Looking back on the things that happened in the world of aviation during the past year, it's hard to believe many of them actually occurred. My solemn promise to you, gentle reader, is that you won't have that problem with this blog post. I can officially state right here and now that most of what you are about to read did not happen.Or did it?Theoretical physicists tell us that time does not really travel as a straight line and neither will my review of this year. Specific dates mean nothing to me. Just ask my wife on our wedding anniversary. If you want dates and times, refer to a calendar or ask your spouse. If you want to know what went on behind the scenes of aviation this past year, keep reading.NASA completed its final Space Shuttle mission this year and the thirty-something year old spacecraft will fly in low-earth orbit no more. Some of them will be sent to museums, others will be fashioned into wind-tees for uncontrolled airports, and the remaining shuttles will be donated to charity, garnering NASA a huge tax write-off.Yes, NASA did try to sell the used shuttles, but after three months on Craigslist there was nary a nibble, so they had to donate them. They were just rusting and cluttering up the back yard in Houston and something had to be done before the neighborhood association caught on.Manned space travel is not over for our intrepid space explorers. NASA plans to buy rides for its astronauts on launch vehicles leased from Vietnam, North Korea, Russia, Freedonia and Walmart. Should there happen to be an emergency at the International Space Station requiring a rescue, NASA assures us that they have been in contact with THUNDERBIRDS and that they are GO!The Sun 'N Fun Fly-In was made much more exciting this past year by an awesome high speed fly-by executed by Mothra, the famous Japanese super windshield smudge and movie star. The winds resulting from Mothra's low pass were mistaken by some to be a tornado. Fortunately, all damages were covered by the Kyoto treaty of 1999 and reimbursement checks will be on the way soon from Japan unless they suffer a horrible Tsunami.This summer, NBC, CBS, ABC, Entertainment Tonight, the E-Channel and other major media networks were shocked to learn that flying highly modified, powerful, 66-year old war birds that were initially manufactured by people considered unfit for the military draft by 1940s medical standards can be dangerous.Reno air racing pilots and fans have known the risk and done it anyway for decades because they are Americans who knew the risks and love it. Let's all hope they keep racing and don't let anybody shut them down.Also during this past summer, the EAA explained the reason that they call their yearly Oshkosh fly-in "Airventure" instead of the more logical, less ridiculous and more easily spelled and understood "Air Adventure." EAA talking-heads cited the poor economy along with their aging and dwindling membership saying they: "just could not afford to buy a vowel."In other EAA news from the past year it was announced that Burt Rutan has finally perfected the positronic robotic artificial brain (made from composites!). His "Rutanbot" located in the EAA's main office has been activated and closely adheres to the three laws of Rutan Robotics:
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/insider/2011-year-in-review