Marie Antoinettes Helicopter
Ein vergoldeter Bell 47 Helicopter mit pinken Straußenfedern, Swarovski-Kristallen und Verkleidung aus Wallnuss-Holz von Joana Vasconcelos. Ich halte die von der Künstlerin intendierte Botschaft für ziemlich lustigen, prätentiösen Bullshit, aber was weiß ich schon, das Teil wurde immerhin im Schloss Versailles ausgestellt, also muss ja was dran sein.
A gilded helicopter decorated with thousands of rhinestones, has the outer surface of its cockpit lined with an extravagant and colourful coat of ostrich feathers. At the front of the cabin, a featherless mouth-like gap reveals its sumptuous interior, exhibiting intricate woodworks, gildings and embroidered upholstery featuring Marie Antoinette’s initials. Lilicoptère draws on the rich, glamorous and bold aesthetics of the royalty of the late Ancien Régime in order to suggest a metamorphosis from machine to animal; a return to the origin and to the inspiration that motivated the realization of man’s dream of flying.
Rescue of a Model Airplane using a Helicopter
Youtube Direkthelicopter, via MeFi
I love Helicopters! Und dann der Spruch: „I see everything“.
Trailers from Hell: John Badham about the orwellian Truths in Blue Thunder
John Badham, Regisseur von unter anderem Wargames und Short Circuit, kommentiert auf einer meiner Lieblingsfilmwebsites, John Landis’ Trailers from Hell, seinen Film „Blue Thunder“ („Das fliegende Auge“) und redet über die von ihnen damals ausgedachten Überwachungstechnologien und wie die heute bei weitem übertroffen werden. (Und in der neuesten, grade online gegangenen Folge redet er über Russ Meyers „Mudhoney“.)
Trailers from Hell haben grade übrigens auch eine Kickstarter-Kampagne am Start:
Warning! Joe Dante’s Trailers From Hell is not recommended for the faint of heart or for those suffering from nervous dispositions. Unless you have a licensed nurse in attendance or a trusted psychiatrist on call, we suggest you approach this mindbending experience at your own risk. And please don’t make us say ‘we told you so’.
The premiere online showcase for trailers from classic era films, Trailers From Hell is a compulsively watchable experience, hugely entertaining for the casual film fan and total nirvana for the movie-mad film-geek.
Drawn from a wide spectrum of movie genres, each trailer is analyzed and illuminated by over 40 “Grindhouse Gurus”, veteran film professionals all, including directors, writers, producers and other top-flight Hollywood craftsmen, each united by their love of film.
Launched in May of 2007 with only word-of-mouth publicity, Trailers From Hell has since become the weekly ‘must-see’ stop for film lovers around the globe, presenting a different movie trailer each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Orville, the flying Quadcopter-Cat
Youtube Direktcat, via Arbroath
Bert Jansen und die Veranstalter der KunstRai in Amsterdam behaupten, diese fliegende Quadcopterkatze sei Kunst. Ich sag’ da nix zu: “Orville, a flying helicopter cat made by artist Bert Jansen, is presented at the KunstRai art fair in Amsterdam.”
Worlds First Helicopters
Sehr schöner Clip aus dem Archiv von British Pathé. Der Knaller allerdings ist der Soundtrack: „The music is ‘Yellow Bird’ by the Talbot Brothers, a live performance from 1959“
Graffiti-painted Militärhubschrauber
Münchner Graffiti-Crews haben für den 6. Beriner Kunstsalon einen russischen Militärhubschrauber vollgemalt. Nice job! Mehr Infos auf ihrer Myspace-Seite, Snip:
Beastiestylez, Casiegraphics, Dog ISK, I ARE UGLY und Won ABC waren die letzten Wochen fleißig und haben gemeinsam einen ehemaligen russischen Militärhubschrauber bemalt.
Diesen kann man vom 21.-27.September auf der Berliner Kunstsalon Messe bestaunen.
