The unexpected explosion of the Hindenburg on May 6, 1937, left an enduring mark on history. Thirty-six people were killed as the massive airship attempted to dock at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in New Jersey. The disaster changed the lives of those who were involved, and it brought about the end of the airship era of... Continue Reading →
The first airplane flight covered a mere 852 feet, but a part of that plane ultimately flew nearly half a million miles. When Neil Armstrong and his crew of Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, they made history. They were also aware that they were standing on the shoulders of giants... Continue Reading →
If Airport X has a runway 30, and Airport Y's top-numbered runway is 27, logic suggests that Airport A is the larger airport, right? Actually, the number of the runway has nothing to do with the total number of runways at an airport. Instead, it is a navigation aid for pilots, and while the number... Continue Reading →
If you are looking for a poster child for "overachiever" you might consider Dwight D. Eisenhower. This Kansas farm boy rose from modest beginnings to become one of only five Americans to achieve the five-star rank of General of the Army and the only one of those to become President of the United States. (see note... Continue Reading →
Mid-air refueling is impressive by any standard. For two or more aircraft to join together while flying at 300 mph, it requires pilot skill and technological sophistication well beyond average. Among the many impressive things about this feat is how quickly it happens. Modern refueling tankers deploy fuel at a rate of about 6,000 pounds... Continue Reading →
Musical instruments can be costly, and any band student who has had to lug a tuba or bell set on a school bus knows they can be unwieldy, too. The Sousaphone or cello is nothing, however, compared to the principal instruments in Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Helikopter-Streichquartett" -- four operational and flying helicopters. "Helikopter-Streichquartett" (German for "Helicopter String... Continue Reading →
Pilots use agreed-upon geographic locations as reference points for navigation. Many times, these points have no distinct visible features, but they have been designated as points on a map so pilots can line up for landing or perform another maneuver. These locations, known as intersections, are identified with 5-letter names and are published on pilot charts and other... Continue Reading →
Air Force One is well known as the aircraft of the President of the United States. Technically, it is any US Air Force aircraft in which the President is a passenger. When the Preaident is aboard an aircraft of another branch of the military, that service's name is used. Marine One is the current... Continue Reading →
photo credit: Alexander Sovpel. Used by permission. During much of World War I, sausage consumption was illegal in Germany. The reason was to preserve the supply of cow intestines, which were needed to seal Zeppelins and prevent hydrogen from leaking from the vehicle. Ultimately, 140 Zeppelins were constructed. Each one required the intestines of 250,000 cows. The... Continue Reading →
Betty Ford recalled a time when she was First Lady and was flying aboard Air Force One. She was in the restroom when the plane hit some unexpected turbulence. The Secret Service agent near the restroom door yelled, "Sit down, Mrs. Ford! Please sit down!" The First Lady calmly responded, "I am sitting down!"
"A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require the use of his superior skill." -- Frank Borman, commander of Apollo 8, in Flying Lessons, Federal Aviation Administration, January 8, 2008
Captain Tim Lancaster was in command of British Airways Flight 5390 on June 10, 1990, when the windscreen failed and he was sucked out of the cockpit. The plane, a BAC 1-11, was at 17,300 feet, one-hour into its flight between Birmingham Airport in the United Kingdom and Málaga, Spain, when incorrect retention bolts on... Continue Reading →
On February 14, 1945, Margaret Horton, an member of the Royal Air Force's Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), was assigned a familiar job: sit on the horizontal stabilizer of a Spitfire to help hold the tail down while it taxied on a windy day. Flight Lt. Neill Cox was piloting the aircraft and was familiar... Continue Reading →
The SR-71 Blackbird was one of the greatest tools of espionage ever built. Flying at speeds of Mach 3, it could out-fly any enemy fighter or surface-to-air missile. In addition to its unmatched speed, the design of the aircraft made it nearly invisible to radar. In short, it was a technological marvel that gave the... Continue Reading →
Goodyear, the manufacturer of tires, developed an inflatable airplane called GA-468, but commonly known as the Inflatoplane. The Inflatoplane's performance was comparable to that of a a J3 Cub. The airplane was wheeled out like a wheelbarrow and inflated in about 5 minutes using less air pressure than a car tire. The two-cycle 40-hp Nelson... Continue Reading →
