Blog Post #2 - The Problem of Noise

According to a recent news story, entitled “New flight Paths Angering Residents in Phoenix, Other Cities,” the Federal Aviation Administration has begun implementing a new system of “new satellite-based arrival and departure paths” that it feels will “replace an outdated network of radar and radio communications with satellite-based and digital communications” (Tang). But there have been some problems with this roll-out – new flight paths are negatively affecting those on the ground.

According to the article, revitalized downtown neighborhoods are being bombarded with the “jarring” sounds and vibrations of these newly routed flights, and the residents are considering filing a lawsuit because of decreased quality of life and property values. The FAA, for their part, keep reiterating their commitment to safety and to trying to find ways to improve emissions, flight times, and the travel experience in general.  Nowhere in that list is a commitment to the masses on the ground.  After all, there are other government agencies tasked with protecting the general public.

On the one hand, I understand how compartmentalized government agencies are – and that it often seems that one is shaking your hand while the other is slapping your face.  That being said, it has always been my opinion that problems should be solved by the following strategies (1) do no harm (or as little as possible), and (2) try to consider the good of the greatest number of people.  I believe that implementing these new flight plans over established neighborhoods is wrong.

Tang, Terri.  “New flight Paths Angering Residents in Phoenix, Other Cities.” Yahoo. 24 February 2015. Web. 18 April 2015.

http://news.yahoo.com/flight-paths-cause-turbulence-phoenix-neighborhoods-072707805.html

Blog Post #1 - Flight Narrative

My early years were spent in Owsley County, Kentucky, a rural and very isolated community in the Eastern Kentucky Coalfields.  We rarely saw airplanes, except those that sometimes passed many thousands of feet overhead looking like tiny specks, with long white tails as the only evidence they really existed.  But that doesn’t mean that I knew nothing about flight.

Some of my earliest memories are of sitting with my Grandpa JE, listening to his stories of the years he spent in the U.S. Air Force.   During the 1950s and 60s, Grandpa served in the Strategic Air Command, and was senior NCO of B-52 airplane maintenance at various bases stateside and overseas.  His trips down memory lane only served to fuel my fascination with airplanes.

Every so often, my mom and I would make the 75 mile trip to Lexington for a day out.  We would go to a movie, walk through the mall so I could go up and down the escalator a dozen times, then grab some Sonic and head out toward the Bluegrass Airport (which was just across from Keeneland racetrack and a bunch of horse fields).  We would find a prime parking spot, munch on tater tots, and watch the planes take off and land.  I thought it would be really awesome to be in one of those planes!

(“Bluegrass Airport Mural”)

Then, we took a vacation to Gatlinburg with some friends.  On the side of the road there was a big sign that said “Helicopter rides $11 each for 10 minutes” and Mom said, “Let’s do it!”  So, at the age of four, I got my first chance to really fly.  I remember that it was slightly scary, extremely loud, over too quickly - but totally awesome!

A couple of years later, I finally got my wish to fly in an airplane out of the Bluegrass Airport when my mom, my cousin April, and I flew to Raleigh, NC.  Even though April was a teenager and I was about six, she was way more scared that I was (at least on take-off).  Of course, it could be that I was too interested in the gum my mom thrust at me (apparently she had previously had trouble with pressure and decided to head off any potential problems with me by filling my jaw with bubblegum).

I’ve flown several more times, mostly to Detroit from Kentucky but since my mom and I moved to the Dayton area in 2005 we have been within driving distance of most of our family, so the plane trips have ended.

The past few years have been spent in Riverside, very near the AFB that my Grandpa JE retired from.  I am accustomed to the big C-5s that seem to float just above the tree-line in our neighborhood but am still fascinated by them nevertheless.  One of my favorite memories of the fascination with flight is from high school.  The track at Stebbins High School is right under the landing path of some of those huge Air Force cargo planes.  When we held track meets, students from all over the area participated – many from the very rural farmlands that certainly weren’t used to the sudden noise and close proximity of those planes.

(“C-5 Galaxy”)

I always enjoyed watching the reactions of these first-timers.  Usually they held their hands over their ears, hunkered down, shouted to their friends, and gasped in amazement – but the pleasure of being that close to a plane was evident each and every time.  It reminded me of when I was that little kid eating tater tots and dreaming about one day flying over those beautiful horse fields.

Works Cited

“Bluegrass Airport Mural.” Element Design. n.d. Web photograph. 4 April 2015.

“C-5 Galaxy.” Zimbio. n.d. Web photograph. 4 April 2015.

Is There a Doctor on Board?

I recently read a humorous story of a 10-day old physician who responded to a call while on a flight. The flight attendant called for a physician on board to identify themselves and the author waited for someone else to answer the call but no one else did. With that, he identified himself as a physician even though he graduated just ten days previously. The patient turned out fine, she was just dehydrated. Thankfully, the new doctor could think through the situation and treat her effectively on an airplane. I think you will find the story interesting.

