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At AirVenture a friend asked if I’d seen the new Air Facts. What new Air Facts? All I knew about were the Air Facts videos Richard Collins produced with Sporty’s Pilot Shop that grew out of the eponymous print publication Leighton Collins launched in 1938. (Collins sold Air Facts in 1973, and changes made by the new owners were its demise.) 

High in the sky over Akron, Ohio early Wednesday was a blimp -- the Lockheed Martin developed first-of-its kind High Altitude Long Endurance-Demonstrator (HALE-D). Apparently the first flight didn't go nearly as well as hoped although it's being billed as a success.

Have you ever been flying and looked out the window and wonder where the heck you are and what is that object? You might just ask your seat neighbor, but I think half the time they are just making up the answer.

Mary Kirby at FlightGlobal has a report out tonight that Boeing and other sources have confirmed that new wireless data systems being installed in jetliners for passenger use have caused problems with the cockpit LCD display screens that display all the aircraft systems and navigation information for pilots.

Every little bit of efficiency can turn into big bucks for the airlines. Either by saving a little weight or making the aircraft more aerodynamic, airlines with large fleets can end up saving a lot of money. easyJet is trying a different kind of paint on their planes in hopes of saving the environment and passengers money (well more profit might be a motivating factor in there somewhere too).

As often happens in aviation, there are eyes in the most unlikely places. On Monday, ZA004 restarted 787 certification operations with a test of its fuel jettison system. While high in the skies over Arizona, the system was tested along with one of  Boeing's T-38 chase planes.