What is an RC car?

RC stands for radio-controlled. An RC car or truck comes in either toy or hobby grade. Let's take a look at the difference:

Toy grade RC cars are less expensive and can be found at most electronics stores.  But if you're serious about making RC cars one of your hobbies, they aren't your best bet. If you're really interested in RC cars, you'll want the hobby grade car or truck. There are lots of advantages to the hobby grade car. For instance, they have tons of available spare parts and upgrades. For a lot of people, they don't just love racing their RC cars--they also love building and fixing it up.

Now that you know the basics of RC cars, it's time to decide what kind of car or truck you want to buy.

RC Cars - The #1 RC Hobby

The kind of all RC Hobbies is the RC Car. Radio controlled cars only move in 2 dimensions (it shouldn't be flying under normal circumstances), they are inexpensive, they can be driven by anyone old enough to ride a bike, and they are easy to repair. The real question comes down to what you expect from your rc car.

Want speed? Some of these cars can move upwards of 70+ mph! Obviously this isn't for an eight year old to play with unless they are extremely responsible and an amazing driver. Certainly it shouldn't be their first car. You can expect to pay around $300 for this type of setup.
Traxxas RTR 1/10 Rustler VXL 2.4GHz with 7 Cell Battery and Charger     Traxxas RTR 1/10 Rustler VXL 2.4GHz with 7 Cell Battery and Charger

The great thing about these Traxxas rc cars are that if a part breaks you're not out $200 or $300.  Traxxas makes a full line of replacement parts for those unfortunate accidents.  Honestly that's why I recommend these cars.  They take a lickin' and keep on tickin'!  Do yourself a favor and spend a few extra bucks and have these cars for the next couple years.  Its a great RC hobby to jump into.

Wanna off-road? Some of the rc trucks have monster tires and can rip through some pretty rough terrain. You can build an obstacle coarse are race your friends. Lots of fun can be hand with this off-road rc cars. Here are a couple products in the $200 price range.
Traxxas RTR 1/10 Stampede with Water Proof XL-5 and 7 Cell Battery with Charger Traxxas RTR 1/10 Stampede with Water Proof XL-5 and 7 Cell Battery with Charger

Racing RC car

Ah, finally, the opportunity to seize and conquer the open road. Well, on a smaller scale. But it certainly can't be denied that one of the appeals of the RC car is that it allows you to go a little crazy--maybe a little too fast, maybe be a little (okay a lot) more dangerous than you (hopefully) are when driving an actual car.

Types of Racing RC car

Oval Track - This is your standard way of racing RC cars--not to say it isn't awesome, because it's definitely a lot of fun. Again, check with your local hobby shop or your RC Club for good oval tracks in your area.

Off-Road - A lot of people enjoy the freedom and fun of off-road RC driving. And it's true--you can go pretty wild with off-road racing.

Drag Racing - If pure speed is your thing and you don't care so much about jumps and stunts, drag racing is for you. Drag racing involves a 1/10 replica of a drag strip. You can buy RC drag cars that will rip across the strip in little more than a second. As you might imagine, they're some of the fastest RC cars out there.

Competitions RC car

If you've practiced racing your car and want to amp up your hobby, then definitely enter a competition. They're a lot of fun and a great way to connect with other RC racers. If you haven't already, join an RC Club and you'll know where to compete.

GE Aviation: Modern Apprenticeships in Aerospace Engineering Job

Location: Cardiff, United Kingdom Job Number:1462264
Business  GE Aviation Business Segment: Aviation
About Us:  General Electric Aircraft Engine Services Ltd are offering high quality Modern Apprenticeships in Aerospace Engineering.
Career Level:   Co-op/Intern
Function  Manufacturing Function Segment: Maintenance Operations
Location:  United Kingdom City: Cardiff
Postal Code: CF15 7YJ
Relocation Assistance  No

Role Summary/Purpose:    The Engineering Modern Apprenticeship is a demanding scheme, which requires analytical skills, a logical mind, numeracy, communication skills, teamwork, good manual dexterity, problem solving skills and the ability to read and interpret diagrams and instructions.
Essential Responsibilities. The apprenticeship will offer college and work based training up to NVQ Level 3, BTEC National Diploma and a recognised Technical Certificate plus Key Skills

Qualifications/Requirements:  Applicants must have or expect to achieve 5 GCSEs (Grade C or above) to include Mathematics, English Language & Science or a BTEC First Diploma /Level 2 Diploma in Engineering.
Desired Characteristics    Please Apply with CV & Covering Letter
Closing Date Friday 20th January 2020

Job Segments: Aerospace, Aerospace Engineering, Apprentice, Aviation, Engineer, Engineering, Entry Level

For more details visit GE Aviation Careers

  The Best Christmas Gift you will Present to yourself or to your dear one's this season is
this book that will delight anyone with an interest in Aviation: Full Power Ding Duck

 

Poor Ding! He’s a duck who just wants to fly, but can’t seem to get it. All aviators can relate to Ding’s misadventures… we’ve all made mistakes, done it tough, had our pitfalls.
What Ding teaches us is: never give up. Should we feel sorry for Ding? I rather feel sorry for his flying instructor!
Ding Duck is just one character in Gary Clark’s “Swamp” cartoon world. In “Full Power Ding Duck” Gary as brought us a collection of over 250 cartoon strips featuring the aviation world and a bird-brained hazard.

