hr: Jets

If there is any chance at all that you can go to Washington, make sure you include in your itinerary the Museum of Flight in Seattle. This is one place where you can talk and walk anything and everything about the history of flying.

Museum of Flight

The featured exhibits right now include the (1)Flight Simulators wherein you can grab the throttle and have the opportunity to try flying different aircrafts and spacecrafts; (2) The Berlin Airlift, a traveling exhibit that focuses on the heroic actions of some aviators who were able to transport food and supplies to Berlin; (3) World War I Fighters, a collection of combatant aircrafts; and last but not the least (4) the Memorial Bridge Memorial, a new aviation like structure, a bridge where you can walk and listen to the history aviation timeline in a great acoustic environment.

The Flight of Museum also has the wide array of aviation collectables such as aircrafts, airline logos, spacecrafts and a huge collection of interesting artifacts that will not only educate you on the who, what, where, when and why of aviation but it can also inspire budding aviators to pursue their aviation goals.

The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm except for every first Thursday of the month where they close at 9 pm. Entrance fees are reasonable with $14.00 for adults, $7.50 for 5 to 17 yrs old and its free for 4 and under. You can get more detailed info at their site or call at 206.764.5720 and make arrangements.

To get a sneak peek on the Museum of Flight with Harrison Ford, click here.

Photo Credit: Museum of Flight

Let me start this 2009 with the aviation calendar of events for the month of January that I have rounded up from different aviation organizations around the world.

Photo Credit: Beige Alert

Dominican Republic on January 15 - 20
Fly-In Adventure in Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo and El Portillo

The Bahamas Fly-In on January 16 - 19
3-day aviation event hosted by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism with a registration fee of $75 at Pelican Bay Hotel and Suites

U.S. Sport Aviation Expo on January 22 - 25
Sebring, Florida, United States of America
I have posted a whole article about this event, click here.

1st CANSO at Jeddah , Middle East on January 26 - 28
The 1st Canso or the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation Middle East ANSP Conference at Le Meridien Hotel in Jeddah. If interested to participate, you may call Marc-Peter Pijper, the Manager Marketing & Events at +31 23 568 5386 or email him at marcpeter.pijper@canso.org 

Great Lakes Aviation Conference & Expo on January 30 - 31
It will be the 9th aviation event that will feature aviation related items from 150 different exhibitors such avionics, pilot gears, aircraft parts, software and the like at Novi, Michigan.

Photo Credit: Great Lakes

Calling all LSA or Light Sport Aircraft aficionados! On January 22 – 25, 2009 go to Sebring Regional Airport in Florida and join the fun in the 2009 U.S. Sport Aviation Sport Expo.

There will be a showcase of numerous light sport aircrafts or LSA’s. If you have plans of buying or selling aircrafts, this expo is the best place to do it. Aside from aircrafts, there will be plenty of aircraft accessories, parts and pilot must-haves in the different dealers that will be participating in the event.

This is also an opportunity to mingle with co-aviation enthusiasts. You can get tips from veteran aviators and a chance to be informed in the latest aviation electronic gadgets. There are forums and workshops to be conducted by aviation experts and from the FAA that will deal with different important matters such as choosing the best flight schools, aviation insurance, aircraft service and maintenance, pilot lessons and the like.

If you are flying in to the event, make sure that you check the official website so you can be informed of their latest requirements and special air traffic procedures. Click here for more details.

Price for daily admission is at $10 but if you are an EAA member you get a discount of $2. I suggest you get the 4-day event package pass which is only at $30 for non EAA members and $25 for the members.

Photo Credit: Sport Expo

In the world of Championship Air Races, Bruce Bohannon is considered to be royalty as well as his “Flyin’ Tiger”.  They broke 30 world records in air racing.

The Exxon “Flyin’ Tiger” will no longer race as Bruce decided to put it into retirement as he himself will just be a mere spectator to future Air Races. Bruce Bohannon is extremely proud of his aircrafts. His first, “Pushy Galore” set the world record six times before it was donated to the EAA Air Venture Museum.

The second aircraft, Flyin’ Tiger broke 30 world records since Bruce started using it in 1999 but what makes the Flyin’ Tiger unique and extremely special is the fact that it is the fastest climbing aircraft in piston category from 20,000 up to 40,000 feet and up to this day it still holds the record.

