flying
Latest
British airports now beaming holographic security agents (video)
They've brought you presidential election coverage and promoted worldwide access to PCs, and now they're telling you to take off your belt and throw out your hairspray. Starting today, London Luton and Manchester airports will beam in images of holographic agents to prep passengers for the security line. Holly and Graham -- you heard right -- and Manchester's Julie and John are meant to cut queues, as well as human inconsistency. According to Luton's Glyn Jones, "Holly and Graham are not going to have a hangover; they're not going to have a row with their partner the night before." Just what we need: an army of holographic squares taking our jobs and making us all look a drunken mess in comparison. Thanks, technology. Update: So it appears these aren't traditional holograms -- they're actually huge sheets of glass that are cut out in the shape of people, with the projection beamed on them. It's the same tech that Gorillaz use on stage, made by a company called Musion. Check out another video where the camera moves around the side.
Water-propelled jetpack is no dream, can be yours for $99,500 this March (video)
It's taken a long time since that 2005 patent was filed for, but Raymond Li is now finally ready to bring his water-propelled jetpack to the money-spending world. Nailing down a March 2011 launch date and a price of $99,500 hasn't been easy for the inventor, who says his efforts to procure capital and prototyping quotations were mostly met with incredulity -- "almost everyone thought I was crazy." His JetLev personal transporter relies on an engine and fuel tank (which remain on the water's surface) to pump H20 into a backpack that then shoots out streams of the drinkable stuff to keep your airborne. Top speed is 22MPH, max height is nearly 33 feet, and the fun factor is somewhere off the scale, whether you're talking metric or imperial. Levitate past the break for a video demonstration. [Thanks, Suraj]
PC-Aero ready to fly the Elektra One, Germany's latest electric-powered plane
Germany started with electric cars and bikes, and now it's taking things to the air with the PC-Aero Elektra One. This single-seat ultralight plane has a composite airframe, 16-kilowatt motor with a range of 400 kilometers and a max flight time of three hours. At a cruising speed of 160 km/h (about 99 mph for us anglophiles), the aircraft won't be setting any speed records, but given that it's being designed as an eco-friendly way to enjoy "leisure aviation," you should've expected it to travel at a leisurely pace, indeed. The Elektra One hasn't taken to the air just yet, but PC-Aero plans to perform the first flight test later this month, so we can look forward to seeing another electric plane flying overhead in the near future. Check the video after the break to see and hear the future of aviation for yourself.
Behind the Mask: High speed, low drag
It's not like Champions Online is the first MMORPG with travel powers. Back in the ancient days of Ultima Online, we had things like boats and teleporting spells. Getting a mobility boost to get from point A to point B is nothing unique or special. CO has something a little different, though. Travel powers are as much a thing of individual expression as they are a transportation method. Sure, there's something to be said for riding a semi-transparent sparkling blue horse, but when you can wrap yourself in a shroud of blue fire and streak through the skies, it says a little more about your character. There's a reason I think people who still go AFK to ride griffons from zone to zone are chumps. Hopping over buildings to get to your next quest objective or sprinting at ludicrous speed into a group of foes and using the momentum to start up your attacks is the epitome of personal expression. It's all about what you drive, and my ride is Teleportation.
Clear security lanes reopen in Orlando, coming soon to Denver
There's just nothing quite like a promised kept, you know? Back in May, we heard that the financially troubled Clear would be making a comeback this fall, and lo and behold, the first Clear security lanes in quite some time have opened up in Orlando International Airport (MCO). Just as before, customers angels who fork out $179 per year and pass a litany of personality tests (we kid, we kid... sort of) will be able to breeze right through a dedicated security lane, enabling them to show up just moments prior to takeoff, claim their seat and simultaneously draw the ire of every other nearby passenger. In the next few months, Clear will roll out a family plan that enables the $179er to add members at $50 a pop, and during the introduction period, all members will receive a free month. Best of all, those who used Clear before can have their cards reactivated once it returns to their home airport. The company intends to open lanes in Denver later this month, but expansion plans beyond that remain a mystery. Feel free to get amped by watching the video just past the break.
