Video: Thom Richard And Precious Metal Prepare To Impress At The 50th Anniversary Reno Air Races!

 The guys at LiveAirShowTV put together a great interview piece on Thom Richard and his Rolls Royce Griffon powered P-51 Precious Metal. With the 63 mph speed increase seen at Reno 2012 from the updated prop design, Precious Metal became a real contender for Unlimited Gold... but there can be quite a distance between being a contender and being a champion.

 For 2013, the 50th anniversary of the Reno Air Races, Thom and a crew of friends and volunteers have been making significant upgrades to PM in the quest for another big increase in race speed. With all the work that's being done it's very realistic to think that Precious Metal will be right in the thick of things, even if Strega comes back to defend her winning streak that stretches back to 2008.

 Don't forget you can watch the races live this September via LiveAirShowTV and you can also keep an eye on the progress of Thom and the airplane via facebook.com/airrace. This is a great time to be paying attention to the world's fastest motor sport!

Precious Metal evening engine run at Reno 2012 (see hi-res version here)

Video: A330 Rejected Takeoff Due To Engine Failure - Very Well Handled

 I've posted several of the great airliner videos from Simon Lowe in the past (like this amazing must-see video of a truly perfect A330 landing) but this one captured yesterday of a Thomas Cook Airbus A330 at Manchester Airport in the UK is very different. The takeoff was rejected due to what appears to be a complete engine failure after quite a bit of acceleration, and Simon was recording the takeoff looking right down the runway.

 I'm all about the details in situations like this, so I am fascinated to watch and re-watch a video like this to understand what is happening. What really stands out to me in this incident is how quickly and properly the pilot in control reacted.

 Immediately after the engine fails you can see the nose of the aircraft begin to swing to its right due to the asymmetrical thrust. You then see rapid application of full left rudder to bring the nose back around followed just a second later by reverse thrust and braking. In the span of just four seconds, the engine failed, the airplane begin to deviate from a straight line and it was brought back to the runway centerline with reverse thrust and braking fully applied... all in complete control! What an excellent example of emergency training being put to use in the real world! I'll add tho that it isn't always just training that works in these situations - it appears that this pilot was both well prepared mentally to deal with an emergency and possessed a natural ability to react very quickly. An impressive display all around.

 The A330 was leaving Manchester headed for the Dominican Republic with about 325 passengers onboard. After the rejected takeoff the A330 was taken back to the terminal where the passengers got off the airplane and the airline was able to get a replacement aircraft in place and on the way about 4 hours later.

Video screenshot just after the engine failed with full left rudder already applied

Wounded Tiger Book: Kickstart This Amazing (And True) WWII Story Of Redemption

Mitsuo Fuchida: leader of the air attack on Pearl Harbor... to Christian evengalist in the U.S.

check out the Wounded Tiger book kickstarter campaign now (ends July 1st)

 If the story about the Japanese miltary officer who coordinated and then led the air attack on Pearl Harbor, who after the war found forgiveness and redemption in Jesus (and even preached the good news throughout the United states) wasn't a true story, it would be very hard to believe. But true it is.

 Mitsuo Fuchida's journey from a young and highly determined Imperial Japanese Navy pilot, on through the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, being at Hiroshima the day before and the day after the atomic bomb drop, and then on to redemption is a truly fascinating story... and it's one you can experience in great historically accurate detail in a book by my friend Martin Bennett. Wounded Tiger is extremely well written and tremendously engaging. And the connection to Doolittle Raider bombardier Jacob De Shazer, who spent three years as a POW, is chronicled in detail as well in the book.

Doolittle Raider bombardier Jacob De Shazer who became a Christian while a POW

 I read the manuscript two years ago and was highly impressed. This book succeeds on so many different levels, I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it. Forgiveness is one of our most powerful emotions, and when experienced on the level portrayed in Wounded Tiger, it's truly epic.

 Martin's efforts to get the book published (and a full-length feature film made) have proven a difficult and challenging road... however, Martin's kickstarter campaign for the book has it about 80% funded with just six days left to go in the campaign. If you're familiar with kickstarter, you know it's all or nothing, so now is the the time to get behind this project and give this incredible (and true) WWII story the wings it deserves.

