In Flight USA Article Categories
In Flight USA Articles
The Story of Aviation Pioneer James Herman Banning
By Louisa Jaggar and Pat Smith
Have you ever heard of James Herman Banning? If you have, you are unusual. Most people know Lindbergh and Earhart, but Banning, for the most part, has escaped the history books. Why? Because he was African American and in the 1920s the mainstream press didn’t write about African American aviators. He was the first African American to fly across the continental United States, and many believe he was the first to receive a United States issued pilot’s license.
Almost 70 years from the time of Banning’s death, Pat Smith was researching aviation heroes from Oklahoma for National Geographic’s Celebration of 100 Years of Flight. She found an aviation history file and pulled out a short news clip that mentioned Banning. She saved it because it peaked her interest and she wanted to know more about him. About two years later, she mentioned him to me. Together, we decided to write the story of his life for young adults.
From Skies to Stars
By Ed Downs
Member, Astronomy Club of Tulsa
Ed Downs with his Orion Dobsonian telescope.From Skies to Stars is a new feature appearing in In Flight USA for the first time. In Flight USA is keeping our promise made in the August 2011 editorial regarding the downfall of America’s manned space program. At that time we committed to keeping the flame of space exploration alive by bringing our readers regular information about astronomy, space exploration and space sciences. We have joined up with the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium (TASM) and the Astronomy Club of Tulsa (ACT), a dedicated group of professional and amateur astronomers, science enthusiast and professional educators who have generously offered to share their ongoing outreach program with our readers. We invite readers to participate and let us know what you would like to read. The staff at In Flight USA may be reached at editor@inflightusa.com. Read on, and discover the universe!
The Discovery Program: NASA Gets it Right
By Ed Downs
Our August issue of In Flight USA carried coverage and comments about the ending of America’s Manned Space Program (read on www.inflightusa.com). America’s surrender of leadership in manned space flight to a country with space technology from the late 1950s is, at best, questionable. Those making this fateful decision should have asked the question, “What happens to the International Space Station (ISS) if that obsolete technology breaks down?” Well, it has, and no answer is at hand.
On Wednesday morning, August 24, 2011 a Russian Progress M-12M vehicle lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on an unmanned supply mission to the ISS. This is the booster system that has been used since the late 1950s and is now used to launch the manned Soyuz capsule. It did not reach orbit. This is currently the only vehicle combination used to take crews to and from ISS. It is now grounded. The Russian Proton rocket was to have served as a back up, but it, too, failed just a week earlier. The much touted entry of privatized boosters into service that are man rated is at least five years in the future. America’s more than $100 billion investment in ISS is in significant jeopardy due to self-serving political decisions. NASA has lost much of its glitter.