Iconic Spy Plane Has Been Flying For 50 Years, Has Plenty Of Life Left

Whether people recognize it by the Snoopy-like nose or by the flat black paint and red lettering on the tail, the U-2 has become an Air Force reconnaissance icon in its 50 years of military operations.

First Samples Will Test The Rovers Ability To Collect And Analyze Material

NASA's Curiosity rover is in a position on Mars where scientists and engineers can begin preparing the rover to take its first scoop of soil for analysis. The rover's ability to put soil samples into analytical instruments is central to assessing whether its present location on Mars, called Gale Crater, ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

First New Medevac Aircraft Unveiled Friday

The Governor of Maryland and other elected officials joined Maryland State Police Colonel Marcus Brown, representatives of Maryland’s emergency medical services system, and AgustaWestland on Friday to unveil the first of the new Maryland State Police helicopters that will replace the state’s aging medevac fleet. 

Bolden Is First Recipient Of The Doolittle Memorial Award

The Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation presented NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (pictured in file image) with the Gen. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle Memorial Award at the organization's Gold Medal Gala Thursday in Los Angeles.

LC-130, C-17 Globemaster Aircraft Sustaining Antarctic Operations

The U.S. military recently kicked off the 2012-2013 season of Operation Deep Freeze, the Department of Defense's support of the U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation. The operation began with C-17 Globemaster III operations Sept. 29 and will continue with LC-130 Hercules operations beginning Oct. 18.

E/F Test Aircraft Makes Its Swiss Alps Debut

Next week the Gripen E/F test aircraft will make its debut in the Swiss alps during the Axalp flight demonstration by the Swiss Air Force, 10-11 October. Wednesday morning the aircraft arrived in Switzerland after a non-stop flight from Linköping in Sweden.

Had Been Aboard A PBJ Aircraft That Went down In 1944

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced that the remains of seven U.S. servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and were buried with full military honors.

Keeps Spacecraft's Options Open For An Encounter With Asteroid 2002 GT

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft completed a firing of its onboard rocket motors Thursday. The maneuver began at 1600 EDT, lasted 71 seconds, and changed its velocity by 4.5 mph. The rocket burn was performed to keep the venerable comet hunter's options open for yet another exploration of a solar system small body.

U.S. Government Awards $1.85 Billion Contract

A contract valued up to $1.85 billion has been awarded by the U.S. Government to Lockheed Martin to initiate the upgrade of 145 Block 20 F-16A/B aircraft for the Republic of China (RoC). This retrofit program will include the addition of an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, embedded global positioning, as well as upgrades to the electronic warfare and other avionics systems of Taiwan's F-16s.

On-Demand Private Jet Charter Based At Savannah Hilton Head International Airport (KSAV)

JetSelect Aviation has added a Bombardier Learjet 45 to its It’s fleet of private jets for on-demand charter. The jet will be based at the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport (KSAV).

Custom Kits For Gulfstream, Boeing, TBM, Pilatus, Learjet, Beech Jet Airplanes Now Available

More and more companies are offering EFBs for the popular iPad tablet device, which has led companies to devise ways for make it easy to use in the cockpit. MyGoFlight, a company focused on the "iPad In Motion" for aviators, has unveiled new iPad Jet Mount Kits for jets and turbo prop airplanes.

AD NUMBER: 2012-20-03

PRODUCT: Certain The Boeing Company Model 747 airplanes.

CRS-1 ISS Resupply Docking Coming Up Shortly

On-time and on-spec, the SpaceX Dragon is now its way to the ISS. Following a Sunday night, 2035 ET launch, the Dragon capsule reached its planned orbit of 212 miles above Earth, despite a single engine failure about a minute into the mission, and is on course to catch up to the station during the next couple of days. It has opened the two solar arrays on the side of the spacecraft to power its systems from sunlight. SpaceX launched the first of a dozen operational missions to deliver supplies to the International Space Station on Oct. 7 for NASA. Launch time came at 8:35 p.m. from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, just a few miles south of the space shuttle launch pads.

Would AOPA Be More Valuable If It Adhered To Our "3+1" Rule -- Requiring Transparency, Honesty, Focus + Accountability?

Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. -- Frederick Douglass AOPA2012: Out of Touch, Off-Mission, And Out Of Control? 'POPA' Spe

Also: Albuquerque Needs Helium, LightSquared Rears Ugly Head Again, AOPA Fallout, Footballers Are Crazy

The FAA has granted an STC to Avidyne Corporation for the installation of their D-F-C 90 Digital Autopilot in Cessna 182-series aircraft when interfaced with the Aspen Evolution Pro Primary Flight Display (PFD) from Aspen. President Obama took another swipe at business aviation during Wednesday night’s debate, saying “Why wouldn't we eliminate tax breaks for corporate jets? My attitude is, if you got a corporate jet, you can probably afford to pay full freight, not get a special break for it.” That statement drew immediate fire from

Klyde Gets Political

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Airplane Had Been Stripped And Abandoned In The Aleutian Islands

Flying through a January sky in 1945, U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Robert Nesmith was piloting a P-38G Lightning - one of the Air Force's best aircraft during World War II. The plane, equipped with two engines and relatively long wings, was a beautiful sight, and Nesmith worked hard to be in a position to fly it across the Pacific.

Challengers Say Money Was Misappropriated From Economic Development Funds

Candidates for the County Commission in Garfield County, CO, have made funding for the annual Rifle Air Show a political football in the campaign.

Says More Airport Capacity Is Necessary For City, Nation To Thrive

The Mayor of London says the government's delays in making decisions about runway capacity are leading the city down a path to "economic catastrophe."

Seeking Tenants To Share Building Near The Nation's Capitol

Aviation businesses and associations have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor ... or maybe the second floor ... of HAI's new headquarters building in Alexandria, VA.

Aero Linx: Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association The Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association (AAAA or "Quad-A"), located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sport of hot air ballooning. As the largest community ballooning organization in the world, we advance the sport through numerous opportunities for continued growth and development. We inform you, we encourage you, we support you, and then we let you fly.

Datum An aircraft datum line is an imaginary vertical plane or line from which all horizontal measurements of arm are taken, generally for balance purposes. Once the datum has been selected, all moment arms and the location of CG range are measured from this point and the weight and balance may be calculated. The datum line appears on drawings as a vertical line, which is perpendicular (90°) to the aircraft horizontal axis. The datum is established by the manufacturer and is referenced in the type certificate data sheet as noted in the attached illustration. There is no fixed rule for the position or location of the datum, except that must be positioned in a location that will not change during the life of the aircraft

"We strongly believe that any aviation advocacy rule its actions with an unquestionable degree of transparency so that members and affected parties KNOW just what is happening. We also believe that ANY organization looking to support aviation establish a true sense of trust with its constituency and promise an unprecedented level of honesty... otherwise know as the "No-Bull" rule. We further believe that any such organization devote itself to a TIGHT focus on an agreed and well-defined mission plan that is clear to all concerned. Finally; there is the most controversial issue of all... accountability. Right now, members of most of the aviation organizations have little opportunity to directly contribute and craft the direction and mission of the organizations that they support a