Civil Air Patrol - Paine Field Squadron - Latest Aerospace News

Aviation Week and Space Technology: Australia Awards Huge Ka-band Deal to Space Systems/Loral

2012-02-08T15:40:33+00:00

With both satellites slated to launch separately in 2015, NBN is expected to issue a tender for the launch vehicle in the coming months.

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Video: President Obama Test-Fires a Marshmallow Cannon at the White House Science Fair

Clay Dillow — 2012-02-08T15:35:23+00:00

Obama, Testing the Goods

$90 million has been earmarked for development of the weapon system (not really)

"The Secret Service is going to be mad at me about this." And with due cause, Mr. President, for we're pretty sure projectile weapons are prohibited in the State Dining Room of the White House. Nonetheless, an exception was made yesterday as President Obama hosted the second White House Science Fair, where he surveyed more than 30 student projects, cracked jokes with youngsters and the press, and--most notably--participated in a demo of 14-year-old Joey Hudy's "Extreme Marshmallow Cannon." Which is exactly what it sounds like.

For his part, Obama got a schooling from the young Hudy on exactly how to put together a pneumatic cannon. And the President contributed a little elbow grease himself, using a bicycle pump to prime the long-range snack delivery system (LSDS). See it all unfold, including the climactic marshmallow blast, below.

[YouTube]

AOPA News: Temporary MOAs proposed in Michigan

2012-02-08T14:27:42+00:00

AOPA is working to inform members and Airport Support Network volunteers about proposed military training that would include two temporary military operations areas July 22 through Sept. 1 near Grayling, Mich. Members may submit comments on the airspace proposal until Feb. 15.

Air Force Top Stories: Airmen halt nighttime training to aid victims

afnews@dma.mil (Capt. Cathleen Snow) — 2012-02-08T14:16:00+00:00

Combat-search-and-rescue Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing here halted their nighttime training operations at a remote drop zone in Central Florida to transport accident victims to the hospital.

Four people were injured, one seriously, when their airboat flipped on the St. John's River, approximately 30 miles north of where the Airmen were rehearsing for war.

With the help of the 920th local Airmen piloting an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, the Brevard County Sheriff's department launched a rescue mission dispatching airboats from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Camp Holley Fish Camp, to assist in taking paramedics to the secluded accident site.
more...

General Aviation News: Air Zoo to host presentation on Tuskegee Airmen

Janice Wood — 2012-02-08T14:02:10+00:00

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—In honor of Black History Month, the Air Zoo is holding a special presentation about the Tuskegee Airmen on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 8th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Miller joins Hawker Beechcraft as CEO

Janice Wood — 2012-02-08T14:00:14+00:00

Robert S. “Steve” Miller has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Hawker Beechcraft Inc. Former CEO Bill Boisture will remain as chairman of its operating subsidiary Hawker Beechcraft Corporation. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 8th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Cessna loses power during approach

Meg Godlewski — 2012-02-08T13:57:54+00:00

This February 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Cessna 172. Injuries: None. Location: Sparks, Nev. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: According to the pilot, he was descending to the airport with the fuel selector on the right tank when the engine lost power. He switched the fuel selector to the left tank, then to the "both" position. The propeller continued to windmill. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 8th, 2012 by Meg Godlewski. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Air Force Top Stories: AF announces test pilot school selections

afnews@dma.mil (Debbie Gildea) — 2012-02-08T13:28:00+00:00

Sixty-plus Airmen are primary or alternate Air Force and Navy test pilot school selectees, while one has been selected to attend the Epner Test Pilot School in France, and another will attend the Empire Test Pilot School in England, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

Selectees, identified during the August 2011 school selection board, will fill July 2012 and January 2013 classes. The board named pilots to fill requirements for fighter, multi-engine, helicopter and remotely piloted aircraft; combat and weapon systems officer requirements, and flight test engineer requirements, said Howard Peterson, AFPC pipeline and trainer assignments branch.
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Air Force Top Stories: Tuskegee Airman gives account of 'lucky' day

afnews@dma.mil () — 2012-02-08T12:54:14+00:00

Famed Yankees pitcher "Lefty Gomez" once remarked "I'd rather be lucky than good," but for one Tuskegee Airman, luck and good combined to make him one of the most successful combat pilots of World War II.

During the summer of 1944, 2nd Lt. Clarence D. "Lucky" Lester was flying the P-51 Mustang over the skies of Italy's Po Valley providing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with cover support on their way to attack airfields in southern Germany.

Lester was assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron, a part of the 332nd Fighter Group, and had earned the nickname "Lucky" "because of all the tight situations from which I had escaped without a scratch or even a bullet hole in my aircraft."
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General Aviation News: General aviation as an asset

Jamie Beckett — 2012-02-08T01:39:39+00:00

There were six of us sitting around the table. The local economic development council had just announced the hiring of a new executive director, and the new guy was making the rounds to meet and greet as many people as he could before his official start date rolled around. So the city manager, two directors, a city commissioner, and an economic development council member sat down to talk business at city hall. The new guy is competent, assertive, accomplished, energetic, and has a head crammed full of ideas to make our economy more diverse, more robust, and just plain more, frankly. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Jamie Beckett. No comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Congress passes four-year FAA bill

Charles Spence — 2012-02-08T01:28:33+00:00

After 23 short-term extensions, both chambers of Congress passed the four-year funding bill for the FAA. It now goes to the President, who is expected to sign it. This gives the FAA long-term planning after more than four years of delays. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Charles Spence. 3 comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Tecnam’s design juggernaut: Do these guys sleep?

Dan Johnson — 2012-02-08T01:01:52+00:00

Tecnam already released news about its new Sea-Sky Hydroplane option of straight or four-wheel composite amphibious floats for the Echo Classic or Eaglet models. For the Echo, also known as the P92 (referencing 1992), this represents the sixth generation of that model. The in-house-designed Sea-Sky Hydroplanes (pictured) should be present for Sun ’n Fun, according to importer Tecnam North America. As late-night TV ads shout, "But there's more...!" Tecnam also introduced its brand-new taildragger version of the venerable Echo, done in what Phil Solomon calls a "retro style," with a wood panel and other touches. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Dan Johnson. 2 comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: $11.35 million: What will it cost you?

Dale Forton — 2012-02-08T01:00:29+00:00

Dec. 18, 2011: One of the largest air crash disaster verdicts was handed down by a Philadelphia jury, which awarded $11.35 million in compensatory damages to Dr. Robert Marisco Jr. and his fiancee Heather Moran, both of Akron, Ohio, in an action against Winner Aviation Corp. I must first state I am very sorry for their injuries and suffering in this crash. It seems an error chain is what caused the accident, as usual, and each link in that chain has a part to claim. As the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), we must address a concern we have expressed for years based on our country's legal system, as well as a few other issues this affects. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Dale Forton. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Air Force Top Stories: Air Force announces first female four-star general nominee

afnews@dma.mil () — 2012-02-07T23:26:00+00:00

President Barack Obama nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger for promotion Feb. 6, which, pending Senate approval, would make her the first female four-star general in Air Force history.

