Curiosities
1,987 news found
CuriositiesTour in France by Vip Nomads leaves from Turin
Turin, Italy - On board of a B-727/211 airplane
VIP Nomads arrived last Tuesday in Turin-Caselle on board of a B-727/211/ADV (RE) Super 27 airplane of Nomads Air Travel Club in All Business class for an eating-and-drinking tour in France of the most... more
CuriositiesAlitalia (2): what will happen to "Millemiglia" points?
Rome, Italy - Passengers points will not be touched
During these hours, while Alitalia Board of Directors is deciding the company's future, one the questions passengers are asking themselves is if "Millemiglia" points will be still valid ("Millemiglia"... more
CuriositiesAir Canada Jazz cuts on life-jackets
Rome, Italy - Also seat cushions stay afloat...
According to Canadian press, low-cost company Air Canada Jazz has declared it will eliminate life-jackets from its airplanes, sure that they can be replaced by seat cushions. Only children will be allowed... more
CuriositiesFrom now on Alitalia will be called CAI
Rome, Italy - Hereafter the story of an evocative name
CAI is the acronym of "Compagnia aerea italiana" (Italian air company) and from now on it will be the name of the Italian air company Alitalia. But this new name is really evocative. It reminds us "Corpo... more
CuriositiesFear of flying
Rome, Italy - A psychologist explains the causes of aerophobia
Even though statistics confirm that aircraft is the most secure means of conveyance, passengers suffering from aerophobia don't seem reassured. But why people is frightened of flying? Psychologist Luca... more
CuriositiesFlying high wedding
London, UK - On the wings of biplanes...
Yesterday a British couple, Darren and Katie McWalters, aged 24 and 23, married in Cirencester skies (90 miles West of London), tied and standing on the wings of two biplanes while the priest, aged 67,... more
CuriositiesLuxury flight takes off
New York, USA - First flight on Friday for EK-3801 owned by Emirates Airlines
On August 1st EK-3801, owned by Emirates Airlines, took off. Airbus A-380, the poshest airplane in the world, can carry more than 800 passengers and its a luxury hotel more than an airplane. Luxury... more
Curiosities"Discovery" tells Leonardo
Rome , Italy - A trip on the great scientist's inventions
"Doing Leonardo" is the provisional title of a new tv program "Discovery Channel" and producer Craig Piligian are working on. It will be composed of six episodes, lasting one hour everyone, food for... more
CuriositiesUSA, man flies on a 150 helium balloons lawn chair
Bend, USA - It's happened in Oregon
Kent Couch, 48, from Oregon (USA), had an exceptional performance last Saturday, nearby Bend, Oregon, his hometown. Sitting on a lawn chair, he's caught flight thanks to 150 balloons full of helium... more
CuriositiesRoyal Navy saves a poor cow
Cornwall, Great Britain - It has been recovered with use of a large helicopter
Goodness knows as it has made a poor cow of 14 months to come down for steep reefs of the Cornwall coasts, certainly is that its owner, Andrew Flower, has found it on a point 46 meters under the top, and... more
CuriositiesChina-Taiwan (2), behaviour's suggests for tourists
Beijing, China - Beijing' government has informed tourists about Taiwanese people's habits
On the occasion of the restart of direct flights between China and Taiwan scheduled on tomorrow, July, 4th (see for details AVIONEWS), Chinese government has informed citizens which are going to visit... more
CuriositiesSting moves on ambientalist's anger
London, Great Britain - He flew on a business jet as the sole passenger on board
The famous singer leader of the Police, famous also for his activities in defense of the planet Earth, has triggered the anger of the enviromentalists because he flew between Leipzig (Germany) and London... more
CuriositiesAisle seats are the safest on the case of air crash
London, United Kingdom - Greenwich University's study has reported it
Let's choose aisle's seats if you want to survive an air-crash; at least, if you want the best chances to get safe. A research by Greenwich London University has revealed it, after analyzing 105 disasters... more
CuriositiesOther UFOs spotted on Wales
Cardiff, Great Britain - This time the spotters are a doctor and his son
It will be suggestion, but the sights on the Scotland of UFOs on South of Scotland continue. After the helicopter of the Police and the soldiers of barracks, also a medical psychologist of University... more
Curiosities500 golf balls dropped by an helicopter for charity
Lakewood, USA - The curious operation to raise funds for an hospital
A curious and intelligent operation to raise funds for the St. Joseph Foundation which manages the St. Clare's new hospital has been carried out with the aid of an helicopter. From the aircraft have... more
CuriositiesA Scottish Police helicopter sees an Ufo
Cardiff , Great Britain - The aircraft was flying over the St.Athan Raf airbase
A singular sight, furthermore from police officers, has happened days ago, the last June 7, in skies over Vale of Glamorgan, in Scotland, but only today the police department has given news about it.... more
CuriositiesAn Unmanned Aerial Vehicle will keep whales under surveillance
Turin, Italy - It's an Italian project to to safeguard the large mammals in North Mediterranean area
As a result of a series of collisions recorded in the north of Mediterranean Sea, the so-called Sanctuary of whales, an 87,000 square km area in which the whales pass, and that have provoked the death... more
Curiosities"Plane-phobia", 2 Italians on 3 afraid to fly
Rome, Italy - That's came to light during an Eurodap research
"Plane-phobia" is the name, but people commonly calls it "Fear to fly". A research by Eurodap (Panic attacks and disturbs European association), made through a questionnaire on 600 people, has came... more
