Learn About Grand Canyon Airplane Tours Here

At 277 miles long and 18 miles wide, the Grand Canyon is a truly immense chasm in the surface of the planet. It's also one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. Grand Canyon National Park has several ecosystems and it's the home of many plant and animal species, but it's best known for its unique rock formations and other geological features.

People who want to see this awe-inspiring canyon can choose from several types of tours. Because they're fast, affordable and comfortable, Grand Canyon flights are among the most popular tours of the region.

Most canyon airplane tours fly to the West Rim from Las Vegas. The one-way trip to the canyon is 120 miles, but it only takes about 20 minutes. Other flights leave Las Vegas and fly directly to the canyon's South Rim, taking about 45 minutes to get there. Still other airplane tours are designed for people coming from Phoenix, Sedona or Scottsdale, Arizona. These flights take off from Grand Canyon National Airport in Tusayan, Arizona, a small town located just outside the main entrance of the Park.

Passengers on West Rim flights from Las Vegas see several spectacular sights along the way. First, the planes soar over Lake Mead, the largest man-made body of water in the United States. From there, they fly over Hoover Dam and the new bypass bridge. After that, passengers enjoy views of the Mojave Desert, the Colorado River, the Grand Wash Cliffs and an ancient Joshua Tree Forest. Most West Rim flights land at the airfield at Grand Canyon West.

Once your plane lands, you'll be able to explore all the sights at the West Rim, including Hualapai Ranch and the Indian Cultural Center. You can also enjoy the scenic vistas from the lookouts at Eagle Point and Guano Point. Some Grand Canyon flights can even be packaged with an extra-cost boat trip down the Colorado River, a pass to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and/or an exciting helicopter flight down to the canyon floor. You'll guarantee yourself a memorable experience if you purchase one of these packages!

Most South Rim flights from Las Vegas include a guided motor coach tour of the park, but many people opt instead for a rim-to-rim helicopter flight. If you like, you can choose an extended flight (50 minutes instead of 30) and see landmarks such as the Desert Watchtower, Grand Canyon Village, Imperial Point, Zuni Point and the isolated North Rim.

Landing flights are only offered from Las Vegas and the West Rim; all South Rim flights are air-only. Every airplane tour includes a pre-recorded, in-flight narration that's chock-full of interesting information about the park. The tour airplanes feature expansive viewing windows that provide unobstructed views of the magnificent scenery. Most tour operators include hotel transfers in their tour packages.

A flight like this will give you a unique perspective on the park that's impossible if you stay on the ground. Airplane tours are also perfect for people who don't have enough free time for a long ride on a motor coach. Sunset airplane tours are spectacular, and they're extremely popular.

Although flights can be quite affordable, you can reduce their cost even more by booking online and taking advantage of special Internet discounts. I highly recommend booking in advance, especially if you'll be taking your tour during the peak season (May through September) or traveling with more than just one or two other people. Booking your Grand Canyon flight early will also help you get the best seats - that way you'll get the maximum experience.

Travel writer Ione Maher is an EzineArticles Diamond Author specializing in Grand Canyon tours. For more information on getting the airplane tours at cheap rates, she strongly recommends visiting this website: http://www.grandcanyonairplanetours.net/discounts

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Things To Do In Hampshire

Hampshire is a unique county that offers visitors a wide variety of choice - there's just so much to do! With a mixture of old fashioned, traditional areas and contemporary and modern facilities, Hampshire can offer enjoyment to people of all ages and tastes. While ancient forests and rolling green hills will melt your heart, museums and art galleries will give you a sneak peek into the history of the county. There are so many things to do in Hampshire - and all you have to do is pack your bag and get ready for the experience.

Hampshire is just an hour's drive from London, which is probably England's most popular tourist destination - a bustling metropolis that is full of surprises! Hampshire's close proximity, rail and road accessibility and the variety on offer make it a great place to spend the weekend. Feel like getting away from the chaotic, vibrant city for a while? Beautiful, rolling countryside and traditional experiences aren't too far away. The county isn't simply limited to the old world charms that many visit for. There are modern fixtures that complement the enchantment of it's rich cultural heritage - not to mention miles of coastline, full of unspoilt beaches; the list of things to do in Hampshire grows.

If you are a nature lover and want to see some of the beautiful animals and birds that inhabit the county, you cannot afford to miss out on the forests. Alice Holt Forest is famous for its oak trees, which present a soothing and beautiful snapshot of forest life. Enjoy a relaxed walk across Bedgebury Forest or take part in some outdoor activities and games. If walking and seeing wildlife is what you need, then Titchfield ticks all the boxes. For bird lovers, it would be a major treat to visit the New Forest - it has an assortment of wildlife on offer and is home to an owl sanctuary for an up close look at these beautiful birds of prey.