Wolfenbarger currently serves as the military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition here and she is one of four female lieutenant generals in the Air Force.

"I am humbled and honored to have been nominated by the President to the rank of general and to serve as commander of Air Force Materiel Command. I look forward to participating in the Senate confirmation process when the time comes. At present, I remain focused on the important Air Force acquisition work I've been charged with," Wolfenbarger said.
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Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: UK Report Suggests Soldiers Could One Day Plug Their Weapons Right Into Their Brains

Clay Dillow — 2012-02-07T23:17:08+00:00

Where the Metal Meets the Mind A new report from the UK's Royal Society suggest several ways neuroscience can be leveraged to enhance defense technologies--including via weapons that meld with the mind. JanneM via Flickr

Dangerous-sounding neuroscience

A group of forward-thinking military scientists want to plug soldiers' weapons directly into their brains, and this time DARPA is nowhere to be found. The Royal Society, the UK's national academy of scientific thought, issued a report today on the applications of neuroscience in the military and law enforcement contexts. Discussed therein: new performance-enhancing designer drugs, brain stimulation to boost brain function, and weapons systems that plug directly into the brain.

The wide-ranging document reportedly covers a lot of ground, including the ethical issues surrounding the use of neuroscience in defense. It seems to focus less on ways to impact the enemy directly, and more on the enhancement of soldiers' fighting abilities--though neurological drugs that make enemy captives more talkative or perhaps cause enemy troops fall asleep or become disoriented also get a mention.

Of particular interest in the document: transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS. The idea of passing electrical signals through the skull to the brain to boost performance isn't new to U.S. defense dreamers, as the U.S. military has already done tests on the technology (and found it helpful in improving soldiers' abilities to detect threats). A battle helmet that can pass weak electrical pulses through the brain could sharpen a soldier's mind, the report suggests, upping attention spans and memory as well as attention to detail.

Similarly, electroencephalogram (EEG) could work to turn the human brain into a more efficient tool, although in a somewhat backwards fashion from tDCS. Using an array of electrodes, EEG can record brainwaves through the skull, detecting things that may not be conscious but that the brain nonetheless registers. For instance, the report cites DARPA research in which subjects looking at satellite photos were monitored with EEG. Even when the subjects missed some of the targets they were looking for in the images, the brain detected them, and that was evident in their brain waves even though it was never converted to conscious thought.

Such tools could also be used to screen recruits and identify certain mental traits, helping fighting forces more efficiently organize their ranks into fast learners, decision-makers, peacekeepers, and hardened, battle-ready special ops types. But none of these ideas is as far-out as using brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) to plug soldiers' brains directly into weapons systems.

This is based on the same kind of research that has shown that disabled individuals can move prostheses with nerve signals from the brain, but in this context such BMI technology would be used to plug the fast processing power of the brain into drone technology and other weapons technologies for faster target identification and, presumably, termination. Let's hope the soldiers mind-melding with the killer drones aced their EEG decision-making exams.

[Guardian]

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: iRobot's 710 Warrior, Strong Enough to Tow a Car, is Finally Ready for the Field

Clay Dillow — 2012-02-07T21:16:29+00:00

iRobot's 710 Warrior iRobot

We've been catching glimpses of iRobot's 710 Warrior ground robot at trade shows and in videos for something like 2 years now. We even saw a couple of pared down prototypes deployed to Fukushima prefecture to assist with the radiation cleanup after the earthquake in Japan in last year. And finally the behemoth of the iRobot ground fleet is going up for sale. Ready the 150-foot strings of mine-excavating explosive charges--seriously.

Massachusetts-based iRobot already has a number of robots in the field and in the household--they make everything from the popular Roomba vacuum robots to the tiny SUGV and larger Packbots that are workhorses of American Explosives Ordnance Disposal teams working overseas. But the Warrior will be the largest, weighing in at 450 pounds and sporting a 6.5-foot mechanical arm. It can climb stairs, reach its arm up to 11.5 feet high, and negotiate obstacles up to more than 1.5 feet high. It can be weaponized, or fitted with a variety of task-specific tools. It can delicately open a car door or smash its way through the windows. Or it can just tow the car.

You don't need us to tell you that's awesome. Warrior's size and weight will limit its ability to deploy in the field like Packbot and SUGV, which fit relatively well in the back of a truck or, in SUGV's case, in a rucksack. But in situations where it can be deployed it will offer handlers a far more versatile robot than its lighter brethren. See it perform many of these versatile tasks below.

[Technology Review]

General Aviation News: Twirly Birds name award winner

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T21:15:25+00:00

Twirly Birds has named Elfan Ap Rees the 2012 Les Morris Award recipient. Ap Rees is a noted aviation historian, author, pilot and founder of The Helicopter Museum, the world’s largest dedicated collection of military and civil rotorcraft located in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset on the southwest coast of England. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Attempt at the World's Highest Skydive, from 120,000 Feet, is Rescheduled for August

Clay Dillow — 2012-02-07T21:13:07+00:00

Testing the Hardware Red Bull

Felix Baumgartner would be the first human to go supersonic outside of a vehicle

Man has never crossed the sound barrier outside of an aircraft, and Austrian extreme athlete Felix Baumgartner--holder of several records for jumping off of very tall things--has wanted to be the first for several years now. And he finally might get his chance in 2012. After being set back by a lawsuit, the Red Bull Stratos initiative is back on track, which means Baumgartner could make the world's highest skydive jump from 120,000 feet as soon as August of this year.

Jumping from that altitude is extremely challenging of course. The current jump record is held by former Air Force pilot Joe Kittinger, who jumped from nearly 103,000 feet in 1960, back when we were still trying to figure out just how high the human body could go. Others have failed to break Kittinger's record. One person has died trying. It's cold up there, there's not a lot of air to breathe, and air pressures are significantly lower than at sea level. Biologically speaking, man was not designed to fly this high.

As such, Baumgartner will make the ride up to 120,000 in a custom-built pressurized capsule tethered to a 600-foot-wide balloon. A special pressurized suit, similar to a space suit, will protect him from the conditions outside once the door comes open and Baumgartner takes the plunge. About 35 seconds after he jumps, he'll break the sound barrier. Then he'll continue to fall for another five minutes, pulling his parachute about a mile from the ground.

Records bested would include the highest skydive, the highest manned balloon ride, and the longest free fall ever recorded. Or they might include highest manned balloon disaster and worst idea ever. We'll just have to wait and see. Regardless, the team should learn quite a bit about high altitude pressure suits, which could in turn inform the designs of future space suits.

[SPACE]

General Aviation News: Subcommittee hearing to focus on GPS and aviation safety

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T21:04:48+00:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Subcommittee on Aviation, chaired by U.S. Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) will hold a hearing Wednesday to review the Global Positioning System (GPS) as a critical part of transportation infrastructure. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Kansas Cosmosphere launches search for new CEO

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T20:22:05+00:00

The Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center is launching a search for a new president and CEO. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Mid-Continent Instruments names Smith Quality Assurance Manager

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T20:15:48+00:00

Mid-Continent Instruments has appointed Mark W. Smith as Quality Assurance Manager. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Minecraft: Making Your Own Fun, One Brick At a Time

Gus Mastrapa — 2012-02-07T20:13:45+00:00

Minecraft: In the Bedroom Reece Bennett

Building a whole new way to game

The era of the rampage is officially over.

