Air Safety Concerns As Travel Picks Up

Above, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at LAX. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that spring has sprung and summer is about two months away, travel is picking up steam. 

However, some are leery about flying on Boeing aircraft since several incidents took place, thankfully with no fatalites. 

According to an article in West Hawaii Today:

A series of troubling airline incidents and upheaval at aircraft manufacturer Boeing have raised questions about air safety, as more travelers take to the skies this spring and look toward summer trips.

Aviation industry experts say flying remains one of the safest forms of transportation. The U.S. passenger airline industry also hasn’t had a major fatal crash since 2009.

But in the wake of recent headline-grabbing incidents, including a door plug ejecting out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max and incidents at United and Southwest, industry leaders acknowledge the need for work to maintain the safety record U.S. airlines have established over the years. 

 To read more, go here.

Air Force One Color Scheme Revealed

The most recognizable aircraft in the world except, maybe, the Goodyear blimp, is Air Force One.

New aircraft are about to be put into service for the presidential fleet and the color scheme has been changed.

Here is the color scheme of the new Air Force One that originated from the Trump Administration:

Here is the old color scheme of Air Force One, which dates back to the Kennedy Administration:

Frankly, I prefer the old color scheme. The red, white and blue on the new plane is supposed to be patriotic, but I think the old color scheme is classier. It has been the look of Air Force One since 1962 from the two Boeing 707s to the current Boeing 747s.

When the president is not on board, they are designated as SAM (special air mission) and whatever the tail number is. For example, SAM 27000, used from the Nixon Administration to the George H. W. Bush Administration, is on display at the Reagan Library. The Kennedy plane was SAM 26000.

Above, SAM 27000 on display at the Reagan Library. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History - Outside

Above, a B-52 Stratofortress. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This blog post will take a look at some of the outdoor exhibits of The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The displays consisted of aircraft and missiles as well as some ground vehicles dating back to World War II and the Cold War.

The biggest exhibits for me consisted of B-52, B-47 and B-29 bombers. There were also jet fighters (a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 was having its skin worked on). There was also the sail (conning tower) of the SSBN-645 James K. Polk.

More photos:

Above, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the sail of the SSBN-645 James K. Polk. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a B-47 Stratojet. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a row of different missiles. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, details on the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, another view of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, an F-16 Fighting Falcon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, an A-7 Corsair. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 getting refurbished. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Trinity tower replica. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For exhibits inside the museum, go here.