Based on Bad Lip Reading’s version of the first Republican presidential debate, we vote Ben Carson and Ted Cruz as co-presidents, Scott Walker’s hair stylist as vice-president and Mindy as Treadmill Pooper. America!
via The Awesomer
Republican Debate Bad Lip Reading
You Can Watch Forever But the End of This Infinite Model Train Will Never Arrive
You almost have to feel bad for Isaac Newton. Despite all of his groundbreaking discoveries in mathematics and physics, his accomplishments have just been eclipsed by a man named James Risner who has somehow bent the laws of the universe to build an infinitely-looped spiral model railroad.
Powered by what appears to be seven HO-scale locomotives, Risner’s creation also works in reverse. But based on our scientific calculations, which are in turn based on the science we learned from the original Superman movie, leaving this setup running in reverse for too long will undoubtedly start to turn back time. [YouTube via Geeks are Sexy]
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via Gizmodo
You Can Watch Forever But the End of This Infinite Model Train Will Never Arrive
All These Jaw-Dropping Airplane Images Were Taken By This Flying Photog
Tyson Rininger’s name is synonymous with incredible aviation imagery. For over 20 years his work has been seen on the cover of magazines, the pages of aerospace books and above the dates on showcase calendars. His affair with aviation doesn’t stop at the viewfinder, loving all things air show related, Tyson was even a wing walker with the American Barnstormers.
He began his aviation photography career as a teenager, specifically at the 1989 NAS Point Mugu Air show, and spent the next decade and a half building his portfolio and working alongside some of the best photographers in the business.
According to Tyson, after so many years and so many millions of shutter clicks, this is where his aviation photography passion manifests itself today:
“My passion is to showcase and document history by creating an image that conveys an emotion or nostalgia. Some of my favorite photoshoots center around historical events such as the 25th Anniversary of the F-117 in service, Warbirds with appropriate backgrounds and properly attired crew along with formations with like-units and paint schemes. I also enjoy bringing the casual viewer into the amazing world of aviation through the use of clouds and recognizable scenery.
When it comes to history, I have had the honor of capturing an image that would become the icon of the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation and became the first and only civilian photographer to provide the USN Blue Angels with their annual lithograph. I’ve also had the amazing privilege of flying alongside aircraft from all eras including futuristic unmanned fighters to fresh WWII era restorations.
I’ve had a lot of fun with various challenges over the years in an attempt to make photography exciting. For more than 10 years, I’ve been creating unique nighttime shots using a basic, but very effective lighting technique. My Reminisce project was to take existing color images from 1950’s aircraft and older, and make them Black & White using traditional methods through digital technology. In other words, I didn’t take the simple path of clicking a color desaturate button, but rather I made use of dodging and burning tools as well as various contrast filters in Photoshop to create that perfect B&W image. After nearly two years of image conversions, the Reminisce Book was born.
My latest creation has been the Grunge Series of canvas prints as an effort to provide customers with an aviation-themed image minus the specificity of a photograph.
Rininger, who lives in Monterey, California, continues to ply his trade around the globe in support of major publications and the aircraft industry. Air & Space Smithsonian, Aviation Week & Space Technology, Combat Aircraft, PrivateAir, PilotMag are just some of the usual places you can see his images showcased, along with various ads and promotional materials.
When he’s not snapping pictures of the world’s most amazing flying machines, he is taking shots of the planet’s most amazing underwater creatures as a contract photographer for the world famous Monterrey Bay Aquarium.
Make sure to check out Tyson’s site here where you can find more awesome images and behind the scenes commentary on how he captured some of these crazy aviation images. Also make sure to like his Facebook page, your eyes will thank you!
Tyson has provided us with just a little taste of some of his greatest aerospace images to enjoy:
Contact the author at Tyler@jalopnik.com.
via Gizmodo
All These Jaw-Dropping Airplane Images Were Taken By This Flying Photog
Why Were Old Jet Engines So Much More Smoky Than Newer Ones?
