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Tag: planes

  • Netflix Heads to the Sky with New Virgin Partnership

    Netflix Heads to the Sky with New Virgin Partnership

    Netflix and Virgin America have just announced a partnership that will offer passengers on some of its new aircraft free Netflix streaming until March 2nd, 2016.

    Starting today, if you’re flying on Virgin America’s new ViaSat WiFi-equipped aircraft, you’ll be given free Wi-Fi to use for the purposes of Netflix. You’ll be able to stream to your existing devices – phones, tablets, and laptops.

    It’s a limited time offer, but one that’s incredibly beneficial to both companies.

    For Netflix, it’s about branding and new subscriptions. Virgin is branding its Netflix-equipped planes with Netflix and House of Cards logos, and anyone not already a Netflix member will be prompted to sign up for a 30-day free trial in order to stream Netflix on the flights.

    For Virgin, the promotion is a way to publicize its new ViaSat Wi-Fi initiative, which the company says will offer “the highest capacity Ka-band satellite in the world offering 140 gigabits-per-second, to deliver the fastest WiFi connectivity service for high-quality video streaming.”

    Netflix is looking to get into more places – not just your home but in your homes away from home. Earlier this year, Netflix partnered with Marriott to put Netflix in hotel rooms.

    “As WiFi becomes more ubiquitous, it’s going to be increasingly possible for members to enjoy Netflix wherever they want,” said Bill Holmes, Netflix’s global head of business development. “We’re delighted to partner with Virgin America to extend the joy of Netflix to our members at 35,000 feet.”

  • Selfies Contributed to Fatal Plane Crash, Says NTSB

    In May of last year, two men were killed when their Cessna 150 crashed in a field outside Denver, Colorado.

    Now, the National Transportation Safety Board has issued its official report – and the agency is saying that selfies likely contributed to the fatal crash.

    According to the NTSB, a GoPro recovered near the scene gave clues as to what could have caused the plane to go down in the early morning hours.

    “An onboard recording device (GoPro) was found near the wreckage and the files were recovered. Based on the available information, it is likely that the GoPro files were recorded on May 30 and May 31, 2014, with the final GoPro file recorded during the 6-minute flight in the traffic pattern. The accident flight was not recorded. The GoPro recordings revealed that the pilot and various passengers were taking self-photographs with their cell phones and, during the night flight, using the camera’s flash function during the takeoff roll, initial climb, and flight in the traffic pattern,” says the report.

    “A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the wreckage distribution, which was consistent with a high-speed impact, and the degraded visual reference conditions, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane. The evidence is consistent with an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin into terrain. Based on the evidence of cell phone use during low-altitude maneuvering, including the flight immediately before the accident flight, it is likely that cell phone use during the accident flight distracted the pilot and contributed to the development of spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control. A review of the pilot’s logbooks did not show that he met the currency requirements for flight in instrument meteorological conditions or night flight with passengers.”

    [bolding ours]

    This is the official probable cause for the accident, according to the NTSB:

    The pilot’s loss of control and subsequent aerodynamic stall due to spatial disorientation in night instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to his cell phone use while maneuvering at low-altitude.

    Selfie smart, people.

    Image via Adams County Sheriff’s Office via Denver Post

  • Grounded F-35 Fleet Cleared to Fly

    Grounded F-35 Fleet Cleared to Fly

    After an engine fire in June grounded the entire U.S. military fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, Navy and Air Force officials have approved a limited flight clearance to run engine inspections and restricted flight drills.

    The cause of the fire is still not known, and the Pentagon, along with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, has been trying to assess whether the malfunction was an isolated incident, or indicative of a fleet-wide problem. Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John F. Kirby said in a statement, “Additional inspections of F-35 engines have been ordered, and return to flight will be determined based on inspection results and analysis of engineering data.”

    Defense Department spokesman Mark Wright said in a statement Tuesday the flight limitations would “remain in effect until the root cause of the June 23 engine mishap is identified and corrected.”

    There were hopes the F-35 would make it to the famed Farnborough air show in England, which commenced Monday, but Rear Adm. John Kirby revealed Tuesday that the jets won’t make it.

