Wow: Test pilots trace 787 and Boeing logo across the sky, from Seattle to Iowa

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How’s this for some corporate branding? A Boeing 787 test flight currently under way across the northern half of the United States is following a flight path that traces the numbers “787″ … PLUS the company’s logo. It’s not the first time the company has traced numbers across the sky, but the intricate logo takes… Read More…

Micron CEO Steve Appleton, 51, dies in plane crash

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Steve Appleton, the CEO and chairman of semiconductor company Micron Technology, died this morning in a small plane crash in Boise, Idaho, the company said in a statement a short time ago. Appleton, 51, was an avid pilot. He was the only person in the plane at the time of the accident at the Boise… Read More…

Inside Alaska Airlines’ new Boeing Sky Interior

Sculpted ceiling, sloping bins and window recesses add to a feel of spaciousness

For 17 years, I have qualified to be a sardine. That is to say that — since some time in 1996 —  I have so often tightly packed my 6’4″ self into winged metal containers filled with people that I have qualified for MVP Gold status on Alaska Airlines every year. “Sardine” is one of… Read More…

In-flight Wi-Fi provider GoGo is looking to take off with $100M IPO

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In-flight Wi-Fi provider GoGo is looking to raise as much as $100 million through an initial public offering, one of the latest technology companies to take advantage of an open IPO window. Based in Itasca, Illinois, GoGo is hoping to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol GOGO. The company currently provides its technology… Read More…

With Stratolaunch project, Paul Allen makes a big bet on commercial spaceflight

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As he began speaking at the news conference for Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch space project today, renowned aerospace engineer Burt Rutan pointed out a “large mistake” in a video simulation and model of the aircraft that the venture will use to launch rockets into space from 30,000 feet in the air. “You should never show this… Read More…

Paul Allen’s new space project will launch rockets into orbit from world’s biggest plane

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  Paul Allen is taking the wraps off his new space venture this morning, and it’s a big one. The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft is teaming with some of the biggest names in aerospace, including his old SpaceShipOne partner Burt Rutan, on a project that will launch payloads and eventually people into low-earth orbit from… Read More…

Alaska Airlines to test biofuel, powering commercial flights with used cooking oil

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Your next cross-country flight, powered by the residue from your frying pan? Seattle-based Alaska Airlines will test biofuels on commercial flights starting this week, hoping to usher in a new, environmentally friendly era for jet fuel. Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, will use a 20 percent blend of biofuel — made from… Read More…

Geek of the Week: Kristina Wang, aerospace grad student

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It’s a fascinating time right now in the world of aerospace, as a variety of projects and ventures seek to usher in a new era of spaceflight — fueling the imagination of people with a passion for airplanes and spacecraft. Kristina Wang is a great example, and we’re pleased to introduce you to her as… Read More…

Boeing spaceship emerging from Space Shuttle’s shadow

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Boeing is showing that it’s serious about developing a new spaceship, announcing that it will base the operations and manufacturing for its Crew Space Transportation program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the longtime home of the Space Shuttle program. The company’s CST-100 spacecraft will hold up to seven people. It’s designed initially for… Read More…