Finally, NATCA Catches a Break

Anyone who follows the political rodeo that FAA has become these days knows all too well that our country's Air Traffic Controllers have been working for years without a labor contract. During this period, NATCA's controllers were being given a raw deal while anyone who could have solved the problem seemed more than willing to look the other way.

I have received weekly press releases and personal emails from NATCA management and controllers describing working conditions that at best are deplorable, and at worst, might be the cause of a major air accident waiting to happen.

During the last eight years, for some reason, BushCo put their hatred for labor ahead of air safety, and refused to even come to the table with NATCA and discuss a decent labor deal. After Jane Garvey was "termed out", interim Administrator, Bobby Sturgell showed us his marching orders from Bush/Cheney were clear – a humane labor deal with NATCA was out of the question.

Well, we all are happy to report that the Cowboy has left for Texas and a new Sheriff is running the show in Washington. And the new guy – um, that would be Barack Obama – is a friend of labor and the middle class, and he found a nominee for new FAA Administrator that ought to be able to fix this NATCA mess quickly. From aviationweek.com:

"Another major priority for [FAA administrator nominee Randy] Babbitt after he is confirmed will be resolving a long-running labor dispute with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. He said this is a two-part process, and the first step will be addressing the current contract that was imposed on controllers and has remained a sore point. The administration has already acknowledged that this agreement has to be revised, Babbitt said. Controllers and the administration also have to look at the longer term, and reform the process for negotiating contracts, Babbitt believes. The current process is “too subject to politics...there needs to be a more balanced, neutral approach.” For an initiative as ambitious as NextGen, “we need employees on board,” he said."

Man, what a concept...an FAA Administrator that understands that NATCA controllers will be the heart of NextGen. As has been the case for many of our President's new appointees, Obama picked a guy who understands the job he is being asked to do – he is not just some BFF from the "Heckuva Job Brownie" Country Club. Babbitt knows FAA from a couple of key perspectives...this is from an AFL-CIO blog but is being reported everywhere:

"Capt. Randy Babbitt, who spent 25 years in the cockpit beginning with Eastern Airlines and served two terms as president of the Air Line Pilots (ALPA)."

So Babbitt knows life on a professional flight deck, and he knows labor issues. This will explain why he so easily connects the dots on the value of NATCA's men and women in any attempt by FAA to build the next generation of ATC. And if you think NATCA is happy about it all, you are right. Here is their Prez, Patrick Forrey:

“On behalf of the 20,000 aviation safety professionals NATCA represents, I congratulate Mr. Babbitt on his nomination. The most critically urgent task facing Mr. Babbitt in terms of safety and labor relations is returning to the bargaining table with NATCA to end nearly 1,000 days of imposed terms and conditions of employment and reach a collective bargaining agreement. I am confident that this will not only be the first thing on Mr. Babbitt’s to-do list but that it will be done with respect to both President Obama and Transportation Secretary LaHood’s call for change in how the FAA treats its employees and how it must seek collaboration instead of confrontation."

My flying friends, this is change we can believe in. See, voting does matter.

Timing Might be a Bit Off for the Hotelicopter*

*See Editor's Note at the end of this post before reading on or before 04.01.09!!

Look around you right now, at your co-workers, or your neighbors down the street...the story is the same. You see people out of work, losing their homes, hanging on by fingernails, struggling to survive in what many are now calling the "Great Recession", a term that fits all to well.

For far too long, the loan sharks at our nation's credit card companies and mortgage brokerage houses have been preying on the collective stupidity of Average Joe, who HAD to have that mini-mansion in a gated community loaded with five flat screen TVs. His wife, Average Jane, wouldn't be caught dead showing up at her Jazzersize class in anything other than a late model Escalade, and their kids would like totally die if they didn't have designer jeans, an iPhone and every video game ever created.

But, according to a great article in this week's Time Magazine (my fave non-flying publication), the glory days of buying "stuff" you can't afford to pay for are gone:

"We saw what was happening for years, for decades, but we ignored it or shrugged it off, preferring to imagine that we weren't really headed over the falls. The median household income has been steadily declining this century ... but, but, but our houses and our 401(k)s were ballooning in value, right? Even smart, proudly rational people engaged in magical thinking, acting as if the new power of the Internet and its New Economy would miraculously make everything copacetic again. We all clapped our hands and believed in fairies. The popular culture tried to warn us. For 20 years, we've had Homer Simpson's spot-on caricature of the quintessential American: childish, irresponsible, willfully oblivious, fat and happy."

Given that the country is in no mood for excess anything, it seems like the worst time ever to launch about the wildest idea in air travel since the Hindenberg:

The Hotelicopter is an elegant modification of the Soviet made Mil V-12, of which there were only two prototypes ever made. The Hotelicopter Company purchased one of these prototypes from the Mikhail Leontyevich Mil helicopter plant in Panki-Tomilino, Russia in 2004 and in addition to extending the helicopter’s body to accommodate an extra floor, four GEnx turbofan engines have been added, each featuring a thrust range of 75,000 pounds.

