Travel and Leisure Articles

If you are considering starting a new business in the aircraft industry, then perhaps you might consider something simple that requires very little capital to get into. Washing aircraft can be a rewarding business and it’s a much higher end business than most types of cleaning service companies. The pay is pretty good too.

Of course, before you start you’ll have to determine your market mix. That is to say what types of customers you’ll have and which type of clients you are going to go after. Having been in the aircraft cleaning business for almost 3-decades, I thought I might help you out on this topic. So, one question you might ask, which is a common question for airplane cleaning companies would be;

“Are most of the Aircraft Customers corporate owners/operators or the owners of the single/multi-engine aircraft I see?”

This pretty much depends on the type of airport, for instance at a large International airport it might be airlines, government aircraft, and corporate, with only a few non-turbine singles. At small general aviation airports, the market mix will be more single and twin privately owned aircraft, some helicopters, flight schools, flying clubs, charter and just a few corporate jets. See that point?

In states like New Jersey for instance, there are many more jets the closer you get to NYC, those airports are packed with corporate. When we get into airport community developments, airparks, it’s mostly all single and twin engine puddle jumpers.

In Sun Shine States like California, Arizona and Florida there are an abundance of single engine private planes and although you cannot charge much to wash them, you can sure make a lot of money in volume. Perhaps these are things you might consider?

The former Soviet Union has a history of producing large helicopters capable of lifting heavy loads. The vastness of the country coupled with a large number of inaccessible areas required a reliable form of transportation capable of operating in harsh environments. The MIL Helicopter Corporation responded and has built some of the most capable heavy lift and cargo helicopters in the world.

The predecessor to the MI-26, the MI-6 Hook, had its start in 1954 when the Soviet OKB (Experimental Design Bureau) placed a requirement for a helicopter that was able to carry a payload of 25,000 pounds a distance of 150 miles. The helicopter would be particularly useful for operations in Siberia where harsh conditions prevented ground transport vehicles from being effectively used. The military would also be able to use the helicopter to lift artillery pieces, troops, and other large heavy loads.

When the MI-6 entered production it was powered by two Soloviev D-25V turbo shaft engines rated at 5,550 SHP (shaft horsepower) each. The hook had a huge five bladed rotor system that had a diameter of almost 115 ft. The crew consisted of five people. Two pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer, and a radio operator. The helicopter had two doors on either side of the flight deck that could be jettisoned in an emergency and the windows on the pilots’ sides were bulged so they could see the rear of the helicopter. The MI-6 also carried an APU (auxiliary power unit), a small turbine engine used to provide power to the ship when the main engines were not in operation. The MI-6 was able to operate day or night in all weather. The MI-6 was also used as a civilian airliner, a fire fighting aircraft, and recovered Soyuz space capsules. It had a range of 370 miles and a max speed of 190 mph.

Out of the success with the MI-6 came the MI-26 Halo. The MI-26 had its maiden flight in 1977 and went into full-scale production in 1981. When looking at the two aircraft you can see the influence that the MI-6 had on the design of the MI-26. Though only slightly heavier than the MI-6, the Halo can lift 44,000 pounds. It’s powered by two Lotarev D-136 turbo shaft engines rated at 11,550 SHP each. The MI-26 is the only helicopter to use an eight bladed rotor system. The rotors are made from fiberglass and have titanium tips and have a diameter of 105 ft. To aid in maintenance the aircraft features built in handholds and footholds, which help when operating in austere conditions. The MI-26, like the MI-6, has an APU to provide power when the main engines are not operating. For comparison the load and lift capabilities of the MI-26 are on par with that of the U.S. built C-130 Hercules transport plane.

The aircraft is loaded from the rear thorough clamshell doors and a fold down loading ramp. The Halo has a maximum speed of 180 mph and an operational range of 320 nautical miles without using auxiliary fuel tanks.

The MI-26 is presently used in a number of different roles including medevac, flying crane/construction, fuel tanker, and aerial fire fighting. The MI-26 has a crew of five. Two pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer, and a loadmaster.

The MI-26 continues the tradition of MIL Helicopter of building some of the largest and most powerful helicopters on earth.

So many people postpone their dream to fly because of lack of time or money. If you knew that for few thousand dollars, few months and a lot of fun you could have your own ultralight airplane, would you still postpone?

Building an ultralight trike yourself is one of the most exciting, yet pretty achievable things you can do to achieve your dream. If you think you need a master’s degree in engineering and construction genius, you are wrong. People like me and you build ultralight trikes every day. And yes, they fly on them!

