Category Posts for'aviation'
Human Powered Hovercraft
Fifty years ago, the first hovercraft was invented here in the UK. I travelled on a commercial one in 1976 between England and France. It was fun and fast apart from the rough weather then.
Now, this project Steam Boat Willy, named presumably after the first Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Cartoon is a hand built leg powered hovercraft. You can see the video is action and read about the technical details. I remember as a kid seeing small one person hovercraft on TV and wanting one; this may be the next best thing.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Posted: August 15th, 2009 under UK, aviation, design, engineering.
Comments: none
Fly on a Classic Aircraft
Another relaxation of the “no commercial websites” rule. (Given that so many websites, including portent carry adverts its also a bit of a loose restriction!). I’ve always liked classic aircraft though most featured here are well before my time.
Classic Flight, part of the Air Atlantique group offers flights on classic aircraft as well as hiring out aircraft for films, air displays, training etc. Though they have a large range of aircraft- including the first British Jet Fighter the Meteor, the flights are limited to a DC 3 (Dakota), a Devon, Twin Pioneer, de Havilland Dragon Rapide and a Percival Prentice. I’d imagine getting insurance to take commercial passengers in anything else, like military jets would be prohibitive in price, if it all possible.
They have a fascinating range of aircraft, many ex military and many made by British firms. I used to work at British Aerospace in the 1990s and once saw a family tree of companies that merged. Nearly every British aircraft manufacturing company ended up in British Aerospace, just as every British car company (near enough) ended up in British Leyland.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Posted: September 3rd, 2007 under Exhibition, UK, aviation, business.
Comments: none