – Ohio
RichC | April 17, 2012
It is still quite remarkable to see NASA haul around a giant space shuttle piggybacked on a modified Boeing747, this time it is Discovery heading to its final Washington DC Smithsonian home. For those of us who grew up with the entire space program it is indeed a sad end to an adventurous and exciting […]
RichC | March 24, 2012
Although this turn out to be an elaborate hoax, it sure gets the juices flowing for all those who dream of flying like a bird!
RichC | February 23, 2012
Here’s a flying wingsuit jump that didn’t go as planned; the January 120mph collision with a mountain cliff isn’t something many adrenalin junkies survive to talk about. (broken legs and a 5 weeks in the hospital)
RichC | February 1, 2012
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RichC | December 22, 2011
Once upon a time, the word “Plasitcs” was uttered by Mr. McGuire as “enough said” advice for The Graduate in 1967 … nowadays I think we need to start thinking three words or perhaps just the acronym … UAV? The Graduate (mp3) … one word for you, plastics All I can say is find […]
RichC | December 13, 2011
Without NASA, the private sector has a bigger incentive to step up … Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen says he will use his wealth to build the world’s largest airplane as a mobile platform for launching satellites at low cost, which he believes could transform the space industry. Slated to be announced Tuesday, the novel, […]
RichC | December 13, 2011
Boeing ($BA) just confirmed their largest firm order to date from Southwest ($LUV) with an order for 150 Boeing 737 Max jets (just announced). The deliveries slated to start in 2017 will secure Southwest Airlines as the largest 737 carrier. U.S. discount carrier Southwest Airlines Co. is in talks with Boeing to order 100 to […]
RichC | December 1, 2011
I’ve posted on Yves Rossy and the Breitling team since his original flights over the Swiss Alps and here’s his “new feat: Flying in formation at full throttle together with 2 jets from the Breitling Jet Team … at their minimum speed. Beautiful images for an outstanding achievement!”
RichC | November 5, 2011
Reposted from EAA284 … thanks Steve. One of our EAA284 members, Steve Dilullo, keeps a personal flying blog and posted a great article for those wanting to create videos of their flights. His how-to article is a great starting point for those who might want to capture their flights on video and are looking for […]
RichC | November 3, 2011
I’m glad there are some innovative types out there, but flying and electric sixteen propeller multicopter is not ever going to be as comforting as being in a Boeing 767 (see yesterday’s belly landing in Warsaw, Poland). A company called E-Volo in Germany has built a spider-like multicopter that is capable of lifting a “rider”using […]
RichC | October 9, 2011
As the autumn weather takes hold in my part of Ohio, we’re seeing a few more hot air balloons drifting by in the evening. This past weekend we had one a bit lower than usual which in turn set the dogs off in the neighborhood … especially when the gas burner roared. I happened to […]
RichC | September 22, 2011
I have posted some of Yves Rolly’s video in the past on my blog and thought I would archive his flight over the Grand Canyon from May 2011. A friend mine (a psychiatrist, by the way), email me the link saying that this clip reminded her of me. Hmm, I told her “when I strap […]
RichC | August 13, 2011
Every once in a while I look at the right hand column of my blog to see what interested me in previous years. I noticed The Navy catapults the last F-14 Tomcat post from back in the summer of 2006. Has it been 5 years?