Beastiestylez, I ARE UGLY und ein Helikopter (Danke! Kryshi)
Geeks kaufen einen echten Airwolf-Heli
Sascha von Monsterzeug.de schreibt mir: „Wir haben Airwolf gekauft. Ganz genau den Airwolf aus der Fernsehserie als echten Helikopter! Letzte Woche ist er angekommen und jetzt endlich aus dem Zoll.“ Es ist zwar nicht der originale Original-Heli aus der Serie, sondern eine detailgetreue Nachbildung, die ist aber trotzdem totally awesome. Snip aus der Airwolf-FAQ:
2. Frage: Ist das der echte Airwolf-Hubschrauber aus den Folgen der Serie?
Antwort: Nein. Der echte Serienhubschrauber wurde während eines Lufteinsatzes bereits Anfang der 90er komplett zerstört. Dieser Airwolf ist allerdings ein detailgetreuer Nachbau des Film-Helis, von keinem Geringeren als Steven W. Stull erbaut, der sich als Film-Requisiteur einen Namen gemacht hat.
2. Frage: Wann wurde der Helikopter gebaut?
Antwort: Im Jahr 2006 – daher ist der “New Airwolf” noch top in Form und alles andere als veraltet.
3. Frage: Wie ist der Airwolf ausgestattet?
Antwort: Mit allen Dingen, mit denen auch der Serien-Airwolf ausgestattet war. Das wären eine Laserkanone (im Bug – nur in der vierten Staffel verwendet), ein Lenkwaffenstarter (ADF Pod, drei Rohre im Rumpf, versenkbar), beladen mit Hellfire, Redeye und Copperhead Raketen, vier 7,62 mm (.30cal) Maschinengewehre Browning M1919 (in den Wingpods am Rumpf), zwei 40 mm Maschinenkanonen (in den Wingpods am Rumpf), Abschuss-Basen (vier AIM-4 Falcon, seitlich im Rumpfboden – nur in der vierten Staffel genutzt), Paveway-Bomben (Rumpf – in der Serie nie benutzt), Sunburst/Flares/Chaff (Seite – Raketenabwehr-Köder), sowie sechs weitere Waffensysteme (Gesamtanzahl: 14).
ACHTUNG: Das ist natürlich alles fiktiv! Diese Waffen besaß der Film-Helikopter, am “New Airwolf” können Attrappen der Waffen und Kanonen montiert werden.
Monsterzeug kauft AIRWOLF Helikopter…, Airwolf FAQs
[update] Jungs? Damit habt ihr aber nichts zu tun, oder?
Thieves stole part of a helicopter from an airfield, police said.
The rear half of the former Army Gazelle aircraft was taken from a secure compound at Long Marston airfield, Warwickshire.
The green-coloured 21ft-long section was due to be relocated to another airfield when it was taken sometime between March 23 and yesterday. The front half had already been removed, Warwickshire Police said.
Flying Cars are coming!
Der Spruch „Dude, where is my flying car“ hat 2009 ausgedient, die Firma Terrafugia aus Boston beginnt noch in diesem Jahr Testflüge und will die Teile 2010 auf den Markt bringen.
A Boston-area company plans to begin flight tests this year of a two-seater airplane that moonlights as a car.
The aptly named Transition takes a stab at bridging the gap between automobiles and airplanes. Some people call it a flying car. The company designing and selling the vehicle prefers the term “roadable aircraft.”
‘Flying Car’ Goes to Market (via io9)
Endlich sowas wie „Helicopters for everyone“! Yippieh!
Such a machine would be practical, cheap to buy and maintain and could easily be the answer to the demand for a “Model T” helicopter.
Draganflyer X6 – R/C Helicopter with Camera
The radio-controlled mini helicopter Draganflyer X6 is designed to carry wireless video cameras and still cameras. A pair of glasses lets you see the same thing as the chopper in the air, while you are standing on the ground with the handheld controller.
Dude, there is my Jetpack!
