A great idea worth watching.

You descend smoothly on short final, crossing the fence gracefully to grease one on the numbers at the little airfield outside of town. Rolling out, you feel far more comfortable than you’ve ever felt before in an airplane. In fact, you quietly say to yourself that it feels like your driving a car down the runway.

That’s because you are.

You’ve just arrived in the Transition, the new personal air vehicle (PAV) now in development at Terrafugia. After a quick 90 off the active and past the hold short line, as easy as dropping the top on a convertible, you flip a switch and watch your wings fold inwards into the stowed position. Once secure, you aim the Transition for the airport gate and hit the road…as an automobile.

One vehicle for man (or woman), one giant step for mankind. This is seriously cool stuff, boys and Girls. The space age we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived.

When I was a young man, I dreamed long and hard about flying cars, hoping I’d see them in my lifetime. When I read 1984 by George Orwell, I knew the future of humanity would be changing in a big way, and in that far off year – 2001 – life would indeed be a space odyssey.

And here we are in two thousand and six, on the very edge of all that coming true. People now LIVE in space on the International Space Station, Big Brother is now watching and listening, and with the Transition, cars will soon fly.

Here are the nuts and bolts from Terrafugia’s latest news release:

Events: The Terrafugia team has been meeting and speaking with pilot groups around the New England to discuss the Transition in more detail, answer questions, and receive feedback from our future customers. They also plan an exhibit at AirVenture 2006 from July 24-30 where they will be taking deposits to guarantee a place in the delivery schedule.

Successful Wind Tunnel Testing: Using a combination of two dimensional viscous airfoil analysis and three dimensional vortex lattice codes, the basic design of the outer mold line of the vehicle was isolated in early February at MIT's Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel. The vehicle was swept through angles of attack ranging from -4 to 18 degrees at beta (yaw) angles of 0 and +/- 15 degrees. Data was collected on a six degree-of-freedom force balance, measuring lift, drag, and side force as well as moments around all three axes. We are pleased to announce that the tests confirmed the predictions of the vortex-lattice code: with proper center of gravity placement the Transition is aerodynamically stable, and the stall characteristics are benign.

Mechanisms: Preliminary design of the vehicle's mechanisms is proceeding according to our development schedule. This past week we conducted a preliminary design review of the wing folding mechanism. This review was a critical step in mitigating the concerns of many of our potential customers with an automatic folding wing on a general aviation aircraft. We are pleased to report that the preliminary design is moving forward to the detailed, part-design stage. Once the engineering design of all the specific parts have been isolated and analyzed using finite element analysis techniques, key areas for potential weight reduction will be identified and the design will move on to the critical review stage and manufacturing analyses.

This amazing upstart company is made up of some of the best and brightest from MIT, and I personally think this project is the most exciting aviation news story out there today. To find out more about Terrafugia or the Transition, visit their website here or email them here. After you do that, if you want to be the first one on your block to own the coolest car every produced, email their sales team here and inquire about making your deposit.

UPDATE 05.15.06: After a recent Terrafugia visit to a pilot group in Nashua, New Hampshire, the local paper tossed around a retail price of $148,000 for the Transition, with a deposit of $7,400 required to secure a projected delivery date somewhere in 2009. I’m sure we’ll see a more solid pricing estimate at Oshkosh, where you can be assured the Transition booth will be one of this reporter’s first stops.

UPDATE 05.15.06 @ 830P: I've received a few emails from readers with specific questions about the Transition. After exchanging a couple of emails with Anna Mracek at Terrafugia, I found out the answers to the most frequently asked Transition questions are in their latest PDF brochure, found here.

Here are some technical specifications, and remember that all information is preliminary and subject to change:

GTOW: 1320 lbs.
Max payload: 430 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 20 gallons
Engine: 100 hp (Rotax 912 ULS)
Vs: 50 mph, Vr: 70 mph, Vh: 135 mph
Fuel Consumption @ 75% power: 4 gph
Cruise Speed @ 75% power: 120 mph
Gas Mileage: 30mpg (air), 40mpg (hwy), 30mpg (city)
Max Wingspan: 27 ft, (width when folded up: 6.75 ft)
Minimum Takeoff Distance: 1500 feet
Fuel: Super-unleaded/100LL

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Also interesting reading at this website about what the infamous Aerocar (shown here) has become.

