Air Travel and Airlines
The Boeing Sky Commuter
Another car-plane hybrid that never made it into production.Article here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 02, 2021 -
Comments (1)
Category: Technology, Air Travel and Airlines, 1990s, Cars
The Airphibian
Flying cars just had a recent moment in THE NEW YORK TIMES. But there have been many predecessors.We are continuing our streak from yesterday's Amphicar: bi-modal transport!
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jun 14, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Inventions, Kludges, Hacks and Duct-tape Repairs, Air Travel and Airlines, 1940s, Cars
Airplane Modules
Back in the 1980s, FAA scientist Albert Lupinetti imagined a future in which airplanes would be divided up into modules, or small pods. Instead of passengers changing planes to get to their destination, their module would be transferred onto a new plane. And the modules could even be placed onto trains, allowing transport from the airport straight to a downtown train station — without passengers ever leaving their seats.I can imagine this might work for cargo. But as a passenger, sitting in a pod for hours on end... I'd pass.
Calgary Herald - Dec 30, 1988
Posted By: Alex - Sun May 23, 2021 -
Comments (5)
Category: Air Travel and Airlines, 1980s
A Horn for Airplanes
Invented by Charles Adler, Jr. of Baltimore and granted a patent in 1947.I imagine the last thing you'd want to hear as your flight is cruising at 30,000 feet is the pilot suddenly honking the horn.
Though, of course, the horn was intended for small planes, not passenger jets.
Adler himself used it to nag his wife by flying low over his house and honking the horn so that she'd know to start preparing his dinner.
Massillon Evening Independent - Aug 1, 1946
Posted By: Alex - Sun Apr 25, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, Patents, Air Travel and Airlines, 1940s
The American Airlines Recipe Book
We recently posted about the American Airlines Wine Club, which allows people to enjoy wines served inflight at home. Turns out that in 1994 the company did something similar with its airline food, publishing a recipe book so that people could "prepare their inflight favorites at home". It was titled A Taste of Something Special.The book was given to frequent fliers, rather than being sold to the public. But you can now download a pdf of the entire thing via Michigan State University Library.
Yonkers Herald Statesman - Feb 8, 1996
Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 14, 2021 -
Comments (8)
Category: Food, Cookbooks, Air Travel and Airlines, 1990s
American Airlines Wine Club
Fans of mile-high drinking can now get a taste of the same experience at home thanks to the new American Airlines Wine Club. For $99 a month, members get three bottles of some of the wines served inflight shipped to them each month.I'm sure it's good wine. For $33 a bottle, it better be. But it seems to me like a weird extension of the American Airlines' brand. Although as an economy flyer I associate air travel with misery and discomfort. Perhaps if I flew first-class I'd feel differently.
via Retail Therapy
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jan 28, 2021 -
Comments (5)
Category: Clubs, Fraternities and Other Self-selecting Organizations, Inebriation and Intoxicants, Air Travel and Airlines, Alcohol
Grover Loening’s Flying Airstrip
Source.
The inventor's Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 14, 2020 -
Comments (1)
Category: Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, War, Weapons, Air Travel and Airlines, 1950s
Mystery Gadget 88
What's going on with these airplanes?The answer is here.
Or after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 22, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Technology, Air Travel and Airlines, 1950s
The 1932 Helicron
Propellor-driven car.Read about it here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 05, 2020 -
Comments (3)
Category: Inventions, Air Travel and Airlines, 1930s, Cars
Blaze, the Dog That Flew First Class
In the year 1945, a dog named Blaze, while being shipped on Army Transport planes, bumped off several traveling soldiers, causing a national controversy.
Read about it here.
A funnier account was composed by James Thurber, viewable after the jump.
More in extended >>
Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 30, 2020 -
Comments (0)
Category: Government, Scandals and Controversies, War, Air Travel and Airlines, Dogs, 1940s
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |