Off Topic: Wheels, Gears, Turbines, Whatever...

World's largest car simulator -at the time- wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi_GkDqON_s&feature=player_embedded

Solar Impulse is expected to fly to New York, New York, via five airports. Stops, which could last several days, are expected in Phoenix, Arizona, and Fort Worth, Texas, but organisers have not decided where the aircraft will land for its third stop. The fourth stop will likely be Washington, DC before the solar-powered machine flies to New York in July. If the cross country trip is successful, Solar Impulse will attempt a round-the-world journey in 2015, which will be flown using a larger version of the aircraft that is currently under construction. The journey is expected to start in May, 2013.

SpaceShipTwo is now one step closer to space flight. The craft recently completed cold flow tests. During the cold flow test, oxidizer was pulsed through the propulsion system and out the back of the space craft. These tests are all running up to the first powered flight of the aircraft.

Customers have all booked their seats on this craft already with seats costing some 200,000 dollars. WhiteKnight Two, the mother craft will take SpaceShip Two up to 50,000 feet where it will release her and SST will power her self as far as 68-miles above earth. Customers will feel the thrill of weightlessness for up to five minutes or so and then return to earth.

This photo just got uploaded to Richard Branson's FB page...

It's not that kinda kill the Me-163 pilots would have seen

Well it certainly took off!

Alaskan Volcano erupts over the weekend, doesn't seriously hamper air traffic

The low-level explosions at Cleveland Volcano, which lies below a major air traffic route between North America and Asia, were not severe enough to cause a significant threat to planes, said experts. But the incident did prompt US federal aviation authorities to divert some traffic north of the volcano as a precaution, said Rick Wessels, a US Geological Survey geophysicist at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Nice pics Kelly. That is one massive solar glider.

Come May 15th, Government auctioneers will be putting up US presidential McDonnell Douglas VC-9 for sale with bidding opening on that day. The aircraft - which is registered N681AL, with serial number 47668 - is listed by the US Federal Aviation Administration as being owned by the Department of State. The auctioneer, which acts on behalf of the US government acquisition arm General Services Administration, is requiring a $50,000 deposit from bidders.

The NTSB is voting to reduce the Blood Alcohol level from 0.8 to 0.5 in terms of drunk driving.

and a little bit of history for you, with the beacon part of the spire of the One World Trade Center being added to Top Out (T/O) the building at its final designed height. This is in New York for those who may not know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwIgb1e6IME&feature=player_embedded