newVideoPlayer("/787snap.flv", 506, 366,""); In order to get certified by the FAA, every new plane must undergo wing tests to prove that it can withstand 150% of the load that it could ever be expected to encounter in flight. Engineers usually try to pass the test, and continue to stretch the wings to see just how far they can get, resulting in spectacular wing-snappings. The Boeing 787 cleared the 150% with no trouble at all, but engineers stopped short of snapping the wing. Why? Because the 787 uses revolutionary composite wings, and breakage could result in an explosion of thousands of shards material spreading around the construction hangar. After a little time and some (in all likelihood, hilarious) rationalising, they’ve finally done it with a 50ft section of wing — thankfully on video. [Boeing via Reddit]
newVideoPlayer("/icona5_giz.flv", 506, 423,""); At last week’s EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, aircraft startup ICON showed up with their folding-winged A5. On display, one setup showed it being towed, propped on a standard trailer and pulled by a standard vehicle. The company hopes to appeal to those who’ve always been interested in flying but have felt intimidated by all of its attached responsibilities including licensing (you don’t need a full-out pilot’s licence to operate this) and storage (it really can fit in a large garage). And yes, their cockpit resembles a car’s dash in a completely scary/awesome way.
Say hello to my next car. The Renault Mégane Coupé Concept, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, is a high-tech automotive masterpiece.
The most striking element, obviously, is the “dragonfly wing” doors, which open vertically and resemble the wings of, er, dragonflies. The car uses your mobile phone (a Samsung F700, to be precise) to unlock the doors and start the ignition as well, making it even more problematic for those of us with a tendency to lose our phones.
