aviation

Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier -- again

Chuck Yeager was 24 when he became the first human to break the speed of sound. And to celebrate the 65th anniversary of that history-making event, the 89-year-old former test pilot and now retired Air Force brigadier general did it again, flying in the rear seat of an F-15 that broke the sound barrier at 10:24 a.m. on Sunday.

Yeager, whose exploits were chronicled in the book (and film) "The Right Stuff," gained worldwide notoriety when his Bell X-1 -- a 30 foot, 11 inch plane with a 28-foot wingspan -- reached a speed of 700 … Read more

Boeing 747-8, Dreamliner get prepped for cell phone use

Passengers aboard Boeing's flagship 747-8 Intercontinental, as well as its 787 Dreamliners and 777s will have the capability to make cell phone calls as soon as 2013, the aviation giant said today.

As part of the company's move to boost connectivity on the most modern planes in its fleet, it plans to outfit them so that they can support cell phone usage, as well as Wi-Fi, live television, and "Internet access using in-flight entertainment."

Boeing said its planes should also support wireless streaming media by 2014.

Of course, whether airlines actually allow passengers to use cell … Read more

In Mojave, the world's most exciting planes take flight

MOJAVE DESERT, Calif.--It's hard to imagine a more complete -- and impressive -- collection of aviation facilities and aircraft anywhere on the planet than the one in this vast, arid, wide-open wasteland northeast of Los Angeles.

Thanks to its endless amounts of dry, flat terrain, useless to most people, and the fact that there are only a few ways in -- vital for security -- the Mojave is, and has long been, the beating heart of the aviation world. It's here that Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier. And where Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne ushered in … Read more

Aviator Travel Jib helps up the production value of dSLR movies

If you're looking to give your HDSLR movies more of a cinematic look, you should definitely check out the Aviator Travel Jib Kickstarter project.

The ultracompact camera crane lets you smoothly sweep your dSLR (or other camera up to 6 pounds) through a scene or change perspective like a traditional jib. But, because it's so small and lightweight -- it weighs less than 3.8 pounds -- it can be set up in places you can't use other cranes. The jib arm extends to 6 feet and collapses down to 2 feet.… Read more

Pilot of the future: U.S. Army gets wearable tech for the battlefield

U.S. Army, welcome to the future.

If you happen to be in Farnborough, London, this week, you'll be able to see a demo of an Army pilot geared in the latest in wearable military technology -- a portable computing device that fits in a pocket and a display panel that can be strapped to a soldier's wrist.

The entire Aviation Warrior (yes, that's what it is called) system -- which includes a helmet equipped with a flip-down viewing monocle and taps into the cockpit's digital display -- may seem like something that belongs in Battlestar … Read more

Aviator Travel Jib gives you smoother videos

The Aviator Travel Jib lets budget videographers capture videos with smooth, cinematic panning at a fraction of the price of professional systems. A jib is also known as a camera crane, which is typically used in movie productions to get a sense of the scene, usually with the camera panning or zooming from a higher vantage point.

Weighing only 3.7 pounds, the camera crane is able to extend up to 6 feet and should be able to carry your dSLR and a kit lens (the accessory can support cameras of up to 6 pounds). When not in use, it can be folded down to 24 inches for portability. … Read more

At long last, Boeing delivers the first next-gen 747

EVERETT, Wash.--Get ready, aviation fans. Seats aboard Boeing's new 747-8 Intercontinental are almost ready for you. And today, at an event here, Boeing finally handed over the keys to the first of the next-general planes to a commercial airline customer.

The new airplane, which Boeing first unveiled at a huge ceremony here a year ago, has been in testing since then. But today, Lufthansa became the first airline to officially own one of the aircraft, the first of 20 it has ordered, and of 130 total orders Boeing has received for it. … Read more

Where should CNET Road Trip go in California?

Summer is just two months off, but over here at Geek Gestalt, with bright sunshine outside (and windows to keep the chilly wind out) it already feels like it's just around the corner.

That's also in large part because I've started the planning for Road Trip 2012, my seventh-annual journey to highlight some of the best destinations around for technology, military, architecture, science, nature, and so on.

For five of the past six years, the project has taken me all around the roads of the United States, giving me the opportunity to visit the Pacific Northwest, the … Read more

Meet U.S. Cellular's first 4G LTE phone: Samsung Galaxy S Aviator

Sprint and AT&T aren't the only ones with big LTE plans. U.S. Cellular is taking bold steps to build out 4G LTE wireless data access, too. In February, the carrier announced the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator, its first smartphone to link to the provider's swift new infrastructure, and just last week it revealed its first 4G tablet. Today U.S. Cellular has officially launched the $199 handset. … Read more