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In a lengthy essay published in the New York Post, we learn that filmmaker David Zucker was recently asked an inane question at an anniversary screening of his 1980 film “Airplane!” “Could you make ‘Airplane!’ today?” an audience member asked. Zucker’s response was, “Of course, we could. Just without the jokes.” Really? Is there a big market right now for films spoofing the genre of airplane-based disaster flicks from the 1970s?

Aviation saw rapid innovation and growth after the first flight in 1903, leading to the moon landing in 1969. Similarly, advancements in digital technology allow pilots of all skill levels to experience flight from home through realistic flight simulators. These programs and equipment educate pilots and provide true piloting experience without ever leaving the ground. Let us explore top flight simulator software and accessories for the best at-home simulation. You can also check out the FLYING Edition Rig to get started in the right direction. Best of all-round flight sim software: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Best of realistic flight sim...

DENVER (KDVR) — A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport on Sunday after what appears to be a rare wildlife strike — potentially involving a rabbit. While wildlife strikes are relatively common at U.S. airports, more than 20,000 were reported last year, according to Federal Aviation Administration data, only four involved rabbits. One of those incidents occurred at DIA

On a clear evening this January, flights out of Miami, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale suddenly ground to a halt. The culprit wasn’t weather or a software glitch — it was a rocket launch. SpaceX’s Starship, the largest spacecraft ever built, had lifted off from Texas and exploded mid-flight, raining 100 tons of debris at over 13,250 miles per hour over the Caribbean. The FAA swiftly issued an unprecedented order: a temporary freeze on air traffic at four major Florida airports. Then another Starship exploded on its next test launch in March. According to FAA data reported by Reuters, the disruption...

Shares sagged Thursday in Asia, apart from China, after President Donald Trump announced he will slap 25per cent tariffs on imported cars. Trump said he was raising duties on auto imports to encourage more manufacturing in the US, but the impact will be complicated since US automakers and even foreign manufacturers with factories in the U.S. Source many of their components from around the world. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 1per cent to 37,662.36. Toyota Motor Corp stock dove 3.2per cent, while Honda Motor Co stock dipped 2.8per cent. Nissan was down 2.6per cent. Mazda Motor Corp shares dropped 6.5per...

American Airlines passengers were forced to evacuate their plane after it caught on fire at Denver Airport on Thursday following mid-air engine trouble. Terrified passengers were seen fleeing via the wing of the aircraft as smoke billowed from the plane. The flight, AA 1006, had departed Colorado Springs Airport at 4:52pm (local time) and was headed to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was diverted to Denver shortly after takeoff when the crew reported engine vibrations, according to Federal Aviation Administration. 'After landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire and passengers evacuated the...

A pilot retrieved a gun from his truck and stopped an armed teen who was demanding an airplane at Texarkana Regional Airport in Arkansas on Tuesday. The New York Post reported the teen was armed with an AR-style rifle and had a handgun as well. CNN noted that the teen “demanded a plane at the front counter while brandishing the guns.” The teen then chambered a round and chaos ensued. A pilot who saw what was happening ran to his truck and retrieved a gun and pursued the teen, who had “breached security onto the airfield.” The pilot ordered the...

mergency crews are responding to an explosion in Northeast Philadelphia after a small plane crashed in the area of Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, Philadephia police confirmed to CBS News Philadelphia. Two people were aboard the plane, according to police. There are other injuries reported on the ground, police added. Multiple homes are on fire in the area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard following the crash, fire officials said. It's unclear at this time what led to the crash. The victims' status was also not immediately available.

Jim Abrahams, the writer-director who helped create comedy classics such as “Airplane!,” the “Naked Gun” movies, and the TV series “Police Squad!” has died. He was 80. Abrahams passed away of natural causes on Tuesday at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., his son Joseph Abrahams told the Hollywood Reporter. Together with his boyhood friends Jerry and David Zucker, Abrahams ushered in a new wave of zany Hollywood comedies beginning with 1977’s sketch-comedy “Kentucky Fried Movie,” directed by John Landis, before he helmed “Animal House.” One of their most popular films, “Airplane!” — on which all three shared writing and...

Western security officials say they believe that two incendiary devices, shipped via DHL, were part of a covert Russian operation that ultimately aimed to start fires aboard cargo or passenger aircraft flying to the U.S. and Canada, as Moscow steps up a sabotage campaign against Washington and its allies. The devices ignited at DHL logistics hubs in July, one in Leipzig, Germany, and another in Birmingham, England. The explosions set off a multinational race to find the culprits. Now investigators and spy agencies in Europe have figured out how the devices—electric massagers implanted with a magnesium-based flammable substance—were made and...

