It's Saturday September 23rd and here is Aviation Weekly #11.
In this edition:
1.
Norfolk Lifeboat Crew testing fleet of drones for search and rescue.
2.
Paul Allen's Stratolaunch fires up all six of its engines.
3.
IcelandAir Cabin Crew put on a performance.
4.
Flying School Feature from Philadelphia - Legacy Aviation
Hello, my name is Ben Lovegrove and here is this week's round-up of aviation news from
high altitude to below 400 feet.
Each week I bring you selected stories in the worlds of airlines, flight training, aviation
history, drones and UAV.
Head over to Redspan.com to find out how I can make marketing videos for your aviation
business.
So chocks away then.
1.
In Aviation Weekly #2 we mentioned how Devon & Cornwall and Dorset Police were the first
to have an operational drone unit to help with various policing tasks.
It's no longer unusual to see the emergency services using UAV but it's always encouraging
to witness their versatility.
The Caister Lifeboat in Norfolk is testing a fleet of drones equipped with lights and
cameras for use in its search and rescue operations.
Always with safety in mind their tests are being carried out in close cooperation with
the CAA.
Drones provide the crews with clear advantages when it comes to searching for people in distress
out at sea.
From the water's surface visibility is limited by the swell but with a drone in the sky the
crew are able to see much further and the view is unhindered by rolling waves.
The Caister Lifeboat service is made up of thirty volunteers and works independently
of the RNLI.
The service covers a radius of 250 miles of the North Sea.
2.
Engineers at the Mojave Air and Space Port successfully tested all six engines on the
prototype Stratolaunch earlier this month.
The Stratolaunch is one of the largest aircraft ever built and is designed for a variety of
sub orbital roles.
So far the flight controls, fuel, electrical, pneumatic and fire detection systems have
all been tested.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is sponsoring the project which was conceived as a means
to provide easier access to Space.
The aircraft was designed by Burt Rutan who is famous for his many aircraft designs ranging
from small, single-seat homebuilts like the VariEze and Long-EZ, to research aircraft
and those designed to enter the edge of Space.
The Stratolaunch weighs 250 tons, has a wingspan of 385 feet, and measures 238 feet from nose
to tail.
The objective is to create an aircraft that will be used to launch satellites and rockets
from low orbit.
3.
If the thought of a long flight from London to New York doesn't seem like a pleasant prospect,
would some live entertainment help?
Recently, Cabin Crew aboard an Icelandair long haul flight from London to New York put
on a live performance of a three-act play, "Ahead of Time".
The play tells the story of the airline's history from its beginnings in the late 1930s
to the present day.
Dressed as travellers from the 1950s and 1960s the crew told stories and sang to the passengers
during the ten hour flight.
The performance was part of Icelandair's promotion of its Stopover Pass which encourages passengers
to stay in Iceland for up to seven nights before continuing their journey to either
the USA or the UK.
Check out the address on the screen now www.icelandair.us/flights/stopover/ for more details.
4.
Legacy Aviation is a full-service aviation company headquartered at Northeast Philadelphia
Airport.
With their diverse fleet of aircraft they provide flight training for recreational pilots
and for candidates who seek training in preparation for aviation careers.
Their fleet includes several Piper Seneca, Warrior, Archer, and Arrow aircraft.
They also have two Grumman Tigers and two Cessna Skyhawks.
Northeast Philadelphia Airport is in a busy area that contains a great deal of air traffic
but new flyers need not be daunted by this prospect.
Right from the start their students are trained to work professionally with air traffic control
during all stages of flight, from pre-taxi to landing and missed approaches.
Their flight training programs include the Airline Cadet Program in which eligible trainees
can look forward to part reimbursements of tuition fees, en route to positions with American
Airlines.
For a full description of all their services visit www.flylegacyaviation.com
That's all for this edition of Aviation Weekly so subscribe to my channel for the next and
to catch up on any you've missed.
This was a Redspan Solutions production.
Head over to Redspan.com to find out how I can make marketing videos for your aviation
business.