In 2001, Grand Theft Auto III introduced a mass audience to a new way of experiencing the world of a game: Instead of walking narrow corridors or outdoor environments that felt hemmed in by invisible walls and artificial barriers, you could explore a vast city.

Back then, the ability to wreak havoc in a wide-open space was enough. For decades video games were linear affairs, fraught with difficulty. Find yourself stumped by a tricky puzzle or brutal boss battle and you were left with nothing to do. Video games were rife with dead ends. Grand Theft Auto III helped change all that. Sure, the game had a plot. But you weren't limited to chasing the story. Players who found themselves stuck could blow off steam by stealing a car, blowing stuff up with a rocket launcher or punching a random pedestrian. But the kind of freedom Rockstar's blockbuster offered was ultimately limited. Players could roam a vast world, but their only meaningful way to interact with that world was to cause trouble.

The message was loud and clear, though. Players wanted more agency in their videogames - less hard and fast goals and more freedom to find fun in their own way

But what's a gamer to do when there is no princesses to rescue or universe to save? If you're one of the millions playing the wildly successful independent game Minecraft, you build. The game, from developer Mojang, seems to go against the grain of contemporary video games. Rather than concentrate on action, Minecraft leverages player creativity and curiosity to generate fun.

Playing Minecraft is like being dropped into a sprawling world made of Legos with no road-map. After years of playing games with hard and fast goals the rudderless sensation can be disarming. It doesn't help that Minecraft has no tutorial or in-game instructions. It's just you in a pristine Eden, comprised of winding waterways, verdant forests and jutting mountains Swiss-cheesed with networks of caverns. It is not uncommon for the first-time Minecraft player to think, "What now?"

Minecraft's adventure mode is about survival. Players are dropped, empty handed, into a vast, randomly generated world. Their first task is to make tools and shelter. Because when the sun sets the monsters come out. Players scrounge for wood and stone, craft a workbench and begin the gradual process of gearing up. Here is where Minecraft is most conventional - there's a rigid progression from building tools out of wood and stone to eventually mining diamonds, constructing working railroads and magical portals that can transport players to other dimensions. Once the player has built a workshop and a fortress to protect them from wandering zombies, spiders and Creepers the game tilts towards the creative. Players are free to proceed how the choose - they can gather resources, develop their base of operations or strike out into the world, looking for new adventure. It's this undirected freedom that keeps millions occupied.

That aimless feeling hasn't stopped fans from finding their own fun in Minecraft's procedurally generated worlds. The secret to Minecraft's stickiness is the voxel - the three-dimensional cousin of the pixel. It only takes one glance at the chunky, retro look of Minecraft to understand that the game isn't interested in verisimilitude. Minecraft doesn't want to trick you into thinking that you're in a world just like ours. When you see all those voxels, each like an individual Lego - one of millions of building blocks that make up the world - it is hard not to be inspired. Think of Minecraft as a God game, where the player has the ability to shape the world the way they choose, played at ground level. And to that end players can play together via online servers where they collaborate to build wonders. Some servers are geared towards pure creation, where resources are unlimited and monster never interfere.

The most ambitious have used Minecraft's voxels to build working computers and replicas of Star Trek the Next Generation's Enterprise. But the activity loop of exploration, resource gathering and creation has proven entertaining for gamers of all stripes. Obsessive compulsive disorder isn't a prerequisite for enjoying Minecraft.

A classic of the Minecraft YouTube video genre

As much as Mojang and creator Markus "Notch" Persson have innovated with Minecraft much of the credit for the game's success goes to the people who play it. The game's long gestation period and open-ended style of play has inspired a legion of fans and supporters with the enthusiasm of evangelists. Mojang didn't need to buy ads or produce commercials to land 20 million players. Their user base grew virally. Crowd-sourced Minecraft Wikis offer clear instructions for the Minecraft newbie. And millions of user-generated YouTube videos offer glimpses of awe-inspiring Minecraft creations, allowing inspiration and creativity to spread virally. In 2010 Minecraft fans spontaneously gathered in Bellevue, Washington, to meet Persson and other like-minded Minecrafters. The off-the cuff meet-up only attracted fifty or so fans, but became a seed which would germinate into something bigger. In 2011 4,500 Minecraft fans from 23 different countries gathered in Las Vegas for MineCon - the first official convention for the game's growing legions of aficionados. In 2012, a version for XBox and Kinect is expected.

Minecraft's success story has proven inspirational to other game designers. The influence is most obviously felt among the scads of so-called Minecraft clones. Since Minecraft entered public beta testing in 2009 dozens upon dozens of imitators have cropped up. Some are straight up copies. But many others use Minecraft as a starting point and create something entirely new. Terrarria, the two-dimensional side-scroller from indie studio Re-Logic, melds Minecraft with retro games like Metroid and Castlevania. And it isn't just independent game makers who are taking the lessons of Minecraft to heart. The recently announced Fortnite from Gears of War studio Epic Games will allow players to build their own fortresses to help them survive nighttime waves of zombies.

The great contribution of Minecraft and the many games that will come after it is to fundamentally change what players can expect to do in the videogame worlds they visit. From here on out more and more players won't be asking, "what can I blow up?" Instead they'll be wondering, "what can I build?" That's real, constructive change.

This is genuinely amazing.

General Aviation News: Boeing employees provide insider look at aviation innovation

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T20:03:17+00:00

A video series that debuts today will provide viewers with an insider's look at how inspiration has led to technology breakthroughs in aerospace. In the series, Boeing employees will tell their stories of the innovations that are redefining the global aerospace industry. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Management changes at AOPA

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T19:56:48+00:00

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has promoted Heidi Williams to Vice President, Air Traffic Services and Modernization. Craig Spence, Vice President of Operations and International Affairs, will continue to lead AOPA’s security advocacy efforts and will take on greater responsibilities related to international activities. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Drones Will Be Admitted to Standard US Airspace By 2015

Rebecca Boyle — 2012-02-07T19:02:45+00:00

Air Traffic Control The FAA's NextGen update is finally being funded. The overhaul of the nation's airspace system will include different landings for passenger planes and room for drones in human-piloted airspace. FAA

The skies are going to look very different pretty soon, and it's been a long time coming. Congress finally passed a spending bill for the Federal Aviation Administration, allocating $63.4 billion for modernizing the country's air traffic control systems and expanding airspace for unmanned planes within three and a half years.

By Sept. 30, 2015, drones will have to have access to U.S. airspace that is currently reserved for piloted aircraft. This applies to military, commercial and privately owned drones - so it could mean a major increase in unmanned aircraft winging through our airspace. That's airspace to be shared with airliners, cargo planes and small private aircraft.

As it is now, drones can only use some pieces of military airspace and they can patrol the nation's borders. Some 300 public agencies can also use drones, according to the AP, but they must be at low altitudes and away from airports.

