63 Years Ago Today: Mariner 2 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Space.com/Smithsonian Institution Where were you on this date 63 years ago in 1962? Some of you were only a “twinkle in your old man’s eye”, if that, and not yet breathing. I was a 7-year-old boy looking forlornly the end of summer vacation and…
Today in Aviation History: 1978 and The First Balloon to Cross the Atlantic Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com and the Bettmann Archive Balloon crosses the Atlantic Courtesy of the Bettmann Archive Good Sunday afternoon fellow ECAHF’ers. When we were kids (or had a similar experience with our own kids), it was a real disappointment…
Solar Powered Aircraft Here We Come! But only if CAVU. Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: CBS News, Getty Images Pilot breaks altitude record for solar-powered plane, crossing paths with commercial airliner, his team says August 14, 2025 / 11:00 AM EDT / CBS/AFP Downloaded on August 15, 2025 from: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pilot-altitude-record-solar-powered-plane-raphael-domjan-solarstratos/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us No instrument flight (at least…
This Day in Aviation History: The F-35 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: MSN.com, US Navy A British F-35 Just Did Something That’s Never Been Done Before© 250520-N-TW227-1112 EAST CHINA SEA (May 20, 2025) An F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242, prepares to land on the flight deck of the forward-deployed…
On This Day in Aviation History: JAL Flight 123 Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Japan Transport Safety Board, and Wikipedia On this day in aviation history we’ll look at one of saddest aviation events that can happen: a mass deaths event caused by a Jumbo Jet crash that takes over 500 lives. Is there…
These Days in Aviation History: Today, Tomorrow, and The Next Day + Looking Ahead Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: Goodfellows Historical Foundation Editors, Encyclopedia Brittanica, MSN.com There is so much aviation history out there, it can be difficult to pick which event(s) to share with you. I could fill pages of history every time I…
Christmas in July and the Jerome-de Bothezat Flying Octopus Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: MSN.com-news and technology/article by Harrison Kass, Wikipedia, US Navy The First Helicopter Was Far, Far Ahead of Its Time Story by Harrison Kass Downloaded on July 25, 2025 from: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-first-helicopter-was-far-far-ahead-of-its-time/ar-AA1F4HcC Twenty years would pass before anyone improved upon the performance of…
On This Day in Aviation History– Weather Forecasting Debuts Contributor: Barry Fetzer Sources: History.com, Library of Congress, Arkansas Air and Military Museum, Alamy Robert FitzRoy. Alamy Stock Photo Thunderstorms are forecasted today on this August 1st—some severe—here in the Sandhills of NC. I’m preparing to go out for a bike ride and will be…