Virgin America, VH1 Take Flight With On-Demand Music Video

Airline Virgin America and music video channel VH1 say that they have partnered to offer the first domestic, on-demand music video library on the next generation carrier's New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC, and Las Vegas routes.

The Virgin America-VH1 music video library, available on the Red inflight entertainment system, includes videos from the most popular artists and genres featured on VH1 networks,
including Maroon 5, Shakira, John Legend, Lily Allen, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado, Mika and others.

The inflight music library is expected to expand to up to 50 music videos, including erformances featured on VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul networks. Soon Virgin travelers will also be able to make music video playlists and preferences inflight through Virgin America's Red inflight entertainment system, Virgin says.

All music videos are free of charge to every guest on every Virgin America flight, the airline adds.

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Researchers Team with Airline to Pinpoint Turbulence in Clouds;

A new turbulence detection system now being tested is alerting pilots to patches of rough air as they fly through clouds. The system, designed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and tested by United Airlines on commercial flights, is designed to better protect passengers from injuries caused by turbulence while reducing flight delays and lowering aviation costs.

The new system uses a mathematical method developed by NCAR scientists, known as the NEXRAD Turbulence Detection Algorithm, or NTDA, to analyze data obtained from the National Weather Service's network of Next-Generation (NEXRAD) Doppler radars. The resulting real-time snapshot of turbulence can be transmitted to pilots in the cockpit and made available to airline meteorologists and dispatchers via a Web-based display.

The research is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in partnership with the National Science Foundation, NCAR's primary sponsor.

"Pinpointing turbulence in clouds and thunderstorms is a major scientific challenge," says NCAR scientist John Williams. "Our goal is to use these radar measurements to create a three-dimensional mosaic showing turbulence across the country that can help pilots avoid hazardous areas, or at least give them enough warning to turn on the 'fasten seat belt' sign."

The NTDA is being tested until October by a group of United Airlines pilots who fly routes east of the Rockies. The pilots, who receive information in their cockpits about turbulence detected ahead, report that the system provides them with accurate information about turbulence that is not available from any other source.

"The messages I've received in the cockpit gave a very accurate picture of turbulence location and intensity," says Captain Rocky Stone, chief technical pilot for United Airlines. "The depiction of turbulence intensity provides an unprecedented and extremely valuable new tool for pilot situational awareness."

Depending on the results of this year's tests, the next step may be to expand the system to additional United aircraft or other airlines. Williams anticipates that, by 2011, the NTDA will provide input to a system over the contiguous United States that will update comprehensive turbulence "nowcasts" for pilots and air traffic managers every 15 minutes.

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Real Help From Real Travelers

Are you tired of useless travel help from the so-called experts. Are the travel books on your shelves just woefully out of date?

Thanks to the Internet and Real Travel, now you can get actual, practical and hands-on information on the destinations you've wanted to visit.

Real Travel is a travel guide with a difference. You connect with real travelers just like yourselves. Folks like the Hallgrens are blogging from the Galapagos Islands and Ralph and Pat are in Santa Fe. They give you the lowdown you need -- real information on the hotels you'd be staying at and the restaurants you'd be visiting.

Meanwhile, Real Travel also lets you peak at real travelers' travel plans. Right now, for instance, you can see Toni and Dwayne's Europe itinerary and many more.

Also, you take what you learn on Real Travel and use it right away because Real Travel will also book your hotel, flight, and car right on on their site, too.

Real Travel is the travel site for the rest of us.

This post sponsored by your friends at Real Travel.

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