Gestern haben sie in Oshkosh Wisconsin einen Jetpack vorgestellt und jetzt muss ich mal kurz über den Ortsnamen Oshkosh reden. Wie genial ist denn bitte der Name Oshkosh? Oshkosh. Oshkosh. Wunderbar. Ich finde, alle Städte sollten ab jetzt Oshkosh heissen, man wäre dem Weltfrieden damit sicherlich ein ganzes Stück näher. Oshkosh. Desto öfter ich den Namen vor mich hin tippe, desto genialer klingt er, deshalb hier ein ganzer Absatz davon:
Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh. Oshkosh hat ab heute einen neuen Fan, was vor allem an seinem Namen hängt, aber eben auch am Jetpack.
Der Jetpack ist eigentlich gar keiner, sondern eher ein Heli-Pack mit zwei seitlichen Rotoren, was aber wurscht ist, denn das Teil sieht völlig, völlig badass aus und das genügt mir eigentlich schon, wenn man von der Tatsache mal absieht, dass ich immer noch keinen davon in der Garage stehen habe.
On Tuesday, an inventor from New Zealand unveiled what he calls “the world’s first practical jetpack” at the EAA AirVenture, the gigantic annual air show here. The inventor, Glenn Martin, 48, who has spent 27 years developing the devices, said he hoped to begin selling them next year for $100,000 apiece.
“There is nothing that even comes close to the dream that the jetpack allows you to achieve,” said Robert J. Thompson, the director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. He called it “about the coolest desire left to mankind.”
For Mr. Martin, the jetpack is the culmination of a dream that began as a 5-year-old in Dunedin, New Zealand. For those who still remember childhood dreams of flying and comic-book visions of the 21st century, the jetpack suggests the possible fulfillment of the yearning for those long-promised gifts of technology.
Buck Rogers and James Bond used jetpacks, and since the 1960s, several real jetpack designs have been built from metal, plastic and propellant. None has flown more than a minute. Mr. Martin’s machines can run for 30 minutes.
Link zur New York Times
Link zur Dailymail (via Metafilter)
Link zu Engadget mit Video
Invasion of the bobby snatchers: Police helicopter has close encounter with a UFO
A police helicopter had a near miss with a UFO in what appears to have been one of the first sightings of its kind.
The helicopter, with a three-man crew, was forced to swerve sharply to avoid being hit by the UFO.
The bizarre incident took place near an RAF base outside Cardiff, South Wales, where the helicopter is based.
Flying Whirligig Is Newest Aircraft (Mar, 1935)
A “FLYING WHIRLIGIG” combining the principles of the standard airplane, the autogiro, and the helicopter, is envisioned by a Glenn Dale, Md., inventor, just granted a patent. His design calls for a main wing of conventional form, having at each extremity a set of windmill-like vanes, or “booster-copters, ” arranged to rotate freely when the craft is in motion; their lift aids the main wing to support the machine. The two rotors of each set revolve in opposite directions. Twin propellers, flanking an elevated “pilot house, ” constitute its power plant. They swing upward to provide additional lifting force during the takeoff, and return to horizontal position for forward flight. The inventor foresees the construction of huge air liners which could leave the ground or alight in congested areas where space is limited.
One-Man Helicopters Give Soldiers Wings
Soldiers hurling themselves across wide streams at a single leap, charging over battlefields at high speeds, flying across wide trenches and gaping shell holes in a series of broad jumps—that is the picture envisioned by George de Bothezat, of New York City, inventor of a curious one-man helicopter. Consisting of two propellers mounted on a vertical axis and driven horizontally in opposite directions by a lightweight gasoline engine, the apparatus is anchored in a framework over the head of the user, who wears a special belt-and-harness support. The machine, controlled in the air by body, arm, and leg movements, might also be used by sportsmen.
Japanese Make World’s Smallest One-Man Helicopter (Can Fit Three Tom Cruises, Two Brian Lams)
A Japanese company called Gen Corporation has created what people are calling the world’s smallest one-man helicopter, capable of flying 50km/h and weighs (by itself) 75kg. As you can see from the photo, it’s probably the world’s most dangerous helicopter too, as the man has barely any piping to stand on and barely any seat to sit on.