    “The Department of Defense, in concert with our partners in the U.K., has decided not to send Marine Corps and U.K. F-35B aircraft across the Atlantic to participate in the Farnborough air show,” Kirby commented. “This decision was reached after a consultation with senior leaders and airworthiness authorities, despite the decision by airworthiness authorities to clear the aircraft to return to flight – to limited flight.”

    Here is a documentary on the F-35:

    The Lockheed Martin F-35, which has variations designed for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, is a multirole fighter designed to perform ground attack, reconnaissance and air defense missions with stealth capability. The F-35 is the only fifth-generation fighter jet available for export from the United States, and orders have been placed by the U.K. (138 planes), Australia, Canada (which ordered 65), Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey.

    The F-35 initiative was a $400 billion joint venture between Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon, the most expensive in Defense Department history. The engine fire mishap is the latest controversy surrounding a plane that has garnered significant international attention.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • No-Fly List Declared Unconstitutional By Federal Judge

    It’s nearly thirteen years since the 9/11 attacks and the no-fly list is now considered a way of life. Or at least it was, until a federal judge’s recent ruling.

    After 13 people sued the government after they were barred from flying to or within the United States, U.S. District Court Judge Anna Brown ruled that the measure was unconstitutional.

    The basis of the Portland, Ore. judge’s ruling was the simple fact that those placed on a no-fly list have no means by which to challenge the decision.

    Therefore, the judge ruled that such individuals were unconstitutionally deprived of the right to travel in the United States by plane.

    Dena Iverson, a spokeswoman for the U.S Justice Department, said that government attorneys are currently reviewing Brown’s ruling.

    American Civil Liberties Union attorney Hina Shamsi declared the ruling a “[wake-up] call to the government.”

    “This decision also benefits other people wrongly stuck on the no-fly list,” said Shamsi. She believes that the ruling will give them an opportunity to challenge “a Kafkaesque bureaucracy”.

    The lawsuit began in 2010 when 13 individuals, including four military veterans, challenged the decision to put them on a no-fly list.

    The case progressed slowly, as Brown had originally made the decision that she could not rule on the case.

    The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, felt differently.

    In 2012, the higher court sent the matter back to Brown, who decided the persons had a constitutional right to travel. She ruled that the United States government was violating that right without just cause.

    “International travel is a necessary aspect of liberties sacred to members of a free society,” wrote Brown as part of her decision.

    The plaintiffs complained that the no-fly list complicated their lives even when not in America. Their inclusion allegedly led some individuals to be held and interrogated by foreign authorities.

    The increasingly controversial no-fly list dictates that thousands of people are forbidden from traveling by air in the United States. There have been a number of complaints about the fallibility of the list as some innocent travelers have been mistaken for terrorist suspects.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Amelia Earhart Situation For Flight 370

    International attention focusing on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has led to collective concern that the most recent occurrence could be another unsolved global mystery, similar to the officially-unsolved case involving renowned pilot Amelia Earhart. Former U.S. aviation accident investigator Ric Gillespie, who studied the 1937 disappearance of Earhart, spoke about the public’s reaction to the recent unresolved tragedy.

    “When something like this happens that confounds us, we’re offended by it, and we’re scared by it. We had the illusion of control and it’s just been shown to us that oh, folks, you know what? A really big airliner can just vanish. And nobody wants to hear that,” Gillespie said.

    Though many are having difficulties grappling with the revelation that a plane can disappear from the technological radar in this day-and-age, the Journal of Transportation Security‘s editor-in-chief Andrew Thomas offered some realistic insight behind the limitations involving modern-day aviation advancements. “There are lots of reasons why they haven’t changed, but the major one is cost. The next-generation technology would cost $70 to $80 billion in the U.S.,” Thomas explained.

    Understanding the events that influenced the disappearance of Flight 370 represent only part of the public’s anxiety when discussing this most recent tragedy. Another part of the struggle is determining the societal recourse needed to lessen, if not prevent, future situations of a similar nature from occurring. According to Brian Havel, who is the director of DePaul University’s International Aviation Law Institute, “The international aviation legal system does not anticipate the complete disappearance of an aircraft. We just don’t have the tools for that at present.”