 Please go now to the Wounded Tiger kickstarter page, watch Martin's video about the project, and then note that for $10 you can get an ebook version, and for $25 you can get a signed paperback version of the book. Or, $35 gets you a signed hardcover of the book... all have an estimated delivery date of November 2013. There are also several additional levels of contribution and a variety of rewards of interest.

 Wounded Tiger is a story everyone needs to be familiar with, I hope you'll take the time to check it out.

Click the pic to check out the kickstarter campaign and video for the Wounded Tiger book

Video: Boeing 787 Aerobatics At The 2013 Paris Air Show!

 Hang on, don't get too excited here... the FAA defines 'aerobatics' in FAR 91.303 like this: Aerobatic flight is an intentional maneuver involving abrupt change in an aircraft's attitude, an abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration, not necessary for normal flight. By that definition, the 787's climb-out on takeoff Wednesday at the Pairs Air Show that reached about 40 degrees nose up would be defined as 'aerobatics' : )

 So, while there wasn't really anything else incredible done during the flight demo, it was another great opportunity to see the Dreamliner show off its graceful wings and overall beautiful design. I put up an airliner beauty poll a couple weeks ago putting the 787 up against the new Airbus A350 (which made its first flight last week) and so far the 787 is still well out in front with over 73% of the vote. They're both good looking airliners tho, and they both seem to be selling like hotcakes!

 Enjoy the video... and imagine the wild ride in the cockpit on that takeoff!

Video screenshot of the 40 degrees nose up 787 climb-out at the 2013 Paris Air Show

FREE Bacon! AirPigz OSH13 Bacon Parties - You Don't Even Have To Push A Button!

Push button and get free bacon? HA! The AirPigz OSH13 Bacon Parties can beat that!
 

AirPigz Bacon Parties!  Tue July 30 or Sat August 3 at Oshkosh 2013 (6-8pm)

 You've probably seen this humorous explanation of the pictogram found on those old-school World Dryer hand dryers, and that would be a pretty easy way to get some free crunch pig, but the AirPigz Bacon parties at Oshkosh 2013 can beat that... you don't even have to push a button!

 All you gotta do is show up at CampBacon (the AirPigz campsite in EAA's Camp Scholler) on either Tuesday July 30th or Saturday August 3rd between 6pm and 8pm to snag some free bacon. CampBacon should wind up in pretty much the same place as it's been the last few years, on Lindbergh Ave near Forest Home and 48th St. The exact location, including a map, will be posted several days before Oshkosh starts so you can know exactly where to spend some time chewing the fat while you chew the fat, avgeek style!

 I hope I'll see you there : )

The Rutan Boomerang at Oshkosh 2012 (see hi-res version of this pic)

LiveAirShowTV Will Bring The 50TH Anniversary Reno Air Races To YOU!

 
 The 50th anniversary Reno Air Races are now just under three months away (September 11-15) and there's a wild mix of news emerging concerning the world's fastest motorsport. First I want you to know that even if you can't get on-site at Reno Stead Airport September you'll still be able to experience the races as they happen via the internet with the help of LiveAirShowTV! A free and live web broadcast will take place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with some limited coverage taking place on Thursday. This is an amazing opportunity to be connected to the historic 50th anniversary of Reno!

Thom Richard and the P-51 Precious Metal at the Reno Air Races in 2012

 
 While there's no substitute for being at Stead during race week, the reality is that not everyone can make the trip. But now everyone has the opportunity to see the races live and get in on all the excitement. The LiveAirShowTV broadcast will include lots of additional coverage, including pilot interviews and cool behind the scenes info from the pits. And for those that are on-site for the event, some of the LiveAirShowTV coverage will also be piped into large LED video displays on the ramp to significantly enhance the grandstand experience.

Unlimited racers lined up for the 2012 Reno Gold Unlimited Race!

 The LiveAirShowTV crew is a bunch of great guys that work their tails off during the races to bring great coverage... their live broadcast for 2013 will be great for the races and for the fans!

 The video above is their wrap up for the 2013 Pylon Racing School (PRS) that just concluded on Saturday. In it they also share some info concerning the real possibility that Strega will be racing again this year after 'retiring' in 2012. Strega owner Tiger Destefani was at Stead and shared some encouraging news that it was indeed a possibility. Even bigger news that includes Tiger is that the Unlimited Division of racers as we have known it actually being transformed into a new class called the Warbird Unlimited Racing Class. Tiger will serve initially to help organize this new group that will oversee the Unlimited racing and work with RARA and the FAA to move the Unlimiteds safely into the future.