If you are thinking that walks in the forest are the only things to do in Hampshire, then think again! Take your family to one of Hampshire's sports centres or swimming pools and enjoy some world class sporting facilities. Take advantage of the proximity to the water and hop on a ferry to the Isle of Wight - or take to the beaches. Families should make plans to visit Royal Victoria Country Park, it's an ideal spot for a picnic or a barbecue and there's loads of space for kids to play.

For art lovers and amateur artists, Southampton City Art Gallery put on some really exciting exhibitions. Classical works, leading contemporary works, cutting edge and boundary pushing pieces can be found here. There is a diverse collection of art in the gallery, with a regular influx of new material. While you're in Hampshire, make a visit to the many museums, castles and ruins that you come across. Many are free and well worth the journey.

Vinken Thomas is United Kingdom Author. He has applied his knowledge and understanding to a wide variety of Things To Do In Hampshire and much more.

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The Latest News in Aviation Regulations

Aviation rules and regulations are ever-changing. To help you stay legal, in compliance, and in-the-know, here are some of the latest FAA regulation headlines in the news that pilots and fixed base operators should know.

FAA releases new document on general aviation safety. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just released a comprehensive Fact Sheet on General Aviation Safety. The document explains how the FAA is partnering with the aviation industry on various safety issues, including risk reduction, aircraft design and new technology, education and outreach.

Register online at FAASafety.gov for safety seminars. The FAA has announced that, as of June 1, they will no longer send postcards regarding safety seminars. The only way for general aviation pilots, flight instructors and mechanics to learn about and register for FAA safety seminars is online at FAASafety.gov. If you have not done so already, go to FAASafety.gov and create an account using your airman certificate number. This will give you access to online courses, safety articles, the WINGS Program, Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Awards Program, and you will receive emails of seminars in your area. If you already have an account on FAASafety.gov that is not yet associated with your airman certificate number, log in and update your Airman Registry information on your preferences page.

FAA takes another look at cargo pilot safety regulation requirements. On May 24, the FAA requested that a federal court postpone a pilot union lawsuit so that the FAA could re-examine whether cargo pilots should be covered by the new Part 121 flight, duty and rest regulations. The FAA's anti-fatigue ruling last year applied to commercial airline pilots only, and excluded cargo operations. Cargo airlines and pilots were asked to adhere to new rest regulations on a voluntary basis only.

FAA releases report on benefits of general aviation airports. Also in May, the FAA released a study entitled, "General Aviation Airports: A National Asset." The report is the result of 18 months of research with state aeronautical agencies, aviation associations, aviation user groups, airport directors, airport authorities, airport planners, academia, federal agencies and local government councils. The FAA is hoping the information will better educate the public about the importance of GAs to communities, the economy and aviation industry, and help the FAA, state aeronautical agencies and airport sponsors make planning decisions.

FAA releases statement regarding DAHs and ICA documents. On March 29, the FAA released a policy statement that it is inappropriate for design approval holders (DAH) to restrict the use and availability on Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) between the product owner and the maintenance provider if the FAA has determined the ICA are acceptable for maintaining a DAH's product with FAA-approved replacement parts, articles, or materials installed.

FAA proposes co-pilots must fly 1,500 hours for commercial airlines. Also in March, the FAA proposed regulations that would increase the minimum number of flight hours for all commercial air carrier pilots - including co-pilots - to 1,500 hours. Captains must already meet that threshold, but co-pilots currently need only 250 hours to fly for an airline. Co-pilots would also need a "type rating" specific to the airliner they plan to fly, similar to another requirement that applies to captains. The proposal is the first increase in co-pilot threshold requirements since 1973, when the FAA raised the minimum number of hours from 200 to 250. The new boost follows an aviation safety law enacted after a regional airliner crash near Buffalo, N.Y. killed fifty people.

Tango Yankee, LLC is the parent company of Business Aircraft Center and Danbury Aviation, a self- and full-service aircraft and pilot planning center located at Danbury Municipal Airport that includes aircraft management, hangar storage, tie-downs and plane detailing. Tango Yankee, LLC is owned and operated by Santo Silvestro of New Canaan, CT, who is a pilot and aviation enthusiast.

Visit Business Aircraft Center's website at http://www.businessaircraftcenter.com/

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Used Airline Equipment Enjoys "Second" and Even "Third Life" in the Movies

So many movie scenes take place at the airport. After all, the tarmac is a place of transition, a place of goodbyes, a place of change - all good dramatic fodder. But have you ever wondered how film studios manage to make these scenes? Where do they get the aircraft and ground support equipment in the first place?

