Aeroplane Brass Tacks...General Aviation, Commercial, Space...plus more...

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 Mulitplayer

2009-07-04T06:01:00.000-07:00

http://flyawaysimulation.com/forum16.html

Flight Sim 2004 works immensely on most PC's now due to its age. This simulator is fantastic for numerous things including social networking with other like minded people and flight training. FS 2004, like other simulators can be an excellent way to keep oneself familiar whilst you’re not doing the real thing (Flying General Aviation/VFR/Light Aircraft) due to bad weather or lack of funds. For example you can practice circuit work at your local airport, flapless landings, radio calls at VRP’s and work on your instrument skills etc the list is endless......Plus its fun!

It would be fantastic to see more people out there in ‘multiplayer world’ so come on and give it a go.

http://flyawaysimulation.com/article782.html

My City2Surf Charity Run For NRMA CareFlight!

2009-06-30T02:35:00.000-07:00

http://city2surf.everydayhero.com.au/daniel_maloney

I am running in an event in Sydney, Australia called City2Surf http://www.city2surf.com.au/ and would really appreciate any sponsorship. You will help towards my chosen charity NRMA CareFlight who I once worked for for a short while. http://careflight.org/

Please sponsor me if you can...

Kind Regards
Dan
"CareFlight is dedicated to providing the highest standard of rapid response critical care to the ill and injured. Our specially trained doctors, nurses and paramedics use helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and road ambulances to bring a hospital level of care to our patients. As a charity, we rely on community support to deliver our life-saving service."

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!

2009-01-01T06:07:00.000-08:00

I would just like to wish a very happy new year to you and your families; may all your dreams come true! Happy flying.........................

Simply an amazing landing with only one wing!

2008-11-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSbssO2DR7A

Simply an amazing landing with only one wing attached to the aeroplane, watch and be amazed !

Shepherding at its best...Blind Cessna Pilot Mr O'Neill is guided to safety...

2008-11-07T13:07:00.000-08:00

RAF guided blind pilot to safety

A pilot who lost his sight flying a light aircraft back from a family holiday and had to be guided to safety by an RAF jet was seriously ill in hospital.
Solo pilot Jim O'Neill was taking the two-seat Cessna back from Scotland to Essex, when he was suddenly blinded over North Yorkshire.
It is reported that Mr O'Neill had a stroke mid-flight and blood at the back of his head put pressure on his optic nerves, immediately blinding him.
Mr O'Neill put in a mayday alert and attempted to land his plane at Full Sutton Airfield near York, but was unable to complete the manoeuvre even with the help of air traffic controllers.
A RAF team from nearby Linton-on-Ouse was scrambled and a Tucano T1 jet took off to find the aircraft and guided the stricken pilot to the ground.
Mr O'Neill, 65, with 18 years' flying experience, was taken to York Hospital before being transferred to Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex. He is thought to be seriously ill in a brain unit at the hospital.
Mr O'Neill told the Daily Mirror from his hospital bed: "I should not be alive. I owe my life - and those of dozens of people I could have crash landed on - to the RAF. It was terrifying. Suddenly I couldn't see the dials in front of me".

Radar Controller Sergeant Richard Eggleton helped to bring Jim O'Neil down safely

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyVdnYWvDipvkitRUdlpFnMZ64HQ

Boeing 777 Pilots Told to Rev Engines to Clear Ice

2008-09-05T03:51:00.000-07:00

Sept. 4 (Bloomberg)

