Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 10:15PM I don't know anything about when and where this took place, but it appears to be for real. The dog surprisingly seems right at home stuck to the ceiling of this spam can! And, in the interest of safety, I'd have to say I don't recommend trying this at home... a flailing dog wrapped around the yoke could ruin your day. #disclaimer
Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 10:49PM
No wire and no net cuz they aren't needed when you can land VTOL! And VTOL is what the B model of the F-35 can do, whereas the C model has the larger wing and hook for a more traditional approach to getting onboard the boat. This first-ever vertical landing on a ship for the F-35 looked picture perfect, and hopefully this first phase of ship trials will put this part of the program right on target.
F-35B makes first ever vertical carrier landing on Monday, October 3, 2011
Here's the press release info:
ABOARD USS WASP, At sea – The Navy and Marine Corps Team made more remarkable naval aviation history today as the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) test aircraft BF-2 landed safely on USS Wasp’s (LHD-1) flight deck, the first at sea vertical landing for the Marine Corps’ F-35 JSF version.
Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Fred Schenk landed BF-2 at 3:12 pm. “It was exactly like we predicted,” said Schenk. “But that’s because of all the hard work and extensive preparation done by the Wasp and JSF team.”
The first vertical landing is part of the initial ship trials for the F-35B which started Monday and is expected to last two-weeks. The tests are scheduled to collect data on the aircraft’s ability to perform short take-offs and vertical landings on a ship at sea, as well as determine how the aircraft integrates with the ship’s landing systems, and deck and hangar operations.
This test period, the first of three scheduled at-sea test periods over the course of the development program, will also collect environmental data on the deck through added instrumentation to measure the F-35B’s impact to flight deck operations.
“The first at sea vertical landing is a huge milestone,” said Marine Corps Col. Roger Cordell, military site director for F-35 test and evaluation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. “We’re still early in this test period, and we expect to learn a lot more, but this is a great step toward delivering the capability to the fleet.”
Wasp spent time in a shipyard earlier this year, preparing for the F-35 test period; adding specialized instrumentation to measure deck environmental effects. “It is no small feat to put together sea trials,” said Vice Admiral David Venlet, F-35 Program Executive Officer. “This test was planned to happen on 3 October back in early spring of this year and the team delivered on schedule. Signs of dependable performance are emerging across broad aspects of the development program. Professionals from the Navy, Marine Corps and industry team of Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and Pratt and Whitney and Rolls Royce continue to work tirelessly to deliver this aircraft to the fleet.”
“Every time an aircraft is first tested at sea we learn a great deal and the data collected from this event will inform us about the further development work necessary to successfully integrate the F-35B on large-deck amphibious ships. By all accounts, we’re off to a great start today,” Venlet said.
The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to provide air power to the
Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The F-35B will replace Marine AV-8B Harriers and F-18 Hornets and is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet.
In addition to being the first ship to successfully land the F-35B, USS Wasp was also the first ship to host the V-22 Osprey during shipboard trials in October 2007. Summary information regarding the performance of the F-35B ship trials will be made available after the completion of the test period.
Additional information about the Joint Strike Fighter Program can be found at www.jsf.mil
Monday, October 3, 2011 at 09:57PM 
(click pic to enlarge) 3 common hose clamps used in the 787 trailing cone installation
Now that ANA has taken possession of their first completed 787 Dreamliner, and it's less than a month before it hauls real life paying passengers, I figure it's a good time to look back at the good ole days of the prototype 787. And one of those really good ole days was Friday July 29th... that's the day that Boeing brought the very first 787, ZA001, and put it on public display at Oshkosh 2011 for a handful of hours. I took hundreds of pix of the airplane that day, and many of them were a little different than your typical images.
One thing I enjoyed getting pix of was the 'trailing cone', that little cone that dangles behind the rudder when the airplane is one the ground. That cone is attached to some plastic tubing that exits the trailing edge of the vertical fin tip. In the air it's extended to a point well behind the airplane (a wingspan distance or more) and it's used to fetch up a really good and untainted static source so that the instruments that need a static source are calibrated and providing data that's completely accurate. It's interesting that the existence of the static cone has been a real topic of interest in the last few years for those who didn't know what it was.