So how do you go?

Purchase Construction Plans

You can purchase plans online even in download able format. The prices rare exceed few hundreds (and often are under $100), but the plans contain everything you need.

Preferably, get plans with full size drawings to you can avoid inaccuracies in resizing. Make sure that the plans contain a complete list of materials and sources so you an save time looking around.

You can also use a partial kit

Some companies offer partial trial kits. This is an excellent way to gain some experience and expertise and later decide if you want to purchase the kit or just continue building only by the plans. The trial kits of course are much cheaper than the complete ones and take less time to be built. Most companies also provide free phone support.

What kind of airplane to build?

This article is called “How To Build An Ultralight Trike” because I believe the ultralight trikes are the best beginning for starters. They are much simpler and faster to complete than the fixed wing airplanes. Finally, the kits and the materials for them are much cheaper.

How much time is it going to take?

For someone with skillful hands building an ultralight trike from scratch will take 1500 - 2000 hours. Count 2500 if you are not that good in working with tools.

If you want to do things faster, just purchase a kit. With a good kit you’ll build your ultralight trike for 250 - 300 hours.

Just don’t let bias to keep you away from your dream. Building an ultralight airplane yourself is not only possible, it is fun.

A career flying military helicopters offers excitement, challenge, and adventure. Military helicopter missions include transporting troops and equipment, anti-submarine warfare, troop helicopter escort, anti-armor, reconnaissance, and inserting/extracting special operations personnel.

The US Army is the largest operator of helicopters within the US military. A career as an Army Aviator will give you access to some of the most advanced helicopters in the world. Army aviators fly AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters, CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopters, UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters, OH-47 Kiowa scout/light attack helicopters and the MH-6/AH-6 Loach special operations helicopters.

The US Navy uses helicopters for a wide variety of missions. Pilots who fly SH-60 Sea Hawks track submarines. MH-53 Sea Stallion pilots detect and clear mines in advance of ship traffic. Navy helicopter pilots who fly CH-46 Sea Knights specialize in transporting personnel and equipment.

The US Marine Corps uses the helicopter extensively. In fact the Marines invented and developed vertical envelopment warfare (using helicopters to rapidly move troops to key tactical and strategic positions). The AH-1Z Cobra is used to provide support to Marines on the ground. The CH-46 Sea Knight is used for tactical assaults and the CH-53E Super Sea Stallion is used for heavy lift. The Marines also fly a modernized version of the UH-1 Huey, a helicopter made famous during the Vietnam War, on utility and VIP missions.

The US Air force uses HH-60 Blackhawks for combat search and rescue and MH-53E Super Stallions for deep insertions and extractions of special operations troops.

Though not technically a member of the US armed forces, Coast Guard Aviators have a strong history of flying and fighting alongside the US military in times of conflict. The Coast Guard’s primary roles are homeland security, law enforcement and search and rescue. They fly three types of helicopters. The HH-65 Dauphin is a short-range rescue helicopter. The HH-60 Jay Hawk is a medium/long range rescue helicopter and the MH-68 Stingray is an armed interdiction aircraft.

Military helicopter pilots have very rewarding careers. They fly with and support some of the best people this nation has to offer. The road to a career as a military helicopter pilot isn’t easy but it’s certainly within reach of anyone who has the commitment and the desire to succeed.

(Continued from Part IV)

Next to the door at the bottom of the tower was the intercom. This didn’t faze me in the least. Long ago, I learned a neat trick in New York City where almost everyone lived in apartment buildings with an intercom system. All I had to do was press the button and simultaneously pull on the door handle until the person upstairs buzzed me in. I did it again that morning.

Closing the heavy vault-like door behind me, I saw before me a long, winding staircase that forever spiraled upward. The steps were muddy and the walls were murky brown, giving off a dark, ominous feel to it. I was immediately transported to a windowless medieval castle from the Middle Ages. Taking a deep breath, I began the long ascend.

A slender 5′ 8″ man with a fast receding hairline was waiting for me at the top. Clipped to the pocket of his polyester shirt was a government-issued badge with a badly outdated photo. He had looked a lot younger with gobs of hair back then. Glancing beneath the photo, it read, “Shift Supervisor.” He was alone - the others would probably be arriving shortly.

Although uncertain and somewhat apprehensive at having been summoned to the tower, I bravely offered my hand to thank him for the light gun landing.