Yves Rossy's jetpack loops a hot air balloon, looks great doing it (video)
Looks like Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy is back to the, well, daredeviltry. On November 5, 2010, the self-described Jetman lept off a platform attached to the side of the Esprit Breitling Orbiter hot air balloon and, after reaching an altitude of 2,400 meters (7,874 feet), came back to loop around the thing twice. He was aided in his endeavor by a new, smaller wing (two meters across) with four jets, and executed the maneuvers using only his body movements to steer. Afterward, he deployed his parachute and landed in Denezy, in the Swiss canton of Vaud. We might also add that we tried to get one of these devices for an Engadget Show giveaway, but our lawyers seem to think it's a terrible idea. Video after the break.
Rise and Shiny recap: War of Angels
To continue my investigation into "imported grinders," I have moved on to check out War of Angels, a new game being published by gamigo. I have to say, I found plenty of good stuff and plenty of bad stuff in the game, as well as some of those obvious tiny fixes that will hopefully be undertaken after this open beta. Let's be honest -- an open beta is considered a release these days, and I don't think that's fair. Yes, many games use it (and I have heard developers admit to this) as a way to make money while continuing to roll out basic development, but I say we allow them to just drop the "beta" part and get on with it. As far as the background story: I do not log into a game to memorize the lore. I do not go to the website to write down notes on the lore in the hopes that I will get it right in my first impressions article. Just like any stranger in a strange land, I am not going to know everything right away. It should be no different for me in a game, and one of my litmus tests is to see whether the game will provide me with an understanding of who and where I am. It's not impossible; other games do it. I didn't find much lore in the quests at all, so I cannot comment on it much. But let's talk about how War of Angels plays.
11.6-inch MacBook Air cleared to remain packed through security, but we'd remove it anyway
Really, TSA? Are you honestly so stoked to disappoint? If you'll recall, the American Transportation Security Administration got up close and personal with a first-generation MacBook Air after wrongly assuming it was an Apocalypse-bringer, and even after adjusting rules so that iPads, netbooks and other smaller electronics could fly through carry-on screening equipment without being unpacked, we've still heard of (and personally experienced) occasions where agents have demanded that tablet PCs be ran through naked. If there's a lesson to learn here, it's that the TSA is consistently inconsistent, and you're probably better off putting everything you own in a separate grey bucket for the sake of covering your bases. The same applies to Apple's new 11.6-inch MacBook Air, which is cleared to undergo TSA scanning while packed under the aforesaid amended rules. In theory, you shouldn't have to remove it from your backpack as you struggle to reach your gate, but if we had to guess, we'd say you'll be ask to take it out and re-run it if you try. But hey, you're only being victimized and scrutinized in the name of security, so it's all good. Trust us.
In-flight calling and texting coming to Singapore Airlines in 2011
So, OnAir is still hanging around, huh? It's been quite a while since we've heard anything from the in-flight telephony company, with outfits like Row44 and Aircell dominating the space with their near-constant rollout of in-flight WiFi services here in the States. But for those traveling in and around Asia on Singapore Airlines, it sounds as if your flights are about to get a bit more connected, and potentially more chatty. A new in-flight connectivity system based on Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband (and a collaboration with OnAir) is expected to provide passengers on medium- and long-haul flights with "access to WiFi internet and mobile telephony services." This should, in theory, enable patrons to send and receive SMS text messages with their GSM-compatible handsets, send and receive emails on their smartphones (and laptops, we presume?) and potentially make and receive voice calls. SIA expects to have the first of its fleet equipped in the first half of 2011, with introductions to happen in progressive fashion on its Airbus A380, Airbus A340-500 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Sounds like a few airlines we know and love have a little catching up to do...
Wings Over Atreia: First impressions of the assault
With the launch of Aion's long-anticipated expansion, Assault on Balaurea, NCsoft has laid out a spread of goodies, from tasty little morsels of fluff to meatier content fare. What all did this free expansion bring to the plate? Solo instances, pets, ground assault PvP in new zones, higher-level materials and crafting, and new travel methods are just a few of the goodies that awaited Daeva when they first logged in last Tuesday. Hungry Daevas have had almost a full week to either nibble at or just plain dive into the buffet of new offerings in the world of Atreia. Even with a glitch (seriously, is there something in the MMO rulebook that says a launch cannot go off without a hitch?), a number of Daevas have been scarfing up everything they can get their wings on. The release even brought back many old faces, who stopped in to sample the new goodies. So how did all this taste? Grab a napkin and munch your way through the cut to savor the new flavor of Aion for yourself.
