Video: Better Aircraft Rental - The 'OpenAirplane' UPC (Universal Pilot Checkout)

OpenAirplane.com

 OpenAirplane is all about making aircraft rental easier and more affordable for pilots, while also bringing more pilots to FBO's that rent. The primary building block for making OpenAirplane work is the Universal Pilot Checkout... a low stress but intensive checkout that makes it clear you know what you're doing in a specific type of aircraft.

Jason Miller conducting an OpenAirplane 'Universal Pilot Checkpout' (UPC)

 Jason Miller from The Finer Points of Flying (www.thefinerpoints.net) is your host in this 4 minute video. He gives great insight into what the UPC is and how to be prepared to pass it so you can get on with having access to the 67 FBO's around the country currently in the OpenAirplane network. That's 246 aircraft in 34 states available to be rented without a local checkout if you have a current OpenAirplane UPC in the specific type aircraft you're looking to rent.

A variety of rental aircraft are in the OpenAirplane network all across the country

 The OpenAirplane UPC also functions as an FAA flight review, plus it counts as recurrent training which can earn you a 10% discount on your renters insurance policy. The UPC opens the door to a vastly improved aircraft rental experience thru OpenAirplane's revolutionary standardization of the aircraft rental process.

 Everything in the OpenAirplane experience is designed to make it significantly easier for you. From finding aircraft to booking the rental, OpenAirplane is a single point of access that streamlines everything about renting. They even handle your aircraft rental billing... you just drop off the keys and the clipboard and keep your day moving forward. This is good stuff!

 Check out OpenAirplane.com for more info and to get signed up for easier aircraft renting.

OpenAirplane: Renting Airplanes Just Got Better

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: GoPro Takes You Crop Dusting In South America

 I was looking for something simple and fun to post this morning since I'm just barely back up and running on my primary laptop after a HDD crash the same day I returned from OSH14. I've been limping along this last 3 weeks with the geezer laptop gasping for air running Vista and overheating most of the time. Anyway, GoPro to the rescue with a fun South American crop dusting video.

 I'm usually not a fan of music backgrounds with aircraft videos, but I like this one. A lot. Seems to go very well with the pilot wearing the filtration mask : )

 Video screenshot: GoPro takes you crop dusting in South America

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: Is This Real? Drunk Airline Pilot (Must See)

 Of course it's not real, but it sure is funny! If you're under 40 you might never have seen the late Foster Brooks do his many different 'drunk man' routines on TV (back when there were only 3 networks!) - but then again, because of youtube you might be very familiar with him. It's crazy funny comedy, partly because he does it sooo well. Imagine trying to keep a straight face during this routine.

 I also find it fascinating that while Foster drew from his earlier years of drinking for the character, during his period of fame with it he rarely drank at all. As a pretty much non-drinker myself, I can relate to that.

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: The 'SLICK' Look At Oshkosh 2014 (Must See!)

 SLICK (Wesley Perkins) has crunched down the footage and his OSH14 video hit the streets (of youtube) over the weekend! This year's version is more of what we've come to expect in the way of a great video that captures the incredible aviation diversity that is Oshkosh, the world's greatest aviation event.

 With such strong attendance this year in both people and aircraft, there's no reason to think that OSH won't remain king of the hill for a long time to come. The reality tho is that Oshkosh isn't about being a mega event, it's really all about people with a passionate love for flying (and building, re-building, or restoring) airplanes of every imaginable kind. It's grass roots. It's down to earth. It's real. If for some reason this isn't the Oshkosh you know, may I suggest that you're doing it wrong. I've experienced 36 or 37 Oshkosh weeks since I was just 9 years old in 1970, and I love my time there every bit as much today as I ever have. 

 Thanx SLICK for another fabulous video reminder of how great Oshkosh Is!

(I've no idea what this A********e thingy is... I've never been to one of those and I never will. To understand what I mean, read reason #1 under 'WHY IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN'  : )

other Slick OSH videos:
OSH13
OSH11
 OSH10 

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: More Piper Cub Love From Hartford Wisconsin (HXF) And 'Cub Air Flight'

 I figured while I have your attention on Cub flying and Cub Air Flight in Hartford Wisconsin (from telling you about me finally getting current after 18 years away) I should share this video from about a year ago. It shows why Cub flying in general is so wonderful, and why doing it at Hartfod is nearly perfect. #LoveToFly

CubAir.net

 
 

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

My Oh My, The 9 Is Fine! Boeing 787-9 Videos At Farnborough (Before & During)

 You've probably already seen the Boeing video of the practice flight for the Farnborough aerial display of the new -9 version of the 787 (20' stretch, 40 more pax plus 350 mile range increase) - it's been a very popular video around the internets the last few days with already over 1 million views. Since it was so readily available by the time I had a chance to do anything with it, I never got around to posting it. I have however added it at the bottom of the page tho in case you are one of the 12 avgeeks who hasn't seen it.

 The video above is from PlanesTV Live and shows the actual Farnborough -9 display flight. It's all the same maneuvers as the practice flight but from a ground-based perspective. Great video. Great flight. Great airplane. (I'm prepared to declare the 787 the most beautiful and the most graceful jet airliner ever!)

 The video above is from TopFelya and shows the same flight from a different perspective. There's always something new to observe from a different point of view.

 This video is another from Boeing of the actual demonstration flight... it's not the full demo but still has some views of the -9 that are simply amazing to see.

