The Aerospace Agenda: Recent Comments

Comment on Lufthansa Pilot Overcomes Crazy Crosswind at Hamburg Airport

PWY — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:11:51 GMT

The pilot misjudged the strength of the crosswind, but still managed to recover in spite of striking the wing tip and climb out for another try. On the next landing attempt, the controller assigned a runway that was more aligned with the strong wind, and the pilot got the plane safely on the ground.

Comment on Lufthansa Pilot Overcomes Crazy Crosswind at Hamburg Airport

Kristina — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:56:53 GMT

What was the result of investigation finally? I saw this video some time back and had a small argument with my friend regarding how it maintained to stay within the runway.

Comment on First Take: Discovery Channel Mini-series "When We Left Earth"

PWY — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:57:44 GMT

John,

Thanks for the update on the Johnsville Centrifuge. I still live in the area, and in fact I visited the centrifuge open house last April. It brought back many great memories of my time working there. I'm glad to see that an enthusiastic group is trying to preserve the building and equipment as a legacy to the groundbreaking aerospace research conducted there. I'd be happy to visit again to share some of my stories with your group. Good luck with the museum.

Pete

Comment on First Take: Discovery Channel Mini-series "When We Left Earth"

John — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:34:13 GMT

I came across your blog I as ws Googling the Johnsville Centrifuge. As you mention, the centrifuge, although inoperable, is still in place. We are currently in the fundraising stages of our efforts are to establish a musuem and learning center at the site. We have done building tours for interested groups (scout troops, senior groups and history, aviation and space enthusiasts) and have used the Centrifuge Room to host fundraising events and meetings. The couches (including Deke Slayton's) are on display.

If you are still in the area, or ever make it back to Bucks County, we'd be thrilled to meet you. Part of what we are doing is taking oral histories from people who worked there so we can present a full and accurate story about the important place that the Johnsville Centrifuge holds in the history of US space exploration. It sounds like you may have plenty of stories that would help us get a better picture of what happened at the centrifuge.

Comment on Beautiful Photos of Bush Plane Flying in Alaska

PWY — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:24:13 GMT

The pictures can be found by clicking on the highlighted words "some amazing photos" in the first paragraph. That link will take you to Shaun Lunt's web site.

Comment on Lufthansa Pilot Overcomes Crazy Crosswind at Hamburg Airport

PWY — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:43:32 GMT

Hi Jim,

In fact there has been discussions about placing cameras on external locations to aid the aircrew in seeing areas of the aircraft not visible from the cockpit. With the evolution of very small, light-weight digital cameras, it should be possible to have several such cameras located on strategic locations on the aircraft exterior. A small flat-screen display in the cockpit would allow the aircrew to switch to various views as needed to survey the outside. Even though the technology of "pencil-size cameras" has gotten much cheaper in the last few years, it is still an additional cost the airlines would have to absorb, which in this economic climate doesn't help the airlines bottom line. This is the only reason I can see for not having them. Putting them on new aircraft when they are designed and built should be cheaper than retrofitting an existing plane, so hopefully we will see then on the next-generation of commercial aircraft.

There also has been discussions about placing video cameras in the cockpit to aid in accident investigation (I believe the NTSB has recommended this in the past). This would be a supplement to the already existing cockpit voice recorder. However, the pilots have opposed this due to privacy concerns.

Comment on Lufthansa Pilot Overcomes Crazy Crosswind at Hamburg Airport

James — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:44:52 GMT

Hi there

I really liked the article, I was thinking further to your camera point, as in why don't airports have cameras on their runways. I was also wondering to myself why don't planes themselves have any form of onboard cameras which could record and maybe even assist the pilots.

For example there have been accidents whereby the pilots didnt know which engine they had a problem with even though visuals of the plane would have given them a clear indication?

Surely the cost of placing a couple of cameras on a plane to give the pilots a view of each engine and maybe the rear of the plane wouldnt be very expensive and might help in some cases of engine problems? I wonder people's thoughts on this who know more about planes and flying.

James

Comment on Spanair Crash Prompts Usual Mass Media Feeding Frenzy

Mr.Plane — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:51:32 GMT

Hello, I want to comment this one. I think media's actions to disasters like this is acceptable because so many human lives loss. It should be in the headlines. Anyway, highway accidents are always so much smaller than airline accidents and the reason for media's actions comes from there. And if you think of it, there is a very little chance that plane crash would be "minor". It always breaks the newswall. And maybe that is a one reason air travelling is much safer than any other.
But yes, I don't either want to see any plane crash in the news but if something happens, it should be reported. But in the proper way. Not the stories "I am the one who was supposed be in that plane but I needed to go to toilet and missed that flight, it was a sign from the above". That is hollywoods job :)

Comment on Martin Jetpack Still Far From "Practical"

Geoff Andrews — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:39:49 GMT

Glenn, I need to contact you. Please contact me through www.keanewzealand.com web site. Regards - Geoff Andrews

Comment on Largest U.S. Airshow Kicks Off This Week In Oshkosh, Wisconsin

MrPlane — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:38:26 GMT

Keep us posted and show us some pics from there. I'd love to be there too...