Zune HD taking to the skies with United Airlines in-flight entertainment trial
Microsoft and United hooked up back in June for a hardware-less Zune partnership, which seems to have turned out pretty sweetly for both parties. Dave McLauchlan, chief Zune HD evangelist, has dished the news that the two companies are stepping up their relationship with a set of 500 Zunes being provided for long-haul flights to Hong Kong and Australia. Before you cry foul and say you never get on a flying tin can without your own media, Microsoft's angle here will be to preload those OLED-sporting babies with exclusive content, including flicks that haven't yet made it to a DVD release. Dave himself has been running around movie studios and closing deals, while the Zune HDs in question have now been encased in rubber, had their screens protected, and batteries charged. See them in a group shot after the break.
Cyborg flies jack into Lego robots semi-Avatar-style
See that? It's a picture of a fly that thinks it's flying around, but it's really navigating a Lego car around a small obstacle course. Researchers at ETH Zurich's Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems developed an impressive visual stimulus tube that tricks said fly into thinking it's navigating the same terrain the camera-mounted robot is in. Then--in a novel twist--a high-speed visual wing-tracking system tells the robot where to roam, based on where the fly thinks it's flying. While it's not exactly what the Na'vi were dealing with, it's close enough to make us a fun combination of fascinated and scared. Pseudo-psychedelic fly stimulus video after the break.
Left 4 Dead born from Valve's killed 'flying fairy' game
"We stabbed it," Valve project manager Erik Johnson tells PC Gamer of the studio's apparent "flying fairy game," as Gabe Newell puts it. The conversation with Valve, which includes marketing director Doug Lombardi, provides revealing insight into the creative process of one of the most respected developers in the industry. Described as an "action fantasy sort of role playing game" featuring fairies, the project went as far as a working prototype (with spells cast by mouse gesturing) and "it was so bad," says Newell. Still, it was "a useful failure," adds the Valve co-founder, "because It was so clearly dumb that it made us say, 'Okay, what are we actually good at that we can do instead?'" Cue the Zombie Apocalypse! [Image credit: PC Gamer]
Malaysia Airlines now offers iPad check-in (video)
It's getting easier and easier to enjoy in-flight entertainment on Apple's briskly moving tablet, but why wait till you get to the gate to dive in? If you're flying out of Kuala Lumpur, you can play with that 9.7-inch IPS touchscreen while you daydream of that time that watched Entrapment with your soulmate, book your flight, find departure times and even check in at dedicated kiosks. Adapting its iPhone application MHMobile for iPad use, Malaysia Airlines has installed five terminals at Kuala Lumpur Sentral so far -- where the company presently serves just 900 customers a day. See the interface in action after the break, or just download the existing app at our more coverage link if you're in search of that elusive globetrotter feeling.
Jetstar Airways first to rent out iPads, only $8.40 a flight
The world's first iPad inflight entertainment system definitely came sooner than we thought; though Bluebox just announced the idea two weeks ago, it's slated to hit Australia at the end of the month. Qantas budget carrier Jetstar Airways will hold a trial of the service in the last two weeks of June, doling out iPads to passengers on flights 90 minutes or greater for AUD $10 (approximately $8.40) a pop, and will extend the service to their entire network if the business... well, you know. Since Jetstar CIO Stephen Tame famously predicted the iPad would kill the inflight movie business earlier this year, it seems we're looking at a classic case of if-you-can't-beat-em syndrome. Call us biased, but that sounds a good sight better than what Microsoft's up to.
