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Sikorsky reports that its X2 advancing blade concept technology demonstrator has achieved 168kt (311km/h) forward speed, putting the dual counter-rotating pusher-prop compound beyond the typical maximum speed for traditional helicopters and outside the reach of the company's S-76 chase vehicle's 155kt capability. A follow-on flight, expected the week of 24 May, is to see X2 test pilot Kevin Bredenbeck accelerate the LHTEC T800-powered fly-by-wire pusher to 180kt, completing the third of four planned envelope expansion test phases. Phase four, which could begin as soon as mid-June, includes the first attempts to slow the X2's main rotors while opening the speed...

Those of us in flight test at California’s Edwards Air Force Base in 1959 accused the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter production engineers of turning the designer’s drawings upside down. The wings of most aircraft employed dihedral—they were set at a slightly upward angle—but the F-104’s wings angled in the opposite direction; the horizontal stabilizer and elevator sat atop the vertical stabilizer instead of below it; and the ejection seat fired down instead of up.We could recover from the spin that resulted from the aircraft pitching up uncontrollably when it stalled,which was due to the T-tail configuration, but most pilots who used...

Bill Clinton was wrong and still so I received an email from Donna P. asking the following question: Hi, It's just been reported that ex US president Clinton, has said that the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. I was wondering if you'd care to share your views on that statement . If you could talk to Bill Clinton, what would you have to say about his statement? Thank you, Donna P. . During the time of Bill Clinton presidency the following happened: 1. Talaban became very strong and Al-Qaeda finalized its attacks against in NY in 11/9/2001 2. Saddam...

WASHINGTON - Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced plans Wednesday to build a high-tech helicopter that, propelled by a new rotor system, would be much faster than conventional models. The helicopter, which will also use technologies developed for the military's now-cancelled Comanche program, is being designed and built by Sikorsky and its New York subsidiary, Schweizer Aircraft. Sikorsky is owned by Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies Corp. In a conference call, officials from Sikorsky and Schweizer said the helicopter would be able to cruise at more than 250 knots, about 100 knots faster than helicopters in service today. Work on the prototype would...

The reputation of comic book super heroes is more important to the Hollywood elite than the reputation of the real-life heroes in the US military. This sorry state of affairs is exemplified by Avi Arad, the very rich owner of Marvel Studios which makes movies based on popular Marvel comic-book characters like the Hulk. Arad told a USA Today reporter that he ordered an early version of the script for last year's very successful Spiderman movie changed because Spiderman slit someone's throat. ("Marvel's Chief: a force outside, 'a kid inside'" by Scott Bowles, USA Today, Life Section, June 5, 2003)...

Muslim Groups Demand an Apology from X-Men Director, Bryan Singer Press Conference: May 7th, 2003 @ 12 noon Leimert Park 3415 West 43rd Place (Crenshaw & Vernon Ave) Los Angeles CA 90043 Press please contact: Najee Ali, National Director of Project Islamic H.O.P.E. phone: (323) 769-5267 email: Send2IslamicHope@aol.com PO Box 43-A-122 Los Angeles, CA 90043 Project Islamic H.O.P.E., a prominent Muslim civil rights group, along with a coalition of Islamic organizations, demands an apology from X-Men director, Bryan Singer. They are also demanding that the anti-Islamic propaganda from his latest film be removed before "X2: X-Men United" is released on...

May 5 — It was a simple plan, really. All I wanted to do was see a movie. Pretty straightforward. No strings attached. A two-hour escapist vacation in a darkened theater. No war. No politics. I knew the movie had planes in it, but I was pretty sure President Bush would not be flying any of them. So what happened? I headed into “X2: X-Men United,” unprepared for what may be the most socially relevant blockbuster of our times. (snip) All too heady for a comic-book movie? Well, I’d go so far as to say that the persecution of mutants...

LANCASTER - He has flown 240 different kinds of aircraft, logging 16,700 hours of flight time while setting records and performing test piloting feats that are the "right stuff" of aviation history. Contrary to the popular image of high-flying test pilots, however, the one thing that everyone who has met Fitzhugh "Fitz" Fulton notes is his courtly "Southern gentleman" manner. Despite his many noteworthy accomplishments and awards, Fulton remains "so humble," said Paula Smith, executive director of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. "He always seems surprised when someone honors him." Fulton's already long list of awards was lengthened recently...