    The 1937 disappearance of female pioneer pilot Earhart shocked the international community and led to debates and discussions regarding potential underlying factors. Conspiracy theories have persisted since the late 1930’s just like the current onslaught of conspiracy theories concerning Flight 370. While it may be falsely comforting to hope that these events are relegated to the past, present-day aviation is not immune from disastrous mysteries.

    Image Via Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ Remembered 5 Years On

    USAirways Flight 1549 landed into the Hudson River five years ago after being struck by birds. Images of passengers exiting the plane are still reminiscent today. Fortunately, the quick-thinking ingenuity of Pilots Sully Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles led to the safe landing and rescue of the passengers aboard the plane. The passengers still remember the chain of events that led to the horrific landing and ultimate rescue.

    According to Dave Sanderson, who was the final passenger to exit Flight 1549 on the fateful day, “I shouldn’t be here right now man. I mean everything was going against us. And everything turned out right. I looked out for a lifeboat and I jumped into the water and swam for the closest boat I could find. The entire movie of my life passed before my eyes. I saw when I was in little league baseball, my family, my kids were born, and then you put your head down for that last time when you’re ready for impact, and it’s like, ‘OK, I have no control. I gotta give it up.’”

    During a recent interview with CBS, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III spoke about the unusual and memorable event. “We were suddenly confronted with something we hadn’t anticipated, had never specifically trained for.” Sullenberger said before adding, “We have much to be thankful for.”

    Janis Krums was traveling on a commuter ferry when the flight landed on the Hudson River, and he took a picture with his iPhone before uploading to Twitter. The image is now known throughout the world and serves as an iconic depiction of the miraculous event. Krums spoke with CNN about the image that captured the attention of viewers around the world. When asked to explain the most favorite photograph that he had ever taken, Krums responded, “I would say that the Miracle on the Hudson wins by a large margin. It’s an iconic image of an incredible event. What Sully was able to accomplish is truly a miracle.”

    Image Via Wikimedia Commons

  • Skydiver Planes Collide; Everyone Jumps to Safety

    It was supposed to be an exciting weekend until everything went terrifyingly wrong in a split second for two planes, each full of excited skydivers. CNN reports that those two planes endured a mid-air collision, but everyone on both planes safely landed on the ground. Miraculously, only two passengers were injured in the crash!

    The crash took place last weekend above Superior, Wisconsin near the Minnesota border. The two planes were flying close together as the divers were going to jump in formation, but the lead plane (carrying four plus the pilot) crashed into the trailing plane (carrying five plus the pilot).

    Skydive Superior instructor Mike Robinson, speaking with reporters, said “It’s definitely a reminder of the danger of the sport that we all love.”

    A Battalion Chief with the Superior Fire Department, Vern Johnson, told CNN that the lead plane’s pilot reported a loud bang before seeing the windshield shatter. Video footage appears to show the plane breaking up and catching fire in mid-air.

    The moment nearly killed everyone on the plane. Fortunately, Robinson says, “Everybody got out safely. The pilot got out safely, used his emergency parachute and landed… In the trail plane, all five jumpers got out of the airplane safely and landed safely.”

    Chief Johnson said the lead plane’s pilot “was visibly bloodied about his face and shirt and had one hand wrapped in a garment, but was otherwise lucid, alert and oriented.” The trailing plane’s pilot managed to regain control of the damaged vehicle, and flew it safely onto the runway. He picked up the lead pilot as he taxied.

    A statement on Skydive Superior’s Facebook page said “The jumpers and pilots have been through a very surreal experience, and they are lucky and thankful to be alive.”

    This news clip features terrifying video from the helmet cams of the skydivers:

    If you’re still interested, here’s a small set of interviews with some of the skydivers and pilots:

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Boeing 747 May Get 86’d in the Years to Come

    The Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet has been hailed as a double-decker revolution in air travel that shrank the globe by the Associated Press, yet even Arsenio Hall seems able to offer one as a (seemingly unattainable) prize on his new show.

    Despite that glowing remark from the AP, Boeing has had to cut its 747 production line two times in the last six months, and the flying corporate giant will only end up producing 36 of the iconic planes in the next two years.