A series of delays placed a Black Hawk pilot and a former athletic trainer in the right place and time to rescue a wrecked and hurt airplane pilot from a fire outside Meeteetse, Wyoming, on Sunday. When the pilot’s plane went down, it had sparked a fire in the trees around him. Steve Atencio and J.R. Larsen were out looking for big horn sheep Sunday morning so they could fill Larsen’s hunting tag, the pair told Cowboy State Daily in a Tuesday interview. Atencio is a Black Hawk pilot for the Wyoming Army Guard in Cheyenne and has a background...

The Justice Department has presented Boeing with a plea deal after it accused the airplane manufacturer of violating the terms of a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement that was put in place following two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. The Justice Department told Boeing it could plead guilty or go to trial, people familiar with the talks confirmed to CBS News. The agreement, which was presented to Boeing on Sunday, would have the company plead guilty to the conspiracy charge it originally faced in 2021. In exchange, Boeing would pay a fine and enter a three-year probationary period, the...

It's the best joke from a film almost springloaded with them, but what is the origin of Airplane!'s famous "Don't call me Shirley" gag? Airplane! was written and directed by Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and David Zucker, with the comedy being heavily inspired by the 1957 b-movie Zero Hour!, which featured Sterling Hayden (The Godfather). The plot of Zero Hour! featured a World War 2 pilot forced to land an airplane after the pilots become ill with food poisoning.Zero Hour!'s combination of unintentionally hilarious dialogue and taking the silly events of the plot deathly serious made an impression on Zucker,...

“Around 11:37 a.m., a Mexican airline reported the beginning of a disturbance due to passenger discontent on an Aeroméxico flight AM672,” according to the report. “The flight had been due to lift off at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, but because of a maintenance alert on the plane, the captain had to return to the gate for the required maintenance.” “The passengers were unhappy and one of them opened the emergency door and stepped out on the wing,” the report said. The airport said the man had been turned over to police. But dozens of fellow passengers signed a written copy of...

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after a small plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean in Northern California and a woman's body was found in the sea near the wreckage. An FAA spokesperson told USA TODAY a single-engine Cozy Mark IV crashed into water on Sunday near Half Moon Bay, about 30 miles south of San Francisco. Aviation officials said the crash took place about 7:30 p.m. and two people were on board the plane. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office reported the aircraft took off from the East Bay and shortly after, authorities responded to reports of "a small...

The Navy announced they ‘safely’ recovered the Military plane that overshot the runway and has been stuck in Kaneohe Bay for almost two weeks. Kaneohe Bay (HawaiiNewsNow) -- The Navy announced they ‘safely’ recovered the Military plane that overshot the runway and has been stuck in Kaneohe Bay for almost two weeks. Navy officials say it took meticulous planning and assembling specialized equipment from off island, a multidisciplinary team of military and civilian experts to carefully raise the P-8A Poseidon from the bay. Officials say the operation lasted 13 hours, beginning at 6:30 a.m., Dec. 2. The aircraft was floated...

Gladiators fought in rounds, and there were referees to enforce rules. Only rarely were gladiators killed. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Gladiators rarely died in fights, as gladiatorial combat was more about demonstrating physical and mental endurance, martial skill, and athleticism. There were between 20 and 30 different styles of gladiatorial combat. Gladiators would adopt a style based on their body type and the choice of their trainers. Gladiatorial fights had rules, including fighting in rounds. Referees were present to enforce rules, caution fouls, and handle appeals. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One of the most iconic moments in movie history is when Russell Crowe, dressed in...

Share 3D-printed “superalloy” could make power plants more efficient...Credit: kinwun / Adobe Stock Anew high-performance metal alloy, called a superalloy, could help boost the efficiency of the turbines used in power plants and the aerospace and automotive industries. Created using a 3D printer, the superalloy is composed of a blend of six elements that altogether form a material that’s both lighter and stronger than the standard materials used in conventional turbine machinery. The strong superalloy could help industries cut both costs and carbon emissions — if the approach can be successfully scaled up. The challenge: In the world of materials...

Saindy Pyles thought she was going to die with her baby son, Liam, clutched to her chest as she flew home to Wichita from Miami after photographing a wedding. Midway through the flight Pyles said smoke filled the cabin after she saw sparks and fire burst from a bag in the seat directly behind her. "Honestly, I thought we were going to die," she said. "I looked and all I saw was flashes, just like flashes. I'm like, 'Oh my God, like, what is that?' And [the owner of the bag] is like, 'I don't know. I don't know.'" "Then...

At 17 years old, most people are still struggling to parallel park. Yes, it takes a bit of practice. And once the car is parked, the day is packed with school activities and homework and just hanging out with friends. But at 17, Maggie Taraska had an outrageous goal in mind: Fly solo across the United States. Both of Maggie’s parents are Air Force veterans, so the urge to be airborne is in Maggie’s genes. So she went to flight school, put in the hours with an instructor and started on her solo hours. But on her first solo takeoff,...