Airbus’ Futuristic Jet Concept Comes With Flying Spas and Bars
(Article from www.wired.com)
THE GOOD PEOPLE of A3, the California-flavored startup-within-a-multinational-corporation at Airbus, calls it a “low fidelity aircraft,” but I’ll level with you: Its latest experiment went down in a tent in an airplane hangar.
Still, Airbus had loftier goals than the locale might suggest. Researchers armed with Ikea furniture, board games, and plastic-wrapped meals, wanted to know how people would handle themselves if airlines swapped those cramped rows of miserable seats for something more imaginative. They tested something A3 calls “Transpose”—a conceptual modular cabin that offers a bevy of in-flight activities: a facial over here, a latte over there, a spin class up front.
Think that’s weird? Well, once the plane lands, a crew can pop out one interior and toss in a new one, moving things about to create the next flight’s passenger experience.
If this concept, which Airbus did in December, seems too good to be true, that’s because it likely is (more on that in a bit). But unlike many aircraft designs that evoke either hope or horror, Airbus hasn’t tossed this idea into the lavatory trash can just yet. It has six people on the concept full-time, and they’re getting help from 100 engineers and product designers.
See full article at: www.wired.com/2017/02/airbus-kinda-serious-swappable-plane-interiors-cafes-spas
Note: - Nordair did the same thing in 1973 (I remember) swapping from cargo (Frobisher Bay) to seats (Charters to Florida) on pallets, but it wasn't as fancy.
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| Click on image above (or here) for video. |
Special Air Mission 26000
SAM 26000 was the first of two Boeing VC-137C's (B-707 customized for VIP transport) to serve as Air Force One. Technically “Air Force One” is the designation of any aircraft carrying the President of the United States, however, SAM 26000 was the longest serving and most historic of the aircraft and the first to fly with the now familiar livery.
The aircraft entered service on November 10, 1962 with its first flight carrying President John F. Kennedy. Just over a year later it became part of the background of the tragic events in Dallas.
The aircraft remained in service during President Lyndon B. Johnson’s five-year term logging some 1,523,000 miles.
President Nixon had the interior completely redesigned to suit his taste and preferred to use this aircraft even after the arrival of its successor SAM 27000 in December 1972. This was the aircraft that carried President Nixon on his historic trip to China in 1972.
By 1973 it was now the back up to SAM 27000 and in January of that year carried the body of President Johnson from Texas to Washington D.C. for the state funeral and back to Texas. It has the distinction of carrying two Presidents to their final resting places. 
SAM 26000 continued in service until 1998 frequently used by the Secretary of State on diplomatic missions. It last flew as “Air Force One” in January 1998 when it carried President Bill Clinton due to SAM 27000 having gotten stuck in mud. It was officially retired a few days later after 36 years of service.
In May 1998, it was flown to the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio where it remains on display today in the museum’s Presidential Hangar.
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Lee-Anna Sigmund has sent some photos from Donald T. Renshaw Sr.
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| Commemorative plate issued for the company's 50th anniversary. | |
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Mairi Maxwell (retired CPAir employee 1972-1990) sent us the photo below left. The little girl at the end of the line boarding this Air Canada flight at PIK in 1967 is YVR employee Fiona Walker who grew up to join CPAir in 1980. Fiona is today (pictured below right) a Technical Data Controller with Air Canada Logistics and Supply at the YVR Operations Centre. The family is celebrating 50 years in Canada (and 45 years in the aviation industry). |
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Found in the PWA "Flightlines" issue December 1986.
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Click Here for further details. |
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