FRANKLINS INJURED IN AIRSHOW STUNT

A little behind the curve on this one, but the young air stunt husband/wife team, Kyle and Amanda Franklin were injured during their airshow routine. The team was performing at the South Padre Island Air Fiesta. Amanda Franklin was doing a waing walking stunt when the engine on their biplane caught fire and crashed into the near by woods. Kyle suffered injuries while trying to rescue his wife, who has more serious burns, but thankfully they both survived.



Their fathers, Jimmy Franklin and Bobby Younkin, were both killed at an airshow accident in a midair collision.

DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IN JEOPARDY???

Peter Mauer, President of Diamond Aircraft is saying that the company may go under if they do not recieve a $35 million loan which they may not even get! The loan would help Diamond acquire the funds to launch thier D-Jet line (pictured below) as well as create 700 jobs in Europe and the U.S. According to Mauer, the future of the company is depending on production of the D-Jet, due to declining sales of their piston aircraft line.

PHOTO SOURCE: Wikipedia: RuthAS

First look at the new Bell 407AH

Everybody who's into helicopters knows about the annual Heli-Expo. And Heli-Expo 2011 was held here in beautiful Florida. It's a chance for various companies to unveil new products, and it was here that Bell Helicopters decided to unveil the Bell 407AH. It is a civilian-certified armed version of Bell's standard 407 normally used for transport, which in itself is develoed from the legendary Bell 206 JetRanger.

PHOTO SOURCE: Bell Helicopters

Aircraft of the Week: Airbus A400

Most people who are into avation (and even some that aren't) know what an Airbus A380. It's a HUGE, colossal airliner that has TWO stories. It looks something like this....

It can seat up to 853 people! It's max takeoff weight is 1.2 million pounds. But I'm getting off track....

I remember once reading something about an A400. "how can this be?," I thought. How can Airbus possibly top the magnetude of something that big? The answer is, they didn't. What they did create was a new tactical airlifter.

It was basically designed because the government wants (or needs??) a replacement for the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules (which entered service in 1957). The A400 was designed to carry 82,000 lbs of...well, anything. 116 soldiers, or 66 stretchers with 25 medical personel as well as pretty much anything else you'd ever need to get up in the sky.

The A400 is currently in flight testing, and everything seems to be going well for the Airbus company. The A400 has been approved for mass production, and hold 174 orders from 8 countries, with the first being delivered to the French Air Force sometime next year. But the absolute COOLEST part of the beast is the 8-bladed (yes, count 'em, 8) propeller.

PHOTO SOURCES: Wikipedia

Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental Finishes Gauntlet Testing

Boeing has just finished gaultlet testing, which is what manufacturers do to make sure everything runs as planned when the aircraft is in flight. Basically, it simulates in-flight emergencies to insure backup systems and warning systems are still usable. The Intercontinental must still undergo taxi testing, as well as final reviews from the FAA. Boeing says the maiden flight should happen by March 20, 2011, but no specific date has been given. Here's a video.

VIDEO SOURCE: BOEING

WELCOME!!!

This is the inaugural post of my blog. You see a lot of blogs about cars, boats, food, finances, poker, dogs, cats, and just about everything else in the world you can possibly imagine. I've found that there aren't many wide-sweeping aviation blogs. You have blogs about General Aviation, Kitplanes, Helicopters, Military Aviation and everything in between, but there aren't many blogs covering it all. That's what I hope to do here. Share news and opinions about the aviation/aero-space industry. I will do as much as a single person possibly can to inform and comment on aviation. Enjoy!