People already expected it to be heading to the museum as it has broken too many air racing records but the owner still wants to enjoy the aircraft while he still can. Bruce and the Flyin’ Tiger will still continue to fly but only in leisurely pace as the owner said it is still is a great commuter plane and is still in a very good condition.

Bruce continues to teach aerobatics, tail dragger and aircraft engines failure recovery courses in his 93 acre “Flyin’ Tiger Field” airport in Texas.

Check Bruce Bohannon’s world record here.

Photo Credit: Aero

Remember the 8 questions that the AOPA or Aircraft Owners and Pilots Organization sent over to both McCain and Obama before the election? Based from their answers, it is quite evident that Senator McCain has more experience regarding the subject but it is not important anymore since it will be President -Elect Obama who will be manning the United States.

Photo Credit: cliff1066

Most of Pres-Elect Obama’s answers are debatable since some are subject to anyone’s interpretation. Just like when he was asked if the excise tax system the industry is using right now is enough or will he replace it with user fees. He answered without really answering it. He hinted that the aviation industry must continue to use a combination of reasonable taxes and fees that FAA can use.

If we review his work over at the Senate, most of it was involved with non-aviation concerns so it is still a wait and see thing. However, one thing we definitely know is that Pres-Elect Obama believes that the management of the ATC system will continue to be under the government hands so I do not see it changing hands and have it run by the private sector in the next four years.

Photo Credit: Pat Hawks

The main concern these days is the user fees and the fact that the incoming president is from Chicago. Some people in the general aviation industry said that they had a hard time with Chicago’s mayor Richard Daley. He wanted the FAA officials to give more restrictions for small aircraft pilots and owners. The mayor and his brother William Daley is close to the Obamas and can definitely influence Obama’s future aviation policies.

However, it is with great hope that the incoming administration would see and consider the contribution of the general aviation industry to the growth of the economy not only in the U.S. but also in a global perspective.

It has taken around 70 years before another Zeppelin successfully flew over the American skies. Airship Ventures offers this unique option again. It has the comfort and privacy of a private jet but not the powerful engines that it offers. Zeppelins are more like for sight-seeing or traveling in leisure time.

The Zeppelins were used during the World War I not only as a means for travel but as bombers as it was pioneered by a German Count. It did not really prosper in America because of the 1937 tragedy when the Hindenburg Zeppelin caught fire when it was about to dock at a naval station in New Jersey killing 35 people on board and one on the ground. Nobody can pinpoint the cause so no one dared use them again.

Today, it is quite different. With the technology we have now, a husband and wife team of passionate aviators decided to put up Airship Ventures to offer zeppelin services to the public. They have established a partnership with ZLT and some investors and they were lucky enough to secure airship hangars that were decommissioned back in 1994.

Their very first Zeppelin was transported from Friedrichshafen, Germany to the U.S. last May 21. From then on, Airship Ventures were able to offer a different kind of travel which takes passengers for a cruising speed of 35 – 40 miles per hour to a maximum speed of 75 miles per hour to an altitude of 1,200 feet. It is safe since the materials used for the zeppelin was the same materials used by NASA for their space suits.

It is bigger than a Boeing 747 and has the capacity to accommodate 12 passengers. Definitely it offers a different way of flying.

Photo Credit: AirshipVentures

You still have time to get your friends who are so passionate about aviation cool holiday gifts without walking to the stores. You only need a few clicks on the Internet and have it delivered right to their doorstep or to their emails.

For budding aviators, check out the Microsoft Flight Simulator. Almost everyone knows how to use the computer and so for just around $50 you get a Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe DVD.  This software can teach them the basics of flying.

Photo Credit: gamerscoreblog

However, those who are quite bored with the Flight Simulator, give them the ATC Simulator. This time you get to play the air traffic controller. This software is a little bit more expensive ($75) as you get to control the aircrafts. Check this site for more info.

Photo Credit: ATC3

There are still many gifts out there but this is so last minute and you want to make sure that it can be delivered in time for Christmas day, why not just send out greeting cards and give cool aviation site links that will blow them away. Start by giving them this blog link: hrjets.com. They will love this informative blog which tackles anything and everything about private aviation. Next, give this Live Airport Monitor link: passur.com. They would surely get a high looking at colored aircrafts coming in and out of airports. This is real live feed. However, if you want to hear the air traffic control live, check this link: atcmonitor.com

And of course, there is the aviation gift cards also known as gift certificates from US Wings and just let the recipients decide what to purchase.

