[Photo: courtesy of Sustainable Aviation Project] The flying cars we were promised by all those 20th-century sci-fi writers are finally here, but they don’t look like they did in The Jetsons or Back to the Future. In fact, they look a lot like small airplanes—but we’ll take ’em for now. A new electric-powered airplane debuted today over the skies of Fresno County, California, becoming the first of its kind in the area and sparking what could evolve into a new era of zero-emission air travel. The aircraft was one of four electric planes ordered by cities in the area, the Fresno Bee reports, and were supplied by the Sustainable Aviation Project. Pipistrel, the Slovenia-based manufacturer behind the light-sport planes, designed them for flight training, which is how they’ll be used in Fresno. The arrangement is a test case for how electric air travel could work at scale, aided by Tesla-like charging stations placed in local airports. What really caught … [Read more...] about Flying cars turned out to just be small airplanes
Airplane
The Southwest plane window blew out after engine explosion, but airplane windows are stronger than you think
Benjamin Zhang, provided by Published 7:38 am, Thursday, April 19, 2018 NTSB/AP Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after suffering an engine failure and cabin depressurization. One of the Boeing 737's windows blew out, nearly sucking a passenger out of the cabin. Airplane windows are rather durable and are made up of multiple layers. On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after an uncontained engine failure damaged the plane's fuselage and one of the Boeing 737's windows blew out. The resulting decompression managed to nearly suck Jennifer Riordan out of the window before being pulled back in by her fellow passengers. Recommended Video: Now Playing: At least one person has died after the engine of a passenger plane exploded in mid-flight in the United States. Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 was en route from New York to Dallas with 148 people on board when it was forced to make … [Read more...] about The Southwest plane window blew out after engine explosion, but airplane windows are stronger than you think
It would be the world’s largest airplane. It’s being built by a billionaire. And it’s getting ready to fly.
Democracy Dies in Darkness Sections Home Subscribe Try 1 month for $1 Username Sign In Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Subscribe Account Profile Newsletters & Alerts Gift Subscriptions Contact Us Help Desk Accessibility for screenreader The Switch by Christian Davenport by Christian Davenport Email the author April 16 at 1:26 PM Email the author Paul Allen's Stratolaunch airplane emerges from its hangar in Mojave, Calif., in 2017. (Stratolaunch Systems Corp.) COLORADO SPRINGS — The massive airplane that Paul Allen’s aerospace company has been building in the California desert could fly for the first time as soon as this summer, officials said. If it flies successfully, Stratolaunch, as the plane is called, would be the largest aircraft ever to take to the skies. At 385 feet long, its wingspan is bigger than the length of a football field … [Read more...] about It would be the world’s largest airplane. It’s being built by a billionaire. And it’s getting ready to fly.
Chinese Tariff Threats Rattle Airplane Giant Boeing
National Facebook Twitter Flipboard Email Enlarge this image A Boeing 737 MAX 7 makes its first flight from Renton Municipal Airport, on March 16 in Renton, Wash. Many of the MAX models will not be targeted by Chinese tariffs. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Stephen Brashear/Getty Images A Boeing 737 MAX 7 makes its first flight from Renton Municipal Airport, on March 16 in Renton, Wash. Many of the MAX models will not be targeted by Chinese tariffs. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images The country's leading airplane manufacturer, The Boeing Company, is caught in the middle as the world's two largest economies, the U.S. and China, inch closer to an all-out trade war. In retaliation for President Trump's proposed $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese-made products, China has announced it would impose steep tariffs on $50 billion worth of U.S. products, including some aircraft. At first glance, China seems to be taking direct aim at … [Read more...] about Chinese Tariff Threats Rattle Airplane Giant Boeing
Former B-1 bomber pilot spotted a UFO over the Arizona desert — and says it ‘didn’t look anything like an airplane’
caption U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bomber drop MK-84 bomb during a training at the Pilsung Firing Range on September 18, 2017 in Gangwon-do, South Korea. U.S. source South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty An American Airlines pilot that saw a UFO over the Arizona desert has been revealed to be a former B-1 bomber pilot with 20 years of flying experience. Pilot Blenus Green said that the object was extremely bright and “didn’t look anything like an airplane.” The description matched the one given by the pilot of another plane that reported the UFO, who also said that the object was extremely bright. A former B-1 bomber pilot who now works as a commercial aviator for American Airlines has spoken out about his recent UFO encounter over the Arizona desert. Blenus Green and his co-pilot were flying an American Airlines Airbus A321 over Arizona in February when they were told by … [Read more...] about Former B-1 bomber pilot spotted a UFO over the Arizona desert — and says it ‘didn’t look anything like an airplane’