News and notes from around the interweb:
- Airbus patented a jet that could fly New York-London in one hour (HT: Don H.)
- Alaska Airlines chronicles two lost toys, Piglet and Aurora. Perhaps they were inspired by this trip report.
- Flight cancelled after plane crashes into kangaroo
- Last week I suggested that Delta should stop complaining about government subsidies to Middle Eastern carriers now that they’ve invested in China’s most subsidized airline. In fairness to Delta, it’s worth highlighting that they have a response which tries to salvage themselves from claims of hypocrisy.
First, they argue that China Eastern’s subsidies aren’t as large as those of the Middle Eastern carriers (indeed, the subsidies aren’t as big as the US government assuming Delta’s pension liabilities). Second they argue that national boundaries matter. Since China is a big country, China Eastern serves lots of domestic routes and subsidies are ok. Meanwhile the Middle Eastern carriers are from small countries and primarily serve passengers from other countries.
- The US Postal Service has a new ‘Coast Guard’ stamp. Interestingly that’s an Airbus helicopter, the MH-65 Dolphin.
- Donald Trump’s 757 was built in 1991, though he’s only owned it since 2011. I’m surprised he can’t afford a more modern aircraft.
- The internet’s been abuzz since last Thursday when former astronaut Buzz Aldrin posted copies of his travel authorization form for going to the moon (it was a roundtrip from Houston to Houston with intermediate stops, the government provided all meals, and total reimbursement was $33) and the customs form he was required to complete upon re-entry.
And the I believe the US Coast Guard flag ship ‘The Eagle’ shown is originally the Nazi vessel the ‘Horst Wessel.’
Actually it is not an Airbus helicopter. The HH-65 (based on the Aerospatiale Eurocopter) was built by Aerospatiale Helicopter Corporation in Grand Prairie, TX (with parts content meeting USCG domestic content requirements). It was under this name that the HH-65s were built, so it’s not accurate to call it an “Airbus helicopter” – it’s an Aerospatiale Eurocopter HH-65.
The company in Grand Prairie was renamed American Eurocopter later but it wasn’t until 2014 that the company became known as Airbus Helicopters. The USCG refers to it under its original manufacturer name which is normal for military air vehicles.
The USCGC Eagle was indeed received from Germany after WW II as part of war reparations.
The government has a form for flying to the moon!!??
Mind blowing!