The FAA has spent years planning its NextGen upgrade, a new system designed to streamline traffic at airports, save fuel and reduce air travel headaches. NextGen is a behemoth program that consists of several complementary systems, notably the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B in airspace lingo. This system uses GPS to determine aircraft location, and it will enable planes to land in a more efficient, steep glide, rather than the fuel-wasting stair-step descents of the past and present. This is already being rolled out in some places, but the new bill requires the FAA to set up new arrival procedures at the country's 35 busiest airports.

Eventually, planes will all have GPS that can update a plane's location every second, instead of the six to 12 seconds it takes with current radar systems, AP points out. This will allow pilots to know where their planes are relative to each other, and this could help ease congestion and make for smoother taxi procedures.

NextGen has been planned and debated for years, and the modernization plan has been stymied by Congressional wrangling since 2007. This new bill, which now goes to President Obama for his signature, will finally get things moving again.

[via NPR]

Air Force Top Stories: 480th Intel Group wins Air Force language award

afnews@dma.mil (Karen Harrison) — 2012-02-07T18:36:00+00:00

The Air Force Senior Language Authority recently announced the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group at Fort Gordon, Georgia as the Command Language Program of the Year awards recipient for 2011.

"This group of Airmen has demonstrated excellence and discipline as language analysts" said Barbara Barger.

The CLPOY award recognizes the Air Force program that best supports linguists enabling them to provide vital assistance to strategic and tactical commanders world-wide. The ISRG will next represent the Air Force at the Department of Defense award level at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.
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Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Play the PopSci Tourist-Or-Local Game

Eric Fischer and John Lounsbery — 2012-02-07T18:01:03+00:00

Were these photos of New York taken by tourists, or by natives?

Eric Fischer analyzed thousands of photos of New York. Based on the historical data from each uploader's Flickr account, he deduced which were taken by tourists and which by locals, and plotted the results on a map.

Now we've turned the geo-data into a game. Can you figure out which photos are which?

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: This Cuddly Phase-Change Robot Will Keep You Warm at Night

Rebecca Boyle — 2012-02-07T17:02:02+00:00

Hagent Hagent is a small black box on wheels, containing phase-change material and a heat sensor. Daniel Abendroth

The space heater nestled perpetually at my side this time of year can be pretty comforting, but it's not great for my utility bills. It would be better to direct the heat in my house more efficiently, like capturing warmth from the refrigerator, computer, DVR and other appliances. This prototype phase-changing heater ‘bot would do just that.

It is made of a phase-change material, which stores and releases energy as it changes from a solid to a liquid or a gas. Hagent contains a type of PCM that can store heat and release it. It also comes with an on-board thermosensor and wheels, so it can roll around and find heat sources in your home, drawing in the warmth and storing it.

It also has ultrasonic sensors and a control unit so it can navigate around your home or office. German designers Andreas Meinhardt and Daniel Abendroth built a prototype for a contest in Paris, the Prix Émile Hermès, and won second place. In the video below, a prototype rolls around and finds a heat lamp.

It's just a prototype for now, but I would love to see these on sale in the space heater aisle.

[via IEEE Spectrum]

Air Force Top Stories: Airmen ensure interoperability with partner nation

afnews@dma.mil (Tech. Sgt. Lesley Waters) — 2012-02-07T16:34:00+00:00

Two Airmen from the Inter-American Air Forces Academy, out of Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, are currently deployed here in support of a month-long Building Partner Capacity mission.

Tech. Sgt. Ruben Sigala and Staff Sgt. Heric Llerena, both instructors at the IAAFA, joined forces with Airmen from the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron, out of Travis AFB, Calif., to conduct a two-week aircraft electrical and communication and navigation class here.

The IAAFA provides Spanish-language technical and management training to military forces and governmental agencies of Latin America and the Caribbean. The school at Lackland AFB provides training in 70 different courses for both officer and enlisted personnel. The 571st MSAS mission supports Air Forces Southern's continued engagements in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility of Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Air Force Top Stories: Overcoming pride to prevent suicide

afnews@dma.mil (Capt. Scott Taylor) — 2012-02-07T15:44:20+00:00

As my office has just completed a resiliency stand-down day, I am struck by the increasing numbers of suicides in the Air Force every year. There are more agencies and programs than I can count to assist anyone thinking of hurting themselves, and we receive regular training on how to engage in positive behaviors. So why is this still a problem?

From my personal perspective, as long as people see asking for help as a weakness, positive change cannot occur. As long as there is a stigma attached to getting help, people will continue to shoulder their burdens alone and continue on this path. I learned this lesson the hard way.
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Air Force Top Stories: OSI investigation leads to conviction in contract fraud case

afnews@dma.mil (James C. Dillard) — 2012-02-07T15:25:44+00:00

A recent investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations resulted in a guilty plea by a man suspected of contract fraud.

Charles R. Priestley, 48, was sentenced for making a false, fictitious and fraudulent claim to the United States Air Force.

The United States District Court in East St. Louis, Mo., presided over the plea and sentenced Priestley to serve five years of probation and to pay restitution of $300,000 to the U.S. Transportation Command, which is based at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. He was also ordered to pay $4,000 in fines.
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Air Force Top Stories: Joint partnership brings equipment home

afnews@dma.mil (Senior Airman Katherine Holt) — 2012-02-07T13:41:00+00:00

Twenty-six Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group traveled to Romania in partnership with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command to re-deploy the 170 th Brigade Combat team's equipment from Afghanistan to their home unit in Baumholder, Germany.

The operation took less than a month with the 435th CRG and the 21st TSC loading more than 2.5 million pounds of equipment onto 42 rail cars and 23 trucks.

"The speed and efficiency is critical to success so the Soldiers have their equipment back as soon as they have reconstituted from their deployment," said Col. John Shapland, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing commander. "The mission was crucial to safely, effectively and efficiently returning the 170th BCT's equipment."
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Air Force Top Stories: Stripes to bars: Tips on how to get commissioned

afnews@dma.mil (Senior Airman Katherine Windish) — 2012-02-07T13:31:00+00:00

Airmen looking to trade in their stripes for a set of bars can take advantage of five different commissioning programs offered by the Air Force.

According to Melanie Mendez, 31st Force Support Squadron education and training specialist, enlisted Airmen have an advantage when applying for commissioning programs.

Being enlisted puts Airmen a cut above in the application process, said Mendez. It circumvents a lot of the red tape civilians usually go through and demonstrates how an enlistment and military experience have matured and made Airmen a valuable asset as a leader.
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Air Force Top Stories: Air Force advisers, Afghan aircrew drop medical supplies to rural villages

afnews@dma.mil (Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Larlee) — 2012-02-07T13:23:00+00:00

Advisors from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group and Afghan air force helicopter aircrew, from Shindand Air Base, delivered critical medical supplies Jan. 27 to inhabitants of two remote villages struck by a measles epidemic.