(click pic to enlarge) The full trailing cone assembly on the Dreamliner prototype
For the certification process, the FAA requires that the instruments are calibrated, and the trailing cone is often the most cost effective way to accomplish this. The one element that really points to how down-to-earth this installation is the three common hose clamps used to hold that approximately one-foot long piece of semi-rigid rubber tubing in place. I assume it's there to provide some support when the cone isn't actually trailing behind the airplane in flight, keeping the hollow translucent white tubing from kinking. Seems like it functions much like a strain-relief on an electrical cord on a power tool. I was just struck by how un-aerospace it seems... but in reality, it looks like it's exactly what's needed, and no money was wasted in the effort. It can't hurt to count your pennies when your dropping $30 billion+ into a new airliner project!
If I understand the 'trailing cone' components correctly, the cone is there to keep everything trailing nice and stable behind the aircraft, and the actual static ports are positioned forward of the cone. I assume they are in that rigid looking piece that's at the end of the translucent tubing.
(click pic to enlarge) The 787 fly-by before landing at OSH11 - trailing cone extended
The picture directly above shows the Dreamliner as it made a fly-by before landing at Oshkosh... you can see the trailing cone extended well behind the aircraft. Those three little hose clamps are hanging on and doing their job! Looking again at the first pic at the top above, it looks like that rubber hose was about due for changing. And I wonder if there's a reason one clamp points one way and the other two point the opposite way. I'd be inclined to put 'em all on the same way.
Anyway, I found it all pretty fascinating... I hope you do too : )
Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 07:23AM No, I don't mean the A380 is smooth on takeoff, it's the quality of the pan by youtuber 1970sPlaneSpotter - this is amazing! I wish I had these kind of skills... and equipment.
Honestly, the A380 isn't my favorite airliner (not even close) but due to its size, it's fascinating to see it in takeoff or landing phase, especially when you're pulled in close. And the bottom line is that this oversized and kinda funny looking airliner laughs at the chains of gravity and she flies... and because of that, you gotta love it! #LoveToFly
A380, airlines, video Email Article Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 09:10PM 
Designed by Al Mooney - a 1941 Culver Cadet! $21,000 at barnstormers.com
You might have noticed my drooling on twitter (@AirPigz) a while back after I found a different Culver Cadet for sale for just $17,000... and now here's another amazingly great looking airplane for just $21,000. If I had some cash (or a credit rating that wasn't face-down-in-the-mud) I'd be all over these little cuties. In fact, I'd probably have more than one!
Where else can you buy a true antique aircraft that has retractable landing gear and can scoot around the sky at 120 mph on just 5 gph... AND can be bought for about the price of a new nicely equipped Toyota Corolla? I don't know of any other production aircraft that can match the uniqueness, affordability and retro cool factor of the little Culver Cadet - even if the useful load is only a little over 400 pounds.
Wanna know more about the quirky little Cadet? Read this great Vintage Airplane magazine article from 2007 - but watch out, you just might find yourself in the buying mood : )
1941 Culver Cadet: Cheap thrills on a budget, and an elliptical wing!
Taildragger with a stick, an 85 hp Continental, and room for two = FUN!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 07:21PM After I decided this must be the best airline commercial ever, I started thinking back to commercials over the years and wondering if any other one might be better. I've been paying attention to airline ads on TV for over 40 years, and I just can't think of one that connected with the aviator in me while still conveying the message that they're here to transportl people safely from point A to point B. I really think this is the best ever.
Thank you British Airways... I like you more than ever before.
This the-making-of video is every bit as captivating as the commercial. Bravo BA!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 08:35AM 
B-25 assembly in progress in Kansas City: 1942 - from Shorpy.com (click pic for hi-res)
Every trip I make over to Shorpy.com is a real adventure. I typically search for anything aviation oriented I can find (I don't have enough time in the day to broaden the search!) - it's an amazing resource for hi-res images from 50 to 100 years ago.
