A B-1B bomber crashed as it was attempting to land at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., on Jan. 4.
All four crew members ejected safely from the aircraft and survived, Ellsworth Air Force Base said in a statement.
The incident occurred during poor weather in below-freezing temperatures with dense fog limiting visibility, according to local weather reports. Radio traffic from local first responders said there was an “active fire” after an “explosion.”
“An Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to Ellsworth Air Force Base crashed at approximately 5:50 p.m. today while attempting to land on the installation,” the base’s 28th Bomb Wing said in a Jan. 4 statement. “At the time of the accident, it was on a training mission.”
The airbase is closed to flight operations, according to a Notice to Airmen/Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) advisory issued soon after the incident. The NOTAM was extended on Jan. 5.
One Airman is currently being treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries, the 28th Bomb Wing said in a Jan. 5 statement. The other three crew members were treated on base for minor injuries. A typical B-1 crew consists of two pilots and two weapons systems officers, all with ejection seats.
A spokesperson for the wing told Air & Space Forces Magazine they could not provide further details of the incident.
Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Ellsworth Air Force Base is near Rapid City. It is one of only two B-1 bases. The 28th Bomb Wing operates over 20 B-1s, according to the base. The Air Force has 45 B-1s in its inventory.
The aircraft was initially designed to operate as a supersonic, nuclear-capable bomber with variable-sweep wings. But the fleet has been used hard over the last two decades in the Middle East after being converted to a purely conventional bomber. The aircraft is known to have a poor mission-capable rate.
Ellsworth is slated to receive the first operational B-21 Raider stealth bombers, which are scheduled to fully replace the B-1.
“The Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident,” the 28th Bomb Wing said.

A Ferrari-red flying car could soon become every commuter’s dream come true: It would fly over miles of gridlock to work, land and then drive a mile or two to their parking spaces.


Samson Sky’s Switchblade, which has been 14 years in the making, is now ready for its next series of tests. Previously, we reported the Oregon-built vehicle was gearing up for road tests. On July 15, the Federal Aviation Administration determined it was safe for flight testing, so the flying car could be weeks away from going to market.

The innovative vehicle was designed to offer all the amenities of a luxury car, including its hybrid electric-drive system, for a smooth journey in the air. When it lands, its wings fold into the sides of the car. Testing on the Switchblade has been accelerating over the past year in anticipation of the FAA hurdles.


“[The crew] took off their ‘I’m doing R&D,’ and they put on their ‘I am flight-test’ crew hats, and I think that really set the tone for everything after,” Sam Bousfield, CEO of Samson Sky and inventor of the Switchblade, told The Hill regarding the vehicle’s progress. “We’re in a different game now.”

The Switchblade, which holds up to two people, can reach a maximum altitude of 16,000 feet, with a cruise speed of 160 mph. That height is low enough for the pilot and passenger to enjoy the view. The wings allow the aircraft to move from the ground to the air with a seamless transition.
One thing that still has customers guessing is how people will insure the vehicle since insurance for flying cars hasn’t been created. Bousfield says that owners will most likely have to purchase both car and aircraft insurance for full protection against damages.
Other flying cars are also preparing to take flight. Klein Vision’s AirCar was certified by air-transport authorities in Slovakia, with anticipation of being certified across Europe.  Another competitor, Aeromobil, is working on a sporty AM4 model. In the Netherlands, the Pal-V Liberty is also working towards certification.
When the Switchblade hits the market, it will retail for $170,000. The company currently allows customers to reserve their car in advance with a $2,000 deposit due 45 days after the first car takes flight.
So far, over 1,600 are on the reservation list and growing. You can reserve your spot here.

A SUPERSONIC jet which could fly from London to New York in just 90 minutes has revealed what passengers could expect from the flight.
Inside the Spike S-512 Supersonic Jet cabin would be a large seating area, which can be converted to beds or a dining area and flat-screen TVs.


