Caption Contest #72 - Ends Wednesday 4.11.12 At 9PM EDT

 I'm working on an easier and better way to cook bacon at Oshkosh this year, and this is very relevant because the winner of this Caption Contest will earn a delicious bacon sandwich at OSH12. So if bacon is your thing, and you're gonna be taking in the greatest aviation event in the world this July, then I suggest you whip up a fab caption (or three) for this wacky pic! And if bacon isn't your thing... really? What's wrong with you? 

 So, you've got til Wednesday evening at 9pm EDT to submit your clever/funny/cool captions. Then, I’ll pick the best 5 and put ’em in a poll for everyone to vote on for all day Thursday and Friday so we can find the winner. 

 The Rules: 

1) Max of 3 submissions per person

2) Submissions go in the 'comments' area 

3) Game ends Wednesday at 9pm EDT 

4) Keep it clean!

 Then, anyone can cast their vote starting Thursday morning and running thru til 9pm EDT Friday. The winner will be posted Saturday morning 4-14-12. Have fun, and happy landings : )

CoolPix: Looking Back At Pilots Who Were Looking Ahead

NACA test pilot George Cooper with a North American F-100 Super Sabre

(click pic for hi-res) 

 There's something so very cool and special to me about the images from the big experimental jet age of the 50's and 60's, images like this one showing NACA test George Cooper suited up in front of a NACA F-100. Maybe it's the fact that many of these images are black and white... maybe that adds a mystique or intrigue to me that color doesn't. But I think it's bigger than that. This era was so incredible for how we as a nation were advancing forward, pushing the limits of what could done at the time, and somehow the images reflect that to me. There's a different way the people hold themselves and a special look in their eyes.

 It's such a journey into the past to see these images, especially when they are available in hi-res like the one I posted here as a CoolPix. If you like this stuff like I do, I've got good news. Hop over and check out the test pilot category at Jet Pilot Overseas for an impressive collection of vintage images from this amazing era. Test pilots are very special people who live life on the bleeding edge... and in this past era, there was a lot of that bleeding edge to go around.

HD Video: Stunning Italian Mountains Seen From A Paraglider Harness

 You don't have to be into paragliding to be awed by this HD video from youtuber TOMASMBASK. Be sure to watch in HD and full screen if you can for a much larger impact. The mountains are the Dolomites in north-eastern Italy... such great beauty. And a paraglider is a truly amazing way to experience them. I'm sure glad they took cameras to share it all with of us : )

Setting My Thoughts On The Pitts S2C (Flying Soon With Billy Werth)

Billy Werth from Grayout Aerosports and his awesome Pitts S2C (photos: facebook)

 I'm just beginning to seek out the finer details of flying a Pitts S2C in preparation for going flying soon with Billy Werth from Grayout Aerosports in Indianapolis Indiana. His beautiful red-white-and-blue Pitts has recently been put back in the air after the typical winter tear-down for a hardworking aerobatic aircraft and there's a pretty good chance that my opportunity to give this hot and wild aircraft a try will come sometime next week.

 I was extremely fortunate to have my dad teach me how to fly when I was just 13 (1974) in a Citabria 7KCAB that he had bought new in 1973. In the following 15 years I was able to build up quite a bit of time in a variety of fun and unusual aircraft, but the most recent 15 years of my life have been almost completely void of actual piloting opportunities. There's a range of reasons why, but especially these last three years (since AirPigz has been up) have been plagued by some pretty intense financial difficulties.

 So anyway, you can imagine the excitement that's building at the prospect of strapping on a Pitts S2C with Billy in the back seat and seeing if I'm man enough to tame the beast! Actually, this is a good time to say that I don't think we're meant to tame an aircraft like this (or any aircraft for that matter) but rather our place is to work with the airplane balancing our skills against its capabilities... it's far more of a cooperative effort that leads to the greatest satisfaction and accomplishment in the sky. If you're really bent on showing the airplane who's boss, you're much more likely to end up licking your wounds.

 Although it's been a long time since I've had my hands on a stick and throttle, I'm somewhat confident in the skills I still have. This is bolstered all the more by the opportunity I had last Sunday to fly with a new friend in his 1940 Taylorcraft. He let me make the takeoff and the landing and I was pleasantly surprised that I felt completely at home. In fact, I actually felt more competent than ever before because I'm a much more mature person than I used to be... and when that's added to the skills developed early in my life, I'm a more complete package as a pilot than ever before. No doubt tho, giving the Pitts a try will stretch all my skills significantly farther than ever before. I can hardly wait!

Video: PAL-V Flying Car Kinda Motorcycle Gyrocopter Thingy Flies!

