The Mars Phoenix probe recently made only the 3rd soft landing (landing using retro-rockets and not airbags like the previous 3 landers), the others being Vikings 1,2 in the 1970's. Spaceflightnow, a spaceflight website, is a good site to follow the mission (http://spaceflightnow.com/). Another site is the University of Arizona's (who are the prime controllers of the mission) Phoenix mission page, http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/.
Kalitta Air 747
A 747-200F cargo jet operated by Kalitta Air recently aborted it's take-off at Brussels airport and skidded off the runway. The resulting damage was spectacular with the fuselage from over the middle of the wings aft splitting and going upward and the tail section pointing downward. The plane stayed in one piece, just one piece broken in various sections. None of the crew were hurt. for more info see the Aviation Safety Network entry at http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20080525-0.
Virgin America A319
Today a Virgin american A319 flew into Griffiss from Columbus, Ohio for maintenance. What makes this flight unusual is that the plane involved is probably an a former Skybus Airlines plane. Skybus was a low-fare carrier that was based out of Columbus and operated to mostly secondary airports like Westover, MA. Unfortunately the carrier didn't survive long and ceased operations a few months ago and now it's planes which were all A319's are going to other carriers.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
New types serving Syracuse
Recently Northwest and Continental starting serving SYR with new types of airplanes the CRJ-900 and Dash-8 Q400.
The CRJ-900 (CR9) is a 76 seater twin-jet regional jet with the first four rows consisting of 1x2 first class eating with the other 26 being 2x2 economy class. This type is partially replacing the older DC9's in NWA's fleet (almost all of the DC9's are 30 years old or more) and while it may seat less it is a lot quieter, is just as fast, and is just as comfortable.
The Dash 8-Q400 is a twin turboprop 76 seater with 2x2 all economy seating that is operated by Colgan Air on Continental's behalf as Continental Connection mostly out of Newark. I recently flew on one of them and can say that the noise volume is no lauder than that of a jet and the ride just as smooth with very comfortable seating. A novel feature I found was a small mini cup holder that is part of the regular seating try so you don't have to bring the whole tray down if you want to put your drink down. Also the Q400 can use jetways and in both Newark and Syracuse, that's how o got on/off the plane.
The CRJ-900 (CR9) is a 76 seater twin-jet regional jet with the first four rows consisting of 1x2 first class eating with the other 26 being 2x2 economy class. This type is partially replacing the older DC9's in NWA's fleet (almost all of the DC9's are 30 years old or more) and while it may seat less it is a lot quieter, is just as fast, and is just as comfortable.
The Dash 8-Q400 is a twin turboprop 76 seater with 2x2 all economy seating that is operated by Colgan Air on Continental's behalf as Continental Connection mostly out of Newark. I recently flew on one of them and can say that the noise volume is no lauder than that of a jet and the ride just as smooth with very comfortable seating. A novel feature I found was a small mini cup holder that is part of the regular seating try so you don't have to bring the whole tray down if you want to put your drink down. Also the Q400 can use jetways and in both Newark and Syracuse, that's how o got on/off the plane.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Spaceflight
One of my interests besides aviation is spaceflight and the following sites are ones that I look at often and consider to be some fo the best. They are listed with the title, address , and a brief description.
Guenter's Space page, http://skyrocket.de/space/, a site about rockets/missiles and satellites (orbital, suborbital, military, civilian) from around the world with many pictures and updated whenever a new satellite or rocket is launched.
Internet Reference guide to space launch vehicles, http://hometown.aol.de/B14643/space-rockets/, a site about orbital rockets from around the world with diagrams of the vehicles and hundreds of pictures of the rockets themselves.
Space Facts, http://spacefacts.de/, a site about manned spaceflights both orbital and suborbital with bios and pics on the crew members both flown and unflown (those selected but who didn't fly for whatever reason).
Project Apollo Archive, http://www.apolloarchive.com/, a siet about the apollo project with everything you would want to know about it.
Capcom Espace, http://www.capcomespace.net/dossiers/, a french-language site about spaceflight with particular emphasis on european spaceflight history with numerous rare pictures (even some of the pictures on parts dealing others like project apollo are very rare).
NASA, http://www.nasa.gov/, the main site for NASA with links to various projects that the agency has/is been involved with and one that should be explored to the full.
Guenter's Space page, http://skyrocket.de/space/, a site about rockets/missiles and satellites (orbital, suborbital, military, civilian) from around the world with many pictures and updated whenever a new satellite or rocket is launched.
Internet Reference guide to space launch vehicles, http://hometown.aol.de/B14643/space-rockets/, a site about orbital rockets from around the world with diagrams of the vehicles and hundreds of pictures of the rockets themselves.
Space Facts, http://spacefacts.de/, a site about manned spaceflights both orbital and suborbital with bios and pics on the crew members both flown and unflown (those selected but who didn't fly for whatever reason).
Project Apollo Archive, http://www.apolloarchive.com/, a siet about the apollo project with everything you would want to know about it.
Capcom Espace, http://www.capcomespace.net/dossiers/, a french-language site about spaceflight with particular emphasis on european spaceflight history with numerous rare pictures (even some of the pictures on parts dealing others like project apollo are very rare).
NASA, http://www.nasa.gov/, the main site for NASA with links to various projects that the agency has/is been involved with and one that should be explored to the full.
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