Buy it for yourself, or as a present for the aviator in your life. You will love it!
From the preface:
For someone who can’t fly it’s amazing the places Ding Duck finds himself in the Aviation world. He’s a perpetual student having logged over 5,987 flying lessons without once ever taking off. Yet you can find him on countless Flying School walls. His every attempt to fly ends in a mishap or disaster but he has featured in official Air Safety campaigns. He fails all his flight theory exams but he appears in textbooks.

His determination to get airborne despite the struggles, pitfalls and setbacks is what every aviator can relate to. Ding Duck is a reflection of the realities of the irony, pain and love of aviation, which can cause endless frustration to most pilots; yet despite all this we, like Ding, keep coming back for more.

Visit
To learn more about Ding and his friends, and to buy this book, visit Gary at his fabulous website, www.swamp.com.au. You can also view his cartoon archive and register for a free Swamp cartoon to be delivered to your email inbox every day.
Full Power Ding Duck
Publisher: Swamp Productions
ISBN: 978-0-9803971-0-9
Pages: 128
Age Group: all

Holiday Shopping Gifts: Top 10 Video Games & Consoles   

PlayStation 3 Slim Black 160GB Console $249.96 - $299.00
    Designed to keep you entertained, the PlayStation3 160 GB Console offers an array of multimedia possibilities in a single, simple and easy-to-use console. This console delivers a complete high-definition entertainment system and offers built-in Wi-Fi and 160 GB of hard disk drive storage for games, music, videos and photos.

    Xbox 360 Black 4GB Console $189.99 - $246.34
    With a sleek design, a 4GB Flash Memory and built-in Wi-Fi, the Xbox 360 gives you the gaming and entertainment experience.

    Nintendo Wii Console  $159.95 - $400.00
    Featuring a compact design that makes it a natural addition to any television setup, the Wii console is white in color and can be displayed either vertically or horizontally. The Wii console communicates wirelessly with the Internet via IEEE 802.11 or a Wii LAN Adapter. Wii also can connect wirelessly with Nintendo DS. The Wii is backward-compatible to all Nintendo GameCube games.

    Xbox 360 Black 250GB Console - Kinect Bundle  $399.00 - $509.99
    The Special Edition Xbox 360 250GB Console with Kinect. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in ways-no controller required. Easy to use and instantly fun, Kinect gets everyone off the couch moving, laughing, and cheering. See a ball Kick it. Control an HD movie with the wave of a hand. Want to join a friend in the fun? Simply jump in. Wi-Fi is built-in

    3DS Aqua Blue Portable Console  $169.96 - $193.04
    Nintendo 3DS is a groundbreaking hardware release that brings 3D gaming to the handheld market for the first time. The fourth major release in the DS product line, the Nintendo 3DS utilizes 3D Slider functionality and an improved top LCD display to present a glasses-free 3D effect on compatible games, while giving players the option to moderate the effect as they see fit.

    Sony PSP 3000 Console  $99.99 - $144.99
    Get more of what you want with the all-new PSP-3000 system. It has an advanced LCD screen, which offers the highest-level contrast ratio, best response time and the widest color gamut possible on an LCD screen. It also has anti-reflection technology, so that you'll get vibrant and natural colors in any conditions.

    Battlefield 3 - Limited Edition (PS3)  $57.95 - $59.99
    Battlefield 3 leaps ahead of the competition with the power of Frostbite 2, the next installment of DICE's cutting-edge game engine. This state-of-the-art technology is the foundation on which Battlefield 3 is built, delivering superior visual quality, a grand sense of scale, massive destruction, dynamic audio and incredibly lifelike character animations.

    Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360)  $54.54 - $59.99
 The next chapter in the highly anticipated Elder Scrolls saga, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for Xbox 360, arrives from the makers of the 2006 and 2008 Games of the Year, Bethesda Game Studios. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.

    Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Xbox 360)  $49.96 - $59.99
  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the 2020 release in the best-selling Call of Duty First-Person Shooter action series. The game is a direct sequel to the previous game in the series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, with a campaign storyline continuing the struggle of U.S. forces against an invasion by the Russian Federation following the framing of an undercover U.S. agent in a terrorist attack.

    Batman: Arkham City (PS3, 3D) $56.95 - $59.99
  Batman: Arkham City is third-person Action-Adventure game that delivers an authentic Dark Knight experience rooted in an original and engrossing story as well as a combination of melee combat, stealth, investigative and speed-based challenge gameplay. A sequel to 2020's Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City features the full range of classic enemies seen in the previous game.

1930: Amy Johnson - Queen of the Skies

Born in England, Amy Johnson was one of the most courageous pilots of her time. She set many records, including being the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, in 1930.

Amy set many other records, both by herself and with her aviator husband Jim Mollison.

Here is some movie footage about Amy…


Amy Johnson and her Gypsy Moth aircraft
Amy Johnson and her Gypsy Moth aircraft, in India, 1930. She called her plane “Jason”.