To my surprise, he laughed heartily and said, “No problem. Very happy to help.” In a split-second, the energy in the air seemed to shift from negative to positive. Maybe I wasn’t in trouble after all. But I still I wasn’t sure.

Then I noticed a huge red welt across his forehead. Curious and concerned, I decided to ask him about it.

“Sir, what happened to your forehead?”

With an air of self-depreciating humor, he said, “You know how it took forever to give you the green light?”

“Oh yes!”

“Well, see that table over there in the corner? I had to climb on it to get the light gun off the ceiling. The problem was, I didn’t know how to unlatch it. When I finally figured it out, the darn thing came crashing down on me!”

“Suddenly feeling sorry for him, I stammered, “Oh my gosh, I didn’t mean to put you through all that trouble sir!”

“Not a problem at all. Please enjoy your breakfast downstairs. When you’re ready for takeoff, you will use Runway 32 on the other side. Just call us like you did this morning and we’ll take care of you. “

Glad that I really wasn’t getting a verbal reprimand for my mid-morning adventure, I enthusiastically replied, “Well, thank you sir, I’ll do just that!”

Going down the narrow staircase was a tad trickier than coming up. It was much steeper than it first looked - it seemed to spiral straight down into the abyss.

It was a relief to finally push the heavy door open and step outside into the bright sunlight. Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I found the restaurant next door. It was moderately busy but there were plenty of tables to choose from. I took one by the window with a full view of the airport.

A perky waitress quickly appeared out of thin air, magically extracted a pen from the back of her head, dabbed it on the tip her tongue and took my order. I decided to splurge and ordered a ham and cheese omelet with extra bacon, whole wheat toast and coffee. After downing two cups of coffee and mopping the plate clean, I paid the bill and went back out to the plane.

While conducting the pre-takeoff inspection, I kept glancing up at the tower to see if my new-found friend was watching. He wasn’t. Perhaps he was busy tending to traffic.

Finished with the preflight, I climbed in the aircraft, pressed the start button and the engine roared to life. Switching on the radios, I put in a call for permission to taxi. A flashing green light came right away. I couldn’t tell if it was from the same controller or not.

Upon arriving at the run-up area, the plane was turned around to face the tower so that when it came time to request permission for takeoff, I could see the light signal without having to crane my neck like Linda Blair in “The Exorcist.”

In a matter of minutes, I was ready to go.

“Jackson Tower, Piper 455H, request takeoff clearance, Runway 32.”

A moment later, huge, gigantic blinders that covered the entire southeast side of the tower rose up majestically. It was like watching the curtains go up at a Broadway show.

They had a surprise in store for me. Rather than getting a solid green light like I expected, I received a flashing green signal instead. It took a second to realize they were giving me clearance to taxi to the runway and hold for release.

I soon understood why. A corporate jet was taking off from an adjacent runway. As if in a trance, I sat awestruck in the middle of Runway 32 and watched the sleek jet climb two thousand feet a minute while its landing gear folded gracefully underneath. It had a hypnotic affect on me.

After it was a mere speck in the sky, I snapped back to reality and turned to focus at the tower.

As soon my eyes adjusted, a solid green light appeared. My heart leapt with joy.

Thrusting the throttles wide open for maximum take-off power, the Piper Archer rose effortlessly into the pretty blue sky. When the plane reached a thousand feet, I put her in a gentle climbing turn to the right - the direction of my home airport.

As we climbed, I reached for the radio one last time and bid farewell to the controller. In my imagination, he was smiling back at me.

When I got back home, I learned it was a good thing I did not try to fly home the night before. Apparently, someone had a gear-up landing accident, causing my home airport to shut down for several hours. Imagine the consequences had I not listened to my intuition and made my first maiden night flight!

Food for thought: Have fun, be adventurous and be sure to act on your intuition, for it may safe your life. Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”

When the Orient appeals to you more than anything else combined with top of the line modernity and urban sprawl, Japan is the place to be.

Japan is rich in culture in history with the sights and sounds of mixed identities where the old culture meets with modern science and innovation..

A visit to Japan though would cost you. Finding cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan would solve the problem of too much money going to be spent for a visit to Japan. It may take you a while, but eventually you’ll reach your goal and get cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan.

The first place to look for cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan is, of course, the internet where huge sources of information are at your fingertips. Here, you can find all the information on cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan. All it takes is a lot of patience… and browsing.