So you may be asking, just what IS a "Hotelicopter" anyway. If you guessed it's a hotel inside a helicopter, you'd be right. From their site:

"The Hotelicopter features 18 luxuriously-appointed rooms for adrenaline junkies seeking a truly unique and memorable travel experience. Each soundproofed room is equipped with a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless internet access, and all the luxurious appointments you’d expect from a flying five star hotel."

O.K., you get it – a flying hotel in an enormous rotarcraft – pretty groovy so far. Oh, but wait, there's more:

"Feel like pampering yourself? Visit the SkySpa, where you can indulge in a deep tissue/shiatsu/myofascial massage, get a manicure and pedicure, or touch up those highlights! Or perhaps you want to take a soak in the jacuzzi or indulge in our dry sauna. You can even hit the high pressure tanning bed. Want to mingle with the other guests? Hit the blackjack table, do a yoga class, or visit the tea garden!"

Yes, ma'am, plenty to do on the Hotelicopter. But according to their website on this page, there is one thing you can do in this flying hotel you can't do in the biggest, baddest Airbus:

"Each room has 600 thread-count imported sheets, feather pillows, turndown service, fresh-cut flowers, chocolates, monogrammed robes, plush carpeting, original artwork in cabin, whirlpool bath, warming toilet seats, designer soaps, modern décor, clip-on reading lights, in-bed temperature and dimming controls, oak accents, customized minibar/refreshment center based on your preferences, coffee machine, non-smoking, and unlike the A380, there are no restrictions on how much sex you can have in your cabin."

Looks like the Mile High Club will be getting quite a few new members once this service begins flying this summer. It has inaugural flights planned to the Caribbean, California and Europe, that is, if there are still enough ultra-high rolling whales out there with the money to explore the limits of aerial sexcapades while their "hotel" beats the air into submission.

Editor's Note: For those of you who think this is a big hoax, you might be right. I'm leaning in that direction, because the Hotelicopter website has no contact info, and I could not find any serious images of this thing being built. Lots of posts all over the web saying the image of it parked in front of the hangar – as well as the flight test shots with toy helicopters flying wing – is either CGI or Photoshop, and indeed, the interior shots looked to be ripped off from the Yotel Site in London. And one poster who was strongly voting for "hoax" asks this question: "If this were real, why would there be windows from the hallway into each room?"

Also, two other pieces of "evidence" seem to back up the hoax theory. A poster named "Allison" on the Hotelicopter's Facebook page says "Both of the original Soviet Mil V-12 are accounted for. The first is located at the plant that built it outside of Moscow and the second is on display at Monino Air Force Museum." Also, a Google images search for "hotelicopter" brought up a total of zero images on this thing. SO my guess is that this is an April Fool's prank that seems to be getting lots of attention.

Tempted to Make Jokes, but...

We've seen lots of wild ideas tried before in the scheduled airline business. Hooters Airlines, nude airlines, on and on. And in carrying on that proud tradition of coming up with crazy ideas that just might work, now a new airline is floating a business model that is either brilliant or completely insane:

Pet Airways is a "pets only" airline, where your dog, cat or other pets ride in the comfort of the main cabin, not in the cargo hold as per usual on other schedule carriers. Understand that there are no human passengers on these flights, only animals. Initially, the airline plans to operate Pet "Lounges" for arrivals and departures in New York,Washington DC Area, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. The paying fares are called "pawsengers", and each flight will be crewed by a live human Pet Attendant to see that Fido's needs are met. The Pet Airways website says flights are due to begin in Spring/Summer 2009.

According to numerous news reports, fares on Pet Airways begin at $150...no word if that is R/T or one-way. But when you look on Kayak and see that Delta charges between $178 and $689 to fly your pet in cargo, and Northwest charges between $260 and $480 for the same cargo service, is does make a case that Pet Airways might just be a damned fine alternative.

Oh, I could make jokes about this, about the food they will serve the pets (tiny bags of stale Dog Jerky and diminutive cups of luke-warm water), about the safety briefing (should you have to evacuate the aircraft, please leave all chew toys and catnip-filled yarn balls behind)...but I won't go there. I'll let Jay Leno and the late-night comics have fun with this one.

I have chosen to take the high road, because as you view the Pet Airways website, it appears they really have this all thought out:

You drop Fluffy off at the airport PAWS Pet Lounge as much as 48 hours before the flight. The pets "board" the plane (through a doggie door? Sorry, couldn't resist...) and after all carriers are secure, the onboard Pet Attendant monitors and checks the comfort of all pawsengers every 15 minutes during the flight. Upon landing, all pets are given a potty break after disem-BARK-ing (trying hard now - must...avoid...snark).