Breakfast Topic: I believe I can fly
This article has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. Many things are eagerly anticipated with the release of Cataclysm: guild achievements, level 85, Deathwing. Little has been discussed about flying mounts in all of Azeroth. It is just a snippet in the trailer, but I do remember its getting a huge cheer. Gone will be the days of flying into Southshore and then riding (I mean, really -- once we can fly, who is going to ride?) north to battle the Abominable Greench. You'll fly -- and yes, I know, Alliance won't be using Southshore, but that's a different topic. We will be flying up and out of Stormwind, heading south into Searing Gorge to Blackrock Mountain and a new instance with Nefarian, and we will be using our own mounts. Can't get that one piece of ore on the side of a hill? Fly up and get it. Need to help a low-level guild member outside Jintha'Alor? Fly there from Aerie Peak or Revantusk Village. You'll be able to scout where those nasty Devilsaurs are in Un'Goro without getting stomped on (not that it matters to a level 85). So once you can fly anywhere in Azeroth, where are you going first? If you are Alliance, I would wager 85% of you are going to the airport above Ironforge. There is a gryphon master at the north end of that area. He always waves when you fly over on your way to Menethil. I'm thinking that will become an active flight point, but I suspect most of you will fly up there on your own, simply because now you can. A few of you will probably go to the fishing hut above Stormwind. Me? That's not the first place I'm going. I have long wanted to get to one particular spot on the map. I've tried getting there a few times, particularly during the Lunar Festival because there's an elder near this spot. The gryphon flies over it and I so desperately want to get off, right there. No, I'm not telling. Where are you going to go first? Anyplace in particular, or do you think you will just hop on your flying mount and savor the wind in your face as you fly anywhere? Have you ever wanted to write for WoW.com? Your chance may be right around the corner. Watch for our next call for submissions for articles via Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. The next byline you see here may be yours!
iPads on the virtual flight deck
It's no secret that the iPad is popular with pilots. TUAW has provided coverage of pilot kneeboards for holding iPads in the cockpit, many iPhone apps for pilots that are now making their way to the big(ger) screen, and we've heard from commenters who fly for a living that they think the iPad may be the greatest thing to appear in the cockpit since Charlton Heston. One British firm is now starting to use iPads as electronic flight bags, although not on "real" aircraft. The company, Virtual Aviation, operates Airbus and Boeing full-motion flight simulators at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports. While these expensive and realistic simulators are most often used for pilot training, Virtual Aviation also provides public experience flights and corporate team-building events. With the iPad, Virtual Aviation instructors don't have to lug around their heavy flight cases loaded with maps, charts, manuals, weather reports, flight plans, and checklists. The lightweight iPad displays all of the information. There are a number of photos of Virtual Aviation staff using the iPad to display charts and checklists in a gallery that they've published. What about you? Do you think iPads can be an effective and useful tool for pilots, or are you concerned that they may be a distraction on the flight deck? Leave your comments below.
iPad takes to the skies with Bluebox Ai this July
In-flight entertainment might not be high on everyone's list of priorities, but from this July, it might become a new point of differentiation between airlines. Bluebox Avionics has announced its new Ai IFE system, which seems to mostly involve just giving travelers an iPad to play around with while gliding through the atmosphere. It "leverages the power, flexibility and quality of the most advanced consumer device ever produced" (they have an Evo 4G? Zing!) and offers Bluebox's proprietary security solution and tailor-made apps for each airline. One international carrier has already signed up and more are expected to follow.
Clear security lanes storming back to airports, principled travelers high five one another
Don't call it a comeback. Or do, because that's precisely what this is. After Clear shuffled its final incorruptible passenger through a speedy security lane in June of last year, the company closed up shop and forced even the nicest of travelers to re-join the herds. Thankfully for us all, Alclear has decided that life's simply no good without a hasty security option at airports, and it has plopped down $6 million in order to acquire the assets of Verified Identity Pass out of bankruptcy protection. According to our hombres at Gadling, that purchase price doesn't include individual airport contracts, so it'll be an uphill battle getting these lanes back into the places in which they're needed. If all goes well, we could see the first Clear avenues reopen this fall, with pricing set at $179 per year for unlimited individual use or $229 per year for unlimited family use. Head on past the break for more details on reactivating old subscriptions and the full presser.
Martin Jetpack priced at $86,000, mere mortals will soon be able to buy one too
Tired of the limited legroom, bad food, and worse movies you have to put up with during a flight? Well, it's time to bust out your company credit card and get yourself a Martin Jetpack, which has just become the first commercially available jetpack. Driven by a pair of washing machine-sized fans strapped to your back, this personal transporter will give you a pretty cool 30 minutes of flight time and comes with a bunch of redundancy systems to ensure any mistakes don't turn fatal. The rotors are built out of a carbon / Kevlar composite and are powered by a two-liter V4 two-stroke engine capable of delivering 200hp (or 150kW). Good old gasoline is the fuel of choice here and private individuals are expected to be offered the chance to fulfill every geek and geekette's dream later this year. Just make sure you have $86,000 lying around to fund it.