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2014/08/are-there-any-physicians-on-board-we-have-a-medical-emergency/

Blog Post #4- Flying Tanks

If you've seen the remake of the A-Team movie from 2010 with Liam Neeson then you are familiar with the scene where they are "flying a tank." (If not, I suggest you watch it here, my apologies for the brief language)  This scene is my favorite part of the whole movie and I think it's hilarious.  I decided to do a google search to see if it was possible, and I came across this youtube channel called Reel Physics, where a couple men use a bunch of math my art major brain doesn't understand to determine if what Hollywood comes up with could happen in real life:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XikLOqR7Q4


I was rather surprised to find that they deducted that it is, in fact, possible to "fly" a tank.  I now have even more reason for this to be my favorite!

Blog post #2/ Re-enactment of first Wright flight for 100th anniversy

I found an article that dated back to December 17, 2003.  100 years after the Wright Brother's first flew.  On the 100th anniversary, there was an attempt to re-enact the Wright Brothers flight at Kitty Hawk. The plane cost 1.2 million dollars to create...wait what???...I'd think it would cost much less to re create a plane out of wood.  You'd think that if it cost 1.2 million dollars to create, it should work fairly well right??? WRONG!  The re-created plane flew for an impressive 1 second and rose above the ground 6 inches (bummer).  The group repaired the plane and tried to fly again 3 hours after the failed attempt.  However, there was no gust of wind this time and the team called it quits.  The team stated that they did not have the time to wait for a gust of wind like Orville and Wilbur.  the timing was extremely unfortunate for this team however.  They did practice flights before this one, and they were successful covering around 100-115 feet.  I think it would've been great if the plane successfully flew, so modern people could experience what it was like to see the first flight.  However, I think this is an example of how difficult it was for the Brothers to fly with the resources they had.  They needed the perfect wind, at the perfect weather, at the perfect angle to achieve flight.  The Wright Brothers must have had the most patience in the world in order to get the conditions.  The article is a good article to read I'd recommend it!  

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3737728/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/plane-sputters-re-enactment-wright-flight/#.VTCvivldXD8    

Tom Hanks supports Wright...Brothers? BLOG POST 6

So I'm sure we are all at least semi-aware that Tom Hanks helped launch WSU's new fundraiser along with Amanda Wright-Lane. To Explain why I'll side-track for a second:

Back in the early 80s Tom Hanks was a newbie to the acting world. He was auditioning for theatre roles in New York City when a man by the name of W. Stuart McDowell gave him his big break, starring as the lead in a production of The Mandrake produced by McDowell's Riverside Shakespeare Company. Up until his turn in Nora Ephron's Broadway play, Lucky Guy, a couple years ago, it was his only NYC theatre production.

Flash forward a decade or two. Eric Bork, a graduate of the MoPix program at Wright State, became a script reader and later screenwriter for Tom Hanks production team in Hollywood, eventually winning an Emmy as a supervising producer of Band of Brothers alongside Tom.

Flash forward to now. McDowell has been the chair of Theatre, Dance, and Motion Pictures at Wright State for the last 20 years, giving Tom Hanks TWO unique connections to this University. Thus the fundraising help. Thus the "Tom Hanks supports the Arts at Wright State University ad campaign. Thus...a Wright Brothers movie?

According to this source, Hanks and his production company (The one that produced Band of Brothers) has been granted the rights to a miniseries adapted from The Wright Brothers, a book by author David McCollough, for HBO.

News is limited thus far, but I am excited about this project! Tom Hanks always brings high-quality, A-game effort to everything he creates and it's a wonderful story. Furthermore, McCollough, the book's author, was involved with HBO's exceptional John Adams miniseries. I can't wait to hear who is playing the boys from Dayton. We'll all have to watch when it airs!

http://collider.com/tom-hanks-wright-brothers-miniseries-david-mccullough-hbo/?from_app=ios&ref_=ext_iosp_

Germanwings Flight 9525 black box Blog Post #1 Danny Keltner

Several weeks ago in Marselile France, there was a terrible crash that occured.  It was a downed Germanwings Flight 9525 and no one knew what happened until the black box was recovered.  This article discusses what was on the black box.  What happened was that the co-pilot (who was suicidal) locked the main pilot out of the cockpit when he went to the restroom and flew the plane into a mountain.  It's a terrible tragedy but it shows how aviation is still not perfect, even with all of the advancements we made.  Humans decisions can still affect the outcome of a plane.  It also shows that even if you try to fix one thing in aviation, another problem can occur as a result.  The reason why the pilot couldn't get into the cockpit was because of how strong the doors were. The door's to the cockpit has been very strong ever since the 9-11 attacks.  I would recommend reading it!  

Article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/aviation/11502290/Revealed-black-box-transcript-of-final-minutes-of-doomed-Germanwings-flight.html