CuriositiesUSA, "Body scanner" controls in the airports
Washington, USA - Machines will look under passengers' clothes
New sophisticated and technological control systems have came into effect last days into some of the main American airports. Los Angeles, Baltimora, Denver, Albuquerque and New York, in addition to... more
CuriositiesAnti aircraft arrows in Amazzonia
Sao Paulo, Brazil - A surveying aircraft under aborigine arrow shooting
A civilian reconnaissance aircraft that flew at a low altitude in order to take photographs in a zone of the Amazonian forest has been made target, without to receive damages, of shooting of arrows launched... more
CuriositiesAlitalia could give up flight's entertainment
Rome, Italy - IMAIE blames it for missing payments of performing rights
Chaired by Italian famous singer Edoardo Vianello IMAIE (Institute fo the care of executor artists) company, has sent a letter to Alitalia to ask for the payment of performing rights fee for the songs... more
CuriositiesFlight in the past: the L-59 helicopter
Rome , Italy - The project had great productive potentials, strangely forgot
Carlo Leopoldo Lualdi, in 1953, in collaboration with aeronautical surveyor Sergio Tassotti has started the building of ES-53 helicopter. Three years later, he created Aer Lualdi & C. SpA. Company's business... more
CuriositiesMichel Fournier misses the free-fall record
Saskatchewan , Canada - The forth attempt has failed
The 4th attempt of Michel Fournier to set a new free-fall record has ended today at North Battleford airport, in Canadian region of Saskatchewan. The 64 ex-military pilot, aimed to reach stratosphere... more
Curiosities16 hours on an empty stomach to beat the "Jet lag"
Boston, USA - Result of "Harvard" University research
A team at "Harvard" University (Boston, USA) has said that unpleasant consequences caused by the "Jet lag" could be avoided just without eating anything for 16 hours before the flight. This time-lapse,... more
CuriositiesAeronautical terminology in dribs and drabs... D as "Dogfight"
Rome, Italy - Close encounters of a certain kind
A Dogfight is aerial combat between fighter aircraft. The term originated during World War I. Aircraft were initially used as mobile observation vehicles and early pilots gave little thought to aerial... more
CuriositiesOman's sultan at Bari's airport
Bari, Italy - Two cruises preceded him, remaining into Bari's dock until June
Oman's sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said has arrived in Bari on last Sunday: preceded by two yatchs, parked in the dock since 2 days, he's landed at Bari's airport on board of his B-747 airplane, escorted... more
Curiosities"Fusion man" flies over Alps on two wings
Bex, Switzerland - Flight made over Bex skies, in Switzerland
Yves Rossy, 49, ex-Swiss air force pilot, is the first man who's flown with one wing, supplied with 4 jet engines, over the Alps nearby Vaud canton, in the south-west of the country. He launched himself... more
CuriositiesOman sultan will spend holidays in Bari
Bari, Italy - His two own ships are expected to come
Bari is in a state of agitation for the arrival of 2 ships belonging to Oman's sultan, Qaboos bin Said al Said, who's with his 6 wives and mothers-in-law. The rich sultan, who loves horses, cars, music... more
CuriositiesMan drops himself from helicopter with parachute designed by Leonardo
Payerne, Switzerland - The project goes back to more than 5 centuries ago
It surely cannot be compared with the modern parachutes' ergonomics, but it didn't work: it was created by Leonardo more than 5 centuries ago, just as it was for its famous propeller, one of his main projects... more
CuriositiesBA. Terminal 5 and baggages loss, now with Kate Moss
Los Angeles, Usa - But the conduct of this last one has been civil of that one by Campbell
Apparently the behaviour of the top model Kate Moss against the baggages' loss has to be more civil of that by her colleagues Campbell, if BA - that has moved it recently in the new T5 of the London-Heathrow... more
CuriositiesToday ranks of pilot to William England's marshal
Cranwell, United Kingdom - During an official ceremony
Today, at Cranwell air base, Lincolnshire, during an official ceremony in front of prince Charles and his wife, prince William, Royal Air Force's marshal, receives ranks of pilot in the military command,... more
CuriositiesNaomi Campbell banned from British Airways flights
London, United Kingdom - After the embarrassing episode happened last week at Heathrow
"Naomi uses to fly with British Airways since 30 years and she's a good customer", has said last week her secretary, when she's been arrested after an embarrassing episode at London's Heathrow airport:... more
CuriositiesSweden: a Boeing 747 airplane will be transformed in a "Jumbo-hostel"
Stockholm, Sweden - At ground since 2002
A Boeing 747 which has been parked at Stockholm's Arlanda airport since 2002 will be transformed in a youth hostel. The plane was grounded when airline Transjet went bankrupt and now an Uppsala company... more
CuriositiesMysteries in the skies: the D.B. Cooper's case
Washington , USA - The hijacker, disappeared 37 years ago on a parachute with a USD 200.000 ransom
Dan Cooper is on the top of the wanted men's list of the FBI, he's one of the few men who mocked the American investigatory systems. Cooper, if that's his real name, got onboard of a B-727 airplane on... more
CuriositiesApril fool: what a fantasy! (2)
Rome, Italy - The most famous French couple has not been spared
It could not miss a joke dedicated to the presidential French couple, already aimed by tabloids from all the world. In according to the English press, last visit of the couple in the UK has impressed... more
CuriositiesApril Fool: what a fantasy!
