1) Sully (2016)

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This Warner Bros film was based on the “Miracle on the Hudson”. Captain Chesley Sullenberger, “Sully”, glided his disable plane onto the Hudson River. He saved all 155 lives on board but is later facing investigation that threatens to destroy his reputation. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood with Tom Hanks as the star.

2) Amelia (2009)

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One of the most popular aviation myths is centered around the legendary Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. With Hilary Swank as Earhart, this film is a glimpse into her life and her attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Her adventure still remains a mystery today.

3) Snakes on a Plane (2006)

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Samuel L Jackson, as Neville Flynn, takes on a powerful mobster after witnessing a brutal murder. After hundreds of snakes are released onboard Flight 121, Neville and the passengers must struggle with the snakes to survive.

4) One Six Right (2005)

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This documentary film dispels common misconceptions of General Aviation airports with aerial photography. Focused on Southern California’s Van Nuys Airport from past to present, this film shares the timeless love of flying with people of all ages.

5) The Aviator (2004)

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Depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Hughes focuses on his role in designing and promoting new aircraft, including the TWE as a rival to Pan AM airlines. He is seen having severe bouts of mental illness and germophobia throughout the film.

6) Pearl Harbor (2001)

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A historical film with a mix of war and romance. Ben Affleck and Josh Harnett portray two lifelong friends that are caught up in the horror of the infamous Sunday morning in 1941. Even through dreadful Pearl Harbor, the two find themselves in love with the same Navy Nurse portrayed by Kate Beckinsale.

7) Top Gun (1986)

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Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, the impulsive, daredevil Navy-pilot ace. After he is accepted into one of the most elite Fighter Schools, known as “Top Gun”, Maverick finds himself haunted by his father’s mysterious death. He fights to be able to suppress his competitive nature to win the Top Gun Trophy while wooing the girl of his dreams at the same time.

8) Airplane! (1980)

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Even though Elaine did not want to be with Ted Striker anymore, he still followed her onto the flight she was working on. After all crew and passengers fall ill, it is up to Ted to safely land the plane. The ex-Navy pilot is forced to overcome his fear of flying that began after an incident at war.

9) Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

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The dramatic retelling of the Pearl Harbor attack. The film illustrates the American intelligence agencies that intercepted Japanese communications hinting at the attack, however, they were unwilling to believe that such a strike could ever occur on U.S. soil.

10) Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (1965)

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This comedic film is revolved around the craze of early aviation. After a British newspaper offers a prize for the winner of a cross channel air race, there are sabotage efforts that don’t go unnoticed.

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*List of events organized by the next available date:

• Aviation Fair, Czech Republic June 2-3
• Airports Show Africa, South Africa June 13-14
• Aviation Festival Africa, South Africa June 13-14
• Baltic Business Aviation, Estonia June 29
• Airport Business Summit and Expo for Africa, Nigeria July 3-5
• Farnborough International Airshow, United Kingdom July 16-22
• Boeing Seafair Air Show, US August 3-5
• Masuria Airshow, Poland August 4-5
• Modern Airports Africa, Kenya August 29-31
• Aviation Festival Europe, United Kingdom September 5-7
• Aviation IT Show, United Kingdom September 5-7
• Global Aviation Festival, United Kingdom September 5-7
• Mediterranean Business Aviation, Malta September 19
• Beijing Aviation Expo, China September 19-22
• Indonesia Business and Development Expo, Indonesia September 20-23
• Wings Over Houston Airshow, US October 20-21
• International Airport Expo, US October 2-4
• Access Abilities Expo, United Arab Emirates November 7-9
• Future Energy Nigeria, Nigeria November 13-14
• U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, US Jan 2019 23-26

One of the most often visited airshows in the United States is the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh which happens in Oshkosh Wisconsin on July 23rd and lasts through the 29th. This year the Air Force Reserve is celebrating its 70th anniversary by bringing an impressive fleet of military aircraft. Further attractions include vintage era restored aircraft and exciting flight demonstrations. And, spectators will be treated to a special viewing of the Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy considered one of the world’s largest military aircraft.

Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy

Aviation events, trade shows, and air shows feature a great deal of fun and exciting opportunities for hobbyists and fans of aviation to see future innovations in flight and get exclusive access to hear from veteran pilots, Airshows are a great place for family fun and entertainment all summer long.