The flights, which would have a maximum 18 seats, will have no windows, due to window sections being the weakest part of a plane.
They also bring in a lot of noise, making the plane not just stronger and more fuel-efficient but quieter as well.
Spike Aerospace founder and CEO Vik Kachoria told the Telegraph: ““The Concorde was ridiculously noisy.
“Most conversations between two people are between 65 and 75 decibels and the noise level found within most plane cabins is around 85 decibels.
“Our windowless aircraft will be about 60 decibels, so lower than the sound of a conversation.”

Instead, long computer screens along the wall of the cabin will simulate panoramic views.
Images of the galley show a fancy coffee machine, built-in sink and counter space as well as a large fridge with chilled drinks.
The seating is convertible so it can turn into flat beds, seating areas or conference seats.
While the flights won’t be cheap, they could eventually be a similar price to Business Class tickets.


Mr Kachoria said: “Remember, almost every technological innovation we’ve had has started out for the uber-rich: cars, telephones, computers, flat screen TVs – the first ones cost $25,000 in the 90s and now they’re $200.”
A number of airlines are looking into supersonic travel between the UK and the US, following on from the Concorde jets which launched in 1976.
Travelling at 1,354mph or Mach 2.04 — twice the speed of sound — it captivated the world’s imagination as it whisked elite passengers from London to New York in just three and a half hours.
However, the Concorde jets were retired in 2003 after a fatal accident in 2000 in Paris.

tags: concorde , supersonic , aviation , concorde replacement , nathan finneman , sir drifto , breed of speed , aircraft future , future

Those who were driving on the highways near the Miramar Naval Base in San Diego on Tuesday may have witnessed a strange scene: two planes of unusual shapes and painted in black landing on the runway, famous for being the setting for the film Top Gun.
The mysterious planes were F-117 Nighthawk fighters, the first jet invisible to radar in history. But what did the two US Air Force aircraft at the Marines base do anyway? What’s more, why do they keep flying despite being retired in 2008?
The official answer does not exist since the US government does not admit that Lockheed Martin planes are in fact active, but it has become increasingly evident that the Pentagon has used some units to conduct military tests and exercises.
Miramar, for example, hosts the training of Navy fighter pilots and has aggressor aircraft, used to simulate enemy fighters. And nothing better than evaluating tactics and maneuvers with a jet that is difficult to detect.

In service since 1983, the F-117 was the precursor to stealth technology. Developed by the Skunk Works team, also responsible for the SR-71 spy plane, the Nighthawk used a fuselage concept with faceted surfaces and radar-absorbing material to remain undetected.
In addition, both engines had covered air intakes and exhaust fans with cooling systems. The V-tail, like that of the single-engine Bonanza, was chosen to be hidden behind the wings.
The unusual design means that the F-117 is only able to fly because it has a fly-by-wire control system, being unstable in various flight conditions. The USAF only operated 59 units of the attack aircraft (although designated as a fighter, its role has always been different).

When it decided to retire them in the past decade, the Air Force stored them in a pattern known as “Type 1000”, which it plans to keep them able to fly again. Almost all of the remaining units were eventually preserved at Tonopah air base.
It looked like the end of the F-117’s career, but as of 2017 some fighters began to be seen in desert regions and near Edwards Air Force Base in California. Last year, rumors emerged that the USAF would have used some Nighthawks in attacks in Syria in 2017, information that has never been confirmed.
In May 2020, two of these planes were seen next to a KC-135, denoting an unusual activity. Until then, these sightings occurred in sparsely populated areas, so the landing of the two F-117s in San Diego may be an indication that the Pentagon no longer plans to hide from the public that the “Wobblin ‘Goblin” is back.

 If there is one thing that you would think wouldn't mix, it would be going inverted in a helicopter. However Aaron Fitzgerald has proved us otherwise. So we sat down, and got the scoop with one of the coolest heli-pilots around. Not only did we get to hang out with Aaron for the day, he took us inverted aswell. However lets first get to know Aaron and how he makes doing aerobatics in an 810hp helicopter look easy.

1.  How many years have you been flying?

Aaron: 26 years

2 .Rough guess on hours you've flown and types of aircraft?

Aaron: 9500 hours. Maybe 20 different types of aircraft.


