 In a world where technology is constantly changing, it is wonderful to see new advancements continually making our world a better place. This is why Virgin Atlantic’s latest feat is so notable: recently the airline company celebrated its Boeing 747-400 G-VROM plane, which completed its flight to Gatwick Airport as the first plane to successfully use waste-based fuel for the duration of a flight.
This feat is a sign of changing times for the aviation industry, as eco-friendly fuel allows transit to be more sustainable and better for the environment. Not only that, but using waste-based fuel allows us to not contribute to climate change as much by not being able to dispose certain kinds of trash. Virgin Atlantic cited the corporation LanzaTech as the reason they were able to achieve this feat, as it is the direct result of the UK Government’s grant allowing LanzaTech to construct a facility to test and construct an efficient way to make waste-based aviation fuel. This can largely help decrease the amount of greenhouse emissions that currently threaten the atmosphere and also increase the quality of air in metropolitan areas near airports. How is this possible? Well, LanzaTech focuses on recycling gases, converting them into ethanol and subsequently using that as the basis for their aviation fuel. This is done at no cost to the efficiency of the planes themselves, something proven by the success of the Boeing 747-400 G-VROM that just flew an entire trip on the eco-friendly fuel. The plane was also the first of its kind, a commercial flight that flew with ecologically friendly fuel, an innovation that extends far beyond its industry. In order to read the full article, written by David Pflieger, make sure to click the link.
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 In November’s National Aviation History Month, it is a time to celebrate just how far we’ve come in aviation, and it is a wonderful chance to explore some of the exciting aviation museums that feature the amazing progress that has been made.
Following are just a few examples of the fascinating museums you can visit in different areas of the United States: Smithsonian Institution: One Museum, Two Locations: National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Washington, DC AND Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia Admission is free and no tickets are required. Exciting exhibits feature the most significant objects in aviation and space history and improvements in technology that revolutionized air travel. With approximately 7.5 million visitors in 2016, it was the world’s third most visited museum. Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Museum, Portage, Michigan There are fascinating interactive exhibits, more than 100 historic and rare spacecraft and airplanes, indoor amusement park rides including a Ferris wheel, science activities and classes, 3D full-motion flight simulators, and summer camps. In order to read the full article, written by David Pflieger, make sure to click the link.  We live in a society that tends to focus on the negative aspects of the world. As sad as this is to say, it’s the truth. News outlets and humans in general seem to gravitate towards sad or disheartening news. I suppose it’s simply human nature. This is incredibly true when it comes to aviation. Most websites and news outlets provide various articles on airplane crashes and abhorrent treatment of passengers by airlines. There’s simply too much negativity surrounding the space. I’d love to focus on the positive. With that in mind, I’ve decided to highlight some of the most positive and noteworthy events to transpire on an airplane.
 Black box. I’m sure you’ve heard the term before, either on the news or in conversation. You’ve heard of them dozens of times before, but you aren’t totally sure of what they do. You aren’t alone. Most people don’t understand these devices very well, but they are incredibly important to the entire aviation industry and that isn’t an exaggeration. In layman’s terms, black boxes are found on every single commercial aircraft and are used to provide the FAA with statistical information on what causes planes to crash.
What’s in a Name? Believe it or not but the black box isn’t actually black. It doesn’t make sense, does it? Instead, the black box is colored an incredibly vibrant orange. Why is it bright orange? Well, unfortunately, after an airplane crash, there tends to be a great deal of wreckage and the black box could be incredibly difficult to locate. With a bright color, like orange, the black box can be located a bit easier among the heaps of debris. So why is it called a black box? That’s even more of a mystery. No one fully knows why it’s called a black box; a popular theory suggests that since the boxes are covered with dark ashes, they appear to be black, hence the name, “black box.” |
About David Pflieger
David Pflieger - Senior Airline Executive
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