-- Boeing Co. 777 pilots will be told to rev up their engines before landing to clear ice from fuel lines after frozen kerosene was found to have caused the crash- landing of a British Airways Plc jet in January.
Pilots of 777s also should change altitude periodically when flying through very cold air, Boeing spokesman Nick West said today after U.K. crash investigators recommended that the Chicago-based company take steps to reduce the risk of icing.
The British Airways plane with 152 passengers and crew crash-landed on Jan. 17 after the engines couldn't provide enough thrust while approaching London Heathrow airport. The 777 flew from Beijing through temperatures of minus 73 degrees Celsius, possibly thickening the fuel and reducing its flow, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said in a statement today.
``Although the exact mechanism in which the ice has caused the restriction is still unknown, it has been proven that ice could cause a restriction in the fuel-feed system,'' the board said. ``The risk of recurrence needs to be addressed in the short term while the investigation continues.''
Boeing and Rolls-Royce Group Plc, which made the engines on the British Airways jet, should work with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency to introduce interim measures for the 777, the U.K. board said.
Full Throttle
Boeing's West said the initial instructions will be to periodically vary altitude when fuel in the main tank is below minus 10 degrees Celsius, and to advance the throttle to maximum for 10 seconds before the final descent when fuel has been below that temperature for more than three hours, clearing out any water buildup.
The instructions cover 220 777s powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines in service with 11 airlines worldwide, Boeing said. For 777 aircraft on the ground in freezing conditions, fuel pumps must be run at maximum for one minute each to prevent water buildup, the planemaker said.
In the U.S., the FAA will send a directive within two days covering 56 777s operated by AMR Corp.'s American Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc., agency spokeswoman Alison Duquette said. The carriers will have 10 days to comply, she said.
While the findings of the London crash probe were based on planes with Rolls-Royce engines, the FAA and European safety agency should take steps to check whether 777s with other powerplants might also be affected, the U.K. board said.
U.S. Safety Board
A design change would make the fuel system more ``resilient,'' the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement. Still, such a move would take time, so interim measures are needed, the NTSB said.
The British Airways crash-landing ripped off wheels and cracked one wing. No one was seriously injured and there were no fatalities.
Even with particularly cold air over Russia, the fuel in that jet never reached a temperature lower than minus 34 degrees Celsius, compared with a freezing point for kerosene of at least minus 47 degrees, suggesting the ice was formed from water that exists naturally in fuel, the U.K. safety board said.
Research into previous 777 operations showed that of 141,000 flights, 0.2 percent experienced fuel temperatures as low as the British Airways plane. Of 13,000 flights with Rolls- Royce engines, 118 had temperatures matching the minus 2 degrees experienced in Beijing, and only 70 the minus 22 degrees measured on the plane's final approach to Heathrow.
The chances of such an accident happening were ``remote,'' the AAIB said.
Boeing's 777 model is regarded as one of the safest in the industry, with just six other accidents reported in its 13-year flying history. The manufacturer has built 713 of the type.
To contact the reporters on this story: Sabine Pirone in London at spirone@bloomberg.net; Steve Rothwell in London at srothwell@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 4, 2008 14:43 EDT

By Sabine Pirone and Steve Rothwell

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=ax0lOvs5hJ.0&refer=europe

Crash involved 'home-built' plane.

2008-08-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

One of two aircraft involved in a mid-air crash which killed five people was a home-built plane, it has been claimed.

The British Microlight Aircraft Association said the small plane carrying one pilot which collided with a Cessna 402 in Brinklow, Warwickshire, was a kit plane.

The association posted a statement on its website to confirm that the light aircraft was not a microlight, as had been reported.

Geoff Weighell, Chief Executive of the BMAA, said: "It is being widely reported that the mid-air collision at Coventry on 17th August involved a microlight aircraft.

"Using the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) UK Register I have confirmed that the aircraft was not a microlight. It was a two seat home-built light aircraft from the LAA (Light Aircraft Association) fleet.

"Irrespective of aircraft type I would like to offer the condolences of all the BMAA membership to the families and friends of the pilots and passengers of the two aircraft."

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and Warwickshire police refused to comment on the type of light aircraft involved. The LAA was unavailable for comment.

The two planes collided in the sky above Coombe Abbey Country Park.

So far only the body of the light aircraft pilot has been recovered from the wreckage.

Specialist teams are continuing an operation to recover the bodies of the four people on board the Cessna, which came down in woods about a mile away from the light aircraft.

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2008, All Rights Reserved.

The full article contains 267 words and appears in Press Association newspaper.

Page 1 of 1

http://www.warwickcourier.co.uk

Last Updated: 18 August 2008 7:40 PM
Source: Press Association
Location: The Press Association Newsdesk

Another Daniel Maloney Pilot!

2008-08-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

My name is Dan Maloney and being a lifetime airplane nut I am very fortunate to fly 747s for Northwest Airlines. I also built an RV4 dubbed "Big Red." as my F-16 replacement. It is based at Akron Airport near Buffalo New York. Along with my love for flying I also paint aviation art. Many of my limited edition prints are displayed for sale on this website. I hope you enjoy your visit to my site.

http://awesomeaviationart.com/

Daniel Maloney killed in aeroplane crash!

2008-08-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

AEROPLANE FELL 3,000 FEET.; Daniel Maloney Killed Before a Throng at California College.