Now if you're a pet lover and are looking for a good gig, Pet Airways has openings, according to their website:

Pet Airways 'Pet Attendants' are responsible for the comfort and safety of all our pawsengers, from the time the reservation is made to the time that our pawsengers’ are picked up. Pet Attendants will be stationed at our Pet Lounges, checking in and taking care of our pawsengers on the ground, and on a rotating basis with other Pet Attendants, fly with our pawsengers taking care of them in the air. Pet Attendants will be in charge of our pawsenger’s welfare, and be prepared to make informed decisions regarding pet comfort and safety while in transit. Of course, no allergies to pets is a prerequisite to employment.

What might you think would be a good platform to fly when carrying only dogs, cats, maybe a ferret or two, and of course, the obligatory python (seen Snakes on a Plane? Again, could...not...resist). From the Pet Airways website:

Our air operations group consists of a 20 plane fleet of Falcon 20, Convair 580 and 5800 and B- 727-100 aircraft. Our planes are operated under part 121 and part 135 of the FAA regulations and have had an exemplary record of safety for over 30 years, with experience flying throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and South America.

As I poke a little fun at this, I hope the Pet Airways Top Dogs (literally impossible to not go there...) know that I believe this might actually work. If their service is (a) cheaper than the legacy carriers and (b) makes for better flight conditions than being stuffed down with the Samsonites, then who knows, this outfit might make some money hauling the mail, doggie style.

O.K, that last one was a touch over the line.

I Can Now Legally Fly Through Clouds!

After I returned from a successful instrument check ride, it felt fabulous. It followed some of the most intense training any pilot can endure, and it took a while to sink in that I am no longer limited to flying within the constraints of visual flight rules.

I recently posted on Facebook that this feels to me like earning a Master's Degree....something I have never earned at a university. They don't even offer that degree at the School of Hard Knocks, where I am alumni emeritus. So as a pilot who's life revolves around flight, this ticket is like making it through graduate school...a really big deal.

When we bought Katy – our family Cherokee 235 – in October, 2007, it was my goal to get this rating so I could enjoy the full "utility" of this plane. I wanted a true cross-country flyer that would haul four people, full fuel and all our stuff long distances. But in determining the right plane for this mission, I knew it had to be IFR-certified, because owning this level of ship with only a VFR rating is really limiting, especially flying out of Eugene, Oregon, where our "Oregon Sunshine" usually drops visibilities below three miles.

So from the very first trip in 27W, I have been pushing towards this rating. I will post a full-blow report of exactly what the check ride was like soon, but for now I am content to bask in the glory of possessing this tiny slip of paper that is my temporary pilot's license. Two words set this apart from so many other pilot's licenses:

Instrument. Airplane.

Do I recommend getting your IFR ticket? Yes, absolutely. The difference between the skills required to poke holes in the sky as a VFR pilot chasing hamburgers and flying with heightened precision through clouds and actual weather is immense. If you strut around like you are a hot-shot VFR pilot, instrument training will crush that ego of yours in a few flights. If you think you can do pre-flight planning now and can noodle out VFR weather on the www, instrument training will kick your butt and send you packing.

But in the end, this rating has made me a much better pilot. I scan the panel naturally now, I think ahead of the plane and know what frequency needs to get plugged into every hole on my two Navcomms. I fully understand attitude flying now, and can fly power and pitch without thinking about it. In fact, I know Katy's power settings so well now, we actually did a partial panel landing during one training session with the airspeed indicator covered, and it was a non-event.

Will IFR training be hard? Yes. Will it be frustrating? Yes. Will you get scared to death as the oral and check ride approaches? Hell yes. Will you be on cloud freakin' nine when you pass the instrument check ride and get the rating?

Yes.

AOPA Wants to Know Why We Fly

In an email sent out this week, AOPA President Craig Fuller put out a request to the organization's member pilots that I believe we all should follow. Fuller said this:

"General aviation is facing its most serious challenge in its 100-year history. Proposed user fees in the president's budget, growing urban pressures on GA airports, onerous security proposals, and a lack of commitment to fund FAA operations and airport improvements is what we're facing. We can't stand by and let others define us. We must take action—and that begins with your story."

AOPA is amassing the "stories" of as many GA pilots as they can, to use as ammunition in the many battles we aviators are waging. Placed together as a body of information, it is AOPA's belief that when presented to Washington, D.C., these "real stories from real pilots" will make the difference in letting policy-makers know what's at stake.

So as I dedicated AOPA member, here is my story that I will be sending in for the cause:

My story starts like so many others...a 10-year-old boy hanging on an airport fence. I used to have an old Zenith all-band radio in the garage, and had memorized the flight schedules of the United 707s that would depart FAT in Fresno, CA. After struggling with family and finance issues, I earned my private ticket in 1996, and have just completed my instrument training this month.

My business is an advertising agency and creative studio that specializes in promoting aviation businesses, so it made perfect sense in 2007 to buy our 1964 Piper Cherokee 235. With the utility this private aircraft gives our company, we are able to serve the West coast with face-to-face immediacy, landing directly where our prospective clients are located. When you are trolling for aviation customers, it never hurts to taxi right up to their ramp in your own plane.

