Aerofreaks

Charles Lindbergh’s first transatlantic crossing as well as a pioneering round the world trip is to be attempted by a solar-powered plane with wings the width of a giant Airbus. The flight is likely to be undertaken in 2011.

Future solar-powered plane ‘Solar Impulse’

Bertrand Piccard , whose project it is believes that all attempts at solar planes till date have been just jazz since they have involved relatively short flights in daytime in perfect weather. He is quoted to have said:

What’s sure is that if we consume energy like we do now, we’re going to the wall. Solar Impulse shows how solar energy can be attractive, it’s showing that new energy is sexy.

The “Solar Impulse” project this week carried out real-time computer simulations of a circumnavigation, a year before the prototype is due to take to the air.

What will the 70 million euro ($94 million) project plane be like?

The carbon-fiber ‘Solar Impulse’ will have a wingspan equivalent to that of a 580 ton Airbus A380, and 250 square meters (2,690 square feet) of solar panels. Yet it will weigh just two tons and will just about fit the lone pilot Piccard into its narrow, ultra-computerized, cockpit. The solar panels charge up ultra light lithium batteries, which power four electric propeller engines along the wings.

A first prototype is being designed and built in Switzerland by the 45-strong team using innovative and sometimes untested technology. The aircraft that will make the record attempts, possibly taking off from the Gulf region for the circumnavigation, will later succeed it.

Source: Discovery

Skybus refers to itself as the smart way to travel. There is however a cost to pay for its ultra-low-cost tickets , it would mean landing in incognito airports and taking long distance cabs to reach your destinations. I guess it depends on just how much are you willing to give up for the sake of saving money.

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Skybus Airlines is scheduled to make its inaugural flight today, the company has plans to fly to 25 cities from its Columbus hub, using a model aimed at competing with Southwest and other no-frills airlines. Modeled after European airline Ryanair, it hopes to take the market by storm.

More than 200,000 tickets have already been sold, tickets are booked only through the company’s Web site to save costs.

Every Skybus flight will offer at least 10 tickets for $10 each. Fares as low as $10, but everything else’ll cost you. The airline allows travelers to upgrade by purchasing features for an additional charge. It charges an extra fee for a variety of services including checking baggage, selecting a preferred seat or purchasing an in-flight meal.

Though the airlines hopes Skybus Airlines serves smaller airports to ensure flights depart and arrive on-time, the point of there not being enough public transit from remote airports to support new business can become a concern. Well no harm in trying it out atleast once.

Source: Msnbc

That is what a new study on the effect of Viagra on hamsters is suggesting. A shot of it may one day help shift workers and flight crews recover their normal sleep cycles.

Diego Golombek from Argentina’s National University of Quilmes and colleagues found that administering a hamster-sized dose of Sildenafil (more commonly known as Viagra) helped the rodents recover more quickly from laboratory-induced jet lag.

The researchers synchronized the hamsters to a 24-hour day by simulating light-dark cycles. Once the hamsters adjusted to a cycle, they shifted the light-dark phases forward six hours.

One group of hamsters was given saline; the other was given Viagra. The hamsters given Viagra got used to the change 4 days faster, on average, than their counterparts given a placebo. Viagra eased the transition that mimicked crossing the international dateline from west to east, known as phase advancing, and had no effect on a transition that mimicked westward travel.

It interferes with an enzyme that lowers levels of a naturally occurring compound that plays a role in the regulation of the circadian cycle, the body’s internal clock

Viagra was originally developed for high blood pressure before its anti-impotence qualities were discovered and now it will likely be used to treat jet lag in the future.

Viagra is marketed by Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, it is its fifth-largest product.

Source: Stuff

In view of an planned eight-hour strike by Alitalia flight attendants and air traffic controllers, the airlines has cancelled almost 400 flights today. A strike by the staff earlier on May 3, forced the airline to scrap 350 flights. Unions have been trying to keep up the pressure on the airline during contract negotiations.

Alitalia said 394 flights were expected to be canceled because of the impending walkout, set to last from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday. A list of the cancelled flights is here. The strike is ion lie of the rule-book protest. The light crews, insist that rules regulating the number of crew members and the hours of rest between flights be meticulously observed, refused to fly.

Strikes, low-cost competitors and high fuel costs have plagued Alitalia, which the government has put up for sale. The Italian government, with a 49.9 percent stake, is the largest stake-holder in the airline.

The Italian state is looking to sell its controlling stake in the airline. Tackling Alitalia’s notoriously tough labour unions is expected to be among the challenges facing any buyer.

To add to commuting woes, taxi drivers have also announced their latest nationwide strike. The May 31 strike, like one earlier this month, was called to protest Premier Romano Prodi’s efforts to liberalize the taxi sector, with the aim of making more cabs available.

Source: Seattle Times

There are still ten more months for the Bermuda II treaty that constricts flights from Heathrow to US airports to run before the Open Skies agreement comes into effect.

