Where Dreams Take Flight

Saturday, June 24, 2017 

"It is a good thing to learn caution from the misfortunes of others." — Publilius Syrus

"With a short dash down the runway, the machine lifted into the air and was flying. It was only a flight of twelve seconds, and it was uncertain, wavy, creeping sort of flight at best; but it was a real flight at last and not a glide." —
Orville Wright

"One learns by doing a thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try." — Sophocles

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump at least how high should you be?
A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.--From the original Hollwood Squares

March’s Mile-High Maiden™

Book Your Outer-Space Vacations Now

Best new evidence for recent Martian water

Udated International Lunar Orbiter Fleet Database

Aerosphere Air & Space Magazine article archives...

“Wheels Up and a New Guy at the Controls” A tale of private-pilot training, by Hans Weise. Go to General Aviation.

“Another Angel Wins His Wings.” Wherein the passing of a Hollywood great is noted... Go to Cinema.

“Long Serving SKYHAWK Fades from American Service, Still Soldiers on Elsewhere” by Ken Kula. Fabulous piece of aviation history. Go to Aviation History.

Cartoonist John Sergeant has limned a doozy lampooning NASA for the Mars Polar Lander failure... Go to Planet Cartoon.

Mercury astronaut and aviation great Gordon Cooper may have seen a UFO (or two) but it wasn't during his Mercury or Gemini flights... Go to UFO Update.

President George H. W. Bush was history's youngest Naval Aviator. Find out how he trained during World War II and what he thinks of today's aviation training for military pilots in this rare interview... Go to Aviation History.

July 20, 1969, was the thirtieth anniversary of the first lunar landing. Check out this article on the flight plan Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin used (actual flight plan included)... Go to Space & Astronautics.

"What Ever Happened to The Hunters?" The who? The Hunters, arguably the best war movie about jet fighter pilots ever made--even better than Top Gun. Find out why... Go to Aviation Cinema.

"Something Borrowed, Something Blue".... What's this, an article on wedding advice? No, an article on how to improve your odds for a safe flight each time you mount up... Go to GUMP Check.

And why does this aerobatic CFI say that soap can do a lot to make aerobatic training as fun and safe as it can be? (No, he's not advocating washing your plane before each flight.) You'll find the answer in "Aerobatics: Good, Clean Fun"... Go to Aerobatics.

This particular 747-200 had accumulated 36,000 hours in eight years when it hit the hangar for a “heavy” checkup, also called a “D” inspection.  The big D is a really big deal that can take up to a month or more and cost upwards of $2 million. See what it takes for this Boeing behemoth to get a clean bill of health. Go to Aeronautics.

F-22 Qualification Update 1999

And much, much more... Go to Magazine.