Poll: Awesome Or Ugly? The 1946 Sud-Ouest SO.6000 Triton

The future is now! (1946 French style) - the Sud-Ouest SO.6000 Triton 2-seat jet

 In the mid 40's the French were running a little behind on their jet aircraft designing... this little 2 seat side-by-side effort was their first jet, making its first flight in 1946. It was designed by Lucien Servanty who would later become one of the primary engineers responsible for the supersonic Concorde. That's a pretty impressive pedigree to say the least! Interestingly, I find the Triton to be one of the coolest looking aircraft because it seems to have so much of that 'futuristic' look that was popular in old films and comic books. It's sleek and simple, with a really small wing and just the right curves. Even the windshield design looks very futuristic to me. And those main gear legs are mounted about half way out those itty bitty wings! Lots and lots of cool going on here.

Only five of the French Sud-Ouest SO.6000 Tritons were built

 With only five having been built, and nothing very remarkable about its performance, the Triton is mostly a curious little sidebar in aviation history. The prototype was actually powered underpowered by a Junkers Jumo jet engine (like used in the German Me 262, tho the 262 had two engines) because the French designed engine intended for it wasn't completed yet. The other Tritons built wound up having a far more powerful British Rolls Royce Nene engine fitted thus improving performance.

Stubby wings and sorta futuristic spacecraft look of the 1946 French SO.6000 Triton

 Regardless of the fact that it was never put into production for military service as intended, I'm voting on the 'awesome' side of the poll on this one for sure! But what about you? Do you say awesome, ugly or both?

Will OSH12 Be As Hot As OSH88? (With Concorde Video!)

 I actually posted this Mach 1 Concorde ride video on day number 1 in the life of AirPigz.com back on December 8, 2008. It was the first real piece of content that I produced for AirPigz and it's actually from an old VHS tape I shot way back in 1988. I'd do a better job with the editing here 3-1/2 years later, but it's not bad. Anyway, 1988 was a very hot and dry year, much like it's been for a large part of the country this year. So I thought it might be interesting to wonder if OSH12 will be as hot as OSH88 was. Ha! No way to know til we live it, but one thing we'll sure miss this year at Oshkosh is Concorde. What an airplane, and what an amazing opportunity it was at Oshkosh back in the 80's and 90's for us to see the airplane up so close, flying multiple times, and then for a very few fortunate ones like me (thanks dad!) getting to actually ride Concorde!

 So please check out my primitive video of the incredible ride on Concorde at Oshkosh 88, the ride where we hit Mach 1 while traveling over Lake Michigan! It's all explained in the video. I hope you check it out... I hope you enjoy it : )

 Lastly, my OSH12 Will Be The Best Oshkosh Ever post should be coming soon as well as some info on the upcoming Bacon Parties at CampBacon in the EAA campgrounds. I'm currently cramming 48 hours of work into every 24 hours that passes by so I'm a little strung out at the moment, but that stuff will be up soon. Oshkosh is coming, Oshkosh is coming!!!!!!!

Video: The Best Airline Commercial. Ever. (British Airways 2011)

 After I decided this must be the best airline commercial ever, I started thinking back to commercials over the years and wondering if any other one might be better. I've been paying attention to airline ads on TV for over 40 years, and I just can't think of one that connected with the aviator in me while still conveying the message that they're here to transportl people safely from point A to point B. I really think this is the best ever.

 Thank you British Airways... I like you more than ever before.

 This the-making-of video is every bit as captivating as the commercial. Bravo BA!

Sonic Cruiser: Back To The Future - Includes In Flight Video!?

Boeing's Circa 2001 Sonic Cruiser concept for near supersonic air travel

(8 pix + 1 video)

 Now that the 787 era is finally off the ground, it’s kinda cool to look back at what Boeing was telling us the future of air travel was circa 2001.  This very cool collection of renderings, models, and a video can sure stir the imagination!

 It was December of 2000 when Airbus committed to the A380 project with the hope of knocking the 747 off of the throne as the high capacity airliner to the world.  Boeing certainly had to respond, especially since it had already been 7 years sine the 777 had first flown.  Boeing needed to show the industry how it was planning to meet the changing needs of the world’s travelers.

 Enter the Sonic Cruiser concept.  In March 2001, Boeing went public with a pretty radical looking design for a 200 to 250 seat airliner capable of cruising just short of the speed of sound, .95 - .98 Mach.  The general idea was that the bulky hub and spoke method of moving people around was not what the airlines or passengers ultimately wanted.  But the A380 with its rather massive pax capacity was certainly not going to fit a direct point-to-point model of operation.  Boeing reasoned that smaller capacity aircraft would fit the point-to-point, nonstop model that travelers clearly preferred, and best of all, the Sonic Cruiser would get ’em there fast.

Click to read more ...

OSH09 Will Be The Best Oshkosh Ever!

Follow @AirPigz on twitter for details on official AirPigz 'Pig-Ins': Fri 7-31-09 from 10:30pm to midnight, and on Sat 8-1-09 from 4-6pm at the PigPen (my campsite) at OSH 09

 No, it's not gonna be the best Oshkosh ever because the A380 will be on site, or because Sully will be speaking about landing an airliner in the Hudson.  It won't even be the best Oshkosh ever because VirginGalactic's WhiteKnightTwo will be on display, or because of the vast site improvements (including flush toilets!)... it'll be the best Oshkosh ever, for anyone who's there, because the best one is the one you are at right NOW!

 Oshkosh memories are great, and I have really been blessed with a lot of 'em.   Like when the first version of the BD-5 (with the V-Tail!) changed the homebuilt mindset in 1971... of when the Vari-Eze first appeared in 1975... of when Voyager flapped it's long skinny wings in 1984 (before flying around the world!)... of the first year Concorde arrived in 1985... of when the Russian AN-124 wowed us with its massive size and mission of friendship in 1989.  The list of fantastic and awesome memories is almost endless! 

