Boeing
”Dreamliner's Secret Crew Quarters Should be Called Orgy Room
Here's one of Boeing Dreamliner's most closely guarded secrets: the Orgy Room. Boeing likes to call it "the Crew Quarters" but, come on, what images does this cozy compartment, hidden in the top of the composite fuselage bring to mind? Here's a hint: it has six tightly packed beds for flight attendants, who use them to "have siestas" when the flights are too long. What. Ever. [Fortune]Boeing Dreamliner Turns Into Nightmareliner After New Delay
We have been following the Boeing's 787 Dreamliner for a long time. It's a beautiful aircraft, which allegedly provides with a much-better flying experience—less noise, bigger windows, more space, and better fuel efficiency—thanks to its new construction processes and technologies. However, a new delay in its LEGO-like manufacturing process shows that Boeing is having very serious difficulties with its mass production, which will put them a whooping 18 months behind their original schedule. More »Airplane Cabin for Sale Will Make You Apartment Commander
If you are looking for a complete apartment makeover and a cheap private plane, head to eBay now because someone is selling the interior of a passenger airplane. The 19-square-foot "real Boeing aircraft model Airbus aircraft seats" includes everything but the trolley dollies: first class double seats, two fully-equipped airplane toilets, kitchenette, storage lockers, and onboard in-flight video equipment. Jump for more pics and the sellers' psychedelic "business ideas" for this contraption.
First Flight of Manned Hydrogen-Powered Airplane in History
Today Boeing has announced the first hydrogen-powered manned flight in aviation history. The aircraft climbed to 3,300 feet over Madrid, Spain, using only electricity and probably several bottles of yummylicious Ribera del Duero wine and Iberian Pata Negra ham rations. We talked briefly with Francisco EscartÃ, Managing Director of Boeing Research & Technology Europe in Madrid: More »Inside the Massive Boeing Dreamlifter
This video shows the guts and construction process of the Dreamlifter. Used to transport the composite fuselage and immense wings of the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing built this beast in the USA because they couldn't find an aircraft to ferry these parts cheaply and on time through the world. Only four Dreamlifters have been made from passenger 747s, holding three times the volume of a 747 freighter. And as opposed to other cargo planes, like the Antonov, it looks so good inside that I would like to go live in there. Or set up a cocktail bar. Or both. More »X-48B Video Shows World's Biggest RC Model Plane in Action
NASA has released the first video of the remote controlled X-48B Blended Wing Body 8.5-percent scale model. At 21-foot wingspan, it is the largest surviving RC model in the world,More »
Raytheon's "Killer Bee" UAV Looks to Sting Boeing in Drone Race
Boeing to Design New DARPA's Networked Swarm Spacecrafts
Start buying Cold War nuclear shelters and piling up the canned food, because Boeing Advanced Systems has started System F6, "DARPA's Future, Fast, Flexible, Fractionated, Free-Flying Spacecraft United by Information Exchange space technology program." In other words: multiple, networked specialized spacecraft swarms that are intelligent enough to perform a single coordinated task together, like analyzing the crops or deciding to destroy humanity, Skynet-style. Actually, it could completely change satellites for the better, according to some experts: More »Pilot Gets Fired After Extremely Low Flyby in Brand-New Boeing 777
Captain Ian Wilkinson got fired after doing a crazy 322mph flyby at 28 feet over the 9,000-foot runway at Paine Field, a regional airport located next to Boeing's Everett facilities, the manufacturing site of the new 777-300 he was flying to Hong Kong, and the 787 Dreamliner. Reportedly, first he was congratulated upon arrival (as shown in the picture,) but when the video of his stunt hit the web, he was fired:
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home entertainment
New DirecTV Satellite Capable of 150 HD and 1,500 Local Channels
The latest DirecTV 11 satellite just built by Boeing could potentially increase the total capacity of their programming network to 150 national HD channels and 1,500 local channels. So get ready to fire up those HDTVs—the satellite is expected to launch in March. [Boeing]F-15 Eagle Literally Breaking Apart
As part of the ongoing investigation on the accident that has nearly one third of the US F-15 Eagle fleet grounded, Boeing Phantom Works has released this simulation reconstructing the "structural failure of a US Air National Guard F-15C, caused by fatigue cracking of a forward fuselage longeron, slowed down to one-fifth the actual speed of the event!" In other words: "ZOMG! The cockpit broke apart!" Fortunately, the pilot survived the extremely violent accident, which is amazing although not as incredible as the Israeli pilot who managed to land his Eagle after a crash ripped off an entire wing:
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A1 Racer Beats Boeing 777 In Runway Showdown
A Boeing 777 jet and an A1 Grand Prix racer clashed at the Auckland International Airport in New Zealand to see which was the faster machine. The Boeing got a headstart down the runway for the first race, and defeated the A1 handily. When the starting points were equal, however, the A1 emerged as the victor, reaching a top speed of 285 km/h (versus 270 km/h for the Boeing). And is it just me, or does watching this news piece give you a strange urge to watch Flight of the Conchords? [TV New Zealand via Jalopnik]
flying vehicles
Sky Commuter Aircraft Prototype Flies High, Shatters Dreams
A prototype flying car, dubbed Sky Commuter Aircraft, has been listed for sale on eBay. The vehicle, which has an electric gas assisted lexan bubble canopy, electric controlled directional driving and landing lights, electric joystick, dual foot pedals for double pilot based controls and an advanced Carbonfiber and Kevlar front dash shell, marks the potential end to the oft visited, flying automobile dreams. More »
boeing
Laser Gunship to Destroy Ground Targets Death Star-Style
We already told you about Boeing's airborne laser system, which can knock missiles, en route to a target, right out of the sky. Boeing has recently announced trials for a similar offensive system. The offensive part means the end result will be a laser gunship that will be able to destroy ground targets. Lasers? Airships? Destruction? Oh, we are spoiling you. Jump for the details. More »World's Largest Commercial Jet, Airbus A380, Makes Maiden Voyage (Video)
The Airbus A380, the biggest commercial jetliner ever put into production, at long last took its first trip—and it didn't hit any icebergs. Out of a possible 850 travelers, 450 were on board in this seven-hour Singapore Airlines trip from, well, Singapore all the way to Sydney. This means that, today Airbus officially steals the Sizemodo trophy from Boeing, even though, as the delayed 787 demonstrates, the future of commercial airlines may not be determined by the size of the planes. [BBC News]
ante upped
Airforce One, Supersized
For the next Airforce One, rumor has it that the US is considering the world's biggest jet airliner, the famous Airbus A380. The upgrade seems a little late, considering Hummers have lost their mystique and McD's has ditched the supersizing pitch, but when the President needs a new plane, he can't be outdone by some schmuck Powerball winner. The Airbus would replace the (also large) Boeing 747-200 that is being ousted by many commercial airlines due to fuel efficiency. But Boeing won't lose the Airforce One rights without a fight, as they claim it's their "top priority" to continue to supply the Most Important Plane In The World. [flightglobal via therawfeed]
Dreamliner's Carbon Composite Body Unsafe? Wired Science Calls Bullshit
We told you the other day about Dan Rather's TV blather about how the Boeing 787 Dreamliner "could be unsafe" because of its carbon composite airframe, but now there are lots of experts disagreeing with that report. Aaron Rowe at Wired Science calls it "a cheap shot at Boeing," and chides the mainstream news media for following along like sheep without questioning Rather's assertions. In Rowe's scathing and carefully reasoned article, he pretty much exposes Rather's claims as nothing but scaremongering poppycock.
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