 I'm willing to go on record saying that I just don't think the idea of having a car that can fly is a really great idea. My biggest issue relates to the fact that flying machines are lightweight... and lightweight flying machines that can be driven on the road (where pot-holes can do serious structural damage), and can be parked with cars driven by reckless human beings (where all kinds of damage can occur) are just too much at risk for having their airworthiness compromised. The worst case scenario is when damage occurs but remains undetected.

Video screenshot of the Dutch PAL-V roadable gyrocopter which has now flown
 

 But there remains a significant desire among many to see the car and the airplane produce some sort of hybrid offspring. The PAL-V flying car project designed and built by the Dutch company PAL-V Europe NV has recently made its first flight as the video above shows. I'll admit that the overall setup here looks pretty sweet and very well executed, but I'll stand by my love for flying machines that only do their wheel rolling on an airport : )

Video: MINI Countryman Adds Wingsuit Towing Capability!

 You may have noticed that I chose to bypass the viral hoax video of the flapping wing hang glider from a little over week ago... yet, I'm posting this recent MINI commercial that's gotta be faked as well. But with a commercial, you kinda expect fakery anytime aviation is used in an extreme way to push someone's products. The wing flapper video on the other hand was a deliberate hoax, and for some reason that failed my editorial test.

Wingsuit flyer being towed by a MINI Countryman? Not so much. (video screenshot)
 

 This video showing a MINI Countryman supposedly launching and then towing a wingsuit flyer from the top of the car is really well done, and looks pretty darn real, but you get a break from reality when the MINI slides to a stop and gives him a toss into the Grand Canyon. Bottom line: I'm happy to just write it off as some cool & fun entertainment.

 It's a little more than that just for me tho as the MINI Countryman is also the car I wound up desiring more than any other at the recent Chicago Auto Show. I put a lengthy post up with 27 pix about the show... the Countryman is at the end of that post. Plus, there's even more... the Countryman in this commercial is the John Cooper Works pumped up version with more power and thus even more fun. I do very much want : )

MINI Countryman (John Cooper Works) wingsuit commercial (video screenshot)

So, watch the video, enjoy, and go MINI!

#SNF12 - Thursday: Spring Break For Pilots Is Under Way! (13 Pix)

AeroShell Aerobatic Team on Tuesday looking fab in the Florida sky (photo: EyeNo)

(13 pix)

 If you're at Sun-n-Fun 2012 then you probably already know that 'spring break for pilots' actually began on Tuesday the 27th. I was able to make the trip from Indiana to Florida the last two years but just couldn't make it all come together for this year. However, my friend Ken Mist (@eyeno) from Canada was able to work his way south and has been sending me some photos for posting. Thanks Ken!

 So here's a little slice of what's happening at Lakeland Florida at Sun-n-Fun 2012:

Tuesday March 27th pix:

Commemorative Air Force B-29 FIFI is always a beautiful sight! (photo: EyeNo)

Lockheed XFV-1 tailsitter - always on display at the Florida Air Museum (photo: EyeNo)

Click to read more ...

Scaled Composites Career Day April 21st - Hot Company Looking For Cool Engineers!

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo and WhiteKnightTwo at Scaled Composites Mojave, CA
 

SCALED COMPOSITES CARERR DAY - SATURDAY APRIL 21, 2012

 If you're a hands-on engineer interested in aviation and aerospace and you're looking for a career, you should probably be RSVP'n to Scaled Composites to take part in their Career Day coming up soon on Saturday April 21, 2012. The event will run from 10am to 2pm at the Scaled facilities at the Mojave Air & Spaceport in Mojave, California.

 Scaled is growing and has need to add a range of specialized positions for their ongoing work on some of the most interesting flying machines in the world... including the new Stratolaunch super-sized spaceship and mothership project.

 This Career Day is a very special opportunity for people who are seriously interested in working for the company. You'll get both an unprecedented look at some of the Scaled facilities as well as the opportunity to talk with Scaled employees. Read the info below (pulled from the Scaled Career Day page), or hit this link for all the details. Read it all closely so you understand the details and be sure to RSVP if you're planning to attend.

Scaled employees working on SpaceShipOne - 2004 winner of the Ansari X Prize

On Saturday April 21, 2012, Scaled Composites, LLC will open its hangar doors to give job seekers of all backgrounds the chance to talk to our employees and see some of our unique aircraft.  The Career Day and Open House will occur from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM; qualified applicants should come prepared to talk one-on-one with Scaled employees.