Mashups.

Sounds like something those aviation junkies in Wisconsin make when they mix Brats with cheese, soak it in beer and fry it up on the Weber, Oshkosh style. We all know that heaven is waking up in the “North 40” on a cool late July morning, pot of coffee in one hand, and a big plate of mashups in the other.

Huh?

No sorry, mashups are not something you eat with grits and gravy. But even if you’re not a computer techie, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of something called Google mashups.

A “mashup” is the end result of someone pushing technology to the breaking point, combining all sorts of data together with Google Earth’s unbelievable satellite maps program to deliver damn near anything you can think up right to your desktop.

Here are just a few mashups I found in a few minutes on the Internets today:

Gmaps flight tracker – Offers near real-time flight tracking of traffic around some of our larger cities. Laid over high resolution satellite photos from Google, it’s like looking down in the heavies from your Cessna while cruising along at 17 gazillion feet AGL.

FAA flight delay info – This masher has combined FAA real-time flight delay data with Google maps, and with color-coded pushpins, you can easily see just how backed up the carriers are again today.

Runwayfinder.com – Sweet tool for getting quick, concise airport info on anything in the FAA database. They overlay this onto actual sectional charts, a very nice touch.

World airports and airspace database – Now how many times have you woke up in the a.m. and had to plan that direct flight to Burma? With this mashup out of the U.K., you can get instant data on WORLD airports. Major information here, more than we mere mortals will ever use.

Aircraft caught in the Google lens – You have to figure that as the Googlelites circle the globe cranking out ziggabytes of digital images of Bumblef**k, Egypt, they’re bound to catch a few airplanes in flight. If you are good with Google Earth (get it here), download this KMZ file for a look at ALL the aircraft caught in flight by Google. Just click on the “Open this placemark” link near the top of the page to download.

Wildest thing you’ll see today.

This is so funny. Everyone knows that Memphis International Airport is home to the nation’s FedEx hub, and on any given night, a whole bunch of heavies mean business when they descend on MEM, one after the other. When it absolutely, positively has to get their tomorrow morning, your package will go to Elvis’ home and back, no matter where it’s been dropped off.

Recently very funny video emerged on Google Videos, showing a time-lapse animation of FedEx’s blips racing each other into MEM around a oncoming bank of nasty tornado alley thundercells. This video is hilarious, and be SURE to have your sound turned up when you watch this. Click here to view now.

While your dinking around in Google videos, might as well put something like “airplanes” or “aircraft” into the search box…and then sit back and have fun. Just don’t do this when you have anything else important to do, ‘cause you’ll be welded to your computer watching these videos for the rest of the night.

Online AOPA
Courses are
worth much
more than
the price of
admission

Like a broken record, I keep saying AOPA is one class act. But their new (relatively) online safety courses from the AOPA Air Safety Foundation are as good as anything you’ve seen anywhere on the Internets. They are (a) free (b) fun (c) very educational and (d) qualify for FAA Wings Program credits.

I have just begun the Engine and Propeller course, and trust me when I say, these are not simple little things to dink around in when you want to kill time online. This is serious learning meant to be taken seriously. Their system remembers your progress (if you give them a valid email address), so you can return to complete the course if you run out of time in your current session.

These are high bandwidth courses designed in Flash, meaning you need (a) a fairly fast internet connection…anything but dialup ought to be fine – and (b) a recent version of Macromedia’s Flash player, which most modern computers will already have.

Here is a quick overview of what is available:

GPS for VFR Operations – This course offers a clear explanation of how GPS works and how you can use it to make your next VFR flight more efficient, enjoyable, and safe.

Thunderstorms and ATC – Learn how ATC describes precipitation, what weather-radar services controllers can offer, and how to effectively communicate with ATC.