RichC | August 11, 2011
Great news for aviation experimenters — the personal jet experimental protype known as the SubSonex made its first flight. Way to go! August 11, 2011 – A little yellow jet was spotted over Oshkosh Wednesday morning (August 10) and soon it was confirmed that John Monnett’s SubSonex had made its first flight. Jet sailplane pilot […]
RichC | July 30, 2011
Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of Mitchell Cary and Don Gum who devoted so much to aviation. It is a difficult day for those of us who support efforts to keep history flying and the Wright B Flyer Museum. Crash kills 2 in plane based on Wright ‘B’ Flyer GREEN […]
RichC | July 30, 2011
I read an aviation/travel article by Scott McCartney last week that reminded me of a post I made in June which dealt with booking flights and some of the changes we are all facing in air travel – well perhaps not elite travelers? From the sound of things, we’re in for a few more changes, […]
RichC | July 7, 2011
As we wait for the final scheduled liftoff of Shuttle Atlantis and STS-135 on Friday (weather postponement likely), I am of mixed emotion. As a child when the United States began its race to the moon, exploration of space was a pivotal part of being an American. As a tax paying citizen, the expense of […]
RichC | July 6, 2011
Calling this airplane an ‘ultralight‘ might be an understatement. At 200 pounds Hugues Duval’s airplane, with twin props and two electric motors, is small – but it is also record breaking fast (for 100% electric). At the Paris Airshow, Duval’s airplane has broken the record for an all electric aircraft by 15 miles per hour […]
RichC | July 3, 2011
Siemens, along with Diamond Aircraft and EADS, unveiled the two-seat airplane called the DA36 E-Star, at the 2011 Paris Air Show. The series hybrid propulsion cuts fuel consumption and emissions by 25 percent, compared to today’s most fuel-efficient airplane propulsion systems according to Siemens. E-Star’s propeller is turned by a 70 kW electric motor and […]
RichC | June 13, 2011
It was a good day for pilot and passengers aboard the flying historic WWII bomber Liberty Belle (LibertyBelleFoundation.org), but not so good for those who have devoted their lives to the restoration and preservation of flying history. From the crash video above, all were lucky to be out with their lives, but the damage to […]
RichC | May 19, 2011
Who needs a dinghy … fly instead! Nice views … (Check out PercyMichael’s YouTube clips of the Krucker amphib)
RichC | May 7, 2011
On Friday I was streaming the Atlas 5 rocket countdown on my computer while waiting for Yves Rossy to fly his jet wing across the Grand Canyon (see previous posts). NASA’s red anvil rule scrubbed the launch of the Atlas 5 (clouds) and according to an EAA article, Rossy felt he needed a bit more […]
RichC | April 12, 2011
NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr.’s announced the locations for the three operating shuttles and one gliding prototype on Tuesday afternoon: Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex in Florida – Atlantis California Science Center in Los Angeles – Endeavour Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., — Discovery Intrepid Sea, Air and Space […]
RichC | April 3, 2011
Citizen journalism was alive and well (‘alive’ being the appropriate word) this weekend as an emergency landing was made by a Southwest jet in Yuma Arizona. Shawna MalviniRedden, a blogger at The Bluest Muse, ‘tweeted’ comments and photos. Shortly after take off the Boeing 737 had a hole 5 foot long and 1 foot wide […]
RichC | March 31, 2011
The annual Sun ‘n Fun air and trade show is a rite of spring for many pilots who regularly enjoy one of the premier fly-ins in the country. This year the weather in central Florida (Lakeland) did not cooperate and sent heavy ran and damaging winds through the airport ground. Early reports indicating that people […]
RichC | February 25, 2011
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RichC | February 8, 2011
An EAA284 friend of mine enjoyed riding along on a Pilots N Paws rescue flight the other day and made a nice video too. Although I could just link to his site or the YouTube video, its enjoyable enough to include on my blog. It is great to see pilots using their time to help […]
RichC | January 30, 2011
For those who remember the last days of the cold war and paying attention to military aviation advancements, the Russian Mig-29 was a frightening aircraft … and it still is. It was put into service in 1983 and remains an “air superiority” jet fighter in my air forces around the world. In December of 2010 […]
RichC | January 28, 2011
January 28, 2011, Oshkosh, WI – www.sonexaircraft.com Posted via email from RichC’s posterous
RichC | January 27, 2011
Although the dream of flying around like the Jetsons has been something many of us believed would be here by now, those at Carter Copters are a bit more serious in developing something that might move us closer to that reality. Their combination of aviation engineering using fuel sipping diesel engines, gyro-plane lift, airplane like […]
RichC | January 21, 2011
This is a strange way to fly …
RichC | January 14, 2011
Good news for those who enjoyed the music of the Lt. Dan Band last year at Airventure. The EAA Warbirds of America and Disabled American Veterans who sponsored the band in 2010 have decided to do it again in 2011. EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. — (Jan. 6, 2011) — Back by popular demand, actor […]
RichC | November 20, 2010
I received an email a few weeks ago asking “what’s Airventure?” Rather than telling them it’s an airshow, tradeshow and a social gathering for lovers of aviation, I felt a better explanation was to show them this video 2010 Airventure – Beyond This Historic Brown Gate (well done Slick).
RichC | November 19, 2010
The latest expensive gift catalog arrived from Hammacher Schlemmer in our mailbox just in time for me to add the Terrafugia Transition to Santa’s list. Actually I was shocked to see the “flying car” appear on the cover … a perfect gift for someone with money to burn. It is priced at $350,000, although you […]
RichC | November 19, 2010
What a rush — just hold down your “Bile and Regurgitated Food” please – aka: BARF.