The epidemic claimed the lives of 12 children in the villages of Sarji and Gaw Hoshtah said advisors. The villages are isolated by mountains and the only delivery method possible for the supplies was by air transport.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jason Stitt, an MI-17 aerial gunner adviser, said that the Afghan aircrew did a great job during the mission and that it made him feel good to help out those in need.
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General Aviation News: Gear collapses on landing

Meg Godlewski — 2012-02-07T13:10:56+00:00

This February 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Cessna 210. Injuries: None. Location: Aurora, Colo. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: Shortly after takeoff when the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear, it did not retract. The pilot verified the position of the landing gear by looking out of the window and noted that the wheels appeared to be in the down-and-locked position. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 7th, 2012 by Meg Godlewski. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Air Force Top Stories: Tuskegee Airman a success in both military and business

afnews@dma.mil () — 2012-02-07T12:41:00+00:00

A former Tuskegee Airman went on to have a career in the Air Force, as well as success in the business world.

Lee A. Archer joined the Army in 1941 with high hopes of becoming a pilot, but was initially denied because of his race. When the Army's policy changed about a year later, Archer was accepted to the training program for black aviators at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama.

Archer is best known for a day in late 1944 when he was involved in a series of dogfights over German-occupied Hungary. Flying a P-51 Mustang fighter, Archer shot down three German fighters. He would go on to add another German fighter to his credit to earn four victories during the war.
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AOPA News: Illinois bill would raise aviation fees

2012-02-07T07:46:58+00:00

A proposed hike in aviation registration fees would only "further depress" a tax-burdened aviation economy in Illinois, AOPA said, urging officials to reject the plan.

AOPA News: Pro-GA bills clear Indiana House

2012-02-07T07:01:19+00:00

Two AOPA-backed bills - one providing aviation sales-tax relief and the other establishing funding sources for airport ground-access maintenance - have won overwhelming passage in the Indiana House and are now before the Senate.

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Officials Participate in 2nd Annual White House Science Fair

2012-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and other senior agency officials joined President Obama at the second annual White House Science Fair today.

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Spinoff 2011 Unveils Benefits of NASA Technologies on Earth

2012-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

NASA's Spinoff 2011 publication, now available online, reveals how the space agency's ingenuity and partnerships have saved thousands of lives, generated billions of dollars, and created thousands of American jobs

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Calls for New Commercial Crew Proposals

2012-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

As part of NASA's ongoing efforts to foster development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability to and from low Earth orbit and the International Space Station, NASA has issued a call for industry to submit proposals for the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability Initiative.

General Aviation News: Ethanol: It will get you coming and going

Ben Visser — 2012-02-07T01:12:36+00:00

Recently, reader Frank Klein asked if he should be concerned about filling up containers of auto gas for his plane if the previous customer pumped 10% ethanol fuel from a pump island that uses a common dispensing hose for several grades of auto gas. When I do some rough calculations, I figure that the amount of fuel contained in the hose and meter would give you close to a gallon of fuel, so if you are using a five-gallon container, you would have close to 20% ethanol-containing fuel. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 6th, 2012 by Ben Visser. 2 comments. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: Sebring breaks records

Dan Johnson — 2012-02-07T01:00:53+00:00

The eighth running of the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, just finished and a resounding success it was on nearly all counts. Smiles were broad from most attending or exhibiting at Sebring 2012. The weather was the best ever with temperatures hitting 80° and every day sunny and pleasant. We can look at several ways to measure the action at Sebring: Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 6th, 2012 by Dan Johnson. 1 comment. © GAN 2012.

General Aviation News: EAA Chapter 1128 hosts aviation events for local youth

Janice Wood — 2012-02-07T00:20:45+00:00

Two Harbors Chapter 1128 of the Experimental Aircraft Association, in collaboration with Two Harbors High School and Lake Superior School District Community Education, recently hosted a two part aviation event for local youth. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 6th, 2012 by Janice Wood. 1 comment. © GAN 2012.

Aviation Week and Space Technology: Vega Debut Slips To End Of Launch Window

2012-02-07T00:09:31+00:00

ESA says flight-readiness review board met Feb. 2 to evaluate mission-preparation status and plans.

General Aviation News: Do you remember your first air show?

Janice Wood — 2012-02-06T22:44:27+00:00

Do you remember going to your first air show? Were you a kid or was it just last year? Was it when you took your kids for the first time? There are almost as many stories as there are air show fans. Over the last year, LiveAirShowTV has been asking people in the air show industry about their first show. Continue Reading »

===> Posted on February 6th, 2012 by Janice Wood. No comments. © GAN 2012.

Air Force Top Stories: Jet engine mechanic wins language award

afnews@dma.mil (Karen Harrison ) — 2012-02-06T21:55:04+00:00

Since 2002, the Air Force has awarded outstanding Airmen who possess superior foreign language skills and leveraged their capabilities to increase the Air Forces's mission effectiveness.

Senior Airman Michael Abrash was recently selected as the Air Force Language Professional of the Year for 2011.

Although Abrash earned this linguistic honor, he joined the Air Force in a completely different role: a jet engine mechanic. Being a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2000, Abrash was not aware that his proficiency in Russian could help his career.
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Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Augmented Reality Will Help Future Astronauts Perform Surgery on Each Other

Rebecca Boyle — 2012-02-06T20:29:36+00:00

Astronauts traveling to Mars or other distant destinations will face all kinds of medical problems, but rocket science isn't surgery. And vice versa. A new augmented reality system could help astronauts take care of each other, overlaying computer graphics over a real patient to guide diagnoses or even surgery. It could even improve telemedicine in developing countries or remote spots.

For now, the Computer Assisted Medical Diagnosis and Surgery System, CAMDASS, only works with ultrasound, which is already available on the International Space Station. But the goal is to use it for any biomedical procedures future astronauts might need, according to the European Space Agency.

CAMDASS users don a 3-D display headcam, which includes an infrared camera to track the ultrasound device. Markers placed on a patient's body denote sites of interest, and the system recognizes the patient and calibrates the display according to the CAMDASS wearer's vision, an ESA news release explains. The headset displays little floating cue cards in the wearer's field of vision, which match up with the markers on the real patient. Aligning the markers helps the user position the ultrasound probe, or whatever other device is needed. Then reference images show what the CAMDASS wearer should be seeing.

The ESA tested a prototype of this device with medical and nursing students, paramedics and Belgian Red Cross workers at Saint-Pierre University Hospital in Brussels. The CAMDASS testers could perform a "reasonably difficult" ultrasound procedure without any other help, the space agency said.

Augmented reality can be pretty fun to play with, but the practical applications of a real-life informational overlay are limitless. This is one reason why DARPA wants AR contact lenses that would require no bulky headgear. We've even seen an AR concept in which a would-be home mechanic can learn how to repair a car.

Similarly, this ESA device could be useful long before anyone takes it to Mars. It could help improve diagnostics in developing countries, for instance, or in remote locations like Antarctic research stations. Workers there have had to complete their fair share of self-diagnostics. The ESA now wants to conduct further tests.

Air Force Top Stories: New fuels course graduates first class

afnews@dma.mil (Dan Hawkins) — 2012-02-06T19:08:37+00:00

A new fuels training course developed by 364th Training Squadron members here officially started Jan. 23 and graduated its first students Feb. 3.