Engine and Propeller – Learn about engine and propeller operation and maintenance. Many repairs can only be made by an airframe and powerplant mechanic, but an understanding of engine and propeller operation can help minimize dangerous wear and costly repairs.

Ceiling and Visibility – Most pilots don't realize that low ceilings and restricted visibilities are aviation's most deadly killers. With a little knowledge, you can minimize the risk these conditions pose.

Mountain Flying – This course teaches pilots about the challenges of high-density-altitude operations, flight planning and performance considerations, mountain weather, and more.

Mission: Possible — Navigating Today's Special Use Airspace – Review the key points of navigating special use airspace and learn how military lights-out training could affect you.

Runway Safety Program – Runway incursions pose a significant but unnecessary risk for pilots and their passengers.

Know Before You Go – Keeping up with the latest regulations in airspace is a hot topic these days.

Say Intentions – When pilots find themselves headed for trouble, they often forget one of the most useful tools in cockpit.

IFR Adventure, Rules to Live By – Learn about IFR regulations as you experience a realistic IFR flight.

Single-Pilot IFR – Is single-pilot IFR safe? How can we make it safer?

SkySpotter – If we all submit pilot reports, we'll know what we're getting ourselves into or avoid getting into it.

Oh, and did I mention that these courses are just plain great looking. And as one who basically flunked out of being a Flash designer in webmaster school, you simply HAVE to appreciate the quality and intricate coding that went into making the pretty pictures move around your monitor.

Lots to Celebrate
at Airventure 2006!

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) recently announced that manufacturers have recorded the highest first quarter billings in history. Their press release shows some great news for GA:

Billings for the industry totaled $4.0 billion, an increase of 39.7 percent compared to 2.9 billion in for the first quarter of 2005. Shipments for the first three months of 2006 totaled 845, a 34.1 percent increase over the 630 airplanes shipped in the first three months of 2005.

Piston-engine aircraft shipments totaled 597 units compared to 434 units delivered in the first quarter of 2005, a 37.6 percent increase. Turboprop shipments increased from 57 units last year to 59 units this year. Business jet shipments were 189 in the first quarter of 2006, a remarkable 36.0 percent increase from the 139 units delivered in the first quarter of 2005.

Smiling on the report of this news is Pete Bunce, GAMA's President and CEO, who can’t help but to feel optimistic:

"Based on the encouraging market activity throughout the industry in this first quarter, and the exciting new technologies and products on the horizon, it is hard to not get excited about the future of general aviation."

So just what IS general aviation anyway?

GAMA defines GA as “all aviation other than scheduled commercial airlines and military aviation. GA is one of our nation's most important and dynamic industries, carrying 166 million passengers annually on general aviation aircraft including helicopters, single-engine piston airplanes, mid-size turboprops, and large intercontinental business jets capable of flying non-stop from New York to Tokyo. General aviation is relied on exclusively by more than 5,000 communities for their air transportation needs (scheduled airlines serve about 500). Nearly 70 percent of the hours flown by general aviation are for business purposes".

Those are points to remember the next time someone asks why we bother to fly those little airplanes. Just tell them GA is used for such important chores as emergency medical evacuation, firefighting, law enforcement, border patrols, search and rescue, traffic reports, weather reporting & storm tracking.

The GAMA web site is well worth a visit. For media wonks and wonkettes, better stop first at the Media Guide, before reading the Manufacturer Profiles, the Industry Facts and Figures, or the GA FAQs.

Proud to be AOPA.

In the months leading up to the decision to open my aviation ad agency back on 2000, I was floundering at a dead-end job as Director of Marketing for a manufacturing company. I was going nowhere fast in my chosen career, and something big had to be done to jumpstart my professional world.

I developed a plan, one that my wife (and agency business partner) Julie Celeste doesn’t even know about. I was going to pack up my truck, head east to Frederick, Maryland, and camp out in front of AOPA President Phil Boyer’s office door until he hired me. I didn’t care what job it would be for because I knew I had a great deal of talents and skills that AOPA could use. Couple that with my passion for aviation, and I just knew that with perseverance, I could go back there and convince Boyer and his team that they needed me.