Some cinematic productions, such as the Battle of Britain (1969) or Catch-22 (1970) feature so many pieces of used airline equipment, including ground support equipment, that their fleets constitute some of the largest air forces in the world. In many cases, former air force people must be brought in as advisors.

When a scene in a movie featuring used airline equipment, especially used military equipment, misses the mark - showing the exterior of one kind of jet and the interior of another, for instance - the film makers will often hear about it. Savvy directors know that some audience members may have firsthand knowledge about aircraft and ground support equipment. It's important to pay attention to the details.

According to one article in the Wall Street Journal, most of the aircraft and ground service equipment currently used in Hollywood belongs to external film studios that specialize in airport scenes. This means that they provide equipment, rent sets and provide expert advice.

There are two main companies that specialize in used airline equipment for use in film: Air Hollywood in Pacoima, Los Angeles and Aero Mock-Ups in North Hollywood. Companies like these offer everything from porthole exteriors to airport-appropriate garbage cans.

In addition to offering used airline equipment, Air Hollywood, which provided the on-board bathroom used in the Jennifer Aniston movie Rumor Has It, offers stock footage for airport and in-air scenes.

Competitor Aero Mock-Ups offers a selection of props for ground support equipment scenes on the tarmac, including maintenance stairs, runway lights, airline cargo containers and wind socks.

Some movie scenes feature actual used ground support equipment in active service at real-life airports. The 1970 film Airport, based on the Arthur Hailey novel of the same name, was filmed largely at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.

Used airline equipment, including ground service equipment, can have a glamorous "second life" in the film industry, which, in some cases, even spawns a "third life" in the form of aviation-in-film buff trivia. I leave you now with two such pieces of trivia involving the aforementioned film Airport.

Used airline equipment trivia break #1

The Boeing 707 used in the production of Airport eventually met with a tragic end during a crash landing in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Used airline equipment trivia break #2

In the movie Airport, there is a made-up airline called Trans Global. Ground support equipment buffs can (and do) pick out props blazoned with the Trans Global logo in a host of subsequent Universal productions. Now you can join their ranks.

Visit GTA Aviation for more information on  ground support equipment.

Rima Hammoudi is a copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

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The Road to Becoming an Aviation Maintenance Technician

For the smooth flow of operations within the airline industry, the roles played by an aviation maintenance technician are crucial. For one, the examination of every airplane traveling as to potential faults upon its return to the airport or freight terminal is there as well as its cursory examination before allowed to fly again. For a technician to play his part well he should be with a high level of skill and experience acquired within the aviation industry but know that there are training courses for you to take in order to reduce the learning time and also make the process easier.

The Significance of Examinations Conducted By the Aviation Maintenance Technician

Aircraft engineers find each end of flights highly significant as examinations are required to tell them what needs to be done. It is at this time that much evidence pointing to potential faults can be found as engines are still warm and the moment it cools down it may be tough to tell. Such examination would also reveal the extent of the required routine maintenance and to which aviation maintenance technician it is to go to. Several cases may find it requiring only routine service before it is able to set out to flight again.

As for cases showing faults, the aviation maintenance technician will be obliged to send the aircraft to the bay for rectification. Many of the faults are but minor and should there be a need to repair some parts, they usually come on stock. There is no room for shortcuts however given that a repair can be effected before the due flight, it happens as it is. You may find this common in that each flight usually comes with a waiting time in between for individual aircrafts. Other actions only become necessary to take if there are more serious faults.

Routine Servicing and Cursory Examinations by an Aviation Maintenance Technician

A cursory examination before the flight is also a necessary task for the aviation maintenance technician to perform because there could be instances where something moved or has come loose as the aircraft is being prepared and transferred to the runway. Although this may be the most important period for a test, there is hardly ever anything wrong. It must be due to the fact that checks have been previously conducted and most problems are already addressed here. Should problems arise, aircraft are immediately taken out of service until repair and service has been conducted.

Routine servicing also requires the participation of the aviation maintenance technician after each aircraft has flown a particular amount of distance. This is another safety guard from which serious problems are being hindered from happening as well as a necessity for the improvement of the aircraft's performance which comes unavoidable through time of wear and tear. Such a routine service is crucial in the observance of safety which enables every part of the aircraft performing efficiently at the same time becomes cost effective in the sense that parts would live longer.

Learning Theories and Practical Applications

Since the tasks of an aviation maintenance technician involve working with engines and machineries, there is a great demand for a high degree of expertise and a learning curve is then being called for. Although not necessarily extreme, particularly if one has worked with vehicle engines in the past. The need for training courses which you attend to physically is there in that it can't possibly be taught online. When it comes to theories the Internet serves to address it without physical attendance required however practical work is still the most important for a technician in aviation maintenance.

