Free Republic

HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA – In the not-too-distant future, when ground troops call for close-air support, the ‘Ghostrider’ and its deadly arsenal could come to their rescue. The AC-130J Ghostrider is set to be the most heavily-armed gunship in history, bristling with 30mm and 105mm cannons, AGM-176A Griffin missiles, and the ability to carry Hellfire missiles and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs. But that’s not all. Some day in the future, the Ghostrider could even be equipped with a high-energy laser. That’s right. Lasers. When it hits the battlefield in a few short years, the Ghostrider will be the most heavily armed...

The attempted bombing of Delta/Northwest 253 on Christmas Day was not the first from the Islamic terrorists nor will it be the last. Since I am a pilot, I have had people ask what can a passenger do onboard an airplane to help thwart a terrorist attack. Having personal experience with a few events myself, as well as reading articles and hearing stories from other crew members, I can give you some information which might assist you in dealing with a suspicious passenger or situation. The first thing to realize is that there are a few different scenarios which the...

February 25, 2008 Jumbo jet pilot sacked for ‘fly-by’ at 28 feet A British pilot has been dismissed for “buzzing” a control tower in a Top Gun-style stunt during the maiden flight of a Boeing jumbo jet. Captain Ian Wilkinson astonished passengers by taking the 230-tonne Cathay Pacific jet to within 28ft (8.5m) of the ground shortly after take-off from Boeing’s US manufacturing plant. The 322mph fly-by was cheered by onlookers, and the pilot, who is said to be one of the most senior aviators with the airline, later toasted the flight with champagne. Footage of the stunt on January...

LAWRENCE, N.Y. (AP) -- A man was fatally struck by an SUV, with no driver at the wheel, on a sidewalk in Lawrence, Long Island today. Nassau County Police spokesman Officer Thomas Brussel said the accident occurred at 2:46 this afternoon. He said a woman had parked the 2007 SUV and had left the vehicle, when it jumped the curb and struck a man walking on the sidewalk in front of 315 Central Avenue in Lawrence. The man was taken to St. John's Hospital in nearby Far Rockaway, Queens, where he died a short time later.

ARAD'S MEGA MARVEL MOVIE, TV UPDATE Marvel Enterprises today held their inaugural Analyst Day Webcast during which Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad delivered his previously promised updates on Marvel's upcoming slate of movie and television projects. Arad began his segment of the proceedings by crediting Marvel's recent movie successes to a new generation of filmmakers who grew up reading Marvel Comics. "There is a whole generation of people that grew up on sci-fi {and} comic books, specifically Marvel," he said. "These people earned their stripes over the years, professionally, to get to the point that they can take their favorite...

Rush Drummer Breaks Silence About Family Tragedy In New Book Neil Peart pens 'Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road,' which delves into his recovery after losing daughter, wife. by Jon Wiederhorn Neil Peart Photo: Brooke Ismach/WireImage Since 1997, Rush drummer Neil Peart has been tight-lipped about the tragic deaths of his 19-year-old daughter Selena and wife Jackie, both of whom passed away within a 10-month period. Now he's pouring out his heart about the pain and hopelessness he endured and the road he took to recovery in his new book, "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road," which is...