Instead, Julie and I decided to open our creative agency, and to that I have no regrets. We are as busy as can be, with new aviation clients coming on board every month. But last night in Portland for AOPA’s Pilot Town Meeting (PTM) with President Boyer, I couldn’t help but to feel a touch nostalgic. I am so overwhelmingly impressed with AOPA, I kept asking myself one question: What if?

What if I'd have made the trek east to Frederick? Would I now be living in the Maryland 'burbs instead of the Oregon forest? Would I have been able to work with the likes of AOPA PIlot Magazine Editor Thomas Haines and staff photog Mike Fizer, and make great things happen? What contributions to GA could I have made as part of their stellar creative team? Oh well, that dream is now history, and me being me, I'm off and running at full speed on new dreams.

We as pilots are lucky as hell to have AOPA. Throughout the night, Boyer gave an eloquent presentation about such heavy subjects as user fees, the FAA’s budget shenanigans, and safety. Phil is a public speaking master, this coming from his years in the television industry. He cleverly mixes important facts with a touch of humor, all delivered with his believable and genuine love of general aviation.

Boyer IS one of us. He is not a Washington Beltway insider, but can play that role with great prowess when needed. He knows how to smooze politicians to get in their doors, and when it comes to knowing what needs to be said to help GA, nobody can argue our points better.

Phil is backed up by 225 professionals at the AOPA headquarters, all hand-picked because they cherish the same thing we do…our freedom to fly. Oh, what a dream job that would have been, to be able to go to work each day and surround yourself with like-minded souls and be able to immerse yourself in everything related to flying machines and the people who fly them.

Before the PTM, I attended a private dinner with Boyer, organized by the Columbia Aviation Association of Aurora, OR. After chow, Boyer stood and gave a rousing, off-the-cuff speech on what is needed to kept GA strong for decades to come. He asked that we not go out and blast it all over the Internet, so I will just say…keep your eyes on AOPA Pilot Magazine this summer…good things are coming your way.

It was also very refreshing to listen to my real President, one that knows the “internet” from the “internets”. No bones about it, Boyer is a Godsend to GA. As we tiptoe into this precarious next 18 months leading up to September 30, 2007 when the FAA’s current funding scheme ends, we need to support AOPA as they stand at the front lines of the battle.

Bottom line if you are a pilot: Of the 600,000+ certificated pilots in the United States, only 407,000 of us are AOPA members. What’s the deal with that? Do the remaining non-AOPA members realize how SCREWED we’d be without AOPA and Phil Boyer?

Now more than ever, we need to get anyone we know who is not an AOPA member to join today.

X-48B no longer
an urban
myth

Boeing has decided to take the wraps off their long rumored Blended Wing Body airframe design, and has released a detailed press release today about progress of this project.

In doing my research on this post, I came across two images of the proposed BWB aircraft, shown above. Top is an artist’s concept from NASA, and the bottom is an interesting image that was posted in abovetopsecret.com’s forum. I’m not too sure about the bottom pic, it appears to be a damn fine Photoshop "mockup", since the BWB design has not yet been taken full-scale…or has it?

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Here is the release from Boeing, in its entirety:

Boeing Phantom Works to Lead Research on X-48B Blended Wing Body Concept

HAMPTON, Va., May 04, 2006 -- In cooperation with NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the Phantom Works organization of Boeing [NYSE: BA] is taking another step toward exploring and validating the structural, aerodynamic and operational advantages of a futuristic aircraft design called the blended wing body, or BWB.

Two high-fidelity, 21-foot wingspan prototypes of the BWB concept have been designed and produced for wind tunnel and flight testing this year. The Air Force has designated the vehicles as the "X-48B," based on its interest in the design's potential as a flexible, long-range, high-capacity military aircraft.

X-48B Ship No. 1 began wind tunnel testing on April 7 at the Langley Full-Scale Tunnel at NASA's Langley Research Center. When testing is completed in early May, it will be shipped to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California to serve as a backup to Ship No. 2, which will be used for flight testing later this year. According to the team, both phases of testing are focused on learning more about the low-speed flight-control characteristics of the BWB concept.