Only two UK and US airlines (American, United, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic) may fly between Europe’s busiest airport and the US. There is a strong competition between the airlines which due to which there is an increase in airfares this summer.

The fares for the benchmark Heathrow-New York JFK route are reaching £700 return on these four carriers, and rising at weekends in July and August.

The very cheapest London-New York fares traveling out on peak dates such as 21 July, back on 4 August, are for connecting flights via Montreal or Toronto on Air Canada, typically £475 through www.expedia.co.uk.

Air India serves JFK daily, with peak fares at £577 return through www.travelocity.co.uk for departures on 21 July, returning 4 August.

There are thrice-weekly flights to Chicago which Air India has. The Indian carrier charges £1,247 return to Chicago when booked through www.airindia.com.

Air New Zealand has daily non-stop flights from Heathrow to Los Angeles. On peak weekend dates in summer for under £800 through www.opodo.co.uk, an economy ticket is available.

There are some bargain fares provided by BA for Club World tickets to North America. You can reach California for £1,598 return through www.ba.com.

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Source: The Independent

Qantas, the premier Australian and world-renowned airline, has decided to suspend its thrice-weekly flights between Adelaide and Auckland. The decision will come into force from July 23. The reason behind the move is suppose to be a continuous dip in number of passengers for this route.

The Qantas’ South Australian regional general manager Terry Simpson said:

The decision is in response to sluggish market demand. Qantas launched the Auckland-Adelaide service in December 2004 but it had not delivered the results to make it viable for the airline.

Qantas, which is the 11th largest airline of the world, is also one of the oldest and continuously running independent airlines.

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Source: Stuff

The first-class of some airlines is going to eliminate soon. Shocked? Yes, this is true; the airline industry is planning a new future of the first class to make you feel more comfortable while traveling. Airlines who keep their first-class service will elevate it to a level of unparalleled luxury seen in five-star hotels. And those who are not able to meet the standards will cease to exist.

Fly Singapore and Lufthansa are among those few which promise to exhibit a level of luxury that will surprise even the most jaded travelers.

What are the changes expected in the first-class?

There will be fewer seats, more square footage and more cabin attendants. Seats will be like mini-suites with sliding doors for total privacy to sleep, dine or hold business meetings.

There will be Jacuzzis and saunas at the first-class lounges which already have beauty salons, massage parlors and chefs.

The passengers will get 10-course seafood extravaganza that lasts three hours. The parade of endless food courses will be replaced by more control of what and when the passengers want to eat.

The first-class bathrooms of the future will be two and half times their current size and will have top of the line fixtures. There will be beefed up entertainment systems with bigger screens.

Presently around 35 airlines provide first class services globally and it is said that with the change in the level of standards, there will be only 20 or 25 left.

Soon you will be able to enjoy the new levels of comfort in the first-class.

Source: MSNBC

Luxurious Boeing 787s is going get a fancier interior. It has asked Boeing BMW’s DesignworksUSA group to model them up with a fancy interior for an imaginary super-rich Russian client in his mid-30s.

In it, you’ve got a bar, many couches, beds, meeting rooms, stairs, some more couches, and even a place to house your BMW for when you get off.

There will be semi-translucent walls, residential-style furniture that lets space visually continue around it and vistas that let the eye travel beyond the immediate environment.

You can visit this year’s Aircraft Interiors show in Hamburg to get a unique glimpse into the zeitgeist of Russian-style blini bling with the latest 787 VIP cabin concept.

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Source: gridskipper

If you have spare hours before the connecting a flight and wish to grab a few winks. Or maybe your plane doesn’t leave until the following morning. You need not bother about finding a hotel room in a strange city. If you don’t feel like leaving the terminal, you may soon be able to relax in style with YOTEL as long as you are in UK.

This summer Yotels will be open inside London’s Gatwick airport and Terminal 4 of Heathrow.

There are ultra-modern, windowless rooms in the Yotel that cost about $50 for a four-hour block, with hourly extensions available. Overnight stays start at about $110.

Each soundproof cabin will contain a sofa that converts into a double bed, a pull down desk, closet space, adjustable mood lighting, a shower, wireless Internet, an iPod connection and a flat-screen TV.

You could see Yotels pop up in other airports and central-city locations in future.

Next time your flight gets delayed or you have spare time and you wish to relax, rent a chic at the airport.

Source: USA Today

Next time you travel by Britain’s Premium Aircraft Interiors Group, you will be surprised; the seating arrangement of the plane has changed. Freedom Economy Seat, a three-seat row that flips the middle one backward has been introduced. Also there is a four-seat row in which the middle two face backward.

Ben Bettell, the PAIG executive has led the seat design plan project and it is said that Freedom seats also would give passengers at least two more inches of legroom than conventional seats.

This change is brought about to get rid of the current problems of coach passengers bumping elbows, knees and especially shoulders, typically the widest part of the body.

PAIG is now considering a wider Freedom seat configuration for first-class sections of narrower planes such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.

Source: USA Today