Aero-News Network: The aviation and aerospace world's daily/real-time news and information service

Gone West: Mercury Astronaut Gordon Cooper

America Lost An Astronaut Monday... Even As It Gained Another

NASA tells ANN that Gordon Cooper Jr., the astronaut who piloted the sixth and last flight of the Mercury program and later commanded Gemini 5, died early Monday at his home in Ventura, Calif. He was 77 years old.

Binnie Breaks Records

And The Crowd Goes Wild

SpaceShipOne is towed to the ramp and the crowd goes wild... well as wild as an aviation bunch can get.

Scaled's X-Prize Win: Congratulations from High-Tech

...And The Nation's Highest Office.

X-Prize Staff were astounded and delighted by two unexpected events. The first: Google, the popular search service, featured SpaceShipOne on their website's sole graphic. Google often uses the graphic to make a gentle commentary on current events. The graphic is named xprize.gif and if you mouse over it on the google.com website, it displays the alt-text message "Congratulations SpaceShipOne."

Aero-Views: The Culture Of Risk Avoidance

What NASA Could Learn From SpaceShipOne

When Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne launches on Monday in its final bid for the Ansari X-Prize, it will do so less than a week after observers and even Rutan himself held their breath -- they thought the spacecraft and pilot Mike Melvill were in serious trouble Wednesday when it began rolling uncontrollably during its ascent. Now, after Melvill's mea culpa (he said he "must have hit the rudder pedal" during the boost phase, causing the spacecraft to roll almost 30 times), an inspection of the vehicle indicates all is well, according to Rutan. Monday's attempt is a "go."

Have You Ever Heard Of Blackbird Airpark?

Nestled In The California Desert, This Is A Gem For Aero-Tourists

In the California deserts, aviation history has been made practically nonstop since World War II. Experimental fighters and bombers, super-secret spyplanes, pioneering rocket planes, the new generation of private space launch machinery and manned spacecraft. NASA Dryden, Edwards AFB, Mojave's Civilian Aerospace Test Center, The Air Force's legendary Plant 42 with Lockheed's more legendary Skunk Works, are all located nearby. Groom Lake -- the Area 51 of UFO fables -- is not near, but the machines that have flown from there were largely built here.

An Interesting Exchange On The X-Prize Site

Da Vinci Project Leader Explains Differences Between Tests And True Launch

(This exchange appears on the Ansari X-Prize message board...) Dear Da Vinci Project Staff, I’ve been a fan of your X-Prize project team for years, and I am sorry to hear about your recent problems securing a filament winder.

US Airways Pilot Deal Locked Up By Union Leadership

Leaders Meet Again Tuesday To Mull It Over

It looked like a deal. It smelled like a deal. Hell, it even quacked like a deal. But US Airways' ALPA pilots in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have balked at a $300 million concession package that would take away more than 18-percent of their pay and a good chunk of the airline's pension contributions to boot. Union leaders said they wanted more time to study the airline's proposal.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

...Prang, Prang Again?

The way policy is written in Pretoria, a South African Air Force student who fails an exam and then fails the make-good test as well is a wash-out. But that's not what happened in the case of one student who crash-landed a Pilatus PL-7 MK II Astra trainer recently.

'Of Course We're Still On!'

A Couple Of Hurricanes Won't Stop US Sport Aviation Expo

Despite the fact that the "eyes" of the two most recent hurricanes to wreak havoc in Florida passed over or near the Sebring Regional Airport, the US Sport Aviation Expo scheduled for October 28-31, 2004 is still on.

Virgin's Mile High Incentive

Now, When They Say "Get A Room," You Can Say, "Got One!"

Virgin Atlantic has introduced a high-flying novelty: double suites for passengers traveling in the Upper Class Suite. The airline has fitted four pairs of double suites onto two of its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, giving passengers traveling together two square meters of space so that they can enjoy their flight closer together.

Hartzell Propeller Has a New Sister Company

Acquisition Signals Future Broadening Of The Company's Aerospace Business

Hartzell Propellers says its family ownership group has established a parent company, Charter Aerospace Partners, to act as a holding company for Hartzell and to provide a vehicle for other aerospace acquisitions.

ARINC and AeroMech Introduce RVSM Solutions for the Hawker 700

Installation Kits Also Available

ARINC and its partner AeroMech, have teamed to provide two comprehensive RVSM (reduced vertical separation minimum) solutions for popular Hawker 700 business jets. The RVSM packages cover those Hawker airframes using Collins ADC-80 air data computers, as well as those using dual Collins 590A air data sensors.

Update & Interview: Embry-Riddle CAPT Program

By ANN Senior Contributing Correspondent Kevin "Hognose" O'Brien

Well, we can rag on Mayor Daley, beat the world on space-travel stories, and insult the TSA practically daily. And what do our readers write about? Our story about a milestone at Embry-Riddle's CAPT ab-initio program. Some of you do NOT like Embry-Riddle, or its graduates. We'll get to that, but first, let's look at recent graduate Chuck Allen and his class.

AOPA Expo Returns To Long Beach

Convention And Trade Show To Be Held October 21-23

The AOPA returns to Long Beach (CA) for the AOPA Expo 2004 convention and trade show, October 21-23. Long a favorite with pilots for its convenience, Long Beach boasts attractions such as the Queen Mary, the Long Beach aquarium, museums and fabulous ocean vistas.

Sun Country Airlines Announces New Safety Program for Pilots

Say Hello To The Aviation Safety Action Program

Sun Country Airlines today announced the implementation of a new safety program for its pilots, the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). This program allows pilots to promptly identify and report potential safety hazards through the process of an open reporting system.

Academy Airmanship Operations Take Flight Under AETC

Now The 306th Flying Training Group

The US Air Force Academy's airmanship operations realigned under the Air Education and Training Command as the newly named 306th Flying Training Group on Oct. 1.

Aero-News Quote Of The Day (10.05.04)

"Wow!" Source: Heard over and over... and over again, at the Mojave Spaceport as thousands looked to the heavens while Brian Binnie rocketed into the record books.

Hide/Show Archive Navigation.

All News

October 05, 2004

America Lost An Astronaut Monday... Even As It Gained Another

And The Crowd Goes Wild

...And The Nation's Highest Office.

What NASA Could Learn From SpaceShipOne

Nestled In The California Desert, This Is A Gem For Aero-Tourists

Da Vinci Project Leader Explains Differences Between Tests And True Launch

Advertisement

Leaders Meet Again Tuesday To Mull It Over

...Prang, Prang Again?

A Couple Of Hurricanes Won't Stop US Sport Aviation Expo

Now, When They Say "Get A Room," You Can Say, "Got One!"

Acquisition Signals Future Broadening Of The Company's Aerospace Business

Installation Kits Also Available

Advertisement

By ANN Senior Contributing Correspondent Kevin "Hognose" O'Brien

Convention And Trade Show To Be Held October 21-23

Say Hello To The Aviation Safety Action Program

Now The 306th Flying Training Group

Change Display

Advertisement

Top Videos

Advertisement

Podcasts

AeroTwitter