He Yide, nicknamed “Duoduo,” is an extreme 5-year-old, as he’s supposedly flown a plane, reportedly earning himself a world record for youngest pilot ever. Yide is reporeted to have completed a 35-minute flight at Beijing Wildlife Park in China on Saturday after hours and hours of private flying lessons. According to his father, He Liesheng, it was all Duoduo’s hard work and aircraft know-how: “His first flight was very successful and he wasn’t scared at all.” Continue reading for a video.
For $75000, you’ll soon be able to take trips to the edge of space in this special balloon. Developed by World View, the flight would take 90 minutes to go up at about 1,000 feet a minute, set sail up high for 2 hours with an emphasis on smooth riding, hit an altitude of 19 miles and then come back down in 40 minutes, Poynter said. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Stefan Klein, an automobile designer / engineer from the Slovak Republic, has successfully completed the first flight of his Aeromobil Version 2.5. About 20-years in the making, this flying car prototype boasts a unique design with folding wings and a propeller in the tail. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Yes, the Terrafugia TF-X has been officially priced at $280,000 and is set to hit the roads / skies in 2015. The TF-X will be capable of automatically avoiding other air traffic, bad weather, and restricted and tower-controlled airspace. If its operator declares an emergency (which will automatically notify authorities of the situation), the TF-X can be landed in non-approved landing zones. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Priced at at hefty $1.7-million, the DeepFlight Super Falcon is shaped like a stout fighter jet with two stubby 8.8-feet wide “wings” at each side and features a super slim chassis, along with a domed semicircle waterproof windows that allow the 20.11 feet submersible to soar through water instead of simply sinking like traditional submarines. Continue reading for a video – filmed entirely with GoPro cameras – and more information.
Boeing has managed to transform several Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets into pilotless drones. During the unmanned test flight, one of the jets cruised at 40,000 ft and hit speeds of Mach 1.47 while performing a series of maneuvers, including barrel rolls and a “split S”. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Most have seen the interior of the Airbus A380, but few have ventured into the high-tech cockpit of this flying marvel. Inside, you’ll find eight 15-by-20 cm LCDs, all physically identical and interchangeable; comprising two Primary Flight Displays, two navigation displays, one engine parameter display, one system display and two Multi-Function Displays. Continue reading for more, including a bonus video.
Yes, Finnair’s flight AY666 from Copenhagen to Helsinki – ironically the airport code is HEL – departs today, Friday the 13th, and the pilot has expressed no concerns about the flight. Continue reading for a few first class suite trip videos to let your mind wander and more information.
The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest passenger airline and has a design range of 15,700 kilometres (8,500 nmi; 9,800 mi), sufficient to fly from New York to Hong Kong, and a cruising speed of Mach 0.85 (about 900 km/h or 560 mph; 490 kn at cruising altitude). Thanks to the extra space, you’re able to purchase a ticket for some ultra luxurious suites (above). Continue reading for more fascinating facts about modern day flight.
The US government has officially confirmed the existence of Area 51, and in that report, they state that it “was a test site for the military’s U-2 spy planes.” To be more specific: “The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974.” Continue reading for a 43-minute documentary that takes you inside the base.