Amy Johnson

    1929: Pilot’s licence
    1929: Ground Engineer licence
    (first woman in UK)
    1930: England to Australia
    (first woman, solo)
    1931: London to Moscow(first in 1 day)
    1931: England to Japan(record)
    1932: London to Capetown, South Africa (solo record)
    1934: England to India (record, with JM)
    1936: England to South Africa (solo record)
    1939-41: Air Transport Command pilot incomplete

The Jet Engine

The jet engine is one of the coolest, most amazing inventions ever designed. It is reliable, converts fuel into huge amounts of thrust, and can be REALLY loud.

It is the jet engine which allows HIGH SPEED, HIGH ALTITUDE flight, getting you to your destination within hours rather than days.

The jet engine take air in the front, burns some fuel,
and sends air and exhaust out the back at high speed. The engine
actually PUSHES this air out the back, resulting in the engine
getting a push forwards.

It sounds simple, but it did not get invented until 1937, by a
bloke called Frank Whittle.

The Ultimate Tips To Make Shopping During The Black Friday

Today is American thanksgiving so I wanted to take a moment to
share with you some of the most important realizations in my life regarding
this idea of being thankful...

In our quest for "more" we often forget how great and precious what
we already have is. And what's the point of getting more if you can't get
enjoyment out of what you have? That's a pretty strong demotivator if you
ask me...

We often spend so much time in the unhealthy zone of envy or lack.
What we don't have and would like to have. What other's have that we don't...
And we often tend to measure ourselves so cruelly:

When we set goals, we look to the ideal we want to reach. And all too often,
we make the terrible mistake of judging our accomplishments thus far
against that ideal.

Not only can we never win in that scenario, but we are doomed to
come up short 100% of the time. Not much of a life...

The trick is to measure backwards. Look where you came from and
where you are now, that will always paint a more realistic and pleasant
picture.

What if you want to increase your happiness and gratitude, starting
right now?

It's easy!

     So, is black Friday really the best time to buy?

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It have become a the day where companies make big money. Retailers like Best Buy sell a lot.

I know a lot of people  enjoy holiday shopping due the discount and coupons that can be found during this period. Frankly, I’m not fond as people spend their money during the holiday shopping season. Anyway, despite I’m not a holiday shopper, it doesn’t means you don’t like buy on Black Friday.

So, if you’re going to shop today, I want to share some useful tips that will help you make your holiday shopping less stressful, easier, and more successful.
Best Tips To Shop On Black Friday

1. Make a plan - Without a plan, Black Friday becomes a hectic day. I’ll suggest to don’t go to shop without a list in hand. This is the best way to have all your offers in the same place, and make you take a decision quickly.

2. Shop from home – Today, many of discount offered by retailers on Black Friday are available online. Sites like BlackFriday.info, Black-friday.net, and Blackfriday.org are the perfect place to find which stores have the best deal to your needs. Coupons.the3dtechnologies.com also provides blackfriday offers.

3. Get Social – Being most retailers have a Facebook(this is the page of Best Buy https://www.facebook.com/bestbuy) and Twitter account, I’ll suggest to join to their network. Often they provide coupons and discounts on some products and you could get some interesting deals.

4. Know when retailers are opening – Know the store hours is become important when it comes to grab the best deals. If you wait until the last minute and your order happens to arrive damaged, you don’t have time to send it back and replace it with something else.

5. Use credit card – Often buy with Credit Cards can give you more benefit then buy without it. Credit card that gets rewards let you rack up the point while you shop. Lowcards ranked the best retail rewards credit cards on the market.

    Capital One Spark Cash
    Capital One Spark Miles
    New Ink Cash Business from Chase
    Ink Classic Business from Chase
    The Plum Card from American Express
    CitiBusiness World MasterCard

So, let me know if will you be shopping on Black Friday. If so, will in the stores early or online only?

Entrepreneurs and Aviation
The event, which by many is considered “the Oscars of Aviation” is all about recognizing and honoring individuals with great and significant contributions to the field of aviation.

Rather than just being a “star studded” event, many Hollywood and Aviation celebrities are passionate about aviation and attend this gathering to help pushing the message of keeping the dream of flight alive and to make it real to people that aviation is not just something for a few select individuals but plays an important role in today’s society. 

The current 70 people who are now part of the Living Legends of Aviation are people of remarkable accomplishments, in aviation. Members include entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, record breakers, astronauts, pilots who are now celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots.

John Travolta - Photo Credit: Bob Charlotte / PR Photos

John Travolta, the Ambassador of Aviation is himself a Legend of Aviation and started flying at the age of 17. He presented the newest Inductee Mr M Laurent Beaudion, the CEO of Bombardier with his award. His accomplishments to bring aviation forward are nothing short of remarkable.

Sean Tucker, the award emcee, always has an enthusiasm for aviation that is contagious to anyone he gets in contact with. From a reliable source, and from what I have seen with my own eyes, he is probably the greatest aerobatics pilots currently flying at air shows – a true professional in his field.