AOPA's President Craig Fuller is right, the general aviation community is facing very serious challenges these days. We bought our own aircraft to gain an effective tool in competing with other agencies for aviation business, and I earned my IFR rating to allow dependable scheduling in all but worst case scenario weather. But if the Federal Government is successful in implementing user fees, we will be impacted severely in two ways.

First, our direct operating costs of flying "Katy" our 235, will rise. While we really do not know exactly how much, we need only look at the European user fee model to see how these fees could be so punishing, it could conceivably ground our plane.

And secondly, when we ground our private plane, thousands of other GA users will do likewise. When private aviation owner pilots can no longer afford to fly, it will effectively kill off large and small aviation businesses, the very sector my company serves.

Private aviation has been given a bad rap these days, from the White House to Main Street. It is inexcusable that the traditional media in this country cannot differentiate between a few greedy hedge fund CEOs and the rest of us who rely on GA aircraft as a vital part of our small businesses. This PR battle is being waged daily by AOPA, EAA, AAAA and NBAA, and it must be won. I urge everyone to join the organization that best represents your flying interests to join together and fight user fees.

It is that, or we might all end up flying hangars at ghost town little airports across this land. I believe the user fee fight is a must-win if GA is to survive for the next generation. Yes, that is a dramatic statement, but GA needs to get your attention on this, because we cannot let user fees become law.

We can't. Never. Ever.

AOPA has made the submission of your story as easy as possible, just go here and use their GA Story Upload Tool. Written documents can be in DOC, TXT, DOCX, photos in JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PNG formats, and video can be sent as WMV, MPG, AVI, MOV, MP4. There are some waivers you will need to read on the upload page, and if you have any questions, please contact AOPA at 800/USA-AOPA. You may also email stories to GAstories@aopa.org.

AAAA Gets it Right on JetBlue's Latest 'Gimmick'

The Alliance for Aviation Across America has released a scathing review of JetBlue's latest "Welcome Bigwigs" ad campaign, which consists of a website and some allegedly funny videos. The point of the campaign is to convince CEOs to park their business jets and fly commercial on JetBlue. While that idea might have looked great in the Dog and Pony Show that JetBlue's marketing people whipped up, this campaign misses the mark on many levels.

First and foremost, the ads go to great lengths to ridicule the very people they want buying tickets...the CEOs. Sure, calling them "bigwigs" isn't anything more than street slang, but when you watch the three videos, it paints these executives with a very broad brush, and it's not pretty:

In the first video, "Welcome Aboard", the CEO-type announcer tells you that you can pay way, way, way, WAY less flying JetBlue, and that the airline can "get you to many cities where you already own homes or hide money." Following that is the same CEO telling you Jet Blue "even flies to the secret hidden headquarters of the Illumanati, where CEOs like us manipulate the shadow government that secretly rules the world." What is THAT all about?

So right off the bat, they tell us CEO's are money-grubbing thieves who hide money and are involved in a conspiracy to take over the world. Nice. Oh, but wait, it gets way better:

In video #2, "The Airport", the story continues at Terminal 5 at JFK. A CEO named "Carl" looks embarrassed to be seen among what the video calls "regular" people. When he successfully gets his boarding pass out of the ticket kiosk, the announce reminds us that the exercise is "easier than writing off a toxic asset." But that is nothing...when "Carl" goes through security, we see him look around cautiously before pulling out several bundles of cash...from his PANTS. Really classy.

So let's see, now we know that CEOs can't stand to be seen amongst the great unwashed, and we are told that each one of them must have experience disposing of toxic assets. Oh, and yes, what CEO doesn't carry around a couple of million in his Jockey shorts? The final video of the trio just ices the cake:

As "Carl" the CEO finds his coach seat, the announcer reminds us that like the executive business jet that "Carl" has parked, every seat in a JetBlue plane is...LEATHER. And we find out each seat has its own private entertainment center...just like that "other' jet. But as "Carl" is watching the small screen, up pops a news report showing "Carl" doing the traditional "perp walk" – shielding his face from TV crews – with the TV announcer saying something about him embezzling $48 billion from his company's retirement fund. This video ends with the nice announcer saying JetBlue is "the next best thing to private air travel"...and that you might as well go ahead and sell that old private jet on Craigslist.

By now, you are thinking this has to be a Saturday Night Live skit, some kind of put on. But no, this is a real JetBlue website. I'm not sure what they are trying to accomplish here, but I can guarantee this campaign will not convince any CEO to fly JetBlue. After the demeaning whipping this campaign gives to these "CEOs", if they do end up flying commercial, you can bet they will do everything in their power to fly any airline BUT JetBlue.