 And here's that 'practice' flight video released by Boeing several days ago. The airborne views are simply stunning, which is no surprise since they were done by Wolfe Air (check this out). It's also interesting that lots of people thought this whole video was CGI instead of real. I admit that at times it has that look, but c'mon, this is the real deal. And wow, so is the 787-9... this is gonna be one popular airliner - Bravo Boeing!

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: The Hostile World Of F-18's On A Carrier's 'Pitching Deck' (Must See)

 This 20 minute video from the 2008 PBS series 'Carrier' is about the most must see video I've ever experienced. Maybe you saw the series, but I never did... and this segment, that chronicles the extreme hazards of flying off an aircraft carrier's 'pitching deck' (due to the swelling seas) in both day and night operations, is simply incredible.

Screenshot: F-18's launch and land on a wild 'pitching deck'

 I'm sure you're like me and have huge respect for the people who live and work on aircraft carriers, especially the pilots... but your respect for these pilots after seeing this video will be off-the-scale. Truly amazing.

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Videos: Boeing Goes Public With 7 Pax 'Space Station Taxi'... The CST-100

 I admit that I don't follow modern manned-spacecraft development very closely, and you can tell because I didn't even realize Boeing was developing a 7 seat spacecraft to serve as a low Earth orbit taxi!

 This video released yesterday gives a nice overview of the CST-100 project... and the one I found below shows a capsule drop-test from an Air-Crane where systems like the very critical parachute system and the air bag cushioning system used for terra firma landings were put to the test.

Video screenshot: Boeing CST-100 manned spacecraft capsule recovery drop test

 If I understand the information correctly, these drop tests actually took place in 2012, and they appear to have been very successful. The CST-100 is part of the NASA Commercial Crew Development program which is investing money in various projects from several manufacturers, and it shows that at the very least America is headed the right direction in having some form of successor to the Space Shuttle for getting our people up into space and back. Looks like I need to be paying more attention to what's going on!

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: Hey, The Harrier Jump Jet Don't Need No Stinkin' Nose Gear!

 This recently released video shows the details behind a unique vertical landing conducted earlier in the month by U.S. Marine Corps Capt. William Mahoney in an AV-8B Harrier II aboard the USS Bataan. Turns out when your Harrier nose gear won't extend - there's and app for that! They've got a stool designed to catch the aircraft nose, and as is seen in the video it works great. Capt. Mahoney explains that he never saw the stool at any time during the approach which certainly makes it an exciting event not knowing if it's really there and if you've got the aircraft, for certain, in the correct position.

USMC Capt. William Mahoney landing an AV-8B Harrier II without a nose gear

 I'm not sure how much damage would have been incurred even without the cradle since it appears that it would have made contact in pretty much the same spot on the fuselage without it, and with no additional damage to the area behind the engine intake. Regardless tho, the stool seems to have insured no damage, and put the aircraft in a position where work to get the nose gear down could be fairly easily accomplished. Job well done all the way around!

The USS Bataan in 2003 with a full compliment of AV-8B Harrier II jump jets

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )

Video: Fascinating Historical Account Of The 1965 Reno Air Races (Progress In The Air)

 This recently uploaded gem of a video is an old-school professionally produced film that chronicled the wide variety of aviation related activities taking place during the 1965 Reno Air Races. It's 21 minutes long but very well worth your time if you have any interest in the era that defined so much of what modern aviation is all about today.

A young Bob Hoover talks about how the 23 year old P-51 design still flies beautifully

 National air racing had just returned the year before in 1964 when the first Reno Air Races took place at the Sky Ranch airport just north of Sparks Nevada. Bill Stead was the driving force behind the rebirth of national air racing and it's great to see him in this video.

 Lots of dirt and a short runway were pretty much all they had, but the event included aerobatics, parachuting, hot air ballooning, the US Air Force Thunderbirds in the F-100D Super Sabre, and of course various classes of air racing. Those first two years of the Reno Air Races were an amazing celebration of a love for flight no matter the machine used to accomplish it.

Before the Red Devils, before the Eagles Aerobatic Team... a young Charlie Hillard

 I was fortunate as a young kid to experience Reno from 1967 thru 1970, and much of what is seen at the Sky Ranch in this video reminds me of the early years at Stead Airfield. It's interesting to note several things about the Stead name as it relates to these early Reno years. Bill Stead, a late 1950's world speed boat champion, pulled the first two events together after retiring from boats and moving on to racing airplanes. The location for these first two years was the Sky Ranch, but the airport was barely up to the task of handling the larger aircraft. Tragically, Bill Stead was killed a short time later in 1966 in a Florida crash of his midget racer in preparation for the St Petersburg races. The airplane was the newly acquired Deer Fly racer that had been the winner in the 1965 races at Sky ranch, as seen in the video.

A fascinating look at the early days of the modern hot air balloon movement

 For 1966, the National Air Races moved from Sky Ranch to what had been Stead Air Force base, named in honor of Bill Stead's brother Croston Stead who had been killed in a P-51 training accident at the base in 1951. When the base was deactivated in 1966 and turned over to the city of Reno, it was renamed Stead Airfield. Today it's known as Reno Stead Airport. The excellent facilities of Reno Stead have served the races well for nearly all of the 50 year history of the modern National Championship Air Races, known simply as the Reno Air Races... and the memory of two Reno brothers lives on.

Mira Slovak trying to win again, but Darryl Greenamyer started his win streak instead

This is definitely a must see video if you're interested in sport aviation history!

The Thunderbirds after replacing the short run F-105's with the F-100D Super Sabre

Like this post? Tell your friends... use the 'share' or 'email' article links below - thanx : )