Space remains a dangerous Business?
Just like the Space shuttle, we can become over confident and routine about any form of travel and then disaster strikes with the loss of lives! Today that was averted when the Russian Soyuz aborted and landed safety, but history of space shows us the many disasters and losses over the years since 1957!?
Space is still in its infancy and those designers and engineers may have access to newer kit, computers and materials but the old problems of human mistakes remain?
We see the genius of Elon Musk being wasted on his spiff of marijuana, what if something in his flawed design not seen lead to a similar incident with space tourism one knows not many of these fantasy spaceships have lifeboats?
We are some 500 years away from anything like even the first science fiction Star trek ship, if one is ever built? Outer space flight is revealing obstacles and debris in the outer reaches! We still are not clear on the effects of radiation in stellar space, we know that in our own space around the gravitational field of our sun it could lead to sterilisation!
Thursday, 11 October 2018
Thursday, 27 September 2018
Boeing 777X
777-8/9.
These are the next generations of the twenty four year-old design of the Boeing 777-100/200 long range aircraft, that is now to have a second life! It was hoped that the 777, would replace the 747 but it still had some life left in it yet?
Today the 747 is now in decline, but orders for the 747-8 is still continuing, the 777 on the other hand has faced stiff competition from the European Airbus and their A350-900/1000 Extra wide body! But what keeps the 777 is not capacity but range over the A350-900?
These next two new aircraft that will appear in service from next year into the 2020's will have the seating capacity and range to out do the Europeans and keep the type perhaps as the successor finally to the 747?
These are the next generations of the twenty four year-old design of the Boeing 777-100/200 long range aircraft, that is now to have a second life! It was hoped that the 777, would replace the 747 but it still had some life left in it yet?
Today the 747 is now in decline, but orders for the 747-8 is still continuing, the 777 on the other hand has faced stiff competition from the European Airbus and their A350-900/1000 Extra wide body! But what keeps the 777 is not capacity but range over the A350-900?
These next two new aircraft that will appear in service from next year into the 2020's will have the seating capacity and range to out do the Europeans and keep the type perhaps as the successor finally to the 747?
Off to the Moon! Part-Two.
Stepping Stones?
It is still not known if the U.S. government will keep the International Space station going in favour of commitments to a New Moon base, but what is clear this will be part of the next step to go on to establishing something more permanent on Mars?
Claims of six to thirty years are still the various estimated times for such missions, commercially it might be six years to pull off a stunt, but to be serious thirty is more practicable since many things still require testing and approval?
With the recent discovery of water on the poles of the Moon, this will encourage the base plans to go ahead perhaps within the next six years, but keeping ISS has a half-way point would be wise in the initial stages of this vast project!
It is still not known if the U.S. government will keep the International Space station going in favour of commitments to a New Moon base, but what is clear this will be part of the next step to go on to establishing something more permanent on Mars?
Claims of six to thirty years are still the various estimated times for such missions, commercially it might be six years to pull off a stunt, but to be serious thirty is more practicable since many things still require testing and approval?
With the recent discovery of water on the poles of the Moon, this will encourage the base plans to go ahead perhaps within the next six years, but keeping ISS has a half-way point would be wise in the initial stages of this vast project!
Saturday, 1 September 2018
Nothing to Compare to the Bicycle?
Segways and the variety of fun electronic?
But none of these new alternatives are as claver than the original bicycle and it is not known why no one has been able to come up something that is so simple and yet effective?
Tri-cycles are used today for sportspeople with disability and some are available to the general public who can afford them, but they remain a specialist field and have no viable usage outside these two areas!
One does await the day when perhaps we will see a two seat tandem bike-car powered by human sweat instead of engines and electronics, but combing tech on a level for guidance rather than powering?
But none of these new alternatives are as claver than the original bicycle and it is not known why no one has been able to come up something that is so simple and yet effective?
Tri-cycles are used today for sportspeople with disability and some are available to the general public who can afford them, but they remain a specialist field and have no viable usage outside these two areas!
One does await the day when perhaps we will see a two seat tandem bike-car powered by human sweat instead of engines and electronics, but combing tech on a level for guidance rather than powering?