The dawn of the jet age saw the skies near major airports raked with thick black smoke trails. These exhaust plumes have largely disappeared from our atmosphere due to continuous jet engine innovations. Here is the story of the jet engine’s amazing change in visual and ecological signature since its introduction into service almost 75 years ago.
Jet engines are one of the most transformative technologies of the last century. They’ve accelerated the pace of transportation beyond anything previous and even enabled change in modern culture and society. But not all jet engines are created equal.
Some, particularly in older aircraft, are known to produce much more visible exhaust than others. Whether you’re more concerned with the progression of technology or the protection of the environment, it is interesting to see what has changed since jet-powered aircraft first took to the skies.
Very special thank you to Jacob O’Neal for granting permission to use his jet engine Animagraffs in this post. Please visit his site at: www.animagraffs.com
The visible part of a jet engine’s exhaust is the result of highly compressed air, very high temperatures, combusted fuel and in some extreme cases where smoke is particularly thick, water injected into the mixture. Here are the reasons why many older jet engines are known to make more inky, acrid smoke, especially on takeoff, than newer models.
Turbojets, Turbofans and Bypass
The first type of jet engine to enter widespread commercial use was the turbojet, which didn’t incorporate bypass into its design. Bypass, at its essence, it is air that is directed around the engine core. By their nature, no air is bypassing the turbojet engine—it all enters the system.
A turbojet is essentially the engine core of a turbofan. The turbojet consists of a compressor stage in which air is squeezed together and made more dense, before being rammed into the combustor stage. Once there, the dense air is combined with fuel and ignited. This combustion creates the force that spins the turbine at the rear of the core.
So, with turbojets, all of the air is sent through the compressor. There is no bypass at all. Got it? Now let’s look at turbofans.
The difference between bypass turbofans and turbojets is that some air, as the name suggests, bypasses the turbofan engine’s core (also called the hot section, because that is where the combustion is happening).
In a low bypass turbofan design, there is less space between the engine core inlet and the exterior of the engine shroud than in a high bypass turbofan. This allows the low bypass turbofans to fit into a smaller physical package, which is ideal for small combat aircraft, but their design isn’t as efficient as high bypass models.
B-52 Stratofortress in flight
Low bypass emerged before high bypass and is still commonly used today in military aircraft because of desirable characteristics including the aforementioned compact packaging, the ability to use afterburners, the ability to operate at supersonic speeds and having a higher power to weight ratio.
The U.S. Air Force maintains the relatively inefficient and notoriously smoky low bypass turbofans in the B-52H bomber at great expense, despite many proposals to re-engine the fleet with upgraded high bypass turbofans. The B-52 is expected to remain in service with the USAF for several more decades.http://ift.tt/1DTKYxt…
NATO E-3A Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, based on the Boeing 707
The venerable Boeing 707 has been fitted with turbojets, low bypass turbofan and high bypass turbofan engines throughout its history. The 707 first flew in 1957 and was Boeing’s first ever jet-powered airliner. Over 1,000 examples in various commercial and military variants (including the E-3A Sentry AWACS and KC-135 Stratotanker) were built over the course of the next three decades, many of which are still in service today.
A turbofan’s bypass ratio is expressed numerically, as in the Pratt & Whitney JT3D (first flight tested in 1959) low bypass turbofan which has a bypass ratio of 1.42:1. By comparison, a modern Pratt & Whitney PW4000 high bypass turbofan, which has seen use in a variety of modern airliners including the Airbus A330, Boeing 747 and Boeing 777, has a bypass ratio of 5.3:1. The higher number means (5.3 vs 1.42) indicates that the ratio of air bypassing the engine core is higher.
In addition to billowing lots of black smoke, turbojets and low bypass turbofans can also be fitted with an afterburner to create an even more violent combustion of superheated air and fuel.
Afterburners are fitted downstream of the engine core and reheat the exhaust gases by dumping fuel into the exhaust stream. This consumes fuel very quickly, which is why afterburners are usually found on aircraft capable of supersonic flight.