Actors and Pilots Harrison Ford and Kurt Russell gave out several recognitions at the event. Harrison Ford has done a remarkable job to introduce people and our youth to flying and is a great proponent and spokesman for aviation.  Awards included the “Aviation Legacy Award” given to Pat Epps, Atlanta, Georgia. Captain “Sully” Sullenberger awarded Captain James Lovell, Apollo 13 Commander, the “Captain Cool Award”.
Lynn Tilton

Delford M. Smith who founded Evergreen International Airlines was given the “Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award” Clay Jones, the “Aviation Industry Leader of the Year” and Lynn Tilton, the first woman to achieve the “Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year” award. Frank Robinson, founder of Robinson Helicopters, was acknowledged for his role in creating what ended up becoming the most popular helicopter in the world.

Bob Hoover, a true Legend of Aviation in his own right presented the Freedom of Flight Award to his fellow aviator and congressman and national hero, Sam Johnson.

After the event many celebrities gathered on the 8th floor of the hotel, mingled with guests and and shared stories about aviation with those who attended.

Harrison Ford with Captain Sully and other guests

Harrison Ford with Nick Rahkonen, President Friends of Aviation

Introduction to Flightradar24

How Flightradar24 works?
Flightradar24 shows live airplane traffic from different parts around the world. The technique to receive flight information from aircraft is called ADS-B. That means the Flightradar24 can only show information about aircraft equipped with an ADS-B transponder. Today about 60% (about 30% in USA and about 70% in Europe) of the passenger aircraft and only a small amount of military and private aircraft have an ADS-B transponder.

Which aircraft are visible on Flightradar24?

Common aircraft models that are visible on Flightradar24 (have an ADS-B transponder):
    All Airbus models (A300, A310, A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A380)
    BAe ATP BAe Avro RJ70 BAe Avro RJ85 BAe Avro RJ10  Boeing 737  Boeing 747
    Boeing 757 Boeing 767 Boeing 777 Boeing 787
    Most new deliveries of Embraer E190
    Fokker 70 Fokker 100
    Gulfstream V Gulfstream G500/G550
    McDonnell Douglas MD-10 McDonnell Douglas MD-11
    Sukhoi SuperJet 100
    Some newer Ilyushin and Tupolev for example Il-96 and TU-204

Common aircraft models that are NOT visible on Flightradar24 (no ADS-B transponder):
    ATR-42  ATR-72
    Boeing 707  Boeing 717 Boeing 727 Boeing 737-200 Boeing 747-10  Boeing 747-200 Boeing 747SP
    All CASA models
    All Bombardier Dash models All Bombardier CRJ models
    Dornier 328
    All Embraer models (except most new deliveries of Embraer E190)
    Jetstream 32
    Fokker 50
    McDonnell Douglas DC-9 McDonnell Douglas MD-8  McDonnell Douglas MD-9x
    Saab 340 Saab 2000
    "Air Force One"
    Most older aircraft
    Most military aircraft

Of course there are lots of exceptions.
For example one Lufthansa CRJ900, one LOT ATR-72, one Wideroe Dash, some MD8X from Onur Air, some Saab 340 in Australia and several private Cessnas are visible.
There are also some older A300, A310, A320, B737, B747, B757, B767 aircraft without the ADS-B transponder, and that makes thoose aircraft invisible on Flightradar24.

Notes:
Click on an aircraft symbol to get airline and flight data about that aircraft.
The blue crosses show the location of major airports. You can zoom in to see a closeup of the airport. Note that the satellite view of the Earth is NOT a real time images, but comes from the Google database.
You can zoom out and drag the map to find other locations of interest.

Beautiful Airports

Everyone has experienced it, and no one enjoys it: the airport delay. Missed connections, weather cancellations, and equipment problems make travel a less-than-glamorous experience. But there are some airports where you might decide that a longer-than-expected layover is not such a bad thing. Take, for instance, the Marrakech Menara Airport, where mosaic-tiled ceilings and gleaming glass ornaments evoke Moroccan royalty. In recent years, some of the biggest names in architecture have proven that airport design can be both practical and innovative — and improving passengers' travel experience.

Regine Weston, an expert in airport planning and systems, says a city’s airport is important on multiple levels. "The most obvious is that they are a gateway to your community, the first impression a visitor arriving by air has,” she says.

That's why a growing number of cities are spending heavily on revamping their terminals and tower structures to demonstrate their affluence and technological mastery beyond transportation.

"[People] fall in love with a city through an airport....It's the front row to a city and region, the first and last impression," says John D. Kasarda, a professor of management and director of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina.

Beijing International Airport, China

Just in time for the 2008 Summer Olympic games, Beijing International added Terminal 3, the largest above-ground airport terminal in the world. The Feng Shui is the creation of British architect Norman Foster, who designed and completed Terminal 3 in four years.
Its soaring aerodynamic roof and dragon-like form celebrate the thrill of flight and evoke Chinese traditional red and gold color scheme and symbols.
"If you are lucky, [you] see the sun glinting off the dragon scales on the spine of the building," says Weston.
The terminal is open to views to the outside and planned under a single unifying roof canopy. Linear skylights are both an aid to orientation and sources of daylight — the color scheme changing from red to yellow as passengers progress through the building.

