Tag Archives: empty

Longest view of a total solar eclipse from onboard a commercial aircraft

On 11 July 2010 EFLIGHT-2010, a chartered Airbus A319-115 LR/ACJ, remained within the umbral shadow of a total solar eclipse for 9 minutes and 23 seconds. The flight was organised by Eric Brown and astronomer Glenn Schneider (both USA) and executed by Skytraders Australia. It carried 36 passengers and 7 crew members to view totality over the Pacific Ocean some 1,500 miles east of Tahiti, at an altitude of 39,000 feet.

Largest aircraft, cargo by volume

The aircraft with the largest cargo hold is the Airbus A300-600ST Super Transporter (‘Beluga’). The cargo deck has a volume of 1,400 m³ (49,440 ft³), and is 37.7 m (123 ft 8 in) long, with a maximum height and width of 7.1 m (23 ft 3 in). Its maximum payload weight is 47 tonnes (103,616 lb). The Super Transporter has an overall length of 56.15 m (184 ft 3 in) and wingspan of 44.84 m (147 ft 2 in), with a maximum takeoff weight of Continue reading →

First professional franchise to lose 10,000 matches

The Philadelphia Phillies (USA) became the first professional sports franchise ever to lose 10,000 games, dropping a 10-2 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals (USA) on 15 July 2007. The franchise has a long history of losing, having played – and lost – its first game in May 1883. The Phillies have won only one World Series (1980) in 125 years.