3. One of your fondest flying memories?

Aaron: Flying for the America’s Cup Racing in Bermuda. I love flying helicopters, I love the Ocean and tropical weather. I love racing. Everything that I love in one job!


4. What was your first thought when you got into helicopter aerobatics?

Aaron: Holy hell, what have I gotten myself into?!

5. Your favorite maneuver to do in the helicopter and why?

Aaron: If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the BO turn. It is a combination of several moves into one beautiful complex maneuver. It looks great for the spectators and is very fun to execute! It is hard to get right, but very rewarding and and fun when it goes well.


6. What is your favorite characterisitc of the BO105?

Aaron: The rotor head and transmission are what sets that helicopter apart from all the rest. It is an extraordinarily robust and capable machine!


7. What are some of the reactions individuals give you when you tell them you do aerobatics in a helicopter?

Aaron: It’s a wide spectrum that spans from ‘You are crazy’ to ’Show me how to do that’.


8. Have you done every possible maneuver in the 105? Or is it always changing?

Aaron: No way have I done every possible maneuver. I was trained by the absolute master of helicopter aerobatics, Rainer Wilke. He is the one who is out there pushing the envelope and discovering what is possible. As time goes on and I practice to get better and better, there are more maneuvers that are now in my skill set. I will never catch Rainer, but I will do my very best to improve everyday. 


9. What would you tell any aspiring pilot?

As in any line of work, the basic elements are the same.  Work harder and be nicer than everyone else. If you do those two things, life will be easier, happier, and more prosperous!

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Look for part 2 of this awesome adventure when we take flight with Aaron and get a first hand look what its like to be in the seat of an aerobatic helicopter. Until then check out the video below of his recent trip to New York doing some amazing maneuvers.

tags: breed of speed , redbull helicopter , helicopter pilot , helicopter aerobatics

The US Coast Guard and Michigan law enforcement agencies are working to find the pilot who flew a small plane under northern Michigan's Mackinac Bridge earlier this summer.
Video taken from a Coast Guard patrol boat in the vicinity of the suspension bridge shows the aircraft approaching the bridge at a low altitude and flying under the main roadway at 2:50 pm on Sunday, June 28. 
Nearly two months later, investigators are asking the public to help find the renegade pilot.
Authorities say the bridge, which carries Interstate 75, was packed with hundreds of cars at the time, traveling in advance of the July 4 holiday weekend. "This was extremely reckless behavior on the part of the pilot, and it imperiled the safety of everyone on the bridge that day," Sgt. Gary Demers of the state police said in a statement. "We hope that someone can come forward with information to help us make sure it doesn't happen again."

Anyone who took a photo or video of the stunt, or who has any helpful information, can leave an anonymous tip with either the Coast Guard or Michigan State Police. 

Federal Aviation Administration regulations do not specifically prohibit flying under a bridge — common sense does — but do bar pilots from flying within 500 feet of "any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure" when over open water or sparely populated areas. (Otherwise, they must maintain an altitude of 500 feet.) 

The sole driveable link between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, the roadway of the Mackinac Bridge stands just 199 feet above the water at its highest point, according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority, meaning the closest to the span a pilot of a fixed-wing aircraft can legally fly is 699 feet above ground level. 

The FAA's enforcement division can charge between $1,100 and $27,500 for a violation of its rules, depending on the circumstances. 

tags: nathan finneman , nathan james , breed of speed , man flies plane under bridge , faa bridge , plane under bridge, aviation news , news today , bureau of gravity research

After a 14-year hiatus, Microsoft is launching a new version of its "Flight Simulator" video game — now with features like live weather and traffic as well as a massive world map.
"Microsoft Flight Simulator" lets anyone role play as a pilot and fly anywhere in the world, scoping out highly realistic sights along the way.
In the game, players begin by selecting a flight route, which typically begins on a runway. Just as in real life, players achieve liftoff by gaining momentum, and once in the air they must balance speed and momentum while avoiding obstacles like buildings. There are options to skip parts of a flight or accelerate flight time to destinations around the world, but part of the fun is checking out the scenery while en route.
The newest "Microsoft Flight Simulator" is an update to the company's oldest franchise. At nearly 38 years old, "Flight Sim," as its ardent fans call it, predates both Word and Windows and has developed a loyal fan base.