"The X-48B prototypes have been dynamically scaled to represent a much larger aircraft and are being used to demonstrate that a BWB is as controllable and safe during takeoff, approach and landing as a conventional military transport airplane," said Norm Princen, Boeing Phantom Works chief engineer for the X-48B program.

The X-48B cooperative agreement by Boeing, NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) culminates years of BWB research by NASA and Boeing. AFRL is interested in the concept for its potential future military applications.

"We believe the BWB concept has the potential to cost effectively fill many roles required by the Air Force, such as tanking, weapons carriage, and command and control," said Capt. Scott Bjorge, AFRL X-48B program manager. "This research is a great cooperative effort, and a major step in the development of the BWB. AFRL is inspired to be involved in this critical test program."

NASA also is committed to advancing the BWB concept. NASA and its partners have tested six different blended wing body models of various sizes over the last decade in four wind tunnels at the Langley Research Center.

"One big difference between this airplane and the traditional tube and wing aircraft is that -- instead of a conventional tail -- the blended wing body relies solely on multiple control surfaces on the wing for stability and control," said Dan Vicroy, NASA senior research engineer at the Langley Research Center. "What we want to do with this wind-tunnel test is to look at how these surfaces can be best used to maneuver the aircraft."

The two X-48B prototypes were built for Boeing Phantom Works by Cranfield Aerospace Ltd., in the United Kingdom in accordance with Boeing requirements and specifications. Made primarily of advanced lightweight composite materials, the prototypes weigh about 400 pounds each. Powered by three turbojet engines, they will be capable of flying up to 120 knots and 10,000 feet in altitude during flight testing.

Boeing also contracted with Cranfield Aerospace to provide the ground-control station, in which a pilot will remotely control the X-48B during flight research testing.

As part of Boeing's long-range business strategy, its Phantom Works advanced research and development organization defines and develops innovative technologies and systems such as the blended wing body concept to meet future aerospace needs.

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There is also some more to be found on the NASA site, found here.

Finally.

A raging forest fire races up a steep canyon, and ground crews scramble to outrun the oncoming inferno. They retreat, and the Captain picks up the radio and calls for some MAJOR backup from the air.

In minutes, a dark silhouette of a very large aircraft appears on the horizon, flying low but not slow. When the jet’s position is perfect, the Air Boss makes the call and in a blink of an eye, 20,000 gallons of fire retardant rain down from the sky, beating back the fire to give the firefighters room to work.

This scenario is coming to a forest fire near you very soon, thanks to Evergreen Aviation, located right up the road from me in McMinnville, Oregon. The aircraft is the Supertanker, a highly-modified Boeing 747-200.

Yes, you read that right, a jumbo jet firebomber.

This is a brilliant idea that is long overdue. Anyone who lives out West and has seen the annual destruction caused by wild fires will see this development as wonderful news. The Supertanker will change everything when it comes to fighting these fires:

The multi-role 747 Supertanker is the largest tanker aircraft available today. It has more than seven times the drop capability of a P3, and its patent-pending pressurized system has the capability to disperse retardant at high pressure for an overwhelming response, or drop retardant at the speed of falling rain in single or several segmented drops.

Evergreen is taking the Supertanker “on the road” so to speak, visiting 11 states during a month-long, nationwide tour to demonstrate the capabilities of the world’s largest firefighting aircraft to wildland firefighters at the federal, state and local levels. The tour will include coast-to-coast briefings and scheduled water drops at 13 locations, commencing in Phoenix, Ariz. (IWA) and concluding in Anchorage, Alaska (ANC). Details for each demonstration visit are available on Evergreen Aviation’s website.

And if you’ve never heard of Evergreen, here’s the 411: Evergreen International Aviation, Inc. is a portfolio of five diverse aviation companies. With international operating authority and a network of global offices and affiliates, Evergreen consists of an international cargo airline that owns and operates a fleet of Boeing 747s, an unlimited aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility, a full-service helicopter company, an aircraft ground handling company, and an aircraft sales and leasing company.