Carrasco International Airport, Uruguay

Carrasco International Airport, or Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco General Cesareo L. Berisso, as it is known in Uruguay, is a private airport owned and operated by Puerta del Sur, and serves the capital city of Montevideo. The airport is one of just two airports in the country; it was created to expand capacity and spur commercial growth and tourism in the surrounding region.
In 2007, Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly designed a new building that plays off the tradition of grand transportation halls and departure levels all in one large space. The arrivals area encompasses an airy mezzanine level to help orient passengers to the terminal space before they descend to the baggage claim and other services. The curved roof of the airport’s exterior evokes the natural landscape of Uruguay, becoming not just an architectural landmark but a sculptural one, as well.

Denver International Airport, United States
Denver International Airport, or DIA, which opened in 1996, is routinely voted the best airport in North America by Business Traveler magazine, balancing passenger safety and providing an enjoyable experience. The terminal’s peaked roof resembles a village of giant white teepees, against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.
Denver-based architect Curtis Fentress, a pioneer in sustainable design, made the airport as "green" as possible, with solar-power operations, and a roof made of materials which reflect 20 percent of solar radiation in the summer and retains heat in the winter.
In addition to construction, the airport made operational improvements in 2020 and now uses a recycling program.
"It is the only major new airport to be built in recent memory, and as such has advantages over other large airports such as JFK, LAX, and ORD, which have grown organically over many decades and generations of airlines and aircraft needs," says Weston.

Incheon International Airport, South Korea

Since its opening in 2001, Incheon International Airport has been regularly voted the world's best airport in terms of the passenger experience. Award-winning architect Curtis Fentress, who also designed Denver International Airport, intended to design Incheon as a showcase of Korean culture.
Fentress spent weeks traveling the country, visiting cultural landmarks, and studying the lines and forms found in traditional buildings before he started to design the airport. The bow of the roofline emulates a traditional Korean temple, and while the arrival hallways are lined with Korean artifacts, some 5,000 years old, the airport's train terminal looks futuristic. Pine trees and wildflowers are planted inside the building.
The airport's baggage-handling system is designed to process 31,000 pieces of luggage an hour, and uses a centralized computer-controlled, automated tilt-tray system, that sorts pieces of luggage with barcode readers.

Lyon-Saint Exupéry, France

Formerly known as Lyon Satolas Airport, the building's most striking profile is based on two converging steel arches that resemble a bird in flight. Architect Santiago Calatrava designed St. Exupéry’s main concourse with a wing-like structure spread out on the ceiling and natural light coming through the openings.
Although there is a high-speed train station connected to the airport, Calatrava's aspirations for the airport serving as an international hub for the region failed, as only a handful of people use the high speed daily.

Malvinas Argentinas Airport, Argentina

Located in Ushuaia at the southern tip of South America, near the island of Tierra del Fuego, Malvinas Argentinas Airport's beauty is a function of its natural setting. Flights come in low over the Andes Mountains, crossing the northern plains, smooth hills, and mountain topography. The airport is a common gateway to Patagonia and the Antarctic. From the outside, the glass building reflects the sun; inside, timber frames the spacious main building.

Marrakech Menara Airport, Morocco

Modernism and traditional Islamic architecture come together at the Marrakech Menara Airport. Designed by a team of architects, led by Casablanca-based E2A Architecture, the airport added a contemporary terminal in 2008. Inside, massive concrete, diamond-shaped structures cover the ceiling, and light and shadows shift throughout the day. The contemporary design blends smoothly with the original terminal, whose columns are the typical diamond-shaped tiles in shades of green and terracotta.
Balconies overlook the central lobby and the main rest areas are equipped with sofas and armchairs decorated with fabrics typical of the region. The building's glass skin, which looks like wired mesh, evokes Arab artistry and design.

Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore

Singapore Changi Airport embarked on an ambitious expansion program in 2000. Its Terminal 3 was designed by CPG Corp. and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Inside, a woven tapestry of living plants not only divides the huge building into landside/airside sections but also connects the vertical space of the check-in/arrival areas, which are separated by a glass security screen.
The airport’s “butterfly-winged” skylights allow natural light in, while keeping the tropical heat out through regulated sensors. At night, the skylights glow with artificial lighting that is delicately concealed below the reflector panels. A five-story-high vertical garden, dubbed The Green Wall, complements the showcasing of natural elements.
"There are so many serene amenities, it's like a tropical wonderland," says Kasarda. "The idea is to calm passengers.”

Sondika Bilbao Airport, Spain

The Sondika Bilbao Airport is nestled in the hilly green landscape of the Txoriherri Valley, close to the city of Bilbao in northern Spain and the gateway to the Basque capital. Work on the airport started in the early 1990s, but was not complete until late in the decade; the airport was fully operational by 2000, with an investment of $39 million.
Santiago Calatrava designed the layout with considerable attention to the surrounding area and environment, limiting the impact of auxiliary buildings on the vista of the main building. The four-story parking structure has a sky lit walkway leading to the terminal building. It’s nicknamed La Paloma, or the Dove, for its birdlike silhouette.

Tempelhof International Airport, Berlin

Tempelhof Weltflughafen, often called the world or city airport, because of its commuter flights to other parts of Germany, was designed by Nazi-era architect Albert Speer. One of the airport's most distinctive features is its large, canopy-style roof, which was able to accommodate most contemporary airliners. Although this airport closed all operations in 2008, many experts in architecture say its design determined the shape of airports for generations to come.
"It was the first airport to make a statement. The terminals were architecturally important," says Kasarda. The airfield will be used as a city park, while the terminal will be preserved for cultural functions.