Notably, some advanced aircraft are able to achieve supersonic flight without the use of afterburner. This is called supercruise, and is a known capability of the USAF F-22A Raptor air superiority stealth fighter. It is also very likely to be a capability of the Russian T-50/PAK-FA 5th generation stealth fighter. Other aircraft with supercruise ability include the Eurofighter EF2000 and Saab JS-39E/F Gripen under certain conditions.http://ift.tt/1h9ac6l…
Water Injection
Low bypass engines aren’t as efficient as high bypass engines, but water injection is the technology that is most responsible for the seemingly-eerie pictures of older airplanes riding black columns of smoke into the sky.
Water injection in aircraft works on the same principle as water injection systems work on turbocharged automotive engines (hi, Jalops). The idea in turbojets and turbofans is to cool down the engine core by spraying de-mineralized water into the incoming charged air. This has the effect of cooling the entire engine core and adding mass to the exhaust, thereby increasing thrust.
Because the engine core is cooled by the injected water, the combustion chambers aren’t able to burn all of the fuel and water mixture, so some particles of the fuel and water are vented out the engine, which materializes in the form of the characteristic black smoke.
Water injection systems are typically used to produce extra thrust at takeoff. Once airborne, the water injection systems are then switched off for the remainder of the flight.
The B-52 Stratofortress has developed a reputation for its smoky takeoffs and climbouts. The legendary bomber originally featured eight water injected J57 turbojets but the H model (which is still in service today) received the upgraded TF33 low bypass turbofans, which is the military variant of the Pratt & Whitney JT3D powerplant also found in some 707’s. The TF33 is also used in the C-141 Starlifter, a Cold War-era USAF cargo airplane.
A Harrier making a smoky turn near Portland, Oregon in 2009
The Harrier jump jet, which has vertical take off and landing (VTOL) capability, uses water injection in its Rolls-Royce Pegasus engines to increase performance during takeoff. Harriers can carry up to 50 gallons of distilled water, which is enough for approximately 90 seconds of water injected into the combustion chamber.
http://ift.tt/1DTL1t2…
The video below shows water injected B-52 bombers conducing a Minimum Interval Take Off (MITO) drill. The display is certainly impressive, but the amount of black smoke produced in the exercise is truly a sight to behold.
While water injected engines in new aircraft generally fell out of favor years ago, the technology still seems to hold promise in some circles. As recently as two years ago, General Electric was considering a water injection system for their GE9X high bypass turbofan for the Boeing 777X. Further, a 2004 paper by researchers from NASA, Boeing and Rolls Royce found that:
“[Water injection] emissions reduction technology could reduce takeoff NOx emissions more than 50% and has the possibility to reduce the operating cost of the aircraft. The minimal aircraft system weight and performance penalties should be more than offset by improved engine hot section life benefits. Water injection would best be used only during takeoff and a portion of climbout. This would be a worthwhile procedure for aircraft operating at less than maximum takeoff gross weight (i.e. less than 100% passenger load factor.)“
So, low bypass turbofans and water injection are the biggest reasons why older jet engines tend to make more visible smoke than newer jet engines. Of course, there are always other reasons why any jet engine, old or new, could be producing visible smoke. Dirty fuel injectors, or any other part involved in the combustion phase in the engine core could potentially offset the efficiency of the rest of the machine and cause a more smoky output.
Even though modern airplanes with high bypass turbofan engines still release large amounts of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, they don’t smoke in the the sky like earlier jet engines did (and still do). Jet engine technology has come a long way in reducing visible atmospheric pollution, and while the takeoff pictures aren’t as dramatic without the trails of smoldering soot, we are much better stewards of the environment because of it.