SANTA CLARA, Cal., July 18. -- In the presence of more than 2,000 persons on the grounds of the Santa Clara College to-day Daniel Maloney plunged 3,000 feet to death by the collapse of Prof. John J. Montgomery's aeroplane. This flying machine, which had been tested several times successfully by the aeronaut, had one wing injured by a guy rope as the start was made, but Maloney did not notice the damage.

Special to The New York Times.
July 19, 1905, Wednesday
Page 1, 651 words

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E07EFD9173DE733A2575AC1A9619C946497D6CF#

70 today....The Spitfire..!!

2008-08-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOO YOOOU....HAPPY BIIIIIRTHDAYYYY DEAR SPITTYYYYY....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOO....YOOOOOU !!!!!!

The most iconic RAF's WWII fighter aeroplane reaches 70 years! Enjoy this short film from the bbc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkJD9xEt29k

Avro Vulcan Roll !!!

2008-08-03T11:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4r0Kk-xX4o

QANTAS get a 'hole in one' !!!

2008-07-25T02:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/2457886/Qantas-flight-from-London-to-Melbourne-in-emergency-landing.html

Major Aussie carrier QANTAS - Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services made an emergency landing at Manila enroute to Melbourne due to a large hole appearing in the fuselage.

The 747-400 Jumbo, with circa 350 passengers and 19 crew, was enroute to Australia from London when a loud popping sound punched a hole near the root of the right wing fuselage.

The Boeing 747, which was carrying 347 passengers and 19 crew, descended nearly 20,000 feet before the pilot made the decision to divert to the Philippine capital from Hong Kong.

Interesting fact for you....

Sources: AirDisaster.com, Boeing, FAA. Statistics valid through December 31, 2000

Founded in the 1920s Qantas is one of the safest airlines in the world with a record of ZERO fatalities in its many years of operation. However, one of its Boeing 747 was involved in an accident during a landing in Bangkok. Although there were no fatalities, the damage to the airplane was quite extensive. Instead of writing off the hull that would be cheaper, it appears that Qantas decided to repair the airplane to maintain a zero hull loss record!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NASA !

2008-05-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

2008 marks the 50th year of operations for the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration – that’s Nasa, to you and me.
Nasa is very nearly as old as space exploration itself, having grown out of the Cold War rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union – a rivalry in which early space exploration became a major battlefield for competition.
It would be a simplification to call Nasa's formation merely a reaction to the Soviet Union, but when that country beat the US to the punch in October 1957 by launching Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite, it was certainly a spur to Congress and President Dwight D. Eisenhower – who signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act the following July.
This brand new agency was established with a broad mission: to explore and use space for the benefit “of all mankind”.

A remarkable collision between two spiral galaxies taking place in the Hercules Galaxy Cluster, located in the constellation of Hercules. The two spirals are now linked by their spindly arms.

Space Junk !

2008-05-01T00:49:00.000-07:00

Outer space seems vast and empty, but the space directly above Earth
is quite crowded with satellites and … space junk!

Between the launch of Sputnik on 4 October 1957 and 1 January 2008, approximately 4600 launches have placed some 6000 satellites into orbit; about 400 are now traveling beyond Earth on interplanetary trajectories, but of the remaining 5600 only about 800 satellites are operational - roughly 45 percent of these are both in LEO and GEO. Space debris comprise the ever-increasing amount of inactive space hardware in orbit around the Earth as well as fragments of spacecraft that have broken up, exploded or otherwise become abandoned. About 50 percent of all trackable objects are due to in-orbit explosion events (about 200) or collision events (less than 10).
Officials from the space shuttle program have said the shuttle regularly takes hits from space debris, and over 80 windows had to be replaced over the years. The ISS occasionally has to take evasive maneuvers to avoid collisions with space junk. And of course, this debris is not just sitting stationary: in orbit, relative velocities can be quite large, ranging in the tens of thousands of kilometers per hour.

http://www.impactlab.com/2008/04/12/space-junk-litter-earthâs-orbit/16690/

An Aviation Poem

2008-04-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

Hi there fans....lol

I stumbled across this poem on the tinterweb and wanted to share it with y'all.

To All That Fly
By John D. Duvall

May God grant you blue skies aloft,
With winds of calm by land,
As you play on the outskirts of heaven,
On the fragile wings of man.

http://www.airborne.org/flying/poems.htm#To%20All%20That%20Fly

Oh dear....even more chaos at the already chaotic Heathrow Airport !