Singapore Aviation Scholarships

SINGAPORE : A new working scholarship has been announced for the aviation sector to attract high-calibre students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics.

Speaking at the Aviation Open House at Downtown East on Thursday, Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said the Aviation Horizons Scholarship will enable companies to recruit ITE or polytechnic graduates immediately upon graduation.

Together with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the companies can then sponsor the youths for part-time studies for higher qualification.

She said the scholarship aims to allow students to acquire work experience in the aviation sector, while they pursue further studies.

Mrs Teo also announced the Aviation Youth Outreach Seed Fund, which aims to expand the range of aviation interest activities currently organised for youths by the industry, associations and student groups.

She said the Seed Fund can support new ideas put forward by groups to nurture a passion for aviation in youth.

Both the initiatives are part of the S$9 million Aviation Manpower Programme (AMP) launched last year.

It aims to build the aviation manpower base through the attraction, development and retention of talent.

- CNA/ms

Military Aviation Humor | Civil Aviation Humor | Life in the Military
10 Ways you can tell your pilot is on drugs

10. All the in-flight meals are missing their dessert squares.
9. In between 'May I' and 'have your attention' there's a 45 minute pause.<
8. He's constantly yelling, 'Take that, Red Baron!'
7. Shuttle from New York to Boston includes stopover in Columbia.
6. His co-pilot: Robert Downey Jr.
5. For the last hour, he's been riding the beverage cart like a rodeo cowboy.
4. Keeps coming on the P.A. to point out clouds that look like his old high school teachers.
3. His wings are pinned to his bare chest.
2. When you fly over international dateline, he yells, 'Dude! We're, like, time traveling!'
1. When he exhales, the oxygen masks drop.


Military Aviation Humor
The Blonde Fighter Pilot

"So, a blonde fighter pilot was flying in a two ship one day. She was flying her heading just fine, when all of a sudden her wingman called, "We have Migs coming in at 6 o'clock!" She quickly took a thought, looked at her watch and said, "It's okay! It's only 5:30!"

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Engineer of the Year is Irish Aeronautical Engineer

Dr Pio Fitzgerald, a University of Limerick aeronautical engineering graduate, has won the highest engineering accolade from Boeing, having been named Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ Engineer of the Year, aged just 34.

On 12 November, Fitzgerald attended the Dubai Air Show as one of four nominees for the Innovator of the Year award from Flightglobal.  Previous winners of this award include Richard Branson in 2020 and the aircraft manufacturer Embraer in 2020.

Hailing from Killarney, Co Kerry, Fitzgerald graduated from UL 1999 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in aeronautical engineering.  As part of his degree, he undertook an eight-month co-operative education placement in 1997 with Boeing Commercial Airplanes, which formed the basis of his interest in his current speciality, flight-control laws. Following graduation from UL, Fitzgerald attained both a master's degree and a doctorate at Cranfield University in the UK.
Fitzgerald's breakthrough OAMS system for the Boeing 747-8F

In the spring of 2020, Boeing encountered a design crisis with the new 747-8F jumbo jet freighter aircraft, when "flutter tests" revealed a vibration in the jumbo freighter's wing.

Fitzgerald and his team made aerospace history when they developed the Outboard Aileron Modal Suppression (OAMS) system that dampened out the flutter on the Boeing 747-8F without necessitating any physical redesign of the aircraft. 

Fitzgerald's breakthrough system required an agreement on a "regulatory special condition" between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing.

Fitzgerald's ingenuity secured FAA certification and contributed to the delivery of Boeing's innovative jet in October.

In aerospace circles, his accomplishment has already been compared to the legendary Sutter Twist solution four decades ago, when a similar design crisis faced the original 747 passenger aircraft.

Speaking about the award, Fitzgerald today said he was "honoured and humbled to be named Boeing Commercial Airplanes Engineer of the Year". He also thanked UL for giving him the educational foundation to go on and progress his aeronautical career.

"The great education I received in aeronautical engineering at the University of Limerick provided me with the necessary skills to contribute at the highest levels in the commercial airplane industry. I owe a great deal of thanks to the faculty and staff of UL."

Prof Michael McCarthy, chair of Aeronautical Engineering at the Department of Mechanical, Aeronautical and Biomedical Engineering at UL, also spoke today about Fitzgerald's achievements.
'Mind-boggling achievement at such a young age' - UL professor

"These awards represent the highest honours an aerospace engineer could hope to achieve. Pio was a fabulous student, who we expected to do well. But to achieve this recognition is beyond anything we could have imagined. Boeing is such a prestigious company that every aerospace engineer in the world would love to work there. To even get into the organisation, let alone be named their top engineer, and at the tender age of 34, is mind boggling," said McCarthy.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes employs more than 70,000 people worldwide, including top aerospace engineers.

In 2020, Boeing had revenues of more than US$31bn, with more than 12,000 jetliners in service.