Photo credit: Top shot KC-135 with J57 engines and water injection – USAF/Wikicommons, E-3 AWACS in flight – Matthias Rietschel/AP, B-52 in flight – Tyler Rogoway, Harrier in flight – Tyler Rogoway, All Animagraffs by Jacob O’Neal
Follow the author on Twitter: @collinkrum
via Gizmodo
Why Were Old Jet Engines So Much More Smoky Than Newer Ones?
This YouTube Trove of Flight Videos Is an Aviation Nerd’s Dream
Because of their ubiquity, it’s easy to forget how impressive airplanes are. But this treasure trove of videos on the YouTube channel JustPlanes, full of old and new footage alike of flights and pilot POVs, reminds us of the awesomeness of those big metal birds.
JustPlanes is popular on YouTube, with over a quarter million subscribers, but has apparently been selling films of flights since 1991. Indeed, some of the videos are clearly from VHS originals from the 1990s, so quality’s not exactly 4K HD—but they’re still cool to watch. A lot of them literally take you inside the cockpit.
Here’s what a 747 landing in Hong Kong at daybreak looks like, for example:
Take a tour of a Norwegian 787-8 Dreamliner bound for Bangkok and beyond: A run-through of technology in the cockpit, captain’s POV footage, and Movember-honoring pilots.
HD action of runways in Anchorage:
A collection of vintage footage of retro aircraft at NYC area airports:
From the pilots’ perspective, touching down in crappy conditions looks otherworldly:
And we’ll end with Concorde in flight at Hong Kong’s now defunct Kai Tak airport:
via Gizmodo
This YouTube Trove of Flight Videos Is an Aviation Nerd’s Dream
DIY Water Balloon Slingshot
The King of Random shows us how to make a slingshot that can launch water balloons to over 150 ft. and can even fire three balloons at once. You’ll need PVC tubes and fittings, a resistance band and some duct tape. PDF guide here.
via The Awesomer
DIY Water Balloon Slingshot
Fire Starter: If Blow Torch And Hair Dryer Had A Baby
Fire-starters need not be this complicated, but the Bison Airlighter still looks pretty awesome.
via Gear Junkie
Fire Starter: If Blow Torch And Hair Dryer Had A Baby
Guns for Beginners: NEVER Shoot to Kill
The correct expression is “shoot to stop the threat.” That’s what you’re trying to do when you perforate a perp. You are NOT trying to commit homicide, however justifiable that goal may be. Even if you’re aiming at the bad … Read More
The post Guns for Beginners: NEVER Shoot to Kill appeared first on The Truth About Guns.
via The Truth About Guns
Guns for Beginners: NEVER Shoot to Kill
GE 3D-Printed a Miniature Jet Engine That Runs at 33,000 RPM
Curious about just how far they could take the company’s additive manufacturing technology, engineers at GE Aviation’s Additive Development Center in Cincinnati successfully created a simple jet engine, made entirely from 3D printed parts, that was able to rev up to 33,000 RPM.
The additive manufacturing process that GE Aviation uses relies on a laser to melt layer after layer of metal powder until eventually a custom part is build up. It’s similar to how a 3D printer like the MakerBot works, but being made from actual metal some of these parts have already been approved for use in planes by the FAA.
The miniature jet engine the engineers at GE built was actually a modified version of one you’d find in an RC model plane. As a result, it’s incredibly simple and basic compared to the jet engines powering modern airliners. But the experiment helps add credence to the idea that 3D printing will eventually be used for more than just plastic trinkets. Eventually it will become an essential part of modern manufacturing. [GE]
via Gizmodo
GE 3D-Printed a Miniature Jet Engine That Runs at 33,000 RPM
How Therm-A-Rest Sleeping Pads Are Made
In the early 1970s, two Boeing engineers used a sandwich press to put a slice of foam between two pieces of airtight nylon and invented the self-inflating sleeping pad for campers. Therm-A-Rest still uses that basic principle today, just the sandwich machine has given way to an entire factory in Seattle. This is that production process today.
