africanflyer

I just ran across the new africanflyer blog, which tracks airline activity on the African continent. It's filled with news items and there are links to African airlines. Commercial aviation in Africa is unlike that in Europe, the Americas, or in Asia: there are infrastructure, financing, and many other challenges. It looks like this blog will be very helpful to those who want to watch developments in this region.

Japanese Wind Tunnel Test Mock Up Of B-26 Marauder?

I get a lot of requests for help, and some of them are quite interesting. Take this one: "In 1947, a returning Air Corp officer brought back with him a souvenir from his stint in the service. According to the story, this wooden plane was taken from a Japanese test facility sometime during the occupation of Japan. The officer claims that the facility had pieces of B-26's and other Allied aircraft parts scattered throughout and that this plane was set up in some kind of wind tunnel device..."

This "company was approached by the current owner to possibly authenticate the story, if possible, and to find a market in which to find it a new home..."

See the webpage for more photos and information, and to contact them if you can help in some way.

Aviation Sites Everywhere!

Suffering under my own success, I'm getting inundated by site submissions for the aviation directory. I'm not boasting, but I am getting behind. To those who have submitted sites, please be patient - I'll get to them all. To those who have sent requests for help, I'll get to you too.

Some things to keep in mind when you contact me: This all is a hobby - you don't need to send me your resume because I cannot give you employment. I also cannot give you flight training so you can get a pilot's license. And if you submit a site for the directory, make sure it has something to do with aviation.

Finally, if you use one of the website forms, it's a good idea to put your email address in the field provided. It's surprising how often I need to follow up with you to clarify a botched URL or to send an answer to your question. Without a return address, there's little I can do.

Happy flying, soaring, modeling, simulating, photographing, racing, or whatever it is you do in the air.

Aerospace Industry Awards 2005

The Aerospace Industry Awards 2005 will be presented June 13 at the Paris Airshow in 10 industry categories:

• Air Transport
• Avionics and Electronics
• Business/Corporate Aviation
• Corporate Strategy
• General Aviation
• Infrastructure/Environment
• Maintenance/Modification
• Missiles/ Military Aviation
• Propulsion/Aircraft Systems
• Training and Safety

You'll find the shortlist companies and more information at the Aerospace Awards home page. I am not, by the way, one of the finalists...

Stewardesses Stripped (of their pension?)

Five women, who happen to be former flight attendants for United Airlines, have produced a 14-page 2006 calendar where they appear in various states of undress. As described in an AP Online story, they are publicizing their plight at having their pension plan terminated. Have a peek.

Aerial Photography with Kites

Poking around the bookstore, I came across the premiere issue of "Make:" magazine. The tagline is, "technology on your time" and it contains an interesting collection of do-it-yourself technology projects. If you're geeky or like projects or both, it's worth a read.

Anyway, one of the Issue 1 articles is, "Kite Aerial Photography Puts Your Eye in the Sky." This fascinating piece by Charles C. Benton describes in some detail the techniques for sending a camera up with a kite and photographing the landscape below. The published Make article has detailed plans, and Benton's site has a lot more information about KAP.

I've actually got a Kites section in the Aviation Directory if you want to look at this "aviation" subject in greater detail.

And if you want to subscribe to Make, you can get a deal through Amazon.com.

Old GEAE advert

Anybody know where to find a GE commercial from around 1999 that goes something like this:

"It was all shining and bright spinning in time and I heard in eternity the whisper of truth working in wonder humble in detail. I stand spellbound in the beauty of perfection."

A site visitor is trying to track this down. Any leads appreciated!