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is just a couple more days away.  This is the busiest week ever for the aviation industry although the congestion already started last Friday, December 19 and owuld probably boost up on December 27 up to January 7 next year.

Photo Credit: MorningDay

Around the world airspace will be tight and crowded and because of that in the United States, President Bush allowed some part of the miltiary restricted airspace to be freely used by the public during the holiday traffic.

If you will fly during the holidays, the following airports are the most likely to top to experience holiday crunch based from the past aviation statistics.

If you are going to land in JFK New York airport, expect the crunch. This airport probably is the busiest. It always makes it to the top 5 of not arriving on time during the holidays. Even when leaving the airport, sometimes an aircraft will wait an hour or more in the runway.

Photo Credit: fotographix.ca

In Newark airport, expect the worst. It is easier that way. Going in and out will make your head spin with frustration. It was reported that during Thanksgiving only 63% of their scheduled flights were able to depart on time.

Delayed flights are often encountered in the San Francisco airport due to extremely bad weather. They even have to close a couple of runways because of things that man cannot control like rain and wind just like last year resulting to 27% late arrivals.

Photo Credit: bitmask

The same scenario can be seen in Chicago O’Hare, NY LaGuardia, Seattle, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami and Washington Dulles airport.

Traffic jams are expected to all the roads leading to the airports so make sure you leave the house early so you don’t get annoyed if you get stuck in the traffic.

Safe tracking people!

Pilots’ ultimate dream is to build a house with space allotted for their aircrafts and remarkably there are homes out there that are on sale which has that much-needed space for the private jets.

 
Photo Credit: Jay Dugger

Just like those car enthusiasts, owners practically spend most of their time staring or tweaking their prized possession. Some even want to live inside it or want it parked nearby. So it is without surprise that there is a market for people who are looking for this type of residences wherein there is a private hangar.

Check the following property listings for aviation properties I got from different websites:

#1 Aguila, AZ Aviation Home worth $1,200,000

Photo Credit: Superlatives

A Spanish-style house in a 2,677 sq ft area with a 3,500 sq. ft. runway and a 3,000 sq ft hangar. Click here for more details.
#2 Cedar Park, Texas Property worth $1,875,000

It is a house with six bedrooms built in an aviation community in 2007.  There is a hangar but not a private one, it is being shared by the whole community and the runway is just two blocks away from the house. Click here for more details.

Photo Credit: Unique Northwest Austin Prop 

#3 Lake Aero Estates Hangar-Home Property worth $429,500

Photo Credit: ChicagoHome

The house was built back in 2000 located in Lake Aero Estates and is near the Bears summer camp (if you are a football fanatic, this is major plus). The hangar is heated and has a room above it directly connected to the second floor of the house. It also has complete legal access to a runway. If you just want to rent the place, you only need to pay $2,300 a month.

Today, December 17 is one of the most significant days in the history of aviation. it was back in 1903 when two courageous and inventive minds focused their energy in taking that first flight in Kitty Hawk.

Photo Credit: bk1bennett

The Wright Brothers used an aircraft called the Wright Flyer which they designed. It is considered by historians and aviaiton experts as the first succesful airplane to achieve control and sustained flight with a pilot manning the aircraft. It was able to fly for 12 seconds within a distance of 37 feet. He flew slowly that his brother Wilbur was able to run on the same pace as the plane.

Although it was Orville Wright who flew that first flight, his brother Wilbur was the one who was able to fly the plane longer than Orville. He flew it for 59 seconds and within the distance of 260 meters.

Photo Credit: hoyasmeg

The Wright brothers originally planned to take that first flight on December 13 but that day fell on a Sunday which means they cannot because its Sabbath Day and they both made a promise to their father not to take any action during Sabbath.

Back in 1903, most people laughed at their creative imaginations but they pursued to reach their dreams. Even those people at the United States Patent Office were doubtful and no one can blame them. Many have tried submitting several aircraft designs but all of them failed in making them worked.

Photo Credit: mhowry   Photo Credit: r.j.wagner

It was Orville and Wilbur who made flying possible and the whole world is grateful for this major contribution. Happy Anniversary Wright Brothers!