2008-03-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

Looking back on IT developments at Heathrow Terminal 5

Heathrow's Terminal 5 opened today, clouded by IT problems and a protest at the London air hub.

By Computerworld UK reporters

T5, which has been 15 years in planning and construction and cost £4.3 billion to build, including more than £250m in technology systems, is the first addition to Heathrow in 20 years.

It was an eventful first day of operations for Terminal 5 as two major IT systems were brought down and hundreds of environmentalists staged a "flashmob" protest.

First, British Airport Authority (BAA) was forced to stop its plans to fingerprint domestic passengers after the privacy watchdog said the move may be illegal.

Secondly, a high-tech baggage system broke down, causing up to two and a half hour baggage delays and chaos for travellers.

Nevertheless, operator BAA is determined that the terminal, entirely dedicated to British Airways (BA) flights, will use technology to help reduce the passenger congestion problems suffered by the airport’s other main terminals that are running at more than capacity. BAA said the systems are designed to streamline baggage handling and check-in, so the terminal can handle 30 million passengers per year. Passengers who have checked in online should be able to enter the terminal, drop off their bags and clear security in no more than 10 minutes, the operator has claimed.

The state-of-the-art terminal has cost BA and BAA £4.3bn to build and outfit. BA spent £75m on technology, while BAA invested a further £175m.

The technology investment is immense. T5 boasts 17 kilometres of baggage conveyor belts in a system designed to handle as many as 12,000 bags an hour. Over 400,000 man-hours have gone into developing the system's software, which has the ability to prioritise late bags. The terminal has involved 180 IT suppliers, runs 163 IT systems, manages 546 interfaces, more than 9,000 connected devices and 2,100 PCs. The building has 96 self check-in kiosks, 54 traditional check-in desks and 90 self-drop baggage depots.

Also, in preparation for T5, BA transformed its IT systems and cut operational costs.

http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/it-business/it-organisation/case-study/index.cfm?articleid=1268

Plane comedy !!

2008-03-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

There's a blonde on board !

A blonde bint gets an opportunity to fly to a nearby country on a 747. She's never been on an aeroplane before and was very excited and tense. As soon as she boarded the Boeing 747, she started jumping in excitement, running over seat to seat and starts shouting, "BOEING! BOEING!! BOEING!!! BO....."

She sort of forgets where she is, even the pilot in the cock-pit hears the noise. Annoyed by the goings on, the Pilot comes out and shouts.... "BE silent woman!"

There was pin-drop silence everywhere and everybody is looking at the blonde and the angry Pilot. She stared at the pilot in silence for a moment, concentrated really hard, and all of a sudden started shouting....... "OEING! OEING! OEING! OE...."

Will the 'Single Pilot' VLJ market be affected?

2008-02-26T04:59:00.000-08:00

The latest innovation in aviation is a small plane namely VLJ for short or 'Very Light Jet'.
VLJ Business Jets are a new generation of small personal Very Light Jets. They're designed to be operated by a single pilot, making business jet ownership and travel more affordable.
However, with potentially only a single pilot flying the aircraft the issue of safety is often discussed.
A general definition of a VLJ is a single-pilot operated jet that weighs 4,545 kg / 10,000 lbs or less. Generally VLJs have two engines, some have one, five or six passenger seats, automated cockpits and are half the price of the most inexpensive business jets..

Read Dean Kirby's story below and think about what might have happened if Michael Warren was piloting a single pilot VLJ? "Can anybody fly this plane?"

Jet drama as pilot dies

Dean Kirby
25/ 2/2008

AN airline pilot collapsed and died on a holiday jet at 32,000 feet as it carried more than 150 passengers from Manchester to Cyprus.
Michael Warren, 41, suffered a heart attack in the cockpit of the GB Airways flight. The airline was unable to say whether he was in control of the plane when he was taken ill.
The captain diverted the Airbus A320 to Istanbul in Turkey with his co-pilot unconscious beside him. First Officer Warren, from Lancashire, was due to celebrate his son's fifth birthday today. As the captain flew the plane, the purser gave first aid to Mr Warren.
A spokeswoman for the airline said the aircraft landed safely and was not in any danger at any time.
The passengers were unaware the co-pilot had died. They were told there had been a medical emergency as paramedics boarded the plane after it touched down.
Mr Warren was pronounced dead and his body taken to hospital in Istanbul.
The British Consulate has been informed.
An airline spokeswoman said: "GB Airways confirms that yesterday's flight BA6826 from Manchester to Paphos diverted to Istanbul due to a medical emergency on the flight deck.
"On landing, it was confirmed that the first officer had died during the flight.
"At no time was the aircraft, passengers or crew in any danger.
"The first officer's next of kin have been informed and our thoughts and condolences are with his wife and family following this tragic news."
The flight left Manchester for Pathos at 2.20pm and landed safely at Istanbul International Ataturk Airport at about 5.45pm yesterday.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news
/s/1038072_jet_drama_as_pilot_dies