The Fuels Operational Readiness Capability Equipment Course is designed to teach fuels specialists about new equipment currently being in deployed locations. The main focus is teaching students how to properly operate and troubleshoot the equipment before issues arise, while engineering emerging technology solutions for technical problems as needed.
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Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: State of Play: The World's Most Amazing Playgrounds

Geoff Manaugh — 2012-02-06T19:07:56+00:00

Wall-Holla 2 Its exceptionally efficient design compresses a colorful 3-D climbing ribbon between two mesh walls, creating a unique experiential environment that, due to its compact size, can fit into even the most limited playground site. © Carve V.O.F. Amsterdam

Architecture and design firms are remaking the playground in ways you'd never expect

Playgrounds are competing for kids' time and losing. Nearly 25 percent of children ages 9 through 13 have no free time for physical activity, and a child is six times as likely to play a videogame as to ride a bike. The playgrounds of tomorrow must offer something that even the most enticing virtual offerings cannot: real spaces that look at least as amazing as anything virtual. Architects and design firms are remaking the playground by taking virtualization head on. These spaces are complex and engaging, and some even have buttons to push.

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: 83-Year-Old Woman Gets the World's First 3-D Printed Jaw Transplant

Rebecca Boyle — 2012-02-06T17:57:59+00:00

A titanium jaw, made to order

A European octogenarian is the recipient of the first-ever 3-D printed jawbone, made of titanium powder that was sintered together one layer at a time. The recipient regained her ability to speak a few hours after the surgery, Belgian doctors said Monday. It could pave the way for a new wave of 3-D printed body parts - maybe not full organs yet, but certainly bones or joints.

The 83-year-old patient who received the implant had developed a chronic bone infection in almost her entire lower mandible, and doctors removed it rather than risk reconstructive surgery, according to LayerWise, the Belgian company that built the new jawbone. Doctors and 3-D printing engineers designed an entirely new jawbone to fit the patient.

It is a pretty complex design, with dimples to increase the surface area, holes to promote muscle attachment and grooves to direct the regrowth of blood vessels and nerves.

Once the team designed the jaw, it was just a matter of sintering it together, according to LayerWise. A high-precision laser heated titanium powder particles to melt them together in successive layers. It took 33 layers to build just one millimeter, so the whole jaw consists of thousands of layers, BBC reported. Doctors coated the jaw in a biocompatible ceramic layer and attached it to the woman's face in a four-hour surgery. That's one-fifth the time it would have taken to perform a reconstructive surgery using the patient's own mouthparts, BBC said. It weighs 107 grams, which is one-third heavier than her previous jaw, but doctors said she'll be able to get used to it.

Doctors performed the surgery last summer in the Netherlands but it was announced today. "Shortly after waking up from the anesthetics the patient spoke a few words, and the day after, the patient was able to speak and swallow normally again," said Dr. Jules Poukens of Hasselt University, who led the surgical team. The woman went home after just four days.

She has to have follow-up surgery to attach a dental bridge and some false teeth, the BBC said.

[via Engadget]

Air Force Top Stories: CMSAF discusses current Air Force issues

afnews@dma.mil (Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Larlee) — 2012-02-06T17:39:51+00:00

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy discussed top Air Force issues with more than 100 military members at Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan, Feb. 1.

Roy spoke about budget issues, resiliency and future capabilities of the Air Force.

The chief said he attempts to visit the advisers at the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing every time he visits locations in the U.S. Central Command. He said it is a mission he believes in and that he had a similar experience when he was the senior enlisted leader and adviser at U.S. Pacific Command.
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Air Force Top Stories: CMSAF stresses Airman resilience

afnews@dma.mil (Senior Airman Michael Charles) — 2012-02-06T16:56:00+00:00

A soft light from Senior Airman Sarah Mattausch's mobile phone glowed in the darkness of her room before dawn on a Saturday, waking her up much earlier than expected.

As she read the incoming text, Mattausch realized that her friend, her wingman, was in trouble. Mattausch's actions over the next few hours -- rushing to her friend's side, consoling her and getting her help -- saved her friend from harming herself.

One thing Mattausch never expected as a result of those actions was a coin from the Air Force's top enlisted leader, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy, during a visit here this week.
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Air Force Top Stories: Air Force tests next-gen networks, devices for operational use

afnews@dma.mil (Senior Airman Jason J. Brown) — 2012-02-06T16:28:42+00:00

Everywhere you look, people are tapping, talking and swiping away at smartphones and tablets. Rapidly-emerging technologies give users information immediately, and these super machines fit easily in the palm of your hand.

The Air Force is planning to implement these high-tech handhelds into daily operations and, in preparation, the Air Force C2 Integration Center kicked off the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment here Jan. 13.

Dubbed Unified Communications I, the goal is to determine commercial cellular carriers' ability to provide sufficient service to support the Air Force's mission sets.
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Air Force Top Stories: First Afghan pilot class completes flight screening course

afnews@dma.mil (Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Larlee) — 2012-02-06T16:12:38+00:00

A group of seven Afghan officers continued their journey to earn pilot wings by passing their first flight screening course Feb. 2 at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan.

The officers are attending the first undergraduate pilot training held exclusively inside Afghanistan in more than 30 years. The flight screening course consisted of 22 flights in a Cessna 182, nine simulator flights and 25 hours of academics. The last flight in the course was a supervised solo flight where the students were in full control of the aircraft on the mission.
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Air Force Top Stories: Guardsmen save man 200 miles off coast of California

afnews@dma.mil () — 2012-02-06T15:33:00+00:00

Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing here performed a rescue mission 200 miles off the coast of California on Feb. 4.

Responding to a call from the Eleventh District Coast Guard at Alameda, Calif., pararescuemen, two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and one MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft departed here mid-morning and were on scene by noon.

The team provided medical assistance to a 54-year-old male who had suffered stroke-like symptoms aboard the cargo ship MSC Beijing. Guardsmen performed a medical evacuation, taking the patient to the San Jose Regional Medical Center in San Jose, Calif.
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Air Force Top Stories: Tuskegee Airman goes on to become first Air Force African-American general

afnews@dma.mil () — 2012-02-06T15:07:00+00:00

A man who was shunned because of his race during his four years at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., back in the early 1930s would go on to become the first African-American general in the U.S. Air Force.

Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was born in 1912 to Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., an Army officer who would go on to become the Army's first African-American general.

When the younger Davis went on a flight as a teenager with a barnstorming pilot in Washington, D.C., he became hooked on flying. But it would be another 16 years before he would pin on his pilot wings.
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Aviation Week and Space Technology: Vega Launcher Targets Government Market

2012-02-06T14:27:45+00:00

The Vega small-class launch vehicle is the first European rocket to be developed in nearly two decades.

AOPA News: Long-term FAA bill clears Congress, heads to president

2012-02-06T11:24:52+00:00

The Senate, following up on House action last week, has passed a four-year, $63.4 billion FAA reauthorization bill with no user fees or fuel-tax increases. The bill, now headed to the desk of President Barack Obama for signing, would give the FAA its first long-term operating authority since 2007.

CAP Features: 1st Air Force head makes 1st visit to National HQ since assuming command

2012-02-06T06:00:00+00:00

(1)
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Sid Clarke points out a feature on the Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182’s Garmin 1000 glass cockpit navigation map during his flight.