The new version, which starts at $59.99 with extra costs for additional planes and airports, comes out August 18 for both Windows and Xbox. The new live weather feature creates additional challenges when navigating the skies. For example, a storm that recently passed by the East Coast in real life was also visible within the game.
Players who have tried the game in preview have already uploaded YouTube videos of them flying beside skyscrapers in New York City, exploring Chernobyl and even North Korea, among other locales that may not be accessible during the ongoing real-life pandemic.

"I've been in this house now since March; I can't really fly anywhere. I feel like the world maybe shrank a little... [the shutdown] certainly had a psychological impact," Jorg Neumann, head of "Microsoft Flight Simulator," told CNN Business. But in "Flight Sim," he has traveled to Texas, Nepal and parts of Africa.
The game includes 37,000 airports, 1.5 billion buildings and 2 trillion trees — part of why it takes a whopping 150GB to install. It contains 2 petabytes of satellite and aerial imagery, but it runs on cloud streaming to keep the game file size manageable.
Neumann is not a pilot, but he said he and his team solicit feedback from a community of pilots as well as fans, and some of his team members have taken flying lessons.
While the new "Flight Sim" isn't simplified for beginners, there's a new checklist system that helps players figure out what needs to be completed so they can lift off safely. It can be intimidating for newcomers to manage the various controls and unfamiliar terminology like yokes and throttle, but the game offers tutorials and autopilot functions for more complicated tasks such as landing on water."Instead of dumbing down the flight physics... we help you fly the plane, [and make it] physically accurate," said Neumann.
This is the first new installment of the game since 2006's "Flight Simulator X," and Microsoft has said it plans to service this new game for many years.

TAGS: breed of speed , nathan finneman , nathan james , sir drifto , gravity research , flight simulator 2020 , microsoft , xbox , pilot training , simulator , aviation

The government of Qatar has divested two opulently-configured VVIP 747s in recent years, a 747SP model that got sold to CSDS Asset Management in 2018 and a 747-8i Boeing Business Jet, or BBJ, that ended up effectively gifted to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that same year. Now another luxurious Qatari VVIP 747-8i BBJ, with fewer than 1,100 total flight hours on the airframe and under 300 cycles on each of its four GE Aviation GEnx-2B67/P engines, has hit the open market. It is without question among the most, if not the most, expensive and opulent aircraft on the market and one of the most incredible luxury aircraft ever built. 


This particular 747-8i, which has the Boeing serial number 37075 and rolled off the assembly line in Everett, Washington in 2012, is presently at AMAC Aerospace Switzerland AG's facility in Basel, Switzerland. AMAC Aerospace was responsible for outfitting the aircraft with its custom interior, which took nearly two years to complete, according to the company's records.


In 2015, this aircraft entered service with the Qatar Amiri Flight, which is technically a division of the country's flag carrier Qatar Airways that serves the Qatari Royal Families and other top government officials. A 2019 story from FlightGlobal indicates that this particular aircraft, which carried the Qatari registration A7-HBJ, was set aside for "executive" VIPs outside of Qatar's ruling House of Al Thani.
In its primary configuration, this aircraft has a crew of 18 and can carry 89 passengers, a relatively small number compared to the 400 or so people that a 747-8i configured as a typical three-class airliner can accommodate. AMAC also says this aircraft can also fly in a medical configuration with its master bedroom transformed into a Patient Transport Unit, perhaps a more significant selling point in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With a master bedroom, guest bedroom, grand staircase, living rooms, private offices and lounges, general lounges, fully stocked galleys, and more, the art deco-inspired and somewhat timeless interior of this aircraft is extremely lavish, to say the least. However, it is a bit more conservative, at least in color palette, than the interior of the ex-Qatari 747-8i BBJ that flew around members of the Qatari Royal Family and is now in service with the Turkish government. 
Just some of the aircraft's features and amenities are listed below. You can find a full breakdown of what the plane has to offer as well as additional pictures in the listing brochure linked here.

