PointNiner Death Wish Weekend

I was originally going to put these videos up here as three separate posts but I think a theme weekend sounds like more fun now. I mean, who doesn't love a good theme weekend? All three of these are great videos with amazing footage and some seriously messed up people doing ridiculously ludicrous activities. The term "living on borrowed time" comes to mind.

This first video is about a guy who rides on the outside of a MD 500 helicopter to climb onto high voltage power lines for inspection purposes. I love his quote at the end, "there's only three things I'm afraid of...electricity, heights and women."




As if skydiving weren't extreme enough, the guy in next video really pushes his luck to the edge by jumping from one aircraft to another while free falling. Using the drogue chute to slow the other aircraft down was kind of a cool concept though.




And finally we wrap up with some European flair as this Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm BO-105 does a little stunt flying through a German forest. This one looked like the most fun to me but I still think it requires a psycho analysis.

Now see, what did I tell you? Theme weekends really are fun...and in this case frightening too.

[Flixxy.com]

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Cessna Crashes In Yao, Japan Street

A single engine Cessna crashed today into a busy street in Yao, Japan which is outside Osaka.  To me it looks like a Cessna 210 Centurion, which has a pretty outstanding safety record.  

Some news agencies are reporting no injuries and some others are reporting the two passengers suffered only minor injuries (which I find to be more believable).  No one on the ground was injured.  Apparently fuel was leaking from the aircraft, which may have led to the accident occurring.  The aircraft had just departed from Yao and was returning due to engine trouble.  Sounds like it was luck that no one on the ground was injured as the intersection was a very busy one with several buildings around it as well.  As you can see below, the aircraft suffered extensive damage, losing a wing and its gear along with severing its empenage (tail section).

(NZ Herald via AP)

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Cessna Citation Mustang First Biz Jet to Get SVT

Cessna announced today that its Citation Mustang will be receiving the Garmin G1000 based Synthetic Vision Technology. This will make the Mustang the first business jet to be equipped to handle the new cool tech.

In other news, so long as you have flown a successful flight on Flight Simulator X, Cessna wants you to be a test pilot.

Click here for more information on the Synthetic Vision Technology.

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Citation 2 Accident Video

I stumbled upon this Citation 2 crash footage. The video is not really of the crash, although you see the aircraft landing, downwind in strong winds, but it is the aftermath that makes this video really interesting. I'm not sure how this was caught on tape, but it's about 5 minute video from landing to the aftermath. Be sure to watch the whole video because what happens is unbelievable. And, for the record, everyone was ok.

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Cessna Citation X Crash at JFK

A Cessna Citation (N750WM) arriving from Orlando, Florida crashed at JFK last night (4/3/08) at 8:17pm EDT. According to initial reports, one of the main landing gear collapsed upon landing. The pilot blamed it on faulty hydraulics.

The aircraft is registered to William Aviation of Charlotte, North Carolina. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. The pilot and a passenger reportedly had minor injuries. The accident, however, caused ground stoppages and delays across the country. The aircraft, as you can see in the pictures, did not fare as well as its occupants.

See other pictures of the crash below.



Images: WABC

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First Flight for Cessna Skycatcher Prototype (Model 162)

The title essentially speaks for itself as not much information is known about the actual flight aside from the fact that it happened.

Cessna said its engineering team "continues to evaluate" the 100-hp Continental O-200 engine that is installed in the proof-of-concept aircraft, which first flew in August 2007, just weeks after the program's official launch at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. The SkyCatcher is priced at $111,500. It is expected to cruise at speeds up to 118 knots with a maximum range of 470 nautical miles, a useful load of 490 pounds and a usable fuel capacity of 24 gallons. The aircraft will feature a Garmin G300 avionics system, and will be capable of day and night VFR operations, Cessna said. First deliveries are expected by late 2009.

I like how Cessna continues to emphasize that all Model 162 engineering and testing will take place in Witchita, KS; downplaying the fact that it will be manufactured in China! Surely the aircraft will have a sticker on it stating "Engineered in Kansas" with no mention of a little gold sticker with black type on the panel saying "Made in China." Do not get me wrong, I'm all in favor of the Skycatcher, but this is beginning to sound a bit like Scairbus manufacturing the KC-45A in Alabama, but we all know where the parts are coming from!!! Blast!!! Alabama is a front, just like Kansas is for the Skycatcher.

The Cessna 152 continues to shed tears as it knows it days are numbered, soon to be replaced by the 162 as an economical trainer aircraft.

Citation makes sweet giant Cessna logo in sky. Point?

Marketing stunt? Certification flight? Huge waste of fuel and time? Who knows, but a Cessna Citation X belonging to the Cessna Aircraft Company flew a flight path from and to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport last Friday in the shape of the aircraft used in the Cessna logo as seen in this screen shot of its flight from flightaware.com.


The aircraft used is seen in the picture below and is currently under going a certification program for the addition of "elliptical" winglets to the Citation X. Boy, I hope the eco-freeks don't find out about this one.

(photo: Winglet-Technology)