Sydney, Australia - The curiousest ones come from Australia and Brazil
April, 1st, April fool: the day when to create the most original and incredible jokes. Some examples come from Australia, where the Virgin's owner, Sir Richard Branson, has publicized very low fares for... more
CuriositiesBrown denies "Blair and Royal Force One"
London, United Kingdom - The new Prime Minister cuts State and Crown travel costs
The ex-premier Tony Blair had chosen for this plan as the cheaper and safer way than the airplane hire for the official travels: the Tony Blair's ambitious project to buy two aircraft for the "Small" amount... more
CuriositiesA computer programmer loses his flight due to his laptop computer
San Josè, USA - Too exacerbate security checks?
It could be due to the ignorance of a security checks ray-x scanner operator, if Michael Nygard, an expert in computer programming lost his flight departing from San Josè airport because his last-generation... more
CuriositiesIndian air carriers look after the figure of their hostesses and stewards
New Delhi, India - Grounded over forty overweight flight attendants
Hostesses and stewards grounded and forced to diet. This is the new policy of three of the major Indian air carriers, Indian Airlines, Alliance Air and Air India, in reply to the strong competition coming... more
CuriositiesAeronautic terminology in dribs and drabs... F as "Fluid Two Formation"
Rome, Italy - The aircraft are at the same altitude and lined up side by side
In the "Fluid Two Formation" the two airplanes are at the same altitude and lined up side by side. The distance between the two aircraft changes from 4,000 ft to 6,000 ft. The main advantage is the... more
CuriositiesAeronautical terminology in dribs and drabs... F as "Fighting Wing Formation"
Rome, Italy - It allows the wingman to control the leader's movements without hampering him
The Fighting Wing Formation is often used by the pilots. The wingman is positioned at 6:00 in a cone between 20° and 60° regards to the leader, as if it were carrying out a dogfight along with him. The d... more
CuriositiesNorth Korea: bogus aircraft made by a plough
Pyongyang , North Korea - At a small distance far from a real military airport
Near the 38th parallel which divides North Korea from South Korea, there is a strange thing: from a satellite view you can see, in the neighboring (at only 1 nautical mile of distance from runway head)... more
CuriositiesGaming tables on the A-380?
Toulouse, France - Maybe from 2012 the biggest flying casinos
Still unknown the names of the probable, future buyers who, exploiting the large spaces of the A-380 (the biggest plane in the world) have thought of ordering them with an internal configuration really... more
CuriositiesAeronautic terminology in dribs and drabs... C as "Close formation"
Rome, Italy - It can only be performed in good weather conditions
The first example we are going to analyze is the Close formation, typical of acrobatic squads, which is only used is particular cases by combat airplanes. If not used in perfect agreement and good weather... more
CuriositiesAeronautic terminology in dribs and drabs... W as "Wedge Two Ship Formation"
Rome, Italy - The most used by pilots
The Wedge Two Ship Formation is made up of two airplanes at the same level with the wingman in a rear position compared to the leader, at an angle varying between 30° and 60°. This is the pilots most u... more
CuriositiesAeronautic terminology in dribs and drabs... F as "Formation"
Rome, Italy - The mutual support for the airplanes in it
The Formation of airplanes has as a target the mutual support for the units which are part of it, so to keep the situation under control during all the flight phases. A good formation can significantly... more
CuriositiesSkyEurope brings love 40.000 feet high in unique project
Rome, Italy - We will create a world record in kissing in the skies
"Thousands of couples flying SkyEurope Airlines are expected to create a world record in the amount of kisses ten kilometers above the ground in European airspace on 14 February 2008. Moreover each... more
CuriositiesA "Mustang" for Piquet's son
Monte Carlo, Principality of Monaco - When the junior emulates the senior
Nelson Piquet junior, son of the Formula One French champion who won three championships, aspires at the honours of the sport news and the podium. Maybe he inherited from his father, in addition to the... more
CuriositiesAeronautic terminology in dribs and drabs... S as "Scramble"
Rome, Italy - The immediate takeoff on alert
Scramble is the traditional term for the order assigned to fighter planes pilots to take off and proceed to a destination in response to an alert to either investigate a sighting or intercept an enemy.... more
CuriositiesLeonardo's "Intuition"
Rome, Italy - Among his drawings the study for a flying machine that drew on aerodynamic principles still valid today
The first idea of a machine capable to fly was produced, as known, by Leonardo. The great inventor had namely understood some notions, later turned out to be exact, about flying, probably by observing... more