RichC | November 16, 2010
A friend of mine posted about the Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. on Facebook and it was a reminder to me how devastating Ménière’s disease was. Back in the 1990’s I (and my family) struggled in dealing with the frustrating ringing, sudden attacks of vertigo and associated debilitating sickness (sea-sickness as I described it). Although […]
RichC | November 15, 2010
Flight Photo from wright-b-flyer.org EAA Chapter 284’s meeting this month was a trip to Dayton-Wright Brother Airport and the Wright B Flyer museum. Our meeting centered around aviation history and the of the building of a replicate “B” Flyer which started with the flying look-a-like Brown Bird which first flew in July 1982. The airplane […]
RichC | November 13, 2010
I first heard about Yves Rolly, “jetman,” back in 2006 and posted one of his first videos. This time he has made a few design improvements and jumped from a balloon as soon as his four jet engines fire up. Wow … what a rush!
RichC | October 31, 2010
The final day of our mini-vacation was spent in the sun and ocean. We relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the sunshine and warm wind. The waves were large enough to make the body surfing fun as Brenda and I soaked up the last few hours before getting ready to head for home. While I […]
RichC | October 23, 2010
DiscoveryNews had an article in MSNBC highlighting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) call the DEMON which has fewer moving parts and uses “bursts of air” rather than traditional hinged control surfaces in order to control the aircraft. According to engineers and those working on the project, fewer moving parts will make it easier to maintain […]
RichC | October 20, 2010
I got sidetracked yesterday while talking on the phone to a fellow aviation enthusiast as he shared with me his impressions of the Pima Air and Space Museum. He knew that the National Museum of the Air Force was in my backyard and remembering me talk about the Martin B-26 Marauder on display that had […]
RichC | September 13, 2010
The American Airlines video brought back the memory of our “bus” Honor trip to Washington DC earlier this year. Great to know they support our heroes in this way. Thank to AA as well for their appearance at EAA Airventure and getting Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band to and from his tribute shows […]
RichC | September 8, 2010
Better late than never. I promised a few people that I would post some photos from my EAA Chapters annual TDFI (Taildragger Fly-in) which happens every Labor Day weekend at Red Stewart Airfield in Waynesville Ohio. The tradition is enjoyed by airplane-loving-types that build, restore and fly airplanes with their nose held high (the airplanes […]
RichC | September 1, 2010
In keeping with yesterday’s post of how law enforcement deals with challenging situations, police in California seemed a bit too aggressive in the case below. Perhaps they followed procedure … but if innocent, an incident like this can be frightening. Should police have handled John and Martha King differently? John King shared his “guns drawn/detained […]
RichC | August 28, 2010
Sharing a video from EAA Airventure 2010 … not mine. Thanks for the link Steve. (for another good video from the previous 2009 Airventure click here)
RichC | August 12, 2010
For personal transportation miles-per-gallon watchers, like many VW TDI drivers I know, an article in Thursday’s WSJ that translated US based airlines fuel efficiency into automotive MPG standards, might be of interest. In the past, frugal flyers may have looked at the numbers in order to save a buck, but now more and more travelers […]
RichC | August 7, 2010
With Airventure in Oshkosh Wisconsin recently ending and preparations for our EAA chapter’s Labor Day weekend Taildragger Fly-In/Pancake breakfast underway, this might be a good time to mention that Saturday, September 4th is also the Stewart’s annual airshow at 40I. If camping under the wing of your plane and pancakes on Sunday morning aren’t enough […]
RichC | July 31, 2010
Young Eagles co-chair and retired Capt Sully Sullenberger was forced to select his all time favorite aircraft when interviewed at Airventure 2010 this year and it wasn’t the fully restored Douglas DC-7B that he few to Oshkosh Wisconsin in. Here’s a choice of four aircraft that this heroic pilot has developed proficiency in flying; check […]
RichC | July 28, 2010
Safety is always of concern for organizers of airshows, especially ones that attract 1000s of pilots, aviation enthusiasts and airplanes. The week long EAA airshow and fly-in at Oshkosh Wisconsin called Airventure is no exception — accidents can and do sometimes (rarely) happen. The routine at Airventure is for Wittman Regional Airport to open runways […]
RichC | July 28, 2010
In chatting with an EAA buddy camping for the week up at Airventure 2010 I had the chance to talk to him about a few ideas for our local EAA Chapter 284, and he has some excellent ones. I’ve also been paying attention to the “goings-on” this week online through the variety of feeds, links […]
RichC | July 11, 2010
EAA Chapter 284 hosted Popular Rotorcraft Association Chapter 34 at Red Stewart Airfield (40I) in Waynesville Ohio on Sunday. I was a beautiful and warm day for grilling burgers and hotdogs at our EAA chapter hanger. The turnout was excellent and everyone enjoyed the comradely focused on promoting and enjoying recreational aviation. Besides a close […]
RichC | June 24, 2010
Compliance dilemma for pilots and aircraft owners … stay tuned. On June 15 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released for publication a change to 47 CFR Part 87 that will “prohibit the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) other than the Breitling Emergency Watch ELT.” Meanwhile, the […]