And last, AAAA makes the perfect point in their release:

The Alliance for Aviation Across America today launched a print ad in response to JetBlue’s most recent ad gimmick that ridicules the nation’s business executives who use business aviation and attempts to argue that traveling on JetBlue is a better option to general aviation. However, the Alliance ad highlights JetBlue’s glaring omission: that JetBlue only serves 44 big city airports around the country mostly on the East and West coasts, and general aviation, by contrast, serves 5,000 communities around the country.

Well said. I predict this campaign will backfire big time. And while it feels great to pile on business executives these days, it is unconscionable to suggest everyone that flies on general aviation private aircraft are sick, unethical, morally-bankrupt creeps. I have always been a big supporter of JetBlue, but no more.

These videos are a joke, a stab in the back of anyone who supports GA. If you want to help the Alliance fight garbage like this, your first stop is their web site.

March 19th, 1964

On this 45th anniversary of the launch of Jerrie Mock's solo flight around the world, I am one of a tiny army of aviators and members of the general public who celebrate her fantastic achievement. And when I say tiny, I am not kidding:

Back in 2000 when I discovered the tale of Three-Eight Charlie had disappeared off the radar screen of aviation history, I was drawn into a quest to find out why. How could a petite but unbelievably driven woman with three kids be the first to fly solo around the world, only to see her legend vanish into thin air? What would make it O.K. for aviation historians to forget about a journey far more complex than Lindbergh's, and seriously more successful than Amelia Earharts? It is incredible that by my own estimation, just four percent of licensed pilots know what Jerrie Mock did. I base that on very informal field testing conducted when I have spoke to large groups of pilots. Trust me, in a group of 50 flyers, I'd be thrilled if two of them know about this story.

For nine years, I have sought the answer to these questions. I have amassed one of the most complete collections of research materials and data on Mock's 1964 flight, I have interviewed the pilot in person. I have had unprecedented access to FAA N1538C at the Smithsonian's Steven Udvar-Hazy Center, and shot a large amount of detailed archival images of the plane from every angle.

As I wrote the screenplay for the [yet to be made] film, Three-Eight Charlie, I spent long nights scouring this information, trying to come up with the why...why did Jerrie Mock's accomplishment fall through the cracks. As far as I can tell, the reasons are many:

When she returned to Port Columbus Airport on April 17th, 1964, a rousing welcome and wild crowd greeted her. A recent discovery of a man who was there uncovered the fact that as he remembers it, the crowd pushed to surround the plane so tightly that police has to get the crowd under control just so Jerrie could open Charlie's door. So it was obvious that the flight was a really big success - at least in the Columbus metro area. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the excitement level throughout the nation.

When Jerrie returned home to Columbus, she was more than happy to become "mom" again. Yes, she was planning some more aviation record flights, but her three kids were far more important than traveling the USA on a Dog and Pony show to promote her flight:

As fast as the story appeared on the front pages of U.S. newspapers, it was just as fast forgotten the minute the fish were wrapped. The year was 1964, and our country's media was more interested in the Vietnam War than a "flying housewife". We had not really moved past the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and let's get real, Jerrie was a WOMAN, and we all know how the male-dominated world viewed that gender in the mid-sixties.

So in a flash – poof – the story died. Had she flown the flight today, the mob mentality of the traditional media and their 24/7 news cycles would have made Jerrie Mock an instant celebrity. Her flight would have been tracked in real-time using GPS to send gobs of data to schools around the globe. She would have had onboard video, and would have been podcasting a vLog from high over the Sahara, and text messaging from her fuel stop in Cairo. Oprah, Ellen, Jay, David and Barbara would be battling it out for the first "get" with this aviation rock star, and the even before her wheels had stopped moving upon completion of the flight, you can be guaranteed the whole arrival would have gone viral on Youtube. And...you can be damned sure Hollywood would be kicking my door in to read my screenplay about this impossible feat that she somehow pulled off.

As the anniversary of her flight's launch comes each year, I go into Three-Eight Charlie mode, thinking about what this story should have been. It should have been huge, it should have been maybe the biggest thing in aviation history. But sadly, it is still just an answer to a trivia question that nobody at your local airport can ever answer:

Who was the first woman to fly solo around the world? Aren't you even a little bit blown away that you didn't know the answer to that question until you met me?

Team Terrafugia Proves Critics to be Irrelevant

We followers of Terrafugia's Transition project have been holding our breath of late, sure that a test flight of their roadable airplane was imminent. Emails and other communications from people associated with the project have been hard to come by lately, when before they were quick to reply to any correspondence.

This silent treatment for much of March led me to believe that (a) the plane did fly but there were really serious problems they did not want disclosed, or (b) it had not flown yet. Turns out the Transition DID fly successfully on March 5th, and they were just holding cat in bag until today's press conference in Boston.

What follows is the official press release announcing this beautiful victory over those who said Transition would never be able to leave the crust of this increasingly critical planet:

Terrafugia Announces First Flight of the
Transition® Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept

It is with great pleasure that we make the following announcement: TheTerrafugia Transition® Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept successfully completed its first flight at Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, NY on March 5, 2009. The Transition® lifted smoothly off of Runway 17 in the early morning light. The first flight was conducted within the runway environment and demonstrated the aircraft's stability and controllability. After 37 seconds, Col. Meteer executed a smooth landing and taxied safely to a full stop.