Step 1: Hadouken
These huge blocks of foam arrive at the Therm-A-Rest factory in Seattle from a local supplier. There, they immediately undergo various karate kicks, martial arts combos and WWF-worthy body slams courtesy of the staff. This isn’t technically part of the production process.
Step 2: Slice The Foam
The blocks of foam are loaded onto what’s basically an air hockey table. A cushion of air enables them to slide onto the platform effortlessly and, when switched from blow to suck, it then securely holds the foam brick as the platform rolls back and forth through that horizontal bandsaw blade you can just see stretched between the machine’s two red towers. Starting at the top and working to the bottom, the foam is sliced into the final thickness required by the pad.
Step 3: Stamp The Shape
The next machine is basically a big cookie cutter, stamping the foam into the various lengths, widths and shapes required by the company’s product range. There isn’t exactly a huge industry out there producing self-inflating sleeping pads, so Therm-A-Rest has to design and make all this tooling in-house.
Step 4: Stretch The Foam And Cut The Holes
Without pre-made, bought-in solutions, Therm-A-Rest starts with its desired result, then engineers its tools backwards. Holes in the foam save weight, but if they go straight up and down, they’ll spoil the insulation.
So, the giant machine you see in the background here locates each piece of foam on a one-ton pallet, then compresses that foam, stretches it lengthwise, then stamps holes into it that, when the pad returns to its shape, actually pass through diagonally. That way, when you sleep on it, you “close” the holes with your bodyweight.
That simple result requires that one-ton pallet to be lifted up overhead and across for each pad stamped, starting at the bottom left and moving to the top right. It’s a ridiculous amount of effort, but the result it a lighter pad that retains its warmth.
Step 5: Collect The “Dots”
The foam donut holes are sucked out of the press, into the duct that runs up and over the walkway, then blown into giant plastic bags. Rather than waste them, Therm-A-Rest uses the oddly shaped little pieces of foam to fill its range of camp pillows.
Step 6: Ready The Outers
Polyurethane-coated nylon in various weights and finishes arrives at the factory and is cut to size.
This lady applies the Therm-A-Rest decal, then inspects each outer for defects on a light table.
Step 7: Weld The Layers
These two guys stack each piece of foam between the top and bottom layers of PU-coated nylon, then insert them in what’s basically a big sandwich press. Hot oil flows through the machine from the white pipes you see on the wall behind and around the outer perimeter of the pad. The two layers of nylon are pressed together with that heat and permanently bonded.
Step 8: Cool The Pads
The pads slide out of the sandwich press and onto this bank of box fans, where they cool for a brief period.
Step 9: Insert The Valve
This machine inserts the valve hardware, a plastic block that holds the valve and allows air to pass through the welded perimeter, then mounts the screw-on valve you’ll be familiar with operating.
Step 10: Trim The Excess
The extra nylon is trimmed by hand, resulting in the final product.
Step 11: Test Inflation
Every single pad that Therm-A-Rest makes is inflated to 2psi, then stored inflated for 36 hours. If it doesn’t hold that pressure, the pad is recycled. As you can see in the top photo, the factory floor is quite literally full of pads undergoing that test period.
Step 12: Dunk Test
The valves are dunked in a bucket of water to ensure their air-tightness. Any bubbles and they start over. This is one of the newer, more expensive NeoAir pads, but all Therm-A-Rests are tested the same way.
Step 13: Compress Pads For Shipping
Following the 36-hour test, the pads are placed in this wooden press, which compresses them to the minimum possible thickness. The tubes you see on the bottom right attach to the valves and vacuum the air out.
Step 14: Roll And Box
The pads are rolled by hand into a plastic sheath. The valve is left open to account for changes in pressure and temperature during shipping.
Pads are then boxed and shipped to retailers around the world. When you get yours, you just unroll it and the foam will expand, drawing air into the pad. Top that off with one or two breaths and you’re ready for a good night’s sleep.
IndefinitelyWild is a new publication about adventure travel in the outdoors, the vehicles and gear that get us there and the people we meet along the way. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.