• Insulation blankets installed which provides thermal insulation and noise attenuation functions.
• Zone I and Zone II have 50 dB +/-2dB, Zone III (aft lounge) and Zone IV (upper deck lounge) have 52 dB +/-2dB.
• Electric Window shades and Roman shades are installed.
• Portable fire extinguishers are installed throughout in the interior of the aircraft.
• Anti-intrusion system is installed which provide highly reliable aircraft intrusion monitoring for the unattended aircraft.
• Water system installed to provide hot and cold portable water to each galley sink, each lavatory sink, bidet, hand sprayer and showers, cold water to the lavatory toilets and cold water to humidification system.
• Digital IFE system from PGA with Audio/Video On Demand (AVOD) / Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Game
  capability
• Five (5) GES (Global Entertainment Servers) connected in series via Ethernet, to store and manage the distribution of AVOD audio/video and/or audio only media. Each GES can manage up to 20 AVOD clients.
• Main sources & components
• Camera systems (video only)
• IPod / HD port (audio/video) HDMI/USB/IPod/RCA
• 13 Blu-ray players (audio/video)
• AVOD system (audio/video)
• Airshow Moving map (video only)
• Live TV/radio (audio/video).
• Moving Map (Airshow)
• HD Cameras (FWD CAM, DN ZOOM) and Quad cam in anti-intrusion system
• Passenger Address (PA) System
• 55” monitor X 5
• 46” monitor X 4
• 40” monitor X 1
• 32” monitor X 1
• 17.3” VTS Monitor X 2
• 15.6” VTS Monitor X 31
• IFE speakers
• Subwoofers
• Headphone jack plugs
• Cabin Management System with Five (5) 15.6” CMS VTS
• GCS Panasonic eXConnect Ku-band system provides broadband internet connectivity as well as eXTV global television service.
• Honeywell JetWave Ka-band connectivity system is also installed.
• Honeywell CX900 router makes it possible to provide fall back option in case one of the connectivity system is not available, in sequence of Ka, Ku and SBB system.

The Qatari Royal Family's decision to get rid of the other 747-8i BBJ two years ago was initially unclear. It later became apparent that they had given it to Turkey as a reward of sorts in light of Ankara's support of the House of Al Thani amid a still-ongoing political spat with a number of other countries, chiefly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
It's not clear why the Qatar Amiri Flight is now getting rid of 37075, though it still has two other 747-8i BBJs in service. The country's authorities had previously sold another one of the Flight's 747-8i BBJ to the Moroccan government in 2010. At present, the Qatari Amiri Flight also has a number of widebody Airbus A340s and A330s, as well as narrowbody A319s and A320s.
It's also worth noting that the ex-Qatari 747SP, which CSDS has now put back on the market, as well as the 747-8i BBJ now in service in Turkey, had been registered in Bermuda and were not technically part of the Qatar Amiri Flight, though they did belong to the Qatari Royal Family.
In addition, in September 2019, the U.S. government approved the sale of two AN/AAQ-24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems to Qatar, specifically to equip two 747-800-series "Head-of-State aircraft," indicating that the country's authorities plan to retain the remaining pair of Jumbo Jets for the foreseeable future. The AN/AAQ-24(V) is a directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system intended to defeat incoming heat-seeking missiles, which you can read about in more detail in this past War Zone piece.
The listing for 37075 on Controller.com says you have to contact them to negotiate the price. Even for the richest people on earth, an aircraft like this would be a substantial investment. A "green" 747-8i, meaning it's not outfitted for service of any kind, which may not even be available to buy new from Boeing for much longer, has run roughly $370 million in the past. However, the interior of this particular example, which is one of the most incredible custom jobs we have ever seen, can cost the price of a converted airliner business jet in itself. That's to say nothing of the annual operating costs that would have to be associated with this flying superyacht.
With the 747-8i production line now in terminal status, the last of the Jumbo Jets will become more scarce, especially the few that have been produced as Boeing Business Jets. The 747-8i represents the largest aircraft on earth that has been fully configured for VIP transport. Currently, two 747-8is are being deeply modified to serve as the replacements for the two aging VC-25A Air Force One jets that are based on the 747-200 variant.
So, if you are one of the very few people or institutions on earth that can afford to own and operate one of the most incredible of flying palaces ever created, check out AMAC's listing and give them a ring to see if this rare bird could become yours.