The innovative Cirrus Single Engine Jet:
What this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI3dCHJ7tUM

Virgin 747-400 biofuel flight touches down in Holland.

2008-02-24T06:13:00.000-08:00

First biofuel flight touches down

The Boeing 747 was partly fuelled by coconut and Brazilian babassu

The first flight by a commercial airline to be powered partly by biofuel has landed in Amsterdam.

Billed by Virgin Atlantic as a green fuel breakthrough, the firm's flight from Heathrow did not carry passengers.
Earlier this month, Airbus used the world's largest passenger jet, the A380, to test another alternative fuel - a synthetic mix of gas-to-liquid.
Many environmentalists argue that cultivating biofuel is not sustainable and will lead to reduced land for food.
Virgin's Boeing 747 had one of its four engines connected to an independent biofuel tank that it said would provide 20% of the engine's power.

This pioneering flight will enable those of us who are serious about reducing our carbon emissions to go on developing the fuels of the future

Sir Richard Branson,
Virgin Atlantic president

Solution for future flight?

The three other engines were capable of powering the plane on conventional fuel had there been a problem.

The biofuel was derived from a mixture of babassu nuts and coconuts.

The company said the babassu tree, native to Brazil, and the coconuts did not compete with staple food sources and came from existing mature plantations.

Both products are commonly used in cosmetics and household paper products.

'Gimmick'

One problem with flying planes using biofuel is that it is more likely to freeze at high altitude.
The technology is still being manufactured by companies GE and Boeing, but Virgin believes within 10 years airlines could routinely be flying on plant power.
Kenneth Richter, of Friends of the Earth, said the flight was a "gimmick", distracting from real solutions to climate change.

BIOFUELS

They are any fuels made from living things

Commonly means fuel made from crops including corn

Pioneers such as Henry Ford designed cars to run on biofuels

Quick guide: Biofuels

"If you look at the latest scientific research it clearly shows biofuels do very little to reduce emissions," he said.
"At the same time we are very concerned about the impact of the large-scale increase in biofuel production on the environment and food prices worldwide.
"What we need to do is stop this mad expansion of aviation. At the moment it is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases in the UK, and we need to stop subsidising the industry."
Greenpeace's chief scientist, Dr Doug Parr, labelled the flight a "high-altitude greenwash" and said less air travel was the only answer.
"Instead of looking for a magic green bullet, Virgin should focus on the real solution to this problem and call for a halt to relentless airport expansion."
But Virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Branson said the flight was an early step towards greener aviation.
"This pioneering flight will enable those of us who are serious about reducing our carbon emissions to go on developing the fuels of the future, fuels which will power our aircraft in the years ahead through sustainable next-generation oils, such as algae."
The three-hour Airbus flight from Filton near Bristol to Toulouse on 1 February was part of an ongoing research programme.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7261214.stm

Recreational Pilots Certificate - Australia?

2008-01-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

http://www.lightsportaircraft.ca/images/jabiru-calypso.jpg

Are there are any Pilots with this cert in and around the Sydney area? Any stories? Info? Advice?

How much airport expansion can we handle?

2008-01-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/97/273964362_1ebd772e85.jpg

With the roads already very busy especially around London, what is the situation with
regard to logistics, transport, parking etc in relation to Airport Expansion projects?
What is the answer.... Remote location check in? More roads..? For example, Manchester Airport UK currently handles circa 22 Million Passengers annually and wants to expand to circa 50 Million or more over the next 15 - 20 years, have you seen the queues lately?
All comments welcome.

Flown on the Airbus A-380 Super Jumbo? What was it like?

2008-01-25T07:48:00.000-08:00

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200710/r194207_736065.jpg

Seeing that Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of the new Super Jumbo I was wondering if anybody has flown on it. I believe the service is currently operating between Singapore's Changi Airport and Sydney's Kingsford-Smith Airport. Comments welcome...