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FAA Computers Aren't Computing, Cause Delays At Airports Everywhere
Posted by Jason Chen at 6:03 AM on August 27, 2008
We don't know how many airports total are being affected, but FAA computers at one of their facilities are having trouble processing data, which means flights everywhere are being delayed. So far CNN says LaGuardia in NY and Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta were affected, but radar and plane contact is fine. If you're flying today or tomorrow (like I am), you should get to the airport early. Or late, I guess, if flights are delayed. Maybe just show up at your normal time. [CNN]
The USAF keeps pushing forward the race towards cleaner skies--and leaner warmachine and potential global mayhem costs--moving from pure oil-derived fuel to a mixture between oil and synthetic fuel. The new benchmark is not a B1 bomber, 
If you're flying on an AA 767-200 from NYC to San Francisco, Miami or Los Angeles, you can kick the tires of American's new Gogo/Aircell in-flight wi-fi service for US$12.95 (the rate for flights over 3 hours). It's the same provider Delta will be using as they 
The Air Force's Office of Scientific Research has funded a study that's found a novel waterproofing technique that could prevent ice formation and corrosion from damaging parts of an aircraft, like optical sensors. The transparent coating has a nanoporous surface that is superhydrophobic, which makes water droplets form and roll or bounce-off the aircraft's skin rather than collecting, which is how ice formations happen. Better still it can be crafted to send the droplets in particular pathways across the coating, meaning it may also work as a cheap and simple water-collection system for desert environments: this was inspired by the way the Namib Desert beetle gathers moisture. We wonder though... is it as good as 
Stash it under the belly of the plane for an Indiana-Jones-style getaway once you hit the landing strip, of course. The good folks at 
This past weekend, a NASA-sanctioned 400-mile (643km) "personal air vehicle" race was held in Santa Rosa, CA, to see who had created the quietest, most fuel-efficient plane that's still reasonably fast. Those involved hope pushing these ideas forward will make personal airplanes cost effective someday. These PAVs run as quiet as a pickup truck while averaging a fuel efficiency of 25 to 30 miles per gallon (10-13 km per litre). Four planes showed up for the challenge and US$100,000 in prize money was awarded, though the most intriguing craft of them all, a modded DA-20 that runs partially on biodiesel, was unable to compete because of a faulty sensor. In the end, the big winner was the Pipistrel Virus, a two-seater with tech-happy features such as three GPS modules, terrain visualization screen and a rocket-propelled parachute that deploys in the event of a mid-air collision. Here's a look at all four contenders:
Apparently a proposal in the middle of the Amazonian rainforest wasn't enough for Brits Darren McWalters and Katie Hodgson, seen here taking their vows under the guise of a rearward-facing wing-mounted priest above the English countryside. The magic words were exchanged with a combination of hand signals and radio headsets, which were also simulcast to guests on the ground. From the looks of the video below, it seems like things went off without a hitch.
This is an 
