Model Airplanes

(Courtesy of Emra Coban)

Since the age of four, Çağan Şekercioğlu was always interested in nature and the world around him.

“I grew up weird,” Şekercioğlu said. “Kids were into playing soccer, and all I wanted to do [was] lose myself in nature and find bugs.”

Now a professor of biology at the U, Şekercioğlu credits this early interest in science to his being awarded Turkey’s highest honor in science.

The TÜBİTAK Special Award in Science is reserved solely for scientists from Turkey working abroad. This criteria includes Turkish researchers from Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia all working on different scientific endeavors.

The prize was awarded to Şekercioğlu for his work in the Aras River Wetlands in Turkey. This wetland is home to a number of endangered species, as well as many types of birds. More than 40 percent of Turkey’s bird species and land animals have been recorded in this area alone. Şekercioğlu launched a petition on the website savearas.org to collect signatures in favor of preserving the wetland.

Şekercioğlu also boasts a large résumé of awards for his work apart from the TÜBİTAK Special Award, including Turkey’s first Wetland Science Award, but he finds being able to teach

Article source: http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/2014/09/01/u-professor-wins-science-award-in-turkey/

EVERETT, Wash. — Pete Graven got hooked on aviation as a young boy, listening to stories from his uncle, a WWI fighter pilot.

Jim Jackson was among the first mechanics to work on the B-29 bomber during WWII.

Norm Constan spent nearly four decades with the Boeing Co., delivering airplanes.

Now, in their golden years, these volunteers spend a day or two a week at Paine Field, fixing up vintage aircraft at the Museum of Flight Restoration Center. Many are well into their 80s. The oldest is 99.

“The people here have just as many interesting stories as the aircraft they’ve worked on,” said Tom Cathcart, the museum’s director of aircraft collections. “It’s just as much about the guys out here working as the aircraft the museum ends up putting on display. The aircraft is getting a second life, but some of these guys are, too.”

The restoration center opened at Paine Field about 30 years ago. In 1988, the center moved into the two hangars it now occupies near Airport Road. These days, it’s one of several historic aircraft attractions at the Snohomish County Airport, which also hosts the Future of Flight, the Flying Heritage Collection and the Historic Flight Foundation.

The restoration center is no dark, dingy workshop. It’s open to the public most days of the week. Adult admission costs $5.

Walk inside, and you’ll see about two-dozen aircraft. There are immaculate specimens — and others that

Article source: http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/32072597-75/volunteers-spend-golden-years-restoring-planes.html.csp

Most skies above units of the National Park Service, including the Blue Ridge Parkway and Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, will remain drone-free for at least 18 months because of a recent policy banning unmanned aircraft.

The National Park Services’ interim policy went into effect Wednesday while the agency reviews the use of unmanned aircrafts and creates an official rule on the use of the devices and determines which parks, if any, would allow them.

The interim policy — which prohibits the launching, landing and operation of unmanned aircraft — is expected to be in place for 18 months while it is studied, public comment is gathered and a policy is drafted, said Jeffrey Olson, a National Park Service spokesman.

“What we’re doing is calling a timeout,” Olson said, adding there were concerns for the natural resources, as well as the public and park employees’ safety.

The term “unmanned aircraft” applies to any device that doesn’t require direct human interaction. Examples are cameras, sensors, communication links, model airplanes and drones.

A park superintendent with a preexisting agreement with a model airplane group will be allowed to decide if the agreement still stands and the model airplanes can be flown, Olson said.

All other unmanned aircraft

Article source: http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/news/local/national-park-service-issues-temporary-ban-on-unmanned-aircraft/article_be16344e-309c-11e4-81f3-001a4bcf6878.html

MEET THE PRESS — SUNDAY, AUGUST 31, 2014

ANDREA MITCHELL:

Good morning. Huge challenges for President Obama this holiday weekend from enemies old and new. The president admits he does not yet have a strategy for defeating ISIS as Britain raises its terror threat level. I’ll ask Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee about the threat posed to the U.S. and whether the president’s recent comments show weakness.

And, facing down an old adversary: Ukraine’s president says his country is near full-scale war with Russia. How far will Vladimir Putin go, and can President Obama and the allies get him to back down? Plus, a new era on Meet the Press, a revealing look at Chuck Todd from those who know him best.

ANNOUNCER:

From NBC News in Washington, this is Meet the Press.

ANDREA MITCHELL:

And good morning, two major military flashpoints this Sunday, both with strong consequences for the U.S. After fierce fighting, Iraqi troops have reached a town in northern Iraq that was under siege by ISIS militants. Overnight, the U.S. launched airstrikes against ISIS fighters near the town and dropped humanitarian aid. An estimated 15,000 people had been trapped in the siege.

And in the Ukraine crisis, the European Union is now giving Russia an ultimatum: Change course in one week or face tougher sanctions. But this morning, a defiant President Putin calling for talks on statehood for eastern Ukraine and saying it is impossible to predict when the crisis will end. So how should President Obama respond to both crises? I’m

Article source: http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-transcript-august-31-2014-n192971

There were few spectacular announcements of radical new aircraft at this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh show, held July 27 through August 3, but the popular event was well attended, the crowds enjoyed the first-ever appearance of a U.S. military jet aerobatic team–the Air Force Thunderbirds–and there were plenty of exciting attractions.

Whereas last year there was a palpable feeling that the government had let the industry down by sending the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) a half-million-dollar bill for ATC services and not showing up because of sequestration budget cuts, this year employees from the FAA and other agencies were out in droves. Of course, the FAA still charged the EAA for ATC services during a week that saw more than 10,000 aircraft arriving in the Oshkosh area and some days where parking space for arrivals was completely full. But the government agencies clearly made an effort to share in the Oshkosh camaraderie, and visitors welcomed their presence, including the Customs and Border Protection personnel who made a big effort to calm fears about random stops of general aviation pilots.

“It was a tremendous week on many levels,” said EAA chairman Jack Pelton. “Certainly the Thunderbirds’ first performances at Oshkosh helped the attendance, as Saturday and Sunday [August 2 and 3] saw 20-percent attendance increases from similar days last year. There was another factor, too: a renewed sense of optimism that was reflected in people coming to Oshkosh to celebrate the world of

Article source: http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2014-09-01/airventure-report-2014