Aviation Photos
If you’re an active member of the aviation community you’ve probably already heard of the Fantasy of Flight located in Polk City, Florida (between Tampa and Orlando). Their website fantasyofflight.com came to my attention long time ago and I was curious what to expect from this place at a small town in the middle of Lakeland countryside. Recently I made a long planned trip to Cocoa, Titusville and NASA Kennedy Space Center and also made ...
This beautiful golden girl called “FIFI” is our new Photo of the Week. This Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine heavy bomber that was flown primarily by the US in World War II and the Korean War. The Soviet Union produced a reverse-engineered copy as the Tupolev Tu-4. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II. It was the primary aircraft in the American campaign against Japan in ...
Two new exciting logo jets have been spotted recently. Etihad Airways shows its support for English Premier League club Manchester City with a stunning special football livery. One of their Airbus A330-243 (A6-EYE), called Blue Moon Rising, was painted blue with soccer ball pattern, Manchester City logo and a moon on its belly. Since 2009 the Abu Dhabi-based airline is a major sponsor of the club. Australian flag carrier Qantas recently came up with a ...
Boeing and ANA began validation of their readiness for the 787 Dreamliner’s entry into service. Throughout the week-long validation, ANA pilots, together with Boeing, will fly a 787 on actual airline routes in Japan using airline dispatch and flight rules. The 787 will experience simulated day-to-day airline operations. Maintenance, servicing and flight crew operations will be conducted at five airports in Tokyo, Osaka (Itami and Kansai), Okayama and Hiroshima. ANA’s first scheduled service with the ...
This beautiful sunset landing at Portland, Oregon (US) is this week’s winner of the Flightstory Flickr photo contest. (c) Photographer: Russell Hill (sabian404) Did you know that your photo could be featured here, too? Just enter the Flightstory Flickr Photo Contest.
This week’s Photo of the Week is this vintage Kaman HH-43 Huskie catched at the Olympic Airshow in Tumwater, WA. This true treasure of aviation was used from the 1950s to the 1970s primarily for firefighting and rescue in the close vicinity of air bases, but was later utilized as a short range overland search and rescue aircraft during the Vietnam War. (c) Photographer: “N324F” Did you know that your photo could be featured here, ...
Do you want some air show action? Here you go! This week’s winner of the Flickr photo contest has it all what makes a great air show shot, paired with simply stunning colors and contrast! (c) Photographer: Chris Ball (cmball) Did you know that your photo could be featured here, too? Just enter the Flightstory Flickr Photo Contest.
Airbus yesterday delivered the first Airbus A380 to Korean Air. The carrier based in Seoul, South Korea, ordered a total of 10 A380s, with the first five to be delivered in 2011. Korean Air is the sixth international operator of the A380, they chose Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power their Super Jumbos. Their first Airbus A380 (HL7611) will be operated on non-stop flights from Seoul to North America and Europe. A total of 234 ...
This week’s Flickr Photo of the Week is this beautiful shot of a KLM Boeing 747. The Dutch Queen of the skies gently dives into the thick clouds shortly after takeoff from Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (EHAM). (c) Photographer: nustyR AirTeamImages Did you know that your photo could be featured here, too? Just enter the Flightstory Flickr Photo Contest.
This week’s Photo of the Week is a little different than the others. It’s no high-tech jet fighter performing some stunning aerobatics, no historical plane and no shiny airliner. Yet it’s a photo that reflects the true beauty and spirit of aviation. A man and his machine having a great time in the air! Riding his UL plane through this beautiful scenery surely must be one of the most enjoyable things in his life. (c) ...
Lufthansa posted these awesome photos of a Lufthansa CityLine Bombardier CRJ900 on their Facebook page. Lufthansa CityLine currently operates 12 Bombardier CRJ900 and 20 Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets. The CRJ900 is a stretched 76-90 seat version of the CRJ700. The Bombardier CRJ900 directly competes with the Embraer 175. Photos: (c) Lufthansa
At a press conference held yesterday, French Aviation Investigation Board, Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile (BEA), released these new photos of the Air France AF447 recovery. The Airbus A330-203, registration F-GZCP, crashed on June 1 2009 en route from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Paris (France) into the Atlantic Ocean. Since 2 years a large recovery operation consisting of several ships and robots tried to localize and recover Flight Recorders ...