 But, they're still just memories.  What you experience 'in the moment' is what really counts.  And with the start of EAA Oshkosh 2009 just a little over a week away, I gotta say, my excitement for world's greatest aviation event is really starting to percolate!

 This is the one event that you should really make sure you make room for in your summer schedule (hopefully you have!).  So, if you're fortunate enough to be able to attend Oshkosh this year, here's a couple items to keep in mind while planning your stay:

 First: The EAA Apps website is a fantastic tool that'll really help you to find when events of all kinds are taking place.  It's the best, and easiest way to be sure you see everything that you're interested in.  You can search any day for a variety of event types (attraction, forum, movie, speaker, evening program etc) and plan your stay to maximize your time there.  In fact, you'll never really know how much you could miss til you do some searching there!

Oshkosh 1971 and the very first (V-Tail) version of the BD-5

 Second: I'm gonna have two official AirPigz "Pig-In' gatherings at the PigPen (my campsite) in Camp Scholler.  The first one is on Friday night, 7-31-09 from 10:30pm til midnight, just after Sully speaks at the Theater in the Woods.

 The second one will take place on Saturday 8-1-09 from 4-6pm, before the Air Racer Movie is shown at the Theater in the Woods.

 These very informal gatherings are just a chance to meet up with people and talk airplanes. I'm gonna try to have some snacks on Friday, and if things go well, Saturday will include grilled hot dogs and some other goodies.  We'll also have the AirPigz "funny money"prizes at 5pm for anyone who won some prize money in either a 'Caption Contest' or a 'Name The Plane' game on twitter.  I'm definitely looking forward to meeting lots of people!  

 The best way to stay informed about further details on these gatherings, as well as exactly where the 'PigPen' will be located, is to follow me on twitter. Click @AirPigz and follow me now if you aren't already.

 Here's one last thing to keep in mind about Oshkosh.  The best part of the event is really the people.  People who are brought together by a common bond of a love for flying.  There honestly seems to be something special about people who love breaking the chains of gravity to be able to look down on God's amazing Creation from above.  So, while the airplanes make it cool, it's really the gentle, caring and adventurous spirit of the people at Oshkosh that make it so special.

 I hope you're able to make it there this year... and I hope you realize that it's the best Oshkosh ever!

Oshkosh 1985 and the very first arrival of Concorde!

Oshkosh 1989 and Soviet "Glasnost" with the AN-124

360 Panoramic Extravaganza! Must See Pix Of Udvar-Hazy NASM

Don't think... just do it!  Click this pic for an awesome full 360 panoramic! 

After the pic loads, click it to enlarge to super mega size : )

Click to view this one too!

After the pic loads, click it to enlarge to super mega size : )

NASM Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles Airport   photo: Smithsonian Institution

 
James S McDonnell Space Hangar at the Udvar-Hazy Center   photo: Smithsonian Institution

Mach 1 Ride On Concorde At Oshkosh 88!

 If you tossed all the airplanes ever made into a really big bucket like popcorn and shook 'em up, there's only gonna be so many that work their way to the the top.  Concorde is definitely one of them.

 Few other aircraft have been able to stir such a wide range of people, and do so with such unanimous adoration. And while some might see Concorde's legacy tarnished by the crash in 2000, the truth is that this is an amazing aircraft that stands as a fabulous tribute to those who made her a reality.

 For Americans, possibly our greatest opportunities with Concorde came at Oshkosh in 85, 88, 90, 94, and 98. Not only did Concorde's presence there give us by far the closest look at this exotic beauty, but for a few people it was a relatively affordable chance to actually get to go for a ride.

 I was one of those fortunate few.  I recently found an old VHS tape I'd made in the corner of the basement in a grocery bag, almost forgotten. Check out the vid for a unique look at one of the world's greatest aircraft. 

A total of 20 Concordes were built, with 6 used for development and 14 put
into airline service... 7 for Air France and 7 like this one, for British Airways. 

 
Bristish Airways G-BOAF showing many of the curves that make Concorde so beautiful.

 
Air France F-BVFA on display at the National Air & Space Museum campanion
facilty, the Uvdar-Hazy Center located near Washington Dulles in Virgina.
http://www.nasm.si.edu/UdvarHazy/
 

 The video above is really just a home movie I made to have a record of the day I got to ride in a real SST.  But it means even more to me now that I'm 20 years older, and especially because Concorde is now retired.

 My experience tells me that no airplane electrified the air at Oshkosh like this one.  No other airplane has offered the world so much capability while also being so full of grace and beauty.  I suspect that no airplane will ever surpass the stunning collection of attributes that are found only in this intriguing collaboration between the British and the French.

 If you're young or maybe just new to aviation, I hope you'll take some time to learn about the history of this earth-shrinking machine.  There are so many stories that take you a lot deeper than 'that thing sure looks hot'.

 And while many will argue that Concorde wasn't a financial success... all I can say is that I've yet to see real success ever be defined by dollar bills (or Pounds, Francs or Euros).

 To learn more, a lot more, check out the links below.  Go experience Concorde!

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk/concordeChronology.html
Straight forward chronological history of Concorde 

http://www.concordesst.com/home.html
All things Concorde - great site! 

http://www.wingweb.co.uk/aircraft/SST_rise_and_fall.html 
Nice overview of the SST concepts including Concorde 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/concorde/
PBS Nova explores Concorde + innovative aircraft 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_uW5sLug_0
Fabulous video tribute to the amazing Concorde