    That weak performance does not dampen Boeing’s commitment to the 747; it plans to try to sell the jets to Asia like it sold its only five 747’s this year, but most Asia-based airlines are looking for cheaper, two-engine planes that will make the same trip for less fuel.

    Even Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson joined them in their preference when he said at a press conference, “Now jet engines are amazing, amazing machines and you only need two of them.”

    A Boeing 747 can seat between 380 and 560 people depending on how a particular airline company chooses to arrange its layout, but it’s considered cumbersome because of its four engines. A full 747 really brought in the bacon, but a plane that fails to fill every seat has to spread a $200,000 jet fuel cost across the passengers they still have.

    The jumbo size is too big for most markets, it seems. The AP wrote that no airline could financially justify regional jumbo jet flights between Paris, France and Atlanta, GA, for example, and that business passengers prefer multiple flights for the sake of flexibility, making it more feasible for airlines to run small planes instead of the 747.

    The Boeing 747 was, upon its construction, a six-story engineering marvel that could safely carry several hundred people 6,000 miles. The model became particularly famous for piggybacking NASA’s space shuttles around as well as the POTUS in the form of Air Force One.

    [Image via a National Geographic YouTube video]

  • Teri Hatcher Wants A “Desperate Housewives” Movie

    Teri Hatcher is well aware that there have been rumors of a “Desperate Housewives” movie for a while now, and the actress says she’s totally down for it.

    “I love the fans of the show so much, and they don’t seem to be done with those characters. I think it would be great for them,” Teri said.

    However, she did say that she doesn’t see it happening anytime soon.

    “If a script ever came across my lap, I would read it, hoping that it would work out, but I don’t really see that happening,” she said.

    Hatcher’s latest project is voicework for Pixar’s “Planes”, a spinoff of the “Cars” series that has been so popular with kids. “Planes” was originally intended for a straight-to-DVD release, but the look of it so impressed studio execs that they decided to release it in theaters in early August.

    “I think what they wanted from me in this character was a nurturing, loyal, earnest friend who could have some comedic attitude,” she said of her character, Dottie. The movie also stars Stacy Keach, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad Garrett, John Cleese, Cedric the Entertainer, and Sinbad.

  • Maine B-52 Crash Remembered by Survivor, Rescuer

    Maine B-52 Crash Remembered by Survivor, Rescuer

    On January 24, 1963, a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber training flight carrying a crew of nine crashed into Elephant Mountain in Maine. There were only two survivors of the crash, the pilot, Lt. Col. Dan Bulli, and the navigator, Capt. Gerald Adler (pictured). Both survived a night in freezing temperatures that reached -30°F while rescue workers searched for survivors throughout the night. In the morning, rescuers were able to use dog sleds, snowmobiles, and aircraft to locate the fallen airmen.

    This week, over 50 years after the incident, one of the crash’s survivors has finally come face-to-face with his rescuer.

    According to an Associated Press report, the now 81-year-old Adler this week met with Eugene Slabinski, the 83-year-old former medic who rescued Adler and Bulli all those years ago. Slabinski was a part of the first rescue team to reach Adler and Bulli the morning after the crash. According to the AP report, Slabinski dropped from a helicopter and helped to airlift the surviving airmen to safety.

    The reunion came at a Memorial Day remembrance that took place at the site of the B-52 crash.

    Adler stated to the AP that his experience highlights the fact that a military career can be dangerous, even out of combat. His comments are particularly poignant, coming just weeks after a Navy SEAL died during a training exercise at Fort Knox. Two Navy divers also died earlier this year, drowning during a training exercise in a test pond at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

  • Python On Plane Wing Is Your WTF Story Of The Day [Video]

    I promise not to make any stupid “Snakes on a Plane” jokes. A Python was spotted on the wing of a Quantas Airways plane during a two-hour flight from Cairns, Australia to Papua New Guinea.

    According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the serpent was spotted by a passenger about 20 minutes into the flight, in an incident that more closely resembles a famous Twilight Zone episode than the Samuel L. Jackson film.

    In other news, Snakes on a Plane director David R. Ellis died this week. Unfortunately, that’s not a joke.

