Jason Guerrasio, provided by Published 10:17 am, Saturday, May 26, 2018 Disney/Lucafilm The latest “Star Wars” release, “Solo” (opening Friday), looks at not just a young and idealistic Han Solo as he begins his path to becoming one of the most infamous pilots in the galaxy. It also shines a spotlight on the origin story of Han’s true love, the Millennium Falcon. Before becoming one of the standout ships in the Rebel Alliance fleet against the Empire in the Skywalker “Star Wars” saga, it was the prize possession of card hustler Lando Calrissian. In “Solo,” the ship has a slightly different look (no gap in the front of the ship, and much cleaner), but shows the traits that will make it one of the most beloved aspects of the franchise. The ship’s main highlight in "Solo" happens when Lando teams with Han and Chewbacca and they use the ship to complete what will become one of the Falcon’s most legendary … [Read more...] about A creator of the original Millennium Falcon describes how the legendary ‘Star Wars’ ship was made with airplane scraps and lots of imagination
Airplane
Zunum Aero’s electric airplane just got its first customer
[Photo: courtesy of Zunum Aero] Buckle up, because Zunum Aero is getting closer to launching its hybrid electric airplane. Today, the Seattle-based startup announced that it has its very first customer—the private-jet-charter company JetSuite. The stork will deliver “up to 100” of its 12-seater hybrid-electric planes in 2022, according to the Seattle Times. Zunum, which is backed by Boeing’s HorizonX innovation venture fund and got funding from JetBlue Technology Ventures and the State of Washington, hopes to begin testing its aircraft technology by 2019 to make its delivery date. As Blue Sky News points out, though, Zunum is purposely relying on already proven technology for its planes and Tesla-style battery packs to make delivery as seamless as possible. JetSuite, which partners with JetBlue on semi-private flights and has some cash on hand after an investment from Qatar Airways, is a natural first customer for Zunum. … [Read more...] about Zunum Aero’s electric airplane just got its first customer
His business is like time sharing for airplanes
Visit The Boston Globe Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Comment on this Scroll to top of page By Cindy Atoji Keene Globe Correspondent May 19, 2018 When it comes to frequent fliers, George Antoniadis may top the list. He has promised his family not to travel across the Atlantic or Pacific for three weeks because lately he’s been absent a lot from home. Antoniadis recently returned from a trip during which he crossed 12 time zones in a week, flying from Boston to Zurich, then to Greece, Italy, China, back to Europe, and — finally — home. It’s all in a day’s work as CEO of a fractional aircraft business, PlaneSense, Inc. The job includes attending a lot of conferences and industry board meetings. PlaneSense doesn’t fly internationally yet, but offers Uber-style on-demand domestic service on elite private jets. Fractional aircraft business is akin to airplane time-sharing or a renting a plane. The cost of a plane is … [Read more...] about His business is like time sharing for airplanes
To Fight Airplane Germs, Be Practical, Not Panicky
Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet Published 12:53 pm, Thursday, May 17, 2018 This article was first published on NerdWallet.com. When Ricky Shetty, a frequent traveler and blogger, gets on an airplane, he usually brings a small container of hand sanitizer with him, as well as baby wipes to clean tray tables. He also avoids touching anything in the lavatory, even using a paper towel to open the door if necessary. Shetty is one of many travelers who treat airplanes as if they were cesspools for germs and douse themselves and their seating area in antibacterial goop before settling in for a flight. Doctors and infectious diseases experts say such precautions can reduce exposure to harmful microbes, but it’s important to remember that the world itself is awash in germs, so there’s no way to eliminate exposure entirely. Be careful Business Channel Now Playing: Now Playing FOX Business Beat: Facebook quiz data breach; Walmart and Lord & … [Read more...] about To Fight Airplane Germs, Be Practical, Not Panicky
Watch a Tesla tow a massive airplane
Tesla's Model X SUV is so strong it earned a Guinness World Record for towing. Tesla released a video on Tuesday that shows ones of its electric SUVs towing a 287,000-pound Boeing 787-9 dreamliner nearly 1,000 feet on a taxiway at the Melbourne Airport in Australia. The plane is part of Qantas Airlines' fleet and the effort set a new Guinness World Record for being the "heaviest tow by an electric production passenger vehicle." Related: Qantas will retire its Boeing 747 fleet earlier than planned This is a massive feat for the SUV, which can typically tow about 5,500 pounds, according to a press release. The 787 had a small amount of fuel in its tank at the time, and wasn't carrying any passengers or cargo. Qantas, which uses electric aircraft tugs to pull planes much shorter distances at two airports in Australia, said the publicity stunt sought to bring attention to its sustainability efforts. The airline was recently criticized by the International Council on Clean … [Read more...] about Watch a Tesla tow a massive airplane