Carmel Doyle

Spain's First Unmanned Solar Plane

Students of Terrassa School of Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering (ETSEIAT) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTech (UPC) have together designed Spain's first unmanned solar plane – the Solar Endeavour UPC, using a technology developed by them. 
 

The students, Joaquim Creus Prats, Josep Fernández Coll, Carles Felip Aragón, Marta Marimon Mateu, Arnau Pons Lorente, IgnacioPedrosa Lojo, and Xavier Serena Alòs formed the ETSEIAT Trencalòs team.

Solar cells are fixed on to the wings and tail of solar planes. The cells had to be adapted to fit onto the wing’s curved, aerodynamic surface. The monocrystalline silicon used for making solar cells is extremely fragile and tends to break. The cells are normally 0.2 mm thick and the Spanish team built a panel, which along with the protective coating had a total thickness less than 1 mm.

CATUAV provided remote control and telemetry systems, which included GPS navigation, flight-assistance instrumentation and a video camera that provided real-time data to the control station on the ground.

The Solar Endeavour UPC has a cruising speed of 58 km/h with a speed of 90 km/h. It weighs 11.3 kg and has a length of 1.8 m and a wingspan of 5 m. The plane has five batteries that have a capacity of 40 Ah and weigh 2.5 kg. The average motor consumption is 11 A. The motor has a maximum power of 500 W and a cruising motor power of 127 W.

The solar plane flew continuously for 5 h 48 min at the Sedis aero club located in Seu d'Urgell. The solar panels provide over 50% of the power required during peak sunlight hours, while the batteries can supply the power when there is no sunlight source.

• Solar planes enhance the capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

• They can fly over the desired areas for days together. 

• They can be used for scientific missions, communications in isolated areas, traffic control and prevention of forest fires. 

The ETSEIAT Trencalòs project demonstrates the potential of solar planes for civilian applications.

By Cameron Chai
Source: http://www.upc.edu/

Design Your Own Aircraft
Your Mission: Design A Plane With the Proper Lift, Drag, And Fuel Efficiency To Make It From One Landing Strip To Another.

Aviation company GE Aviation has added a simple and yet fun “Design Your Own Plane” game to their website.  In this game you can experiment with different wing, engine and fuselage options to try to build an optimum airplane.  Then, when you think you’ve come up with the perfect plane, click a button and watch it fly.  Or not.  (My first one did not!)

Designing an airplane is not easy. You have to know aerodynamics, physics, and how to balance lift, drag, and engine fuel efficiency so that they all work together. No, designing an airplan is not easy task. Unless you have our little design application, then it's a walk in the park. If a couple of guys in a silent film can do it, surely you can, too. Give it a try!

Design Your Own Aircraft

Do not attempt to design, build, or fly a full-scale aircraft using any data from this game.

Share your experience after your successful Flight:) through commenting.

Happy News AME students, MAS-GMR Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility to be launched soon and expected a pool of employment opportunities !

European Agency will Audit the facility
 

MAS-GMR Aerospace Engineering Company (MGAE), a joint venture between Malaysian Aerospace Engineering (MAE) and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure, is expected to be launched during this month.

The Directorate of Civil Aviation is completing the audit of the joint venture facility paving the way for airline operators to consider it for their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) needs. The facility will be audited by the European Aviation Safety Agency next month and it is likely to attract European registered aircraft for MRO services if the stringent criteria of the EASA are met.

Special economic zone

The joint venture is a third party airframe MRO facility, the first of its kind located in the special economic zone at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. MGAE had one wide body hangar, one narrow body hangar with three bays and paint-cum-narrow body hangar with associated workshops. It is equipped with capability to provide base maintenance services, starting with narrow bodied aircraft like Airbus A320, ATR 42/72 and Boeing 737-NG as also wide body aircraft like A330 and Boeing 777.

Manpower

According to a release, MGAE has now close to 350 employees and the bulk of the manpower is made up of local Indian skilled workforce while retired Malaysian Airlines engineers and technicians are employed to kick-start the operations.

Training

In the run up for operating the MGAE facility, MAE, a subsidiary of Malaysian Airline System Bhd, trained 72 Indian engineers who underwent a two-year on the job training programme in Subang, Malaysia, and returned to Hyderabad as aircraft maintenance engineers.

Support staff of MGAE underwent familiarisation exposure in MAE. In addition, MAE provided assistance in the design of the joint venture facilities and operational readiness support.

Super Sonic Twin Motor Remote Control Airplane
RC Airplane Super Sonic

Review & Description
The RC Airplane Super Sonic plane is made for beginners so it's fairly inexpensive. The engines are pretty good and sufficient enough to get some height and distance. The construction is glue and two sided tape so you have to use a little bit of care with it. Don't fly it into trees and your ok. As long as you purchase this as a beginner you should be happy. If you are expecting to do some aerobatic stunts then you will probably need to add several hundred dollars to your budget and not even bother with this little guy.