In addition to these endeavors, Evergreen owns and operates the not-for-profit Evergreen Aviation Museum, home of the Spruce Goose.

My Real President.

Regular readers of this blog know two things about me. (A) I cannot stand George W. Bush or the lying, corrupt cronies he hangs with, and (B) I am one of the biggest AOPA fans in the state of Oregon.

So I am elated and excited to be traveling up to Portland this coming Thursday to see my real president, Phil Boyer, at one of his Pilot Town Meetings. I’ll post something here on my return and give a report of the meeting and dinner I've been invited to before the main event.

Boyer calls these meetings “learning experiences” for AOPA, in which they can get a real-time grasp of what their “constituents” want and need. Damn, what a concept, people at the top who care about what Joe Kneeboard thinks AOPA ought to do.

And when I say they want “real-time” results, I’m not embellishing:

Boyer's multimedia presentations are fast-paced and high-tech, informative and entertaining. And using new, interactive technology at each meeting, about 50 randomly selected pilots participate in a real-time electronic poll on a variety of issues. The audience sees the results instantly!

Since 1992, Boyer has held Pilot Town Meetings across America, reviewing national developments in GA and engaging pilots on local issues. In more than 330 such meetings, Boyer has set the pace for direct communication with the nation's pilots.

Ask anyone in GA and the opinion of Boyer is always the same. We'd be toast in Washington without his leadership driving AOPA.

AOPA Pilot Town Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and are open to all pilots. Admission is FREE. For more information, call 1-800-USA-AOPA or visit their website here. For a calendar of upcoming meetings with President Boyer, click here.

I have exchanged emails with Boyer many times, as he was married and raised his young family right here in Eugene, OR. What always impresses me about him is that he's a regular guy, not some arrogant snob in a Brooks Brothers suit who lives on the golf course and things he's getting shortchanged if he only has two Martinis for lunch.

No, Phil flies a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, and at these Town Meetings, he is completely approachable. And you'll get a resounding NO if you ask if he ever plans to run for real office. I asked him that once point blank, and he looked at me very seriously and simply stated that he'll never consider a jump into politics so long as there is work to do at AOPA.

65 is the new 60

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-Nev.) are both pushing bills through Congress that are designed to end the FAA’s mandatory age-60 retirement rule for Part 121 airline pilots. Inhofe is a an active general aviation pilot with 11,000 hours, and Gibbons is a former Air Force and Delta Air Lines pilot with more than 22,000 flight hours.

S.65, sponsored by Inhofe, has made it past the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The bill would raise the age limit for airline pilots to 65 when the pilot is serving as a required pilot on a multicrew aircraft and the other pilot is younger than 60 years of age.

H.R.65, written by Gibbons, is a slightly altered version of the same bill, and aims to accomplish the same thing in the House.

This new push to raise the age limit comes on the heels of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s recently-adopted amendment that increases the age limit to 65 for commercial pilots operating two-pilot aircraft, effective November 23.

The legislation was helped along by Captain Al Spain, Senior Vice President, Operations for JetBlue Airways Corporation when he spoke before the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation on July 19, 2005. Spain made huge points with these on-the-nose observations:

One of your most distinguished former colleagues in the Senate, Ohio’s John Glenn, flew for nine days in space at age 77. More recently, the first manned commercial vehicle to travel to space and back was piloted by test pilot Mike Melvill, winner of the X Prize, at age 63. Despite worldwide acclaim resulting from his historic achievement, Melvill would be barred by law if he were flying for JetBlue.

Spain’s complete testimony can be found here.

I also support raising the mandatory age limit, especially when the other hand in the front is under 60. I live in one of the most active cities in the West, and it is every day that you see bicyclists and joggers well past 65 on the 100+ miles of beautiful bike paths that run down both sides of the Willamette River.

It is true, 65 is the new 60. I know because I’m turning 50 in June, and 50 to this lad feels like the new 40.