The really cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan, though may be found easily on the airline company’s own website. You only need to do a little comparative analysis of different companies that could offer you cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan in no time! However, some internet websites offer you an instant analysis so you need not do a lot of work. But you also need to check on the reliability of this statistics.

Definitely though most of these sites have access to different airline companies. So the results are pretty accurate and you can get the cheap airline tickets to Tokyo, Japan you are looking for…CONTINUE [http://airline-ticket-guide.useful-tips.com/12/how-to-get-cheap-airline-tickets-to-london]

The feeling of fear is very hard to understand but a very important step in approaching any kind of fear is determining what it was caused by. Aviophobia, the fear of flying, is quite common though there are so many people who have given up the idea of travelling by train or by car when there is such a time-saving option as flying.

Most of those who have flown so far feel all right even if they may have experienced a bit of anxiety when they had the first flight in their lives. For a number of people, however, flying represents the biggest fear they may have and simply watching a plane taking off on TV makes them shudder.

The first thing you have to do if you want to overcome aviophobia is to understand what exactly has triggered this terrible fear. Was it a dramatic incident that you saw on the news or in a film? Has anyone in your family or a close friend died in a plane crash? (This is very unlikely as we all know that more accidents happen on the motorway). Whatever it was, you should discover the very moment in your life that caused your phobia. This can be done with the help of a psychotherapist that you can talk with about these feelings.

There is also a small category of people who had a traumatic experience when they were on the plane and have felt this overwhelming fear ever since. Whatever the cause, overcoming aviophobia is not impossible. Professional counselling from an expert in phobias will help you overcome your fears. By helping you sort through you emotions, a specialist will lead you to the root of your stress and get you out of this terrible situation.

Hypnosis is a good method to get over a wide range of phobias and those who have tried it are really content with the results. Psychiatric medication that some doctors often prescribe to patients before flying is meant to numb your senses and bring temporary comfort but it will definitely not cure your phobia. Moreover, most pills come with undesirable side effects which can turn your flight into some other kind of nightmare.

Alternative therapies are available in case of aviophobia and they are really effective with those who have not had a traumatic experience connected to planes in their life. Some virtual machines can put you into a simulated flying experience and mentally prepare you for flying in a real plane. Such sessions will help you get used to the idea of flying and the feeling that actual flying may give you. The instructor or therapist will decide when exactly the moment has come for you to move to the real world and try flying on a real plane. By the time you complete the virtual flying course, you will have become comfortable with it and getting on a real plane will no longer be a problem.

With those who have been involved in turbulence or some other difficult flying experience, things will be a little more complicated but there is a good chance for anyone to overcome aviophobia with the proper guidance from a specialist.

High-powered business executives know that their time is worth much money to their company. There are only so many hours in the day, and you have to be focused to spend them in the most profitable ways. One way you can save time in terms of required business travel is to choose a plane charter the next time you need to fly.

If you travel using commercial airlines, then you know what a waste of time it can be. You need to arrive at the airport hours before your flight takes off. After searching for parking, you often wind up far from the terminal and then need to track down a ride. After all that, your time is spent waiting in long lines for security clearances and boarding. You do not have time for this, so instead consider putting your valuable time to better use when you take charter flights.

The luxury charter flight experience begins in the comfort of your home or office. You simply make one phone call, and your personal air concierge will handle all of the specifics concerning your travel arrangements. You tell the concierge what you require, and he or she will make sure that everything is ready when you are. Within four hours of your phone call, we can have you up and in the air flying to any destination of your choosing.

One time-saving aspect of air charter is that you do not need to arrive hours early. You arrive before the flight, and a member of your personal flight crew escorts you to your private jet. It’s that simple.

If you need to work while in-flight, we can accommodate any additional help you may require. We have quality secretarial, legal, accounting, and technical personnel standing by and ready to help you prepare for your next big deal at the end of your journey, so that your time is maximized.

In order to be ready for an important meeting, you may need to also relax as you travel. If you don’t take care of yourself, you might not be in top form when it counts for a presentation or meeting, so it pays to rejuvenate when possible. Your flight can be a great time to luxuriate in five-star cuisine, of any variety of your choosing, which can also conform to any religious or liquor requirements. Nannies, hairdressers, and masseuses, as well as other assistants, can help make sure your travel time is well-spent, and help you relax before your important event.

No matter where you wish to travel, with whom, or what you require, it can all be handled with elegant ease by utilizing air charter, saving you precious time.

