Flight Image of the Day

Solar Power Aircraft to Fly Around the World with No Fossil Fuels

2009-07-04T13:21:58Z

Check out this slideshow from Computer Weekly featuring the recently-unveiled Solar Impulse (registration HB-SIA), "the world's first aircraft the first aircraft designed to fly around the
clock without using fossil fuel or polluting the planet."

From a post on our Future Proof blog from earlier this year:

The Solar Impulse HB-SIA, the first prototype of a Solar aircraft has a
wingspan of 12m, wing area of 200m2, and weighs 1500kg. It
will fly during the day propelled only by solar energy and will glide
at night using energy stored during the day. The pilot will also wear a
symbiotic garment, which allows him to sleep but wakes him up to make
any necessary flight adjustments.

And from a Flight International report a while back in '07:

With 200m² of solar cells on the wing and horizontal tail, 400kg of lithium-based batteries and four electric motors driving propellers, HB-SIA is intended to make a 36h flight to demonstrate the ability to operate through a complete day-night-day cycle without fuel.

The single-pilot aircraft will take off with its batteries fully charged, climb to 8,500m (28,000ft) during the day under solar power and descend to 1,000m during night under battery power. The goal is to have enough power remaining to begin the cycle again the next day, says Solar Impulse chief executive André Borschberg.

HB-SIA will be powered by four electric motors each producing a maximum of 10hp (7.5kW), but averging only 2.5hp, he says. This will be sufficient for a flying speed of around 45km/h (25kt).

Also see the Solar Impulse website and a great collection of photos, including some taken during construction, here.

BACN Payload Taking Off From Kandahar

2009-07-02T15:07:42Z

This beautiful photo by Doug Monk depicts the Global Express XRS business jet with the BACN payload taking off from Kandahar, Afghanistan last March.

The BACN system uses software to translate incompatible waveforms, such as the airborne Link 16 network and the ground-based enhanced precision location reporting system. Read more...

Thanks, Doug!

RAF VC10 Tanker

2009-07-01T08:18:56Z

Today's image of the day is the user-submitted photo from Rick Croy of a UK Royal Air Force Vickers VC10 tanker, ZA148, on a refueling mission, with the aircraft showing its hoses trailing.

The photo was featured on the contents page of the 30 June-6 July issue of Flight International. For a chance to have your photo featured on the contents page, see http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace/photos/default.aspx

Red Arrows and Virgin Atlantic Flying Formation

2009-06-30T07:04:58Z

These photos by Steve Parsons depict Virgin Atlantic's flagship 747 'Lady Penelope' in a flying formation with the Red Arrows from the Biggin Hill Airshow. ('Lady Penelope' is also being called 'Birthday Girl' in honour of the airline's 25th anniversary.) Last Monday Virgin Atlantic announced an order for 10 A330 aircraft.

To see the great detail, click on the photos for a larger view.

Led by Red 1, Wing Commander Jas Hawker, Officer Commanding and Team Leader of the Red Arrows, the world-famous 'Diamond Nine' will formate around the Virgin Atlantic aircraft as they join together over the English Channel.

The celebratory formation will then fly over Canvey Island to Biggin Hill - passing near Gravesend, Dartford, Croydon and Oxted on the way to thrilling an expected crowd of 100,000 spectators at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair, where the Red Arrows will release red, white and blue smoke to mark this unique occasion.

A thanks to Airspace user Berniec for sharing this photo as well.

Happy Birthday, Virgin Atlantic!

Biggin Hill Airshow

2009-06-29T11:50:18Z

Today's image of the day was taken over the weekend at the Biggin Hill Airshow by Airspace user Chipmunker. Follow the link for more of Chipmunker's Biggin Hill photos.

Hitler's Stealth Fighter

2009-06-28T14:05:27Z

Today's image of the day depicts a re-created Horten 2-29 undergoing radar tests at a classified Northrop base in California. This project was undertaken for a National Geographic documentary premiering tonight, "Hitler's Stealth Fighter". Read more...

Supersonic Flyby

2009-06-27T14:11:02Z

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) while under way in the Gulf of Alaska June 22, 2009. Stennis is participating in Alaska's largest military training exercise Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise that focuses on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land.

(DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Josue L. Escobosa, U.S. Navy/Released)

Blasts from the Past: Tiger Moths & de Havilland Vampire

2009-06-26T06:03:27Z

No image for today--instead we have images! We just got sent these with an explanation below.

Photographs show Michael Marshall with his pilot Mark Hootons following their arrival at North Weald. Also enclosed are a photograph of Michael showing his flying log books to his instructor Ian Glenn of the Cambridge Flying Group with whom he flew on 30 March 2009 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of his gaining his Private Pilot's Licence. The final photograph shows Michael Marshall flying in one of two Tiger Moths over Cambridge. Michael is in G-AEOI and his son Robert was flying in formation in the other aeroplane.

Michael Marshall said: "I have been very lucky to have enjoyed 60 continuous years of flying which have 'passed in a flash'. I am delighted that the dH82 Tiger Moth aircraft in which I first learned to fly are still operational at this airfield".

2009 is the Centenary of the founding of Marshall of Cambridge in the motor business on 1 October 2009. It is also the 80th Anniversary of the Company's entry into aviation. The Company's first airfield at Fen Ditton was opened on 9 June 1929.