For the second time in four days, a Russian fighter jet conducted an "unsafe" intercept of a US aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, the US Navy said on Sunday.
The Navy said in a press release that over roughly an hour and a half on Sunday, a Russian Su-35 fighter twice intercepted a US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft operating in international airspace over the Mediterranean. While the first intercept was acceptable, the Navy considered the second "unsafe and unprofessional."
During the risky intercept, the Russian fighter executed a "high-speed, high-powered maneuver that decreased aircraft separation to within 25 feet, directly in front of the P-8A, exposing the US aircraft to wake turbulence and jet exhaust," the Navy said. The P-8A descended to create space between it and the Russian fighter jet.
The Navy accused the Russian pilot of "seriously jeopardizing the safety of flight of both aircraft."
The service captured the incident on video.
Sunday's intercept followed a similar incident on Wednesday, when a Russian Su-35 intercepted a P-8A over the Mediterranean, conducting "a high-speed, inverted maneuver, 25 ft. directly in front of the mission aircraft," the Navy said in a statement at the time.
The Navy said the Russian aircraft's actions were "irresponsible" and accused Russia of putting "our pilots and crew at risk."
In both cases, the Navy said, the US aircraft did not provoke the Russian fighters.

The US is battling a serious coronavirus outbreak, but US adversaries continue to cause headaches for the military.
Last week, the US Navy also had an unpleasant run-in with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
On Wednesday, 11 Iranian vessels "conducted dangerous and harassing approaches" against US Navy and Coast Guard vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, repeatedly crossing the bows and sterns of the US ships and at one point coming within 10 yards of a US vessel, the Navy said.
"This is why I said we must maintain our national mission capabilities — our readiness, our ability to protect the United States — because our adversaries are not standing down," Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Thursday on NBC's "Today" show.
NOW WATCH:

tags: nathan finneman , nathan james , russian jet flies us plane , russia , russian fighter jet , breed of speed , fighter pilot

The man had been surprised by employees at his firm, who had organized a joyride in a Dassault Rafale B jet for him as a treat.
But they apparently didn't know their colleague as well as they thought. Once the man arrived at the Saint-Dizier air base in northeastern France and realized what his co-workers had arranged, he began to feel extremely stressed, according to a fairly remarkable aviation accident report by a French government agency.
​The unnamed man had never expressed any desire to fly in a fighter jet and had no previous military aviation experience, investigators discovered.
And thanks to a watch he was wearing which could measure his heart rate, investigators noticed that "his heart was in full tachycardia" before the flight, with a recorded heart rate ranging from 136 to 142 beats per minute.
But the man went through with the ride, joining a three-plane training exercise as a passenger. The Rafale B is used by the French air force, and has a maximum speed of nearly 1,400 kilometers per hour (870 miles per hour).

When the jet was 2,500 feet above ground and the pilot began to climb, the passenger panicked and reached for something to hold onto.
Unfortunately, that something was the ejector seat button -- and the 64-year-old flew from the fighter jet.
To make matters worse, he had not securely attached his helmet, which went flying in midair.
Fortunately, the man avoided seriously injury after tumbling to earth in a field near the German border.
Investigators concluded that the error was caused by an involuntary reflex, prompted by stress and the jet's sudden movement.
The pilot was not ejected and managed to land the plane safely, despite suffering some minor facial injuries during the ordeal.
The passenger, meanwhile, was taken to a nearby hospital after the flight

tags: breed of speed , nathan finneman , nathan james , sir drifto , fighter pilot , jet ride passenger ejects , passenger ejects , jet ejection seat