The flight comes after six months of drive testing and taxi testing.

Following a successful full vehicle inspection, flight testing continued with six additional flights proving out the vehicle's aerodynamics and smooth handling characteristics.

"This flight is a symbol of a new freedom in aviation. It's what enthusiasts have been striving for since 1918," says Carl Dietrich, CEO of Terrafugia.

By giving pilots a convenient ground transportation option, the Transition® reduces the cost, hassle, and weather sensitivity of personal aviation. It also increases safety by incorporating automotive crash structures and allowing pilots to drive under bad weather.

The Transition® was flown by Phil Meteer, Colonel, USAFR (Ret). The chase aircraft was piloted by Giora Guth. Said Col. Meteer: "The first flight was remarkably unremarkable. I've flown several thousand hours in everything from Piper Cubs to F-16s and the Transition® flew like a really nice airplane." The Transition's stability and controllability in flight were demonstrated in a series of initial flights following the first takeoff and landing.

Now that the concept has been proven, the Terrafugia team will begin the process of adapting the lessons learned from this vehicle to the design of the next prototype.

Footage and video of the flight testing as well as comments from the test pilot are now available through www.terrafugia.com.

The Transition® will temporarily be on exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston on March18, 2009. Current plans call for the Transition® to be on exhibit at Sun N Fun in Lakeland, FL and at AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. Please see www.terrafugia.com/events.html for the most up to date listings.

One of the many driving forces in this fantastic project is Carl Dietrich, Terrafugia CEO/CTO, who released a special word of thanks this morning:

I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the people who have brought us to where we are today. The Terrafugia Team consists of an outstanding group of engineers and business leaders with backgrounds ranging from the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics to big aerospace companies like GE, Northrup-Grumman, and McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing),to a small Massachusetts electric vehicle startup company like Solectria, from Draper laboratories to Arthur D. Little, and from the insurance industry to the competitive sailing industry. You could not ask for a better team to develop this type of technology.

This fantastic team would have not been able to accomplish what we have without the continued support of our network of investors and advisors. This milestone is as much a cause for celebration for them as it is for us. These diligent individuals understand that the current mix of new technology and perfect timing has created a significant opportunity for Terrafugia.

I want to take this opportunity to thank our corporate sponsors, SolidWorks and Cable Organizer.com who reached out to Terrafugia even before our vehicle concept was proven. I also want to thank our corporate partners from the aviation industry who have supported our development program with in-kind assistance: Garmin, Bose, Icom, David-Clarke, Telex, CO Guardian, Aloft Technology, Plane Sights, and Dynon Avionics. Our company would not be on the path to success without the support of our friends in the aviation industry: Lockwood Aviation, Willis Aviation, USI, Ballistic Recovery Systems, Air Graphics, Plattsburgh International Airport, Sheltair Aviation Services, Lawrence Municipal Airport, Laurence G. Hanscom Field Airport, Freedom Aero Credit, Aviation Capital Experts, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, the EAA, and in particular our local chapter, EAA 106. Finally I would like to thank the regulators who have been patiently working with us for the past few years -- in particular, our friends at the FAA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the EPA, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the Division of Insurance.

Most importantly, thank you to our customers. We look forward to delivering a fantastic product!

So congratulations to these brilliant people, they deserve this. I have met them at Oshkosh, and they are some of the nicest pilots and executives you will meet in this industry. I plan on seeing them again this summer at the EAA Annual Wisconsin Airplane Show and Brat Festival at KOSH, but I suspect there will be quite a line at their booth.

UPDATE @ 1253P ON 03.18.09: A photo gallery of the Terrafugia press conference held just hours ago can be found here. And my Google News Alerts app is showing one story coming up on the web about every 5 minutes...great news. Finally, the world and the media can take this project seriously.

This One is for the Kids

If you have kids and those kids like airplanes, then they are going to LOVE being introduced to Duggy and his friends. In case you've never heard of Duggy, – the coolest DC-3 on the planet – here's the 411 from duggy.com:

Duggy's creator, Mitch Carley created Duggy in 1973, as part of a school report. Growing up on the edge of a small rural town, the snowy winter months in Ohio were very quiet and cold. It was during these months each year that Mitch perfected his style of illustration and story-telling. As an adult Mitch went on to become a creative director at several advertising agencies.

Duggy is a cartoon character with plenty of friends, but is also a real DC-3 painted in bright yellow with such a notable big smile on his nose, it is impossible to look at him without, well, smiling! Here's the skinny on the real Duggy:

Duggy – N1XP to the FAA – was manufactured in 1942 as a DC3C-S1C3G by Douglas Aircraft. He has seen service during WWII and also was a Canadian government plane with their DOT until 1995. In 2005, "Duggy" was re-conditioned by Robert Odegaard, Rob Challans and Mitch Carley. With his two P&W Model R1830 series-92 engines, he is capable of 207 mph, but prefers cruising at 140 mph. He has a max fuel range of 2,125 miles, and a max takeoff weight of 25,200 lbs.