This week’s Photo of the Week is this F-15C Eagle going up into the cloudy sky of Oregon. As the American jet fighter rumbles into the clouds its powerful afterburners add the only color spots to the dramatic dark scene. High speed combined with humid air creates absolutely stunning vapor trails. The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered ...
Today the first Airbus A380 for Korean Air (MSN 035) took off to the skies for final flight tests. The tests are being carried out at Airbus Hamburg (Germany). During the upcoming flights, all cabin systems will be tested, including air conditioning, galleys, lavatories and in-flight entertainment. Airbus will also undertake advanced general performance tests with the aircraft before it flies to Toulouse for preparation for delivery to the airline. Photos Korean Air will become ...
This magnificent photo holds the Flightstory Flickr Photo Award of this week. The beautiful black/white shot shows a Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler taking off from Naval Air Facility El Centro (KNJK). The plane belongs to Electronic Attack Squadron One Two Nine (VAQ-129), known as the Vikings. The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler is an electronic warfare aircraft manufactured as a modification of the basic A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6B has been in service with the ...
China’s fifth generation stealth fighter, Chengdu J-20, has successfully conducted its second test flight on Tuesday at the Chengdu airfield. “The aircraft made several passes and waggled its wings to salute the crowd near the airfield,” the Chinese Global Times Newspaper quoted a witness. The prototype took off at 4:25 pm and landed at about 5:50 pm. China’s Defence Ministry did not comment on the issue. According to Reuters the successful second test flight for ...
United Airlines celebrates its 85th anniversary with a special retro livery. The Airbus A320 (N475UA) is painted in the airline’s 1970s-era “Friend Ship” livery. “We are proud to celebrate United’s 85th anniversary with the more than 85,000 co-workers and thousands of retirees who have built the world’s leading airline,” said Jeff Smisek, United’s president and chief executive officer. Employee celebrations continue throughout the week as the Friend Ship visits different United and Continental hub airports, ...
The wreckage of Air France flight AF447 has finally been found on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The Airbus A330-203, registered F-GZCP, crashed en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro in June 2009, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board, after hitting a thunderstorm. The submarine that located the wreckage in a depth of 3800m also found bodies. They will be recovered and identified, a spokesman said. Investigators now hope to find ...
A Bombardier CRJ200ER operated by Atlantic Southeast (Delta Connection) struck a flock of large birds, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing at Little Rock National Airport. Flight 5087 was bound from Atlanta to Little Rock when pilots reported the bird strike at 3:38 p.m. Friday, about 20 miles southeast of the airport. The nose cone and left engine cowling has been damaged. More at http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/ Photos: AP
Developmental testing of the new HC-130J has been completed. The plane which is developed for the United States Air Force Air Combat Command went through the last test point – air-to-air refueling on March 14. This was the first ever boom refueling of a C-130. This test point also applies to the MC-130J Combat Shadow II aircraft in production for Air Force Special Operations Command. Rollout of the first MC-130J is scheduled for March 29. ...
The largest Airbus A350 XWB fuselage panel made from carbon fibre has been manufactured by Premium AEROTEC (Germany). Located on the forward right-hand side of the fuselage and measuring 93 square metres, the panel will undergo ultrasonic inspection, trimming and drilling in the coming days prior to being joined with the other panels that together will become the forward fuselage (Section 13-14). Airbus opted for large fuselage panels for the A350 XWB design as they ...
Have you ever heard of this crazy piece of machinery? It’s called the Eurocopter X3 concept – a high-speed hybrid helicopter demonstrator that has begun test flights end of last year. The X3 utilizes a Eurocopter Dauphin helicopter airframe. It’s equipped with two turboshaft engines that power a five-blade main rotor system, along with two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings. This hybrid configuration creates an advanced transportation system that offers the speed of a ...