After gaining his Private Pilot's Licence in 1949 at the minimum age of 17, Mr Marshall joined the RAF as a National Service Pilot in 1950, doing his training at Gimbley in Canada. He subsequently served at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk and RAF Valley where he flew de Havilland, Vampire and Meteor aircraft. Following his university education at Jesus College Cambridge, Michael Marshall joined Marshall of Cambridge in 1955 and took over as Chief Executive of the Group of Companies in 1989 on the retirement of his father, the late Sir Arthur Marshall

Marshall holds the distinction of operating the oldest airfield in the country, from which Tiger Moths have been operated on a continuous basis. The Tiger Moth first arrived at Cambridge Airport on 26 January 1938 and over 300 were operated by Marshall during the Second World War as training aircraft. The Company trained over 20,000 RAF pilots.

Cambridge's first airport at Fen Ditton, was opened by Marshall of Cambridge on 9 June 1929, and to celebrate the 80th Anniversary, the Company's Annual General Meeting was combined with the Business and General Aviation Day (BGAD) Aviation Exhibition at Marshall Airport Cambridge on 9 June 2009. A small flying display was arranged following the Company's Annual General Meeting for the benefit of members of the Marshall Family, employees and visitors to the Airfield for BGAD. Following lunch Michael Marshall was treated to a surprise flight in a de Havilland Vampire historic aircraft, the type of aeroplane he flew as a National Service Pilot with the Royal Air Force in 1952!

Having gained his Private Pilot's Licence in 1949, Michael Marshall joined the Royal Air Force and began his Royal Air Force Pilot training at Gimbley in Canada on 9 April 1951 flying Harvard Aircraft. He subsequently returned to the United Kingdom in April 1952 where he was based at RAF Valley in Anglesey. On 10 April 1952 he had his first flight in a Vampire 5 Single-seat fighter aircraft and continued flying the Vampire until 1953. He made his last Vampire flight on 27 April 1953.

On 9 June Michael flew in a privately owned Vampire T11 Aircraft owned by Mark Hootons, based at North Weald in Essex. The news of the flight was kept secret from Michael until minutes before the flight.

Michael Marshall said: 'I was really thrilled to take the controls of the Vampire and fly the aircraft to North Weald. It brought back very many happy memories of the true delight of Vampire flying, and I was very grateful to have had this very special and unique experience.'

Michael was flown in the Vampire by the aircraft's owner Mark Hootons, who is pictured with Michael Marshall following their arrival at North Weald.

Michael Marshall gained his Private Pilot Licence on a Tiger Moth aircraft on 30 March 1949 when he was required to fly four figures of eight at 2,000ft. During a special commemorative flight on 30 March 2009 he was accompanied by Ian Glenn, the Chief Flying Instructor of the Cambridge Flying Group, when he replicated the earlier flight test conducted sixty years earlier. Ian Glenn said: 'Michael flew a perfect series of figure of eight as well as two perfect circuits and landings.' Michael Marshall regularly uses his pilot's licence to fly his Rallye Minerva aeroplane.

787 Structural Reinforcement

2009-06-25T06:21:14Z

Today's image of the day is Flightblogger's (Jon Ostrower's) image to explain the structural reinforcement problem on the 787 that is now causing a further delay.

Delivery of First Tianjin A320

2009-06-24T14:39:20Z

'What's Tianjin' you ask?

Tianjin, located in northeast China, is the sixth largest city in the country and also home to a new final assembly plant for the Airbus A320 family.

Yesterday Airbus, Sichuan Airlines, and Dragon Aviation Leasing marked the delivery of the first A320 assembled in Tianjin. B-501L sported a special livery, reportedly named "China Dragon", added since its first test flight last month.

(Photos copyright Airbus)

The plant at Tianjin is the first A320 assembly plant outside Toulouse, France. It is a joint-venture between Airbus, the Tianjin Free Trade Zone and state-owned China Aviation Industry (AVIC). It will deliver the second aircraft in July and Airbus expects to produce 10 A320s by end-2009. The production rate is expected to be ramped up to four a month before end-2011.

China accounts for 15% of total Airbus sales and observers say that the assembly plant is a sign of the company's confidence in the country's airline industry. Continue Reading...

Pic of the week (23 June) Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet

2009-06-23T08:45:44Z

Ricardo Travern flying the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet at the 2009 Paris Air Show last week by AirSpace user APG Photography.

APG Photography - see more images from his gallery on AirSpace.

Paris Air Show 2009 gallery

Paris Air Show - news, images, blogs and videos

Air Caraibes A330 delivery flight

2009-06-22T08:13:59Z

Picture credit - French Frogs Aviation/Yannick Delamarre

Delivery flight of Air Caraibes A330-323 s/n 1021 F-GOTO flight TLS/ORY on 18 June.

Aircraft profile: Airbus A330

Pic of the day, Paris Day 7

2009-06-21T11:00:00Z

The Airbus A380 passes over the Flight Chalet and the end of its flying display at the Paris Air Show 2009

Pic of the day, Paris Day 6

2009-06-20T11:00:00Z

The wonderful flame spitting Breitling Lockheed Super Constellation carrying out one of its few graceful aerial demonstrations at Paris 2009

Pic of the day, Paris Day 5

2009-06-19T11:00:00Z

EADS Bluecopter concept demonstrator is making its debut at this year's show.

Developed as part of the company's research into "greener helicopter technologies", the demonstrator is intended to deliver "cleaner propulsion" via lean combustion. It incorporates a high-compression-ratio (16:1) engine, an oxidising catalytic converter, a particulate filter and a selective catalytic converter.