Model Airplanes

Days before taking office, President-elect Donald Trump made two surprise calls to the Air Force general managing the Pentagon’s largest weapons program, the Lockheed Martin F-35 jet.

Listening in on one of those calls was Dennis Muilenburg — the CEO of Lockheed’s chief rival, Boeing.

Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the $379 billion F-35 program as “out of control,” made the highly unusual calls to Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan on Jan. 9 and Jan. 17, according to two people familiar with the matter. Muilenburg, whose company makes a fighter jet Trump has suggested might replace some of one F-35 model, was in the president-elect’s New York office for a meeting during the second call. He appeared caught off-guard but heard at least Trump’s end of the call, according to the people, who asked to remain anonymous discussing sensitive information.

After speaking with Trump, Bogdan wrote two three-page memos, titled “phone conversations with President-Elect,” dated Jan. 10 and 18 and stamped “For Official Use Only,” to limit distribution. They outlined Trump’s questions about the capabilities of Boeing’s Super Hornet fighter and how it might compete against Lockheed’s F-35C, said the people. About a dozen Pentagon officials were alerted to the calls after they occurred, the people said.

Article source: http://www.refinery29.com/2017/02/141702/jack-died-plane-crash-1994-this-is-us

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ELLEN F. O’CONNELL/Staff PhotographerA close-up of the model ship HMS Victory Bill Gaddes of Nesquehoning built at his home.

ELLEN F. O’CONNELL/Staff PhotographerBill Gaddes works on the Italian model ship Vascello Svedese 1628 he is building at his

Article source: http://republicanherald.com/news/model-ship-building-area-man-s-passion-1.2155789

Larry Butcher/For The Herald-Dispatch Shyann, 10, from left, Lisa and Garett Conley, 11, look at the planes and helicopters on display during the Tri-State Model Flyers Club show Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at the Ashland Town Center in Ashland.

Article source: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/model-planes-on-display-at-ashland-town-center/article_314b4a0c-f653-11e6-a62c-23e57f32b0cb.html

By Larry Penkava lpenkava@courier-tribune.com Twitter: @larrypenkavaCT

ASHEBORO — Imagine you’re flying in a single-engine turboprop from Charlotte to Tangier Island, Va. You’re sitting in the captain’s seat watching a myriad of dials, buttons and switches while clouds swirl around and the Piedmont terrain passes below.

The plane is the ultramodern Carenado Daher Socota TBM 850, one of the smallest turboprops made, but highly engineered.

Tim Garris has flown more than 1,000 passengers from Charlotte to Tangier Island, Va., in this plane and he hasn’t charged any of them a dime.

Although he is a licensed pilot with instrument ratings, Garris has found his passion in flying while remaining on the ground. He designs flight simulation videos for his own Youtube channel, FS MaNiA.

An Asheboro designer/builder by day, Garris spends much of his free time creating simulated flights in various aircraft, from space-age corporate jets to low-tech propeller planes. His aim is to make the videos seem as real as actual flight.

“I’ve been doing this since the first flight simulators came on a floppy drive,” Garris said from his home office with a desk that looks suspiciously like a cockpit. “I got a copy and played with it.”

Early on in flight simulation, he said, Microsoft had a team working on the programs. “They gave a platform to build on. There was great visual representation, navigation aids and aircraft from small planes to (Boeing) 747s.”

When Microsoft realized their customer base was limited to a small niche community of enthusiasts, the

Article source: http://www.courier-tribune.com/news/20170217/asheboro-man-flies-planes-without-leaving-ground