This is a brand new Super Sonic Twin Motor Remote Control Airplane. This is a hobby-quality rc plane. Suitable for beginner. It comes with all the items necessary to get you started and fly immediately. Full function remote control Super Sonic airplane Super Tough, Lightweight Airframe All Molded Plastic and Foam Construction One set of extra propellers 4.8v rechargeable Battery Pack Transmitter Screwdriver Dimension: 17"(L) x 20"(Wing Span) Suitable for younger children of age 12 & up
Product Details

    Amazon Sales Rank: #19633 in Toys & Games
    Brand: R/C

Features

    Super Tough, Lightweight Airframe
    All Molded Plastic and Foam Construction
    One set of extra propellers
    Dimension: 17"(L) x 20"(Wing Span)
    Suitable for younger children of age 12 & up

TAP Maintenance and Engineering Brazil is Certified to Perform Maintenance on FAB’s F-5 Fighters

TAP Maintenance and Engineering Brazil

The F-5 is a fighter plane, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, of the United States, and used by the Brazilian Air Force and several other nations Armed Forces, including the United States, as a fighter pilot training aircraft and also to real operations of aerial superiority and ground attacks. The FAB is using this aircraft since 1974, and due to its quality and advanced performance platform, the Brazilian fleet was recently modernized in avionics and weapons systems, receiving the most up-to-date embedded technology.

In order to be certified to perform overhauls of these complex aircraft, TAP M&E Brazil needed to meet some technical requirements, such as to obtain the technical orders, specific tools, and special equipments, as well as to adapt the facilities and to organize a course entirely dedicated to train its engineers and technicians in the maintenance of such equipment. A group of 30 engineers and highly experienced technicians were graduated by an aircraft maintenance training school, with classes given by F-5 experts.

Aviation Scholarships: ACI-NA Commissioners Award Scholarships to Aviation Students

SAN DIEGO — Airports Council International - North America’s (ACI-NA) Commissioners’ Committee accepted the Scholarship Review Committee's recommendation to award scholarships of $2,500 each to two aviation students, at the ACI-NA Commissioners’ Committee meeting in San Diego, California. Recipients include Cameron McGillicuddy, a student at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan and Andrew Roybal, a student at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The Commissioners’ Committee Scholarship is designed to encourage and promote excellence in the educational areas necessary for effective airport management or operation. The ACI-NA Commissioners’ Committee has awarded more than 40 scholarships totaling $120,000 to students within the past 18 years.

ACI-NA Commissioners established the Scholarship Fund in October 1993 to recognize students with high academic achievement who are working toward a career in airport management or airport operations. The scholarship program recognizes the importance of the highly specialized education necessary for an individual to receive to fill the extremely complex and multi-disciplined role of being a professional airport administrator or airport operator.

To effectively run today’s modern aviation facilities an airport manager or airport operator must have high levels of management, operational and accounting skills coupled with some aviation experience. Details on the Fall 2020 scholarship winners follow:

Cameron McGillicuddy attends Western Michigan’s College of Aviation and is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Aviation Science and Administration, as well as a Minor in Communications. McGillicuddy interns at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport and has helped with the airport’s harmonization effort as they transferred terminals earlier this year. He has also volunteered with Air Traffic Controllers at Gerald R. Ford International Airport. McGillicuddy’s ultimate career goals include, being in a challenging aviation position where he can make a difference and remain involved beyond the requirements of a nine-to-five position.

Andrew Roybal is a student at the University of North Dakota where he is pursuing a combined B.B.A. / M.B.A. degree in Airport Management. Roybal aspires to one day manage a major airport and is barreling full steam ahead towards that goal. He is a native of Denver, Colorado and is very interested in working at Denver International Airport, citing its uniqueness in airport size and ownership structure as a great challenge and opportunity for an aspiring airport director.

India to rank among top five aviation nations: President Pratibha Patil

 

Mumbai : With a huge growth potential forecast over the next 10 years, the Indian aviation sector is set to be catapulted among the top five in the world, President Pratibha Patil said Monday.

"The potential for growth of civil aviation in India is huge. Recent estimates suggest domestic air traffic will touch 160-180 million passengers per annum in the next 10 years and international traffic will exceed 80 million passengers," the president said while inaugurating the fourth International Civil Aviation Negotiation Conference (ICAN) here.

The Indian aviation market currently ranks ninth in the world.

"Aviation plays an important role in the economic development process of countries. Flying is no longer the prerogative of a few privileged but an option for an increasingly broader section of society," she said.

She pointed out that deregulation of the domestic sector and liberalisation of bilateral traffic rights in the past decade has led to multiple options in carriers, timings and fares.

"Between 2005-2020, $10 billion has been invested in airports development in the country, with public-private partnership (PPP). In next five years, we plan to expand the airport network and provide connectivity to tier II and III cities.

"In metro cities, where the existing airport cannot accommodate future growth, a second airport is being planned... Navi Mumbai is a case in example. As a policy, we will continue to build and replicate the PPP model with other airports," the president added.

She also stressed the importance of an economic regulator to create a level playing field, promote competition, protect consumer interests and ensure better service levels.

"One of the key achievements by India in the last decade has been to set up an independent regulator for economic regulation of airports by an act of parliament with appropriate provision of an appellate body," she said.

To commemorate the centenary of civil aviation in India, Patil released commemorative coins in the presence of Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi and International Civil Aviation Organisation chief Roberto Kobeh Gonzales.

Over 300 delegates from around 65 countries are attending the ICAN conference, being held for the first time in India.


By IANS,