Virgin Galactic has arrived!

by Grant Martin on

Wow. Virgin Galactic revealed the design of its sub-orbital commercial aircraft yesterday and it’s pretty sweet. Together with Scaled Composites’ Burt Rutan, construction is now sixty percent complete with a tentative launch date some time in 2010.

The current design, taken partially from the Space Ship 1 that won the Ansari X Prize in 2004, is based on a carrier aircraft that takes the sub-orbital vehicle to an approach altitude, where it’s released for the remainder of the journey. If you’re curious how that fits in the pictured design, the two hulls on the outside of that aircraft are the launch vehicle — once the appropriate altitude is reached the center section of the aircraft drops out and the two vehicles diverge.

While I’m not as excited about the innovation as Sir Richard Branson (who compares it to the cell phone revolution) is, I’m still genuinely interested in the market and buzz that its creating. At $200,000 a seat I don’t think that any of us are going to be flying any time soon, but 85,000 people have already registered interest in the pricey trip to space. Perhaps said market is stronger than I predicted.

You can read more at the BBC here.

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British Airways Hides Knight from 007

by Dave Luna on

British Airways performed some of their own James Bond-style covert maneuvers when they cleverly edited in-flight copies of Casino Royale. Sir Richard Branson, owner of the rival Virgin Airways, has a cameo at an airport security checkpoint in the theatrical release. However, the British Airways version only shows the back of Branson as he moves through a metal detector. Also, their biased cut obscures the tail fin of a Virgin Airlines plane that appears in the film.

I don’t see the point of those changes. I mean, the viewers of that version already gave BA their cash. Would it really hurt to show Branson and the Virgin logo? I guess spite makes airlines do awful things.

I only bring this up because Richard Branson happens to be one of my heroes. After all, anyone who throws a tea party on top of a hot air balloon is ace in my book.

First Pakistani Woman to Tour Space

by Adrienne Wilson on

Namira Salim is not an astronaut. She does music, art, sculpture and is a peace activist, but among all this she will become the first Pakistani woman to tour outer space. In 2008 she will set out with Virgin Galactic (sister company to Virgin Atlantic) as one of the good will ambassadors for the company. The lucky woman was chosen as a member of Virgin Galactic Founders Club out of some 40,000 registrants. I’m not sure who the other lucky space travelers will be as the story as featured on South Asia Biz only mentions Ms. Salim.

Now this isn’t to take any attention off of Namira Salim, but I do art, like music and consider myself a highly peaceful person and I’d like to go to space. You know, I’m just saying this in the event that Sir Richard Branson is reading right now. It never hurts to have alternates and I wonder if they have a blogger in their far-out crew? You know, I’m just going to open this whole thing up for anyone with some extra cash to burn and not just Mr. Branson – be the first to help send a real travel blogger into space. That would be me, Adrienne Wilson of course. Pretty please.

Touring the Airbus A380

by Karen Walrond on

A couple of months ago, Adrienne Wilson let us know that the Airbus 380, the largest jumbo jet built to date, had passed its safety evacuation test.  Well, now, thanks to the Times Online, journalist Martin Symington gives a sneak preview of what the A380 is like inside — and man, is it impressive.  The article has a list of astounding statistics, like:

  • Each plane has more than four million parts.;
  • The Wright brothers’ first flight in 1903 (36.6m), could have taken place on either passenger deck (49.7m and 47.9m);
  • The temperature in the engines reaches 2,800C, half that of the Sun’s surface; and my personal favourite
  • A freighter version, the A380F, will carry 150 tonnes of cargo – about the same as a herd of 57 fully grown Asian elephants.

Amazing vessel.  Not surprisingly, my buddy, Sir Richard Branson, has already gone on record suggesting that the Virgin Airlines Airbus A380 “might have on-board gyms, showers, beauty parlours and casinos, not to mention double beds in private cabins.”

Dude.  If I ever get a Virgin ticket on one of these things, they may never get me off of it.

Richard Branson shares his travel tips

by Karen Walrond on

I’m a huge fan of Richard Branson — not just because he built the Virgin empire from nothing, which would be reason enough.  I’m a fan of his because he appears to be an executive who also takes time to enjoy his life.  He’s not a workaholic, go-getter who sacrifices his mental health for his corporation — he does what he does because he’s passionate about it.

Oh — and I’m also a fan because he posed for a picture with me this past Carnival in Trinidad.  He was really charming about it, too… see?  Does that photograph not ooze charm?

Nonetheless, despite the fact that my reasons for liking the man might be shallow, I was still drawn to an article posted today on CNN.com providing Branson’s top 5 business travel tips, and things he’ll never leave home with out.  Things like:

1. his Breitling watch, which has saved his life (this part of the article also confirms my suspicion the man is slightly touched);
2.  a haircut (a regular Samson, this man);
3.  a good massage;
4.  his swimsuit (because you never known when, 007-like, a jacuzzi will appear out of nowhere); and
5.  a notepad (you didn’t think he kept all those multibillionaire, entrepreneurial ideas in his head, did you?).

Pretty interesting reading, and considering his success (particularly in the travel industry), hardly tips you can argue with.

Now, where did I leave my notepad…