I found this interesting image of a large quantity of B-25's being built at North American Aviation in Kansas City, Kansas back in 1942. It caught my eye specifically since I had just posted that awesome early morning dawn patrol CoolPix of the B-25 Lady Luck from OSH11.
The effort put forth in World War II is hard for me to wrap my head around. The overall numbers of aircraft built (almost 10,000 of the B-25 for example) and the number of people all across the country required to accomplish this work is staggering. And while I'm no student of industrialized history, it would seem that much of that workforce (a very large percentage who were women) weren't specifically skilled in manufacturing when they began. But just as important is that this massive scale of manufacturing, and the processes needed to succeed in producing these large and labor-intensive aircraft was new to many of those managing the effort as well. It's all a stunning accomplishment to me.
I also find it interesting to the the cleanliness of the factory floor and the incredibly orderly way that these aircraft are being built. Given the urgency of the need for these warbirds, this high level of discipline seems very impressive.
It would seem that World War II transformed the United States in many ways... and I find it hard to believe that the discipline and character of the 1940's is so far removed from the way our culture is today. If we were just a fraction of the people we were then, the future for the USA would be very bright indeed for 2012 and beyond.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 08:28PM After taking official delivery of the first production 787 on Monday, ANA crews took their new, beautiful workhorse and departed Everett Washington headed back home to Japan early today. The nearly 10 hour trip has them pointed toward Tokyo's Haneda Airport where the first Dreamliner scheduled routes will begin in late October.
Congratulations are in order for the massive number of people and the vast number of companies that have continued to press ahead in the midst of project chaos and a global meltdown to finally put the quantum-leap 787 into the hands of the first customer. And a big high-five to launch customer ANA for hanging in there during all that turbulence to be the first airline to have a Dreamliner in the fleet.
Long live the Dream.
ANA takes the first production 787 Dreamliner home to Japan (photo: Boeing)
Monday, September 26, 2011 at 11:16PM 
(click pic for hi-res) Lady Luck B-25 in the early morning at Oshkosh 2011
I know a great picture when I see it, but I have to work really hard sometimes to capture a great image. I've been working at it more lately, and with the recent upgrade to a Canon T3i camera, I'm trying to take everything up several levels. Ultimately, I hope to be able to create images that are compelling enough for some of y'all to consider buying high quality prints of them... AirPigz needs financial support! Anyway, this amazing picture that I took during a sunrise at Oshkosh 2011 is definitely moving in the right direction. What do you think? Please give me some feedback.
I have my friend @adamcanfly to thank for the idea of getting up well before the sun and heading out to get early sunrise pix. He's been doing these dawn patrol expeditions at OSH for a couple years now, but the day I caught this image was my very first time out. And it's especially funny to me that I didn't even notice how awesome the clouds were until later when I was looking at the pix on the computer. I was so intent on framing and getting the sun to look good that I completely missed that amazing sky!
So, I hope you click the pic to see it fill your screen... and I hope it makes you go (wow!) like it does me : )
Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 10:50PM 
First 787 in special livery handed over to ANA in 9.26.11 ceremony (photo: Boeing)
Watch the official ceremony at noon eastern at:
http://www.newairplane.com/787/firstDelivery
It's way behind schedule but still light years ahead of anything else in the commercial sky... the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is finally delivered to launch customer ANA (All Nippon Airways) and you can watch the official delivery ceremony at noon eastern time by following the link above. The keys to this first 787 may have actually been handed over on Sunday as the paperwork was signed to get both the airline closer to scheduled Dreamliner service and the airframer in the 787 delivery business.
The first scheduled passenger flight is set for October 26th between Tokyo (Narita) and Hong Kong. This actually appears to be a charter flight with the first regularly scheduled commercial passenger flight scheduled for November 1st.
It's been a really long and difficult road, but I still stand by my view from years back that believes the 787 will eventually replace the 747 as the most important and successful aircraft in Boeing history. Time will tell.
(click pic for hi-res)
Here's an interesting hi-res CoolPix I took of the prototype 787 at Oshkosh 2011. Seeing the airplane up close, and getting to walk thru it convinced me all the more that this is one great aircraft. I can't wait to get the chance to ride one!