(2)
CAP Lt. Col. Chad Grondahl, director of operations for the Alabama Wing, conducts a safety briefing with Lt. Gen. Sid Clarke before their flight.

(3)
Lt. Gen. Sid Clarke admires squadron patches in a historic display in CAP National Headquarters’ lobby.

(4)
Don Rowland, CAP executive director, presents his challenge coin to Lt. Gen. Sid Clarke after a briefing on the organization’s missions and its relationship with 1st Air Force.

Photos by Susan Schneider, Naitonal Headquarters

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Sid Clarke paid his first visit last week to Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters since being named commander of Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region - 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), a position that includes a seat on CAP’s Board of Governors.

Clarke, the first lieutenant general to command 1st Air Force, assumed command Aug. 31 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. First Air Force is made up of four direct reporting units, 10 aligned Air National Guard units and a large number of active aerospace control alert sites – including aircraft, air defense artillery and up to 15,000 active duty, National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilian personnel.

During his visit Jan. 30 to National Headquarters, Clarke received a briefing on CAP’s three congressionally mandated missions – emergency services, cadet programs and aerospace education – and on the organization’s support for 1st Air Force, which includes flying 60 percent to 80 percent of 1st Air Force’s daily missions. During fiscal year 2011, CAP flew more than 75,000 hours on Air Force assigned missions which includes those tasked by 1st Air Force.

Clarke told his CAP hosts that 1st Air Force values CAP as a partner not only for the critical role it plays as a force multiplier for the Air Force, but also for the speed with which the organization and its members are able to respond to taskings.

The general also toured CAP’s National Operations Center and received a flight in one of the organization’s Cessna 182 airplanes equipped with Garmin 1000 glass cockpit technology, which features flight instrumentation, location, navigation, communication and identification data on a high-resolution display. Flying with Lt. Col. Chad Grondahl, director of operations for the Alabama Wing, Clarke was able to survey tornado damage that occurred during the past year.

As the joint force air component commander for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, and the U.S. Northern Command, USNORTHCOM, Clarke is directly responsible for developing contingency plans and conducting full-spectrum Air Force air and space operations in the continental U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as over maritime approaches to the U.S. The organization is also responsible for providing defense support of civil authorities as the air component to USNORTHCOM. In addition, the 601st Air & Space Operations Center – which plans, directs and assesses air and space operations for NORAD and USNORTHCOM – falls under his direction.

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Receives Second Highest Number Of Astronaut Applications

2012-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

More than 6,300 individuals applied to become a NASA astronaut between Nov. 15, 2011 and Jan. 27, the second highest number of applications ever received by the agency.

NASA: Breaking News: Astronaut Don Pettit Shares Passion for Science from Space

2012-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

NASA and the American Physical Society (APS) have begun a partnership to share videos from the International Space Station with students, educators and science fans around the world.

Air Force Top Stories: All-AF critical care, air evac team makes historic first flight

afnews@dma.mil (Tech. Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio) — 2012-02-05T16:02:00+00:00

The first all-Air Force Critical Care Air Transport and Aero-medical Evacuation Team to fly with the only fixed wing aircraft dedicated to the medical evacuation mission in Afghanistan completed its first successful mission Jan. 13 and continues saving lives.

The CCAT/AE team flies with the 76th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, who provide medical or casualty evacuation for U.S. and coalition forces, Afghan National Security Forces and local nationals in all of the Regional Commands in Afghanistan. They can reach almost any airfield in Afghanistan in an hour and a half from their home base in Helmand Province.
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Air Force Top Stories: Roy LaGrone immortalized Tuskegee Airmen through art

afnews@dma.mil () — 2012-02-05T15:43:00+00:00

"As soon as I got up there, I knew absolutely this is what I wanted to do," said Air Force pioneer Roy LaGrone of his journey from young passenger aboard a Ford Trimotor plane to original Tuskegee Airman pilot turned prolific artist.

As one of many African Americans of his era fighting against the axis overseas and against racial prejudice in the U.S. armed forces, Lagrone trail-blazed from cockpit to canvas after his honorable discharge in 1946.

He studied fine art and drawing at the Pratt Institute in New York, jumpstarting a career that encompassed art direction, book jacket and album cover design and, in 1961, acceptance by the prestigious New York Society of Illustrators as an artist member.
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Air Force Top Stories: Fiscal austerity requires leveraging 'total force'

2012-02-04T23:24:00+00:00

In wartime and peacetime, the total force construct is virtually seamless, with Guardsmen and Reserve service members who are indistinguishable from their active-component peers. Our recent air operations in Libya are but the latest example.

The ability of our Guardsmen and Reservists to deploy on short notice and seamlessly integrate with the active force is unique and was absolutely vital in Libya. One critical reason the total force works so well in the Air Force is that many Guardsmen and Reservists are subject matter experts who work in related fields -- such as pilots and aircraft mechanics -- in their civilian jobs.
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NASA: Breaking News: Colbert Advocates NASA Space Station Research

2012-02-04T05:00:00+00:00

Stephen Colbert, host of the nightly 'The Colbert Report,' said in a new NASA public service announcement released today that he's always been a huge fan of space.

Aviation Week and Space Technology: NASA Wants Small-satellite Demo Proposals

2012-02-04T00:54:15+00:00

The agency hopes to award one or more contracts in the fall under its Edison Small Satellite Demonstration Program.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: House Passes FAA Reauthorization Bill

2012-02-03T22:40:00+00:00

The House of Representatives has passed the FAA Reauthorization Bill, clearing another hurdle toward giving the agency its first long-term funding plan since 2007.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: Migration Halted as Whooping Cranes Decide to Stop Flying

2012-02-03T22:38:00+00:00

The migration of young whooping cranes following their light-sport aircraft "parents" to their Florida wintering grounds is over, even though the group is only in Alabama.

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Glenn To Host Tweetup Celebrating 50th Anniversary Of First American To Orbit Earth

2012-02-03T05:00:00+00:00

NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland will host a special event on March 2 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's first orbital flight by an American.

Aviation Week and Space Technology: Defense Disconnect: Lean Times, Fat Profits

2012-02-03T00:53:09+00:00

Earnings results showed that the industry managed to maintain and in many cases bolster profit margins in 2011.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: FAA Reauthorization Bill Takes Another Step Forward

2012-02-02T23:09:00+00:00

Congressional votes on a full FAA reauthorization bill are likely to come soon after House and Senate conferees finalized language Wednesday on a long-term measure that would fund the agency through 2015.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: A Special Cub: EAAers Finish, Fly Airplane for Dying Comrade

2012-02-02T23:08:00+00:00

From EAA Chapter 282 in Clearwater, Florida, comes the heartwarming story of Walter Crosby, EAA 205800, who last week realized the dream of seeing his restored 1946 Piper Cub fly for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: Pelton, Auerbach, Pleasance Elected to EAA Board of Directors

2012-02-02T23:07:00+00:00

Jack Pelton, Stuart Auerbach, and Darren Pleasance have been added to the EAA board of directors, which governs the 176,000-member aviation organization. The three new directors bring extensive aviation and business background to the board, in addition to longtime EAA involvement and thousands of hours of flight time.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: Limited Openings Left for EAA Air Academy Young Eagles, Basic Sessions

