Top Aviation and Space News- August 23rd 2012

Hover bike: Star Wars technology brought to life (VIDEO, PHOTOS) 

A hover bike resembling the ones from ‘Return of the Jedi’ has been developed by a US firm, bringing science fiction to life.

California-based firm Aerofex created an aerial vehicle with two ducted rotors instead of wheels, which originates from a design abandoned in the 1960s because of stability and rollover problems. The aerospace firm managed to fix the stability issue by creating a mechanical system — controlled by two control bars at knee-level — that allows the vehicle to respond to a human pilot's leaning movements and natural sense ofbalance, Innovation News daily reports. More

   

Lufthansa flight attendants delay strike decision until Tuesday 

Lufthansa’s (LH) flight attendants, represented by the UFO union, will delay a decision on a possible strike to Aug. 28 while they consider a new pay offer (ATW Daily News, Aug. 17). More 

Horizon Air faces $1million fine for wrong rivets 

The US FAA has proposed a civil penalty of $1 million against Seattle, Wash.-based Horizon Air for allegedly operating 22 Bombardier DHC-8-402 turboprop airliners on more than 186,000 flights after installing security flight deck doors using blind rivets instead of the required solid rivets. More

Ex-Navy SEAL faces legal jeopardy for writing about bin Laden raid 

A senior military official tells NBC News the special operations community feels betrayed by the former SEAL who published a book about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports. More

Eleitores holandeses são contra compra de caças F-35, mas Ministério de Defesa diz que programa segue em frente 

A Holanda pretende aumentar seus cortes nos gastos com defesa, e abandonar o projeto de compra de caças JSF (Joint Strike Fighter). Numa pesquisa feita pelo Instituto de Relações Internacionais Clingendael, 75% dos 1.500 eleitores holandeses selecionados disseram ser a favor do programa do governo de redução dos gastos militares e querem desistir da compra de novos caças Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Mais

Curiosity adds color to Martian peak 

This mosaic was assembled from pictures taken by the Curiosity rover's navigation camera over several days (in black and white) as well as its Mastcam 34 camera (in color, with contrast enhanced to bring out detail). Gaps in the Martian sky have been filled based on the shading in existing imagery./NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS / Ken Kremer / Marco Di Lorenzo

Over the past few days, we've been tracking the assembly of a giant jigsaw puzzle from Mars, delivered piece by piece by NASA's Curiosity rover. Today, image-processing wizards are adding more of the key pieces to fill out the picture of the 3-mile-high mountain that the car-sized rover is facing. More

Identificados piloto e passageiro de avião desaparecido 

A Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) identificou o piloto e um passageiro que estavam na aeronave de pequeno porte, prefixo PT FEM, desparecida na noite desta terça-feira logo após decolar do Aeroporto de Jacarepaguá, Zona Oeste do Rio. Mais 

British Airways Engineering's Avionics Business Celebrates Milestone 

British Airways Engineering on Thursday announced that its avionics subsidiary has officially released over one million units. More 

Arctic sea ice levels to reach record low within days 

The dramatic melt expected over the next week signals that global warming is having a major impact on the polar region. More

 

Lockheed Martin to cut 550 jobs at Marietta plant as C-130 production slowdown 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Lockheed Martin will cut about 550 jobs at its Marietta plant as it slows production of the C-130. Lockheed spokesman Peter Simmons said the move is necessary as production of the C-130J has plunged by one-third from 2011 to 2013.

U.S. Plans New Asia Missile Defenses 

The U.S. is planning a major expansion of missile defenses in Asia, a move American officials say is designed to contain threats from North Korea, but one that could also be used to counter China's military.

The planned buildup is part of a defensive array that could cover large swaths of Asia, with a new radar in southern Japan and possibly another in Southeast Asia tied to missile-defense ships and land-based interceptors.