This is a chance for us to get to know you, for you to show us what you are passionate about, and for us to learn how you might fit into our company.  Fly or drive out with a resume, examples of your work, bottled water, sun protection, and be ready to find out what it means to have “FUN” at work.

Please RSVP with attached resume to “resume@scaled.com,” subject line “Career Day.”

Scaled Composites is looking for qualified applicants in the following categories:

  - Aerodynamicist
  - Avionics Engineer
  - Composite Fabricator
  - Composite Structural Analyst
  - Composites Design Engineer
  - Data Analyst Engineer
  - Electrical Engineer
  - Manufacturing Engineer
  - Materials and Process Engineer
  - Mechanical Design Engineer
  - Program Business Manager (PBM)
  - Program Business Analyst (PBA)
  - Domain/Software Administrator (IT)

Visit our careers page for further details.

Please note, Scaled Composites, LLC will consider applications and resumes from U.S. Citizens only; Scaled Composites, LLC does not offer foreign employee (H1) visa sponsorship. Scaled Composites, LLC does not offer internships at this time.

Event Location/Details:

Mojave Air and Spaceport
Hangar 78
1624 Flight Line
Mojave, CA 93501

April 21, 2012, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

This event coincides with Plane Crazy Saturday Fly-in and Static Display, a Mojave Transportation Museum Event. Please visit the Mojave Museum Website for more information.  http://www.mojavemuseum.org/index.html

 
SpaceShipTwo with Scaled employees on the ramp at their Mojave facilities

Video: Air Racers 3D (IMAX) - Fly Into The Valley Of Speed!

Air Racers 3D opens in slected IMAX theaters April 5th and 6th (2012)

(5 pix and 2 videos)

 It would at first seem that the timing of this new IMAX theater film project called Air Racers 3D couldn't be worse... with production running thru Reno 2009 and 2010 with the goal of showcasing the amazing world of low-fast-left air racing, it seemed like the perfect concept. But then the unimaginable Jimmy Leeward Galloping Ghost tragedy took place at Reno 2011 taking the lives of 11 people and seriously injuring many more. Would the Reno Air Races even be able to continue? On the surface it seemed like maybe air racing just wasn't safe anymore... but when you look closer at the accident, you realize that tragedy is part of the human experience, and as much as we wish life could be completely safe with all the right planning, the truth is that lives are lost everyday as a result of circumstances that simply couldn't be prepared for.

 With the spirit of air racing fans intact and the desire to move forward with safety the number one priority (as it has always been) the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) announced in early January the intention to move forward with plans for the 2012 Reno Air Races, working hard to secure all the needed permits and approvals. And now, Air Racers 3D not only has its place as a film, but you might even say that the timing for it now actually couldn't be any better. The reason is that this amazing IMAX film will do much to help others see what air racing is all about... more people than ever before will see that this isn't a pack of wild out-of-control pilots, but rather that Reno air racing is a large number of incredibly dedicated individuals and teams that work very hard to safely bring the fastest motorsport in the world to thousands and thousands of enthusiast fans. Air Racers 3D is actually in a position to help the sport of air racing to survive.

Young champion Steven Hinton is showcased in the Air Racers 3D IMAX film

 As can be seen in Air Racers 3D trailer video above, the visuals for this IMAX film are amazing. The 45 minute film will give us all the kind of visual experience most of us have wanted to have but never expected to get. The film crew had unprecedented access to the races, the teams and the airplanes... and when you add IMAX cameras and the IMAX theater, the end result will be incredibly dramatic.

Amazing cockpit view on the Reno air race course... F7F Tigercat off your wingtip!

Click to read more ...

Caption Contest #71 Scratches Up A Winner!

 Two things I've noticed about winning captions... they usually have few words, and oddly the first caption submitted often winds up as the top dog, pun intended here. So today we say congrats to 'Jason' who was the first of many to put forth a cat caption, and he did it with very few, very good words. The voting was close this time around, and it was a good thing I switched over to the other poll software so we wouldn't bump up against the vote cap. But in the end, Grumman's newest cat came out on top : )

 This means it's a bacon sandwich at OSH12 for Jason! I hope he's able to make it to the world's greatest aviation event and can stop by an official AirPigz 'bacon party' at CampBacon cuz this year the sizzlin' swine strips should be better than ever. And of course everyone needs to remember that free bacon is available to anyone who wants to stop by one of the bacon parties, it's just that gourmet bacon sandwiches are reserved for AirPigz game winners. All the bacon party details will be posted as we get closer to OSH12.

 And as always, thanx to everyone for playing along with the AirPigz avgeek caption contest. I might skip a week but there'll be more of this fun coming your way on a Monday morning before long - stay tuned.