  • HP ElitePad Chosen to Fly on Emirates Airlines

    HP and Emirates Airlines announced today that HP’s new Windows 8 tablet, the ElitePad 900, has been chosed at the “primary interface” for the airline’s flight crews. As part of Emirates’ new Knowledge-driven Inflight Service (KIS), the tablets will be used to facilitate in-flight communications and also function as part of the customer relationship management system. HP stated that Emirates flight crews will be able to “work more efficiently” and “deliver personalized service” using the devices.

    “Emirates constantly seeks ways to enhance our customers’ experience,” said Kevin Griffiths, senior vice president of Cabin Crew at Emirates. “We selected the HP ElitePad 900 to power KIS because of its sleek design and light weight, which allows our staff to provide the highest levels of service to our customers, whilst maintaining the ruggedness and security measures needed from an Enterprise class device.”

    HP made it clear that Emirates is now the first global customer of the ElitePad 900, which was announced back in October and is currently scheduled to launch sometime in January. The device is a Windows 8 tablet aimed at business and government customers.

    “For its advanced KIS concierge service, Emirates Airlines needed an enterprise-grade tablet,” said James Mouton, general manager of the Personal Computer Global Business Unit at HP. “In the HP ElitePad, it found a compact, powerful and stylish business tool ideally suited to meet the needs of its staff and customers, both on the ground and at 40,000 feet.”

    This year, airlines have been looking to implement touch device technology on flights and the FAA has been reviewing the rules on how such devices can be used during flights. American Airlines announced in September that it had chosen Samsung’s Galaxy Note to function as a customer service device, and Apple’s iPad was recently cleared to take the place of bulky paper manuals in American Airlines Pilot flight bags.

    (Image courtesy wikimedia and omeyamapyonta)

  • Cause For Australian iPhone Explosion Revealed

    All sorts of strange things can happen when a plane takes off. Maybe it’s happened to you: an ink pen bursts from the pressure changes and gets ink all over your stuff; an empty water bottle expands on the way up, then goes back to normal on the way down; you fall asleep at cruising altitude and wake up just before landing to find that your ears haven’t popped during the entire descent (trust me, that’s not fun); or maybe your iPhone cracks, glows red, and starts to smoke.

    Okay, maybe that last one is pretty rare. But it has actually happened. Back in November passengers on an flight from Lismore to Sydney, Australia were dismayed to find that an iPhone carried by one of their number had begun to glow red and emit dense smoke. The rear panel of the phone even cracked – and lost part of the glass.

    Exploding iPhone

    At the time, it wasn’t clear what had caused the problem. The iPhone is hardly a perfect device and certainly has its fair share of flaws and glitches, but you can usually trust them not to spontaneously combust in your pocket. Well, ZDNet is reporting that the cause of the malfunction has been revealed. After the incident, the phone was sent to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for examination. It seems that not long before the incident, the phone’s owner had gotten the iPhone’s screen replaced by an unauthorized third-party. When the replacement was done, a screw from the bottom of the phone, near the dock connector, was not sufficiently tightened. That screw managed to work its way all the way up to the top of the phone and punch through the casing surrounding the battery.

    As you might expect, poking something metal through the housing of a battery is not a good thing. In this case it caused a short circuit that in turn cause the phone’s battery to drastically overheat, producing the red glow and the smoke. In the photo you can see an x-ray image of battery compartment and the offending screw.

    Exploding iPhone

    So it looks like the moral of the story is that if you want repair work done on your iPhone, you’re probably better off to just pony up and have Apple do it. Otherwise your phone could catch fire, apparently.

  • Penguins Take Flight

    Penguins Take Flight

    Delta Flight 486 from Atlanta to New York on March 8th had two very special guests flying in First Class. Pete and Penny, penguins from Sea World, surprised their fellow passengers as they waddled up and down the aisles.

    Before giving these little guys the opportunity to move freely about at an altitude of 30,000 feet, the captain asked if anyone was allergic to them.

    The passengers thought it was a joke and commented to each other:

    “How would we even know if we were?”

    “He can’t be serious.”

    Passengers were allowed to take pictures of Pete and Penny as they walked past, but the captain prohibited any petting.