Steven Hinton in Tiger Destefani's Unlimited Champion Strega at Reno 2012

 
 We'll have a better idea of what this new Unlimited Class means in the coming weeks and months, but the bottom line right now is that the 2013 Reno Air Races are coming together with more sponsorship from Breitling (including a public display of Breitling sponsored Jetman Yves Rossy), great LIVE racing coverage from LiveAirShowTV, and Unlimited racing that just might even include Strega!

 Wow... the 50th year of the Reno Air Races is gonna be amazing! Don't miss it!

Caption Contest #83 Winner - NOT The Wright Brothers!

 Yuk Yuk Yuk! Congrats go out once again to seasoned captioner and bacon sandwich collector 'Tim' for winning once again! I hope he's gonna make it to OSH13 to collect his winnings, especially since the sequestration HAS NOT affected AirPigz bacon funding : )

 Also, for anyone interested in being able to snag some free bacon at Oshkosh this year, I'll be posting the details on the two AirPigz Bacon Parties that'll take place at my campsite (aka CampBacon) sometime next week. Don't miss your chance for fun avgeek chat while enjoying a stick or two of crunch pig.

 And watch for at least one more caption contest to be posted before the world's greatest aviation event gets here... and did ya know? - OSH13 will be the best Oshkosh ever (details soon : )

Video: Airbus A350 XWB Is In The Air! (First Flight 6-14-13)

 Airbus has put the A350 XWB into the sky for the first time today... and in fact, if you're checking out this post before 8:00am EDT on Friday 6-14-13 then it's probably still on its first flight! This initial test flight is expected to last around 4 hours.

 You can see the first liftoff by skipping ahead to the 1:01:20 mark in the video above which is also a live youtube broadcast if you're catching this during the time of the flight.

 At approximately 10:00am local time in Toulouse France (4:00am EDT) the Airbus A350 XWB left the ground on its maiden flight, and as the picture below shows, it's looking confident and comfortable in the sky. Congratulations to all who have worked so hard to get this composite twin-aisle airliner into the air!

Airbus A350 XWB just after first flight liftoff in Toulouse France on June 14, 2013

Video: Taking A Dip In SeaRey Amphibian Paradise!

 I put up an amphibian SLSA poll back in February to see if the airplane that makes the most sense to me would come out on top... and it has in a big way. With over 500 votes in currently, the Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey is way out in front with over 51% of the vote. The SeaMax M-22 is in second and the is-it-hype-or-is-it-not ICON A-5 is now lagging way back in last place with just under 18% of the vote. 

 I wasn't looking to put any airplane down in this poll, but I was interested in seeing the SeaRey get the credit it deserves for being such a great, versatile and fun flying machine. And now that the kit airplane that has had over 600 deliveries is now being made available as a ready-to-fly SLSA, there's more reason than ever before for people who are interested in an affordable amphibian to take a good long look at the SeaRey. The recent comments on the poll page from SeaRey owners echo all the advantages that I pointed out when I personally picked it as the best SLSA amphibian available... and owner opinions are worth a lot more than my observer opinion! 

 The video above does a great job of showing how a well-designed amphibian (especially one that's a taildragger!) comes about as close to being the perfect flying machine as you're ever gonna find! I want a SeaRey!

Video screenshot showing some sweet fun flying in SeaRey paradise

Caption Contest #83 - Ends Wednesday 6.12.13 At 9PM EDT

 Seriously, it's time to quit clowning around and think up some great captions for this pic in Caption Contest #83. And it's no joke that the winner in this contest will walk away with a tasty bacon sandwich at OSH13 : )

 So... you've got til Wednesday evening at 9pm EDT to submit your clever/funny/cool captions. Then, I’ll pick the best 5 and put ’em in a poll for everyone to vote on for all day Thursday and Friday so we can find the winner. 

 The Rules: 

1) Max of 3 submissions per person

2) Submissions go in the 'comments' area 

3) Game ends Wednesday at 9pm EDT 

4) Keep it clean!

 Then, anyone can cast their vote starting Thursday morning and running thru til 9pm EDT Friday. The winner will be posted Saturday morning 6-15-13. C'mon, don't be a stooge, play the harmless little avgeek game!