2012-02-02T23:06:00+00:00

Unforgettable aviation memories and new friends await students ages 12-15 this summer at the EAA Air Academy, a series of week-long camps designed to introduce young people to the aviation world.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: Corvus Launches Fusion LSA

2012-02-02T23:05:00+00:00

European aircraft manufacturer Corvus-Hungary introduced its new aircraft for the European ultralight and U.S. LSA markets, the Corvus Fusion, at its assembly hangar in Pordenone, Italy, last Friday, January 27.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: B-29 FIFI and P-51C Tuskegee Airmen Coming to Sun 'n Fun

2012-02-02T23:04:00+00:00

The 38th annual Sun 'n Fun International Fly-In Expo, scheduled for March 27 - April 1, will have two special visitors staying all week: the Commemorative Air Force's (CAF) B-29 Superfortress "FIFI" and the P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: Kick Off 'Daughter Day' at WAI With Free Breakfast, Notable Aviators

2012-02-02T23:03:00+00:00

As part of this year's Women in Aviation Conference in Dallas, Texas, a special "Bring Your Daughter to the Conference Day" on Saturday, March 10, will introduce girls to the excitement and career opportunities available in aviation.

AOPA News: Airway access during military training urged

2012-02-02T15:22:04+00:00

AOPA has requested that the Air Force, which plans to establish a temporary military operations area during military exercises scheduled for June from Volk Field Air National Guard base in Wisconsin, assure unimpeded airway access for general aviation flights. Members are encouraged to submit comments on the plan by Feb. 3.

AOPA News: West Coast sanctuary overflight now a dangerous gamble

2012-02-02T06:10:01+00:00

Pilots could face stiff fines - up to six figures - for violating new overflight regulations that place the National Airspace System on a slippery slope. The FAA has ceded to another federal agency - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - authority to enforce what amount to new airspace restrictions.

CAP Features: Ala. member honored with pair of FAA awards for 50 years of safety, skill, service

2012-02-02T06:00:00+00:00

(From left) Tom Mullen, FAASTeam Aviation Safety Program manager for the Alabama-Northwest Florida; Jeanie Mayer; Maj. Ladde Mayer; and Ken Spivey, FAA Southern Regional Program manager .

Photo by 2nd Lt. Rhonda Pyatt

2nd Lt. Rhonda Pyatt
Public Affairs Officer
Central Alabama Senior Squadron
Montgomery AL 36109

ALABAMA -- Maj. Ladde Mayer of the Central Alabama Senior Squadron has been recognized with two prestigious Federal Aviation Administration honors recognizing 50 years of performance – the Wright Brothers Master Pilot and Charles Taylor Master Mechanic awards.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recognizes the efforts of pilots who have contributed and maintained safe flight operations for 50 or more consecutive years of flying. The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill and aviation expertise for at least 50 years in the aircraft maintenance profession as "master mechanics."

Mayer received the awards from Tom Mullen, FAA Safety Team, or FAASTeam, aviation safety program manager for the Alabama and Northwest Florida Flight Standards District Office, and Ken Spivey, the FAA’s Southern regional program manager. The presentation ceremony was held before Mayer's family and members of his squadron at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham

NASA: Shuttle and Station News: NASA to Host Media Telecon on Space Station Status

2012-02-02T05:00:00+00:00

NASA will host a media telecon at 2 p.m. CST today to discuss the status of the International Space Station and the progress toward an updated launch schedule, including international partner and commercial space vehicles.

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Seeks Proposals For Edison Small Satellite Demonstrations

2012-02-02T05:00:00+00:00

NASA is seeking proposals for flight demonstrations of small satellite technologies with the goal of increasing the technical capabilities and range of uses for this emerging category of spacecraft.

The Experimental Aircraft Association: FAA Reauthorization Bill Takes Another Step Forward

2012-02-01T23:03:00+00:00

	To Check Astronaut Health, ESA Is Developing a Blood Analysis Lab-On-A-Chip That Works in Space
	Augmented Reality Headsets to Help ISS Astronauts
	BMW Augmented Reality Glasses Help Average Joes Make Repairs

	Texas Man Receives First American Full-Face Transplant
	Using a Lab-Grown Trachea, Surgeons Conduct the World's First Synthetic Organ Transplant
	Doctors Perform First-Ever Full Facial Transplant

Civil Air Patrol - Paine Field Squadron - Latest Aerospace News

Aviation Week and Space Technology: Australia Awards Huge Ka-band Deal to Space Systems/Loral

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Video: President Obama Test-Fires a Marshmallow Cannon at the White House Science Fair

AOPA News: Temporary MOAs proposed in Michigan

Air Force Top Stories: Airmen halt nighttime training to aid victims

General Aviation News: Air Zoo to host presentation on Tuskegee Airmen

General Aviation News: Miller joins Hawker Beechcraft as CEO

General Aviation News: Cessna loses power during approach

Air Force Top Stories: AF announces test pilot school selections

Air Force Top Stories: Tuskegee Airman gives account of 'lucky' day

General Aviation News: General aviation as an asset

General Aviation News: Congress passes four-year FAA bill

General Aviation News: Tecnam’s design juggernaut: Do these guys sleep?

General Aviation News: $11.35 million: What will it cost you?

Air Force Top Stories: Air Force announces first female four-star general nominee

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General Aviation News: Subcommittee hearing to focus on GPS and aviation safety

General Aviation News: Kansas Cosmosphere launches search for new CEO

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Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Drones Will Be Admitted to Standard US Airspace By 2015

Air Force Top Stories: 480th Intel Group wins Air Force language award

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Play the PopSci Tourist-Or-Local Game

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: This Cuddly Phase-Change Robot Will Keep You Warm at Night

Air Force Top Stories: Airmen ensure interoperability with partner nation

Air Force Top Stories: Overcoming pride to prevent suicide

Air Force Top Stories: OSI investigation leads to conviction in contract fraud case

Air Force Top Stories: Joint partnership brings equipment home

Air Force Top Stories: Stripes to bars: Tips on how to get commissioned

Air Force Top Stories: Air Force advisers, Afghan aircrew drop medical supplies to rural villages

General Aviation News: Gear collapses on landing

Air Force Top Stories: Tuskegee Airman a success in both military and business

AOPA News: Illinois bill would raise aviation fees

AOPA News: Pro-GA bills clear Indiana House

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Officials Participate in 2nd Annual White House Science Fair

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Spinoff 2011 Unveils Benefits of NASA Technologies on Earth

NASA: Breaking News: NASA Calls for New Commercial Crew Proposals

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General Aviation News: Sebring breaks records

General Aviation News: EAA Chapter 1128 hosts aviation events for local youth

Aviation Week and Space Technology: Vega Debut Slips To End Of Launch Window

General Aviation News: Do you remember your first air show?

Air Force Top Stories: Jet engine mechanic wins language award

Popular Science - Military, Aviation and Space: Augmented Reality Will Help Future Astronauts Perform Surgery on Each Other

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