Jet lag can be one of the worst, and certainly one of the most frustrating, aspects of long distance travel. Also called desynchronosis (meaning “out of time”), jet lag occurs when travellers pass through multiple time zones, arriving several hours ahead or behind their “home” time.

Travelling across several time zones upsets your body’s internal clock, which relies on a variety of environmental cues such as daylight and temperature. The degree of jet lag suffered can be measured in terms of the time change you undergo - the greater the difference in time between your home and your new location, the more disoriented your body clock becomes and the more jet lag you are likely to experience.

One major feature of jet lag is seen in your body’s struggle between emotional energy and physical lethargy. While your mind is able to process the change in time and location relatively quickly and can rationally appreciate environmental cues such as daylight (or the lack of it) and time of day, your body will be much slower to respond. Although the time to recover will vary from person to person, most people agree that overcoming jet lag, adjusting to a new time zone and resuming a regular sleep cycle can take two or three days or, in severe cases, an entire a week.

Although not necessarily serious, insomnia caused by jet lag can interfere with mental clarity and efficiency and may have some bearing on your emotional state. Jet lag can also make it difficult for business travellers and tourists alike to maximize the opportunities afforded by their stay. What’s more, if insomnia caused by jet lag does not pass, or recurs frequently for more than a couple of weeks, it could be indicative of a more persistent sleep problem.

Natural sleep remedies and approaches can be used to effectively manage jet lag and, by taking a proactive approach, you can significantly decrease or limit the severity and number of symptoms - not to mention shortening the duration of your jet lag.

Establishing a regular and consistent sleep schedule before you even start to make travel plans is one important step towards limiting the effects of jet lag. Simple dietary changes like the reduction or elimination of caffeine and alcohol have also proven effective, and travellers who are accustomed to coping with jet lag often bring along natural sleep remedies like herbal teas and infusions to help induce the body’s natural sleep cycles upon arrival at their destination.

You may have heard that sleeping pills and other sleep aids are also effective tools for managing jet lag.

Because sleeping pills suppress the body’s immune system in order to generate artificial sleep, as opposed to naturally induced restorative sleep, sleeping pills are not always an effective remedy for jet lag. In fact, sleeping pills can potentially exacerbate the symptoms by delaying the adjustment of your internal body clock.

A helicopter pilot has several tasks to perform at once just to get the helicopter off the ground. The mind can only handle so many things. To have quality helicopter helmets and aviation headsets allows the pilot to concentrate on the tasks at hand without the distractions of poor equipment. Aviation headsets and helicopter helmets need to be good quality and meet high standards at all times.

Aviation headsets come in many styles for many different uses. There are passive noise reduction and active noise reduction headsets. Active noise headsets do cost a bit more but the noise reduction is greater. Pilot’s needing a greater degree of silence to complete their tasks should choose an active noise reduction headset. Passive noise reduction headsets work well but not to the degree of the active sets. Both types of sets have quality microphones installed. Most aviation headsets microphones booms are flexible and have air filters on them. The filters are used to prevent wind noise and others noises from leaking into the microphone while in use. Some headsets have battery backups at a small additional cost.

Helicopter helmets are so important to a pilot’s safety and performance. Without a good helmet the pilot may lose proper contact with the control tower or anyone they a talking with. The sun could cause an issue if the helmet doesn’t have to correct visor. There are several styles of helicopter helmets that offer plenty of options for any type of pilot. Helmets can come with extra padding. They can come with extra liners that dampen the outside noise. They can be fitted with several types of visors. There are many colors to choose from for you visor. You can also have a mirrored visor. Some helmets can also be fitted with dual visors for many uses. Such as a visor that has slots to connect night vision goggles to the helmet for night flights. Helicopter helmets can be made with communications equipment as well. Such as microphones that are on booms and have filters. The helmet can be fitted with speakers by the ears that tie in to the radio controls of the helicopter. Helicopter helmets can come pre-made or you can build one yourself. The shell can be picked out and have the visor, ear pieces, padding and the communications equipment all installed separately based on individual tastes and needs.

Aviation headsets and helicopter helmets are essential pieces to a pilot’s arsenal. Without either the pilot’s task couldn’t be performed at a high level. Substandard equipment could lead to injury of even death in some cases. A military helicopter pilot that has sub standard equipment could be shot down in combat unnecessarily. A civilian pilot or a pilot with the local police for wouldn’t be able to do their jobs if the helmets and headsets were substandard. With the many styles and levels of quality a helicopter pilot will easily be protected at all times with the correct decision on headset or helmet.