Air show attendees will get a front-row seat to flight demonstrations, new and vintage aircraft, live entertainment, food, and chances to pick up exclusive air show merchandise.

Take a peek at the list of top 20 aviation events to see if one is coming to a location near you. Flex Air Charters can coordinate travel in a private jet or other aircraft to any of the air shows and events listed above. Private jet charters can fly into airports and private airfields located across the globe so flights to the numerous other countries mentioned can be arranged with ease.

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The objectives overall serve to benefit not only the airline industry as a whole but also travelers who could see airfares slashed by up to 10 percent or more as a result of needing few crewmembers to operate an aircraft. Additionally, owners and operators would see their investments in these technologies leveraged against the need for fewer numbers of crew members and therefore could start reaping the rewards earlier than anticipated which could offset costs.

Not everyone is thrilled at the prospect however, opponents of autonomous of single-pilot planes say that the need for more than one crew member, pilots especially, far outweighs the risk associated with singularly piloted aircraft. They argue that if there were to be an incident, for example in the case of a pilot becoming incapacitated due to medical emergency, etc, who would pilot the plane. Proponents say that they have considered this and are working toward developing remote pilots to assist in the event of an emergency.

Currently the autonomous aircraft being developed are for short hops and proximity travel, Airbus is in the process of working on an urban taxi type of aircraft they call Vahana. The muli-propeller Vahana can fly up to 50 miles before needing a recharge on its battery. The aircraft is expected to take off on test flights this year and potentially be ready for launch in 2021.

Boeing unmanned electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) cargo air vehicle (CAV) prototype.

On the other hand, Boeing is counting on developers to turn out technologies that make it possible for self flying interfaces that could potentially pilot passenger planes and airliners. They will begin testing their technology on flight deck simulators before testing it on an actual plane in 2019.

As for the impact autonomously piloted planes could have on the aviation industry and the ease of use for owners and operators of self-flying aircraft, the implications are relatively unknown at present, however, the benefits and drawbacks could both prove endless. At this stage, only time will tell. Industry insiders are predicting that this self-flying or autonomous types of travel could be integrated into the flight industry sooner rather than later.

The post The Future of Air Travel is Here and It Includes Self Piloted Planes, Remote Piloting and More appeared first on Flex Air Charters.

Frank Whittle was an English inventor and British Royal Air Force officer, while his invention was created 90 years ago, his appreciation will live on in the modern jet plane developments we make today. In today’s times, jet engines and aircraft are constantly changing and evolving. With the boost of popularity among the wealthy and their social media mentions it is no wonder that private jet travel has become a sought-after luxury for the ages.

But during Mr. Whittle’s time, the only thing on anyone’s mind in using jet plane aircraft was simply how and when they could be used in war efforts across the globe during WWII. Jet propulsion had been theorized in many different ways prior to the submission of the invention to the patent office in 1928. But no one had successfully put those theories together to create a working prototype that would produce forward movement from the backward ejection of a high-speed jet of gas or liquid. Which is, in essence, what jet propulsion is. That is until a 22-year-old genius officer wrote a thesis on gas turbine engines and their use in aircraft.

The Genius: Early Beginnings

Frank Whittle, was raised as a typical child in the early 1900s in Coventry. The eldest son of Moses and Sara, he developed an early love and fascination with flight and engineering after spending time learning at his father’s company how to create and work on valves, piston rings, and a single-cylinder gas engine.

Over time, the young boy made plans to join the Royal Air Force and in 1923, after being failed for his physical capabilities prior, Frank was admitted into the RAF. There, he taught the theory of aircraft engine and eventually earned himself a place in the officer training course at Cranwell.

Frank balanced his flight time with the writing of a comprehensive thesis on aircraft design. This thesis would later become the starting point for his patent and explained that you did not need a piston engine or propeller on an aircraft. It argued that you could use a gas turbine which would blast air out of a high-powered exhaust pipe at the back of the aircraft and proposed that this invention would be faster than anything else in existence.

The Spark: A brilliant idea

The thesis, once written was taken by Whittle, himself, to the Air Ministry in 1929. It was passed along to A.A. Griffith a senior boffin, and for reasons still unclear to this day, was declined for support. Despite this, Frank submitted the patent for his design to the Intellectual Property Office in January of 1930 and in 1935, with the support of Power Jets LTD and financial backing of British Thomson-Houston, Whittle began construction on the first engine.

