BADDECK, N.S. — A landmark in Canadian aviation history could be repeated in 2009 if the builders of a replica of the Silver Dart realize their dream.
Doug Jermyn of Welland, Ont., and a group of other airplane aficionados have been working on a full-scale flying model of the famous airplane, which made the first controlled power flight in the British Empire on Feb. 23, 1909, in Baddeck, N.S.
Jermyn said they hope to finish making the airplane, test fly it, and ship it to Cape Breton in time for the 100th anniversary of the flight of the original Silver Dart, which was developed under the direction of Baddeck's most famous citizen, telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
He isn't sure whether they will use the frozen surface of Baddeck Bay or a nearby runway for the flight.

US developing jets that can fly at Mach 5

Washington, Mar 20 (ANI): The US Air Force (USAF) is preparing to test a new plane that could make missiles and someday, jets travel ten times faster than those flown today.

The research vehicle, known as the X-51A, will be able to reach hypersonic speeds when it is tested in 2009.

Hypersonic speeds are above Mach 5, faster than five times the speed of sound.

Flight engineers define three categories of speed: subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic. The way air flows around the aircraft distinguish the categories.

At subsonic speed, which is below the speed of sound, shock waves are absent. At supersonic speed, shock waves form on the aircraft as it flies through the air. As the air pressure rises through these waves, a sonic boom is generated.

At hypersonic speeds, the shock waves form very close to the aircraft, and engineers are developing ways to harness the power of these waves.

Canada's precision flying team to perform here in May

The two red and white Canadian airplanes that flew over, circled around and then landed side by side at the Great Falls airport Thursday were just a little preview of what's to come at the Malmstrom Air Force Base Open House in May.

The Snowbirds, an aerial demonstration team with the Canadian Air Force, will put on air shows during the open house on May 19 and 20. Community members will also get a chance to meet them, said Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, base spokeswoman.

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World's Biggest Passenger Plane Lands At O'Hare

(CBS) CHICAGO The world's biggest passenger plane made its Chicago debut Tuesday, making even an SUV on the tarmac look like an ant. WBBMs Katie McCall was at OHare Airport for the picture-perfect landing.The world's largest passenger plane touched down at OHare to the delight of industry insiders.The Airbus A380 completed its maiden voyage to the United States on Monday, arriving at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, while another demonstration flight landed in Los Angeles.From SUVs to fast food, consumers seem to like things large, and that's just what Airbus is counting on with its A380.As an airline you simply can't compete against this airplane so anyone who is flying these long, over-the-pole routes is going to have to, in one way or another, fly an airplane like the A380, said Allan McArtor, Chairman of Airbus North America.The plane dwarfed other aircraft and made cars parked on the runway look like toys.At 237 feet, it is the length of a 24-story building.It takes nine tanker trucks full of jet fuel to get the aircraft going, putting the price tag for one tank of gas at $150,000.Its wing span is wider than a football field, and it seats more than 500 people.