There are lots of aviation jobs available today. Working in an aviation industry as an aviation engineer is highly compensated.

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IFR Flight Planner - All You Need To Know

IFR Flight Plans

Understanding IFR flight plans is essential for pilots flying under such a planning process. As planning allow pilots to fly primarily with reference to their cockpit instruments it is imperative that a detailed flight plan is constructed for each flight. IFR flight plans are usually operated in adverse weather conditions when visibility is poor and it is difficult to see the horizon. As the pilot relies on their instruments understanding an plan means the aircraft can travel in such conditions and arrive at its destination safely. Using a plan does require extra training and ensures that the pilot is made aware of any situations that may require extra attention. It also means that rescuers will be alerted to the most likely position of an aircraft in the event of trouble and also ensures that air traffic control can monitor its route/s.

The difference between VFR and IFR

As IFR allows pilots to fly relying on the aircraft instruments, VFR gives the pilot more freedom to navigate the aircraft based on visuals from outside the aircraft. The submission of VFR flight plans is only required in certain circumstances, however does need planning. Should the aircraft be travelling over international borders a flight should be filed as well as informing air traffic control whilst the crossing takes place. Although in some circumstances a VFR plan may be required it is not the case on the majority. Where this differs from IFR planning is because visual meteorological conditions result in less dangerous conditions where visibility is not restricted.

The submission of IFR flight plan documents

IFR rules can be very rigorous, however the safety of an aircraft always rests upon the pilots shoulders. If the pilot of a flight travelling using IFR decides not to accept the clearance that has been given that is perfectly acceptable, given that decision was based with the safety of the aircraft and the people on board it in mind. To ensure the safety of both the aircraft and those within it, IFR plans need to contain great detail. Relying on instruments within the cockpit a number of factors need to be analysed such as meteorological conditions, flight altitudes and fuel requirements. An IFR plan will take all of these into consideration as part of the process and once these plans are complete they are submitted to the departure tower at the aerodrome in which the flight will depart from. Alternatively, a plan can be created using an online company, giving route suggestions resulting in an IFR flight plan being conducted automatically and submitted once complete.

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Used Airline Equipment Movie Trivia

Film and aviation buffs delight in their trivia, and when the passions overlap, the potential for fun multiplies exponentially. Here are just some of the categories that aviation-in-film "nerds" might propose for a quiz game.

1. Used airline equipment or replica?

Some films arrange for their stunt pilots to fly used airline equipment, stored on airfields dotted with the same kind of ground service equipment that might have provided support to the aircraft in its earlier incarnations as part of a military or commercial fleet.

This reliance on used airline equipment can be seen, for instance, in the movie "Battle of Britain" (1969), for which a fleet of 100 aircraft, including 12 flyable Spitfires and three Hawker Hurricane, was painstakingly assembled.

Like "Catch-22" and other World War II films of the same era, "Battle of Britain" is said to have unwittingly played a significant role in preserving used airline equipment from the World War II years.

Other films rely on replicas rather than on used aviation equipment. As the 1964 film "Dr. Strangelove" demonstrates, this is not always a matter of choice. The Pentagon refused to provide the makers of the film with any information on its B-52 bombers. The information was considered classified. The industrious design team had to build its own B-52 bomber, based on a sole photograph from a British flying magazine. No word on how - of if - the ground support equipment was handled. The result for the bomber was so accurate that director Stanley Kubrick feared that his team had somehow secured classified information via illegal means.

"Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machine, Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes", released in 1965 but set in 1910, is another example of a film where the crew had to rely on replicas rather than on used airline equipment. The working replicas used authentic materials, but had slightly more powerful motors than the aircraft on which they were based.

Like many films that feature replicas or used aviation equipment and ground service equipment, "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" had a military advisor, in this case, Royal Air Force Air Commodore, Allen H. Wheeler.

2. Name that runway

Some fans of used airline equipment study airport scenes, carefully examining the surroundings and the ground support equipment, to try to identify any real-life runways. The classic 1980 comedy "Airplane!" features a runway from Long Beach, California.

3. Does the used airline equipment on the screen match the soundtrack?

"Airplane!" is renowned in aviation-in-film circles for its mismatched soundtrack. Although the used aviation equipment in the film features a jet plane, the soundtrack is a recording a propeller plane.

That's it for now, but there are many other categories that aviation-in-film buffs might propose for a quiz game: models versus actual used airline equipment, etc. The options are endless!

Visit GTA Aviation for more information on  ground support equipment.

Rima Hammoudi is a copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

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