Duggy is one popular airplane, and has plenty of friends. Here are some of the more colorful ones, as described on duggy.com:

Duggy | Big classic passenger plane, Douglas DC-3
Fun Fact: Duggy has a secret ‘crush’ on “Connie” the Constellation

Super | World’s largest piston engine driven stunt/fighter, F2G Corsair
Fun Fact: Super is proudest and most caring for his crew that made him fly 50 years after being towed to a junkyard.

Tusky | Sleek single engine fighter with a red tail, P51C Mustang
Fun Fact: Tusky is sleek and knows it – often he lets others know –
to the point of annoyance.

Jenny | Bi-Plane, Jenny Trainer
Fun Fact: Jenny – challenges any man to any contest, even at the result
of being very hurt. Yet, for all of her flaws Jenny loves those who are close
to her and will never fail on being on time, on effort and on helping those
she loves.

Tiger | Shark mouthed fighter, P40 Warhawk
Fun Fact: Tiger – is a terrible singer – yet – he sings all of the time due to the AVG group not having any real-entertainment for years.

LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) | Moon Lander, NASA LEM
Fun Fact: Wants to land on Mars – that is the only subject that spins his radar.

Connie | Sleek prop-driven transport, Lockheed Constellation
Fun Fact: All in all – stuck up – yet very lonely, frustrated…really wants
a family. Has crush on Duggy – just wishes he was in better shape (weight
a little pudgy and short).

Glennis | Super fast rocket plane, Bell X1
Fun Fact: Always wishing he had a jet engine and could fly for long periods of time.

Wrighty | Fragile first flyer, Wright Flyer 1905
Fun Fact: Loves to have pictures of him taken – especially in the air.

Cubby | Little Scout Plane, Piper J3 Cub
Fun Fact: Cubby wishes he had a way to fight – he has none. He knows he is better off this way – yet – just once he would like to ‘...torch those who are out to hurt him and his friends’.

Stang | Sleek single engine fighter, P51D Mustang
Fun Fact: Stang will always stand up for the USA

Again, if you have kids, and they like planes, then bring them into the wonderful world of Duggy and his friends. And if you like what you see, I am sure Team Duggy will be happy if you were to visit their site and seek out a sponsorship opportunity.

And there is a great photo gallery of N1XP here on airliners.net.

UPDATE @ 9A on 03.15.09: Got word this AM from Mitch Carley of Team Duggy that Duggy and Friends will be returning to EAA's Airventure at OSH this summer. The exhibit will be open to the public, media, schools, and of course KIDS!!!

Wichita's Mayor Steps Up

In the past few months, we pilots who voted for Barack Obama have cringed each time he or anyone in his administration badmouthed those who fly on private business aircraft.

We aviators know that business aircraft is not a luxury in today's competitive business environment, but a necessity to stay one step ahead of others in your field.

So when Mr. President or his team paints with a broad brush and slams bizav, it hurts deeply. Yes, when CEOs like the ones from the car companies come to Washington "hat in hand" to beg for bailout money, showing up on private jets might send the wrong message to Average Joe. And with the media in lockstep, Obama's team has made flight by private aircraft into a "luxury" that corporate America can do without. But they cannot:

When the speed of business in today's wired world goes off the charts and deals come down not in days but in nanoseconds, major companies need to have access to a well-oiled flight department so they can get the face-to-face needed to close deals NOW. They need this because the competition has a fleet of jets, and it would be impossible to compete while flying commercial...even in the first cabin. Even with tiny corporations like mine with a one-ship flight department, having a business airplane is not a luxury, it is part of our tool kit. So when Obama slams the jet guys, the public is not equipped to separate them out from all private air travel.

As we all want to scream at The White House over this mess, it is refreshing that Wichita, KS Mayor Carl Brewer has called out the President directly. The following is a letter published verbatim from the City of Wichita web site:

Letter to the President

March 3, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Re: President’s comments on corporate jets

Dear Mr. President:

During your Feb. 24 address to Congress, you appropriately criticized corporate CEOs who “disappear on private jets.” I share your concern about the poor public image conveyed by such misuse.

And, while I personally agree that corporate abuse of business jet travel cannot be tolerated in these current economic times, it is important to remember that business jets are still an essential part of a successful national business plan. It is also important to remember that the responsible use of corporate jets will help spur our national economic recovery, maximizing productivity by minimizing travel times for key personnel.

It would be tragic if that essential business fundamental was lost amid the sensational news coverage of ill-advised corporate jet travel by a tiny percentage of corporate America.

