Brown Motion

Few aviation firsts are in the offing this year.  A solar power only aircraft completed its maiden leg on a round the world journey this week by flying from the gulf nation of Abu Dhabi to another called Oman (ironically both nations exist due to oil revenues).  The plane and its crew of two pilots plan to circumnavigate the planet over the course of the year finishing back in Abu Dhabi. The wingspan is wider than a Boeing 747 but it is a light aircraft powered only by solar rays.  It will be an achievement in the sense of testing out the kinks of only utilizing renewable form of energy.  Not so much because of finding a way to end fossil fuel burn to prevent global warming or some mumbo jumbo but to allow the possibility that we can breathe cleaner air one day. Another first about to happen is a massive blimp will be ready for takeoff this year.  It will be the largest aircraft ever.  This is a helium filled balloon that will take off from Engla...

Ever since the Wrights spoiled the party on the ground by taking to the skies the humans have kept wanting to improve the experience. After over 100 years let me announce this... We really have NOT! We flew Singapore Air - the staff at least does not yell back at you (certain stateside airlines will also give you free attitude and no peanuts) but its still hopeless. One good thing going for the brothers Orville and Wilbur was that they tried to experiment on a beach in the Carolinas... clean fresh air and a short flight. Bathroom breaks at will etc. Modern flights - this one going from San Fran to some point in Asia - 14 plus hours depending on the point. In something they call COACH. Not the fancy accouterment the ladies carry - although now that I think about it the trip sure felt like I was sitting in one. Cramped - barely able to sleep. Some have counseled that the way to do these long haul pressurized, smelly, sort of compressed and almost tasteless food journeys is to ...