September 30, 2018 The Boeing 747 turns fifty years-old today. Smithsonian magazine has published an essay of mine about the plane for its “American Icon” feature. You can read it here. It appears in the magazine’s print version as well. The longer, unabridged version is below. FIFTY YEARS AGO, on the last day of September […]

My wife and I have recently returned from our 8th Viking cruise which on this occasion was on the Viking Kadlin sailing along the River Seine between Paris to Normandy… […]

Crowds, Kids, Noise... Has the Premium Class Lounge Lost Its Luster ?

An Open Letter to Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson.

Earlier this year my wife and I visited the Hawaiian Islands while cruising onboard Star Princess…   https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2018/04/01/star-princess-hawaiian-islands-adventure/   The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls […]

The Crash Into Puget Sound and The "Insider Threat." How Easy Is It, Really, to Steal a Plane ?

Donald Trump Wants to Renovate Air Force One. This Can't End Well.

Prior to embarking on a recent cruise from Los Angeles my wife and I chose to spend the previous night on board Queen Mary at Long Beach…   ***** Once […]

Introducing the Second Edition of Cockpit Confidential. Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel. Questions, Answers & Reflections.

Volume Four: Steering, Runway Noises, Cameras, and Everything You Were Afraid to Know About Engine Failures. Plus, How to Navigate Up a Badger's Arse.