As mayor of this great Midwestern city that takes great pride in the title of “Air Capital of the World”, I urge you to consider the big picture when referencing the misuse of corporate jets. Wichita’s long-term relationship with the aircraft manufacturing industry could be severely damaged if the corporate jet market is marginalized in the national debate over our struggling economy. But the loss of jobs locally in Wichita is only a small part of the national loss if corporate jet travel is unfairly disparaged.

Business jet manufacturing is a major part of our local and state economy, but it doesn’t stop there. Maintenance of Air Force One is performed right here in Wichita, Kansas. And every job created in the aircraft industry spins off nearly three other jobs that provide a great quality of life. Those numbers are too important to forget as we work together to fix our ailing economy.

I’d encourage you to take a first-hand look at this economic engine that pays off with high-quality jobs for our community. I would be honored to personally escort you on a tour of our local manufacturers. Most importantly, I stand ready to assist you in meeting the great challenges that lie ahead.

Thank you for your consideration.
Mayor Carl Brewer

I hope the President takes Brewer up on his offer to tour ground zero of our GA manufacturing world. I believe Obama is a very smart man, and gets things quickly. I honestly do not believe he seriously thinks business aviation is a cause of our country's economic woes. When he sees GA up close and personal, he will then learn there is nothing the matter with Kansas. Or the rest of the GA industry.

So please, Mr. President, go tour Wichita, and then do GA a favor and follow these two words:

Back. Off.

James Bond's New 'Die Fledermaus' Chariot

As myself and the world were waiting for the news of a test flight of Terrafugia's super groovy roadable airplane, the Transition, I found myself clicking on the many Google News Alerts that come in from around the world.

Now that we've heard about this exciting new design actually flying, it will officially separate itself from even the most expensive of road vehicles. Yes, a Bugatti Veyron will set you back $1.2 Mil and claims to be the fastest car with a top speed of 253 mph. But even with a tailwind, you'll need to drive the Veyron off a cliff to get it to fly.

So here is yet another installment of Terrafugia: Lost in Translation III, this time from this Chinese site, translated here and printed verbatim:

Tanks can be the ultimate fans dream
car flew up into the sky

"Batman" chariot bats are a lot of car fans dream of, but since the article was published in an automatic car, car has always been a mixture of plane Engineer over the past two to three hundred years dream.

Recently, the United States Terrafugia Transition for the realization of "the chariot bat" take a step forward, the company is developing two-seater car as long as the plane. Spies such as James Bond as the press of a button, car change of aircraft, aircraft changed only when the car 15 seconds bell, but really all automatic, no need for manual installation of any additional components!

"Die Fledermaus chariot," the goal is to inject 1-cylinder petrol, you will be sitting in the car to 115 kilometers per hour of flight speed flew up into the sky, flying about 500 kilometers of air travel! However, at present "Die Fledermaus chariot" is still only down-to-earth, not because of technical reasons!

Terrafugia hope that in 2010 the market will be able to formally launch the first batch of auto plane. Order the current hand-held company has 40 car Tatsu plane, the main clients are approaching retirement or have retired couples, some even for a taste of driving this car and plane specially study the taste of driving plane!

Most concerned about the trust everyone has this fantasy chariot how much? 200,000 U.S. dollars, that is, less than two million yuan! To the price of a car for comparison, the amount of money of course, but if a plane for comparison, which is affordable price to attract!

Not even sure where they get all this stuff from. And while Die Fledermaus is indeed one of my favorite operas, I can't say for certain if that would be a selling point when I decide to buy a new chariot. And in any language, two million yuan is a LOT of Chop Suey.

'In Your Face' Never Looked So Good!

Recently I have begun making tons of new flying friends on Facebook and Twitter, one of them being Jim Koepnick, who happens to be EAA's photographer back in Oshkosh. For a few wonderful days in late July, we all go to airventure.org and have loved looking at the endless great photography that chronicles the Oshkosh airshow...and much of that killer imagery comes from Koepnick.

As I professional photographer myself, I know great work when I see it. I have judged numerous photo contests, and it is rare to see the kind of stunning art that Koepnick creates. The fact that his subject is airplanes just makes these photos all that much more appealing.

But in my 30+ year photo career, I have never attempted air-to-air shooting. It is a niche that is handled quite well by well-known names such as Mike Fizer of AOPA, Paul Bowen, and Koepnick. I have been a big fan of Fizer and Bowen for years, but have to say the beautiful images found here are in the same class (first) as any in the country.

Do yourself a favor, and go here now and view Jim Koepnick's work, it will blow you away. And do NOT try air-to-air at home unless you are as trained as these guys. The time Fizer, Bowen or Koepnick spends on the ground with pre-flight planning is enormous. It is this ground planning that keeps the target plane and the [shooting] platform plane from trading paint.

So the next time you open up just about any of the big flying magazines, I think you should offer up a serious thank you to the photographers who hang out open aircraft doors to capture these phenomenal air-to-air photos.

I'd be lying if I said I never want to join them some day. Strap me and my Canons to the wing of a A36 and let me blast away...sign...me...up!