Airplanes are amazing pieces of machinery. During some portions of flight, it is required that a pilot make large changes and major corrections to the path of the aircraft. Takeoff and landing are obvious places where this comes to mind. This is called “hand flying” an airplane.

Other times, however, it is unnecessary to “hand fly” the plane – during straight and level “cruise” flight for instance. During this phase of a flight, the pilot will use what’s called “trim” to make very slight corrections to the flight path of the airplane. If it is descending slightly, the pilot will use “nose up trim” to stop the descent. If climbing slightly, “nose down trim” will be used. Some aircraft have trim for rolling (aileron trim) and turning (rudder trim) as well. I am not talking about any kind of “auto-pilot;” this is just a way to more carefully and precisely control the plane once it is in “cruise” flight and flying at a constant altitude and in a constant direction for some length of time.

In business, startup and initial growth are not the only times when a company must be “hand flown.” If you plan on selling or in some other way “exiting” the business, you will also need to “hand fly” for awhile. You may not be “hand flying” the business directly, but you will be directly and significantly involved in the process of finding a buyer and negotiating a fair price for both of you. This roughly coincides with the approach and landing of an airplane – again a time when the pilot must be significantly involved in the aircraft’s control.

Most other times during a business’s “flight,” small corrections and tweaks are all that is necessary to keep the company moving in the direction you want it to go. This is, of course, assuming you have a good business plan (flight plan) and a good team (crew). You also must be in a well-designed company (stable aircraft). See The Aviation of Business post on Tradeoffs for more on business design and aircraft design.

There ARE times during cruise flight when a business (or an airplane) DOES need to be hand flown – any time a change of direction is necessary. In aviation, it is all about navigation or avoidance of other aircraft, and in business it is during times of change, when a new direction is needed to grow to the next level or to outmaneuver competition.

Times to hand fly an airplane / business:

- Takeoff / Startup

- Climbout / Initial growth phase (combination of trim and hand flying)

- Change in direction / New business opportunity

- Traffic avoidance / Response to competition (can be proactive or reactive)

- Initial descent / Considering exiting (combination of trim and hand flying)

- Approach to landing / Decision to exit made (combination of trim and hand flying)

- Landing / Exit of business (sale or other exit strategy)

The reason it is important to understand this is that it is possible to “hand fly” an aircraft (and a business) when it should be “trimmed.” It is very easy to “overcorrect” when you hand fly an aircraft during cruise flight… this will cause large changes in altitude and direction because the pilot feels the need to directly control everything the aircraft does with relatively large control movements. But in a stable aircraft, small adjustments with trim allow the plane to “fly itself” – and that is exactly what aircraft (and businesses) should be designed to do.

In the world of vintage radios, the equivalent of the upside down airplane stamp, in terms of collector desirability, is the Sparton Bluebird. Unlike that famous postage stamp, though, the Bluebird was not created by mistake. Far from it. Having an unlikely shape and appearance for a radio of its day, it was the carefully thought out product of one of the top designers working in the 1930s (as well as the 1940s and ’50s), Walter Dorwin Teague.

Teague’s Bluebird is considered by many to represent the pinnacle of industrial design in the art deco mode. The outstanding feature of this radio is a 14-inch round mirror that is tinted a cobalt blue and accented with streamlined chrome strips and knobs. The radio parts themselves are hidden in a housing situated to the rear of the mirror, and having a forward-facing speaker. Everyone who sees a Bluebird radio is struck with its astonishing yet simply stated beauty. Some Bluebirds have even been displayed in museums.

The original 1936-vintage Sparton Bluebird sold for between forty and fifty dollars. Today you would have to pay $3,000 to $5,000 to acquire one. People have been known to bid more than a thousand dollars on eBay for a non-working Bluebird!

Due to the fragility of the radio’s mirror, it is thought that many if not the majority of Bluebirds ever sold may have been damaged at some point and ultimately discarded. If you ever come across an intact one for sale, consider yourself lucky–and snap it up!

Originally, Bluebirds came with a 14-inch round platter that was made from a mirror matching that of the radio. The Bluebird would be set on the platter as a way to display it to greatest advantage. Finding a Bluebird that still has the platter with it is an especially rare occurrence.

Replica Bluebirds have been produced from time to time. Some of these replicas are quite lovely in their own right, but don’t be fooled by them if you are wanting to get your hands on the genuine article. If you find what appears to be a Bluebird, look for the Sparton name on it and the model number 506 or 566.

Walter Dorwin Teague’s bold designs made a powerful impact on the industrial and commercial landscape of the middle part of the 20th century. He and his firm designed cameras for Eastman Kodak, a passenger aircraft interior for Boeing, and a Steinway piano for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The design company he founded continues today.

For all his achievements, though, Walter Dorwin Teague will always be hailed by radio collectors and enthusiasts for one thing: the Sparton Bluebird, a marvel of the art deco era.

The Airbus A380 is a double-decker, wide bodied aircraft with four engines produced by Airbus.  The largest passenger airliner flew its maiden flight on April 27, 2005 from Toulouse in France.  The first commercial flight was introduced by Singapore Airlines from Singapore to Sydney, Australia on October 25th of the same year.

With 50% more floor space than the next-largest aircraft; Boeing 747-400, the double-decker can offer up to 525 seats in standard 3 class configuration.  If operated with all economy, it can take up to 853 passengers. With design range of 15,200 km or 8,200 nautical miles, it can fly comfortably from Boston to Hong Kong.

Emirates, the airline from Dubai, United Arab Emirates will upgrade its current 3 x weekly Boeing 777 operations, that it began flying in October 2007 with A380.  Versus 360 seats on its B777 plane, the A380 will operate with 489 seats.

The airline is expected to operate with 14 suites in first class and 76 flat-bed seats in the business class on the upper level and 399 seats in the economy class on the lower deck.

In a statement Emirates said the Superjumbo aircraft will have an onboard lounge.  The services will include an extensive menu of multi-course meal options, the award-winning in-flight entertainment product ‘ICE’ with over 1200 channels of entertainment, SMS and email facilities as well as seat-to-seat calling.

Whilst the fares are subject to change, the airlines is expected to offer round-trip prices to Dubai starting at $1,130 for economy class, $6,550 for business class, and $10,000 for first class, which includes a lounge and two shower spas.

Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal are the only airports in Canada that have made the necessary adaptation to handle the world’s largest aircraft’s passenger configuration and wide wingspan.