Hat tip to the Digital Aviator Blog for posting this interesting video of an innovative Zeppelin concept. According to Gizmag.com, the Zep’lin is a blue-sky concept developed by industrial designer Damien Grossemy during a five month internship with Renault and it imagines the use of solar panel sails and electric propulsion to power a yacht-like vehicle. Now the big question: Would such a design actually get off the ground? Let us hope so!
Hard landing sheers off a nose wheel video
Hat tip to the Fly With Blake blog for posting this very short video showing what speed you should NOT try and land a Piper aircraft. It took the 7th bounce before the nose wheel was sheered off and the plane skidded off the runway. No word on where the video was shot, whether it was a student pilot (I hope it was NOT an experienced pilot!) and why the pilot did not just go around again but at least he or she walked away from this incident.
Stupid pilot tricks: top ten low passes (video)
All pilots practice touch and go’s and, if you do a lot of instrument training, low approaches followed by a missed approach but this video shows something different. My favourite is number 2 – the KC135. Wow! Don’t try this at home, kids. (Hat tip: Neptunus Lex.)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/7Dr2ZB36p9Y[/youtube]
The world’s most beautiful commute (by seaplane!)
If you are dreading your morning and evening rush hour commute, take a look at this short video segment with the Wall Street Journal’s Adam Thompson about Harbor Air – a sea plane commuter service between Victoria and Vancouver in British Columbia. According to Harbor Air’s website, the trip only takes about half an hour – shorter than many other commutes nowadays. Not only that, commuters actually save money as one commuter commented in the video segment that it costs her about C$6,000 a year to commute via the seaplane service – considerably less than having to own a second car or a house in Vancouver itself. And then there are the stunning views outside the window to look at! No mention in the segment what happens in the event of bad weather though.
Cool video and photos of flight traffic over the USA
The AirlineReporter website has recently posted this really cool high definition vide of FAA flight traffic data for a 24 hour period over the United States. And if you think this video is cool, check out the website of its creator (Aaron Koblin) who has also posted additional pictures where manufacturer, altitude and model data are visualized in both form and in different colors.
How do I choose a flight school?
If you are planning to learn how to fly, choosing the right flight is critical. After all, learning how to fly is a huge investment in both time and money. Hence, both a video along with recent post (What do you mean by Part 61 or Part 141?) created by Jason Schappert of MzeroA.com are well worth reviewing.
In fact, the video created by Jason, which was intended for the AOPA’s Let’s Go Flying Blog, lasts for 10 minutes – in other words, its very comprehensive and well worth watching. On the other hand, the blog post focuses on the rules and requirements associated with Part 61 and Part 141.
According to Jason, the key things to think about when choosing a flight school are:
- Do I want to train Part 61 or 141?
- How much am I willing to spend?
- How much time can I actually invest?
In addition, the key questions to remember to ask a flight school are:
- What is the average total cost?
- Is ground school provided?
- What is you maintenance policy?
Keeping the above advice in mind along with watching Jason’s video and reading his post about Part 61 and Part 141 will go a long way towards helping you choose the flight school that best suits your needs.