    These 18 inch seabirds were on their way to the premiere of “Frozen Planet,” a new Discovery Channel documentary series narrated by Alec Baldwin. The screening, held Thursday at the Lincoln Center, was followed by a “polar-themed” party, hosted by Baldwin, Dustin Hoffman and Glenn Close, among others.

    This is not the first time that penguins have gained flight; last month, three penguins on Southwest’s Orlando-to-La Guardia trek were released from their kennels mid-flight to surprise passengers.

    Another two penguins from Sea World made an appearance last March on a Southwest flight to San Diego from San Francisco where they attended a science convention.

  • iPhone Suddenly Smokes, Glows Devilishly Red On Australian Flight

    iPhone Suddenly Smokes, Glows Devilishly Red On Australian Flight

    After all these years of people telling us that planes are going to start dropping from the sky like dead birds if we don’t turn off our smartphones during takeoff, it looks like the real threat might actually be the planes killing our smartphones.

    Okay, planes are probably not killing your devices, but apparently an iPhone blew up during an Australian flight landing in Sydney. Passengers on Regional Express flight ZL319 were startled when someone’s iPhone went demonic and started smoking profusely and glowing red.

    Here’s the airline’s official statement on the incident, which they are calling “self combustion”:

    Regional Express (Rex) flight ZL319 operating from Lismore to Sydney today had an occurrence after landing, when a passenger’s mobile phone started emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow. In accordance with company standard safety procedures, the Flight Attendant carried out recovery actions immediately and the red glow was extinguished successfully.

    All passengers and crew on board were unharmed.

    The matter has been reported to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) as well as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for investigation and directions. The mobile phone in question appears to be an Apple iPhone (see picture below) and has been handed over to ATSB for analysis.

    As promised, they provide a photo of the malfunctioning device. Although it’s unclear whether the device is an iPhone 4 or and iPhone 4S, what is clear is that something happened to this thing. It kind of looks like part of it exploded. Check it out:

    There have been sporadic reports of iPhones running hot and “exploding” in the past, and The Next Web suggests that the battery housed on the right side of the device could be to blame for the problem.

    Whatever the issue, I’d like to think that it’s the planes fighting back. For too long, people have secretly been activating their devices on takeoff and landing – against the wishes of aviation officials (however suspect they might be). It looks like the planes have begun to take matters into their own hands. Be warned: if you use your phone while landing it will be spontaneously combusted.

  • Flying Planes With An iPhone

    I guess all that time spent playing Cube Runner could prove useful after all.

    An associate professor of aeronautics and her students at MIT have developed a system for controlling small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with your basic iPhone. Professor Missy Cummings and her class teamed up with Boeing’s research and development center in Seattle to pilot a small UAV with a few twists and turns of an Apple smartphone.

    And it’s not your typical remote controlled plane. During the test, the controller was in Seattle while the UAV was buzzing around a football field at MIT campus – about 2,500 miles apart. Here’s how it works, according to Cummings –

    “We’ve set the system up so that the iPhone connects into the cell network through a Wi-Fi hotspot capability, and on the other end, the vehicle is hooked up to a ground station that’s also hooked into a wireless hotspot. So the vehicle and the iPhone are then communicating over the internet, and this allows us to send whatever commands we want.”

    The iPhone controls the UAV in two ways. First, the “pilot” can set location points on a map, and direct the plane to fly to that spot. Or, in a more awesome video game-like fashion, the pilot can use a built in camera to fly the plane manually, simply by tilting the iPhone to signal the desired direction. Check it out in action:

    One of the goals of the project is to create a system that is easy to learn. This system is so intuitive, it can be mastered in a matter of minutes.

    Cummings, who directs the Humans and Automation Lab at MIT, focuses her research on how to make control systems that are easy for people to learn and use. In principle, she says, the control system she and her team have created for smartphones could be used to control any aircraft, even a jumbo jet. In practice, it could easily replace the control systems not only for military drones, but for UAVs used by emergency personnel: for example, to track the progress of a forest fire in a remote area from a safe distance.

    What do you think about the possibility of an iPhone piloting a jet? Let us know in the comments.