Thursday, 26 July 2018
Airbus New Kids?
Airbus A350-900/100 and the A220-100/200.
Two new types of aircraft are hitting the world, but the question to be asked is the demand their for them? The Airbus A350 is a wide body, but what it lacks is capacity, still being smaller that the successful counterpart the Boeing 777 series!
On the other hand Airbus has agreed to buy the Successful Canadian Bombardier CS-100/200 and rename them the A220-100/200 to save the workforce in N-Ireland, after being pressured from the U.K government!
Since Farnborough it is not known how many Airbus A220's have been ordered, but the second generation A321 and the Boeing 787-9/10 seem to have done very well! Sometimes rushing into projects is not wise and knowing what is wanted ahead is a wise move to hold back for a time?
Two new types of aircraft are hitting the world, but the question to be asked is the demand their for them? The Airbus A350 is a wide body, but what it lacks is capacity, still being smaller that the successful counterpart the Boeing 777 series!
On the other hand Airbus has agreed to buy the Successful Canadian Bombardier CS-100/200 and rename them the A220-100/200 to save the workforce in N-Ireland, after being pressured from the U.K government!
Since Farnborough it is not known how many Airbus A220's have been ordered, but the second generation A321 and the Boeing 787-9/10 seem to have done very well! Sometimes rushing into projects is not wise and knowing what is wanted ahead is a wise move to hold back for a time?
Aerobatic/Racing Aircraft. Two.
Always a Demand!
Speed and aerobatics will always be a challenge to the aviator and records want to be broken all the time? Sport flying is adventurous, despite its dangers, people like the thrill and excitement of aircraft in this category?
There are always new concepts and ideas coming to the fore in aircraft design and many of the worlds light training aircraft started off as competition aircraft before they became the SIA-Marchetti SF-260 Warrior, Epsilon, Yakolev YAK-9/11, 52, Sukhoi SU-26, Shorts/EMB-Tucano, Pilatus PC-7/9, and many others too numerous to mention from around the world!
Many bi-planes developed from agricultural spray aircraft today fulfil the role of wing walking and other enjoyable aerobatic events!
Speed and aerobatics will always be a challenge to the aviator and records want to be broken all the time? Sport flying is adventurous, despite its dangers, people like the thrill and excitement of aircraft in this category?
There are always new concepts and ideas coming to the fore in aircraft design and many of the worlds light training aircraft started off as competition aircraft before they became the SIA-Marchetti SF-260 Warrior, Epsilon, Yakolev YAK-9/11, 52, Sukhoi SU-26, Shorts/EMB-Tucano, Pilatus PC-7/9, and many others too numerous to mention from around the world!
Many bi-planes developed from agricultural spray aircraft today fulfil the role of wing walking and other enjoyable aerobatic events!
Thursday, 5 July 2018
RAF 100th Anniversary!
Wales National Air Show 2018.
This year despite it being the RAF's 100th Anniversary, it was perhaps a little bit disappointing in Swansea, when the Catalina Flying boat was cancelled and it was just the re-run of last year without any naval helicopter display team?
What was on show represented the spirit of World War-I (1914-18) with Biggles (Tom and Jerry) and some Ariel 'Dog fighting.' The display of the RAF Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Chinook Transport helicopter and the RAF Typhoon jet made up for many things?
But it was the RAF Red Arrows who once again stole the show with their continued amazing aerobatic displays and paid off team work, that make them one of the best if not well known combination display teams in the world!
This year despite it being the RAF's 100th Anniversary, it was perhaps a little bit disappointing in Swansea, when the Catalina Flying boat was cancelled and it was just the re-run of last year without any naval helicopter display team?
What was on show represented the spirit of World War-I (1914-18) with Biggles (Tom and Jerry) and some Ariel 'Dog fighting.' The display of the RAF Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Chinook Transport helicopter and the RAF Typhoon jet made up for many things?
But it was the RAF Red Arrows who once again stole the show with their continued amazing aerobatic displays and paid off team work, that make them one of the best if not well known combination display teams in the world!
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