This engine had a single-stage centrifugal compressor coupled to a single-stage turbine. The prototype was successfully bench-ran in April 1937 and the contracts from initial interest began flooding in. Whittle received a contract for an engine known as the W1 on July 7, 1939, intended to power a small experimental aircraft.

However, Germany took the record for development when in 1939, a German engineer called Hans von Ohain built the first jet plane to take to the sky. Despite this, in February of 1940, the Gloster Aircraft Company was chosen to develop the Pioneer or E28, that the W1 engine would power; the historic first flight of the Pioneer took place on May 15, 1941, 12 years after Whittle had first had the idea.

Thank you, Frank

Frank Whittle retired from the RAF in 1948 and received a knighthood. He passed away in 1996. He has since been memorialized in a statue near his Coventry birthplace.

He was an incredible visionary of the 20th century and hundreds of American and British aircraft are based on his original turbojet prototype. From his dream, we can all enjoy the incredible industry that is aviation. We thank and appreciate this underrated genius for his contributions and their impact on private travel in present times.

The post Frank Whittle, Inventor of the Jet Engine, was a Man Before his Time appeared first on Flex Air Charters.

With the incredible technological and physical advancements in aviation you can expect 2018 to be a big year for events and celebrations. To ensure you have first access to these must-see dates we have compiled this calendar covering the most exciting aviation events for 2018. So get ready and get jet setting with Flex Air Charters anywhere around the globe that these shows and promotions take place!

European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition

29 – 31 May, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland

The annual meeting place for the European business aviation community and what is known as one of the World’s premier aviation events is the 2018 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2018). This three-day event at Geneva’s iconic Palexpo hosts an array of VIPs including aviation manufacturers, flight department crews, business executives and government officials to discuss the industry. This is a fantastic opportunity for those interested in aviation or already established to market their products or services to some of the most influential minds in their fields. Prior to attending you will need to register as this is a members-only event and can fill up quickly. If you are interested you can make your registration at EBACE2018.

NATA Annual Meeting and Aviation Business Conference

12 – 14 June, 2018 in Washington DC, USA

For professional advice and access to the most influential aviation businesses and minds than attendance at the 2018 Annual Meeting and Aviation Business Conference (ABC) is crucial. Featuring future plan presentation and activities from NATA’s executives and board of directors as well as an Industry Excellence Awards Luncheon this exclusive two-day event is not one to miss. You can register for register for ABC online here.

Farnborough International Airshow

16 – 22 July, 2018 in Farnborough, England

With over 1,000 exhibitors from countries all over the world and over 100 billion dollars in orders and agreements made at the 2016 event, it is no wonder the tag line for the Farnborough International Airshow is “The future starts here”. This six-day event hosts airshow demonstrations, presentations in aerial technology, discussions on the future of manufacturing and aerospace innovations and so many more! For business or vendor questions you can reach the Farnborough team here or for Farnborough Airshow tickets please register online.

Annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition

14 – 16 August, 2018 in São Paulo, Brazil

The NBAA offers four worldwide partnership trade shows including LABACE which takes place in the “capital of aviation business” São Paulo, Brazil. This event is considered a business aviation event hosted in the Latin American hub of aerospace innovation and offers marketing, networking and business opportunities to visitors and innovators alike. Whether you wish to be involved with or are already a member of the aviation and avionics community this is an incredible opportunity to make connections with professionals.

Garmin Pilot Training Classes

18 – 19 October, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas

Pilot training courses will be held all across the US throughout 2018 by Garmin, a global leader in pilot education and training. Instructor-led courses will be offered for integrated flight deck training, G500/G600 and/or G650/G750. Whether you are just beginning training or seeking supplemental training, these courses shouldn’t be missed this year.

According to Garmin, all regional courses will be priced at $795 and are taught by experienced CFIs. Dates and locations include:

• June 4 – 5: Garmin AT Facility, Salem, Oregon
• September 20 – 21: Garmin Yarmouth Office, Yarmouth, Maine
• October 18 – 19: Tarrant County Community College, Fort Worth, Texas
• November 1 – 2: Robinson Helicopter Company, Torrance, California

Whether you consider yourself a novice or an aficionado of all things aviation related Flex Air Charters can provide an incredible private jet charter to anywhere these events take place. Simply call or fill out our convenient contact form and we will create an amazing flight experience for you with a private jet rental. You can reach us at 1-888-722-0776!

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