The HBO Original four-part docuseries BRANSON, directed by Chris Smith (HBO’s “100 Foot Wave”), debuts THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes will debut at the same time on subsequent Thursdays.

Synopsis: Sixteen days before Richard Branson is scheduled to make a potentially historic flight as the first passenger to reach space in his own spacecraft in July 2021, the billionaire entrepreneur sits down for a conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith, in light of the risk that lies ahead. Smith ultimately takes us on an expansive and intimate 70-year journey, from Branson’s upbringing as the son of a spirited, tough-love mother in Britain, to his pursuits of extreme, personal daredevilry that serve both to grow his businesses’ brands and feed his insatiable, lifelong thirst for high-stakes adventure. With added insight from family members, business associates, and journalists, and illustrated by decades of archival and home video footage, BRANSON reveals the ups and downs of a man driven by risk taking in both his business and personal life, reflecting on the costs and rewards of his lifelong, relentless optimism and boundary-pushing.

After dropping out of school where he struggled with dyslexia, Branson began his entrepreneurial career as a 15-year-old publisher of a student magazine and went on to become a millionaire by the age of 22 with the booming success of Virgin Records. His launch of the airline Virgin Atlantic soon followed, along with a myriad of other Virgin branded businesses with varying levels of success, culminating in the launch of Virgin Galactic, his commercial spaceflight company in 2004. His record-breaking, transoceanic boat and balloon challenges, and now his crusade to bring customers to space, have all been positioned by Branson with the Virgin brand front and center. Branson remains a complex figure, committed to both philanthropic initiatives and his own bottom line.

Participants: Alongside exclusive interviews with Branson himself, the series features his colleagues and employees, as well as insights from both business journalists and industry experts. Also included are intimate interviews with his family, including revealing excerpts from conversations with Joan, his wife of 33 years, his sisters, his daughter Holly and son Sam, and an extensive personal archive of his late mother Eve, whose lively presence in Branson’s life continues to loom large.

Episode Descriptions
Episode 1:“Words and Music”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The series premiere explores Branson’s early years and the influence of his iconoclastic mother. As a dyslexic teenager, he leaves school at age 15 to create a magazine called Student, leading to a mail-order record business and eventually Virgin Records and Virgin megastores.

Episode 2: ”Atlantic“
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The episode tracks the launch of Virgin Atlantic and Branson’s efforts to attract media attention to his brand, including an attempt to break the trans-Atlantic speed record in a boat, and his death-defying balloon adventure across the Atlantic in 1986.

Episode 3: “Fight or Flight”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The episode chronicles Virgin Atlantic’s battle with British Airways, ending in a libel suit win for Branson. From outsider to wealthy capitalist, Branson continues to push for world records and promotional attention for his company, setting off on a nail-biting Pacific Ocean balloon voyage. He announces plans to develop a spaceflight company to take commercial passengers into space, beginning a decade long pursuit.

Episode 4: “Space”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 (10:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
The series finale tracks the arduous history of Virgin Galactic, from conception to test flights, and the controversial bid from Virgin Atlantic to obtain government support for the airline during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the first passenger flight of Virgin Galactic approaches, Branson defends the benefits of privately funded space exploration and the paradoxes around Virgin’s eco-messaging. Set for July 11, 2021, the launch day follows 17 years of research, testing, accidents, and setbacks, culminating in a successful flight in which Branson realizes his ultimate dream.

Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents BRANSON. Directed by Chris Smith; executive produced by Kate Noble. For HBO: executive producers Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, senior producer Tina Nguyen.

#branson #hbo #words&music #richardbranson #atlantic #fight&flight #space #chrissmith #risk #family #businesslife #personallife #virgin #nancyabraham #lisaheller #tinanguyen #eve #joan #holly #sam

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For some Army Reserve Soldiers, their mission extends beyond land operations. Every day Soldiers take to the skies with careers in aviation and aerial defense. Army Reserve crew members perform a multitude of missions, including transporting troops and personnel, distributing supplies and equipment, directing search and rescue missions, providing combat support, and more in support of the Army’s mission here in the United States and around the world. This National Aviation Week, the Army Reserve commemorates the achievements and innovations of Soldiers in this field.

The Army Reserve has a range of opportunities in the aviation community. Most notably, Army pilots are responsible for flying fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and drones. However, careers in Army aviation also include aviation operations specialist, air traffic control, aircraft electricians, helicopter mechanics, aircraft structural repair, and flight paramedics.

It takes a team of highly specialized professionals to make aviation missions successful. The skills and hands-on training Soldiers gain in an Army aviation and aerial defense career can’t be matched anywhere else. Soldiers help defend the nation from above, while also exploring the skies and working with some of the most advanced machines in the world.

Join U.S. Army Reserve Command Aviation Directorate, Fixed Wing Division Chief, Lieutenant Colonel Amy Buck as she discusses the importance of celebrating National Aviation Week and the unique opportunities the Army Reserve offers to Soldiers serving in the aviation community.

#armyreserve #aviation #soldiersserving #mission #pilots #helicopters #drones #aircraft #chief #lieutenant #colonel #amybuck #flight #paramedics #mechanics #electricians #control #army

The post CELEBRATING NATIONAL AVIATION WEEK WITH THE U.S. ARMY RESERVEHailing The Accomplishments and Contributions of Soldiers Serving in the Aviation Community appeared first on Good News!.

Smart answer by a female passenger on a flight…

A guy asked a beautiful lady sitting next to him…
‘Nice perfume…..which one is it?…? I want to give it to my wife..!!’
Lady: ‘Don’t give her….some idiot will find an excuse to talk to her..!!’
???

A letter from a teacher to a parent:
Dear Parent, Edward doesn’t smell nice in class. Please try to bathe him.

Parent’s answer:
Dear Teacher, Edward is not a rose, Don’t smell him, Teach him ……
????

Mother to Son: Who is Sultan Aziz?
Son: Don’t know ?
Mother: Devote some time to pay attention to study also
Son to Mother: Do you know Aunty Jennifer?
Mother: Don’t know
Son: Sometimes pay attention to Daddy also ???

A cute excuse:
Teacher: Why are you late?
Student: Mom & dad were fighting.
Teacher: So what makes you late if they were fighting?
Student: One of my shoes was in mom’s hand, and the other in dad’s…
????

Wife: I hate that beggar.
Husband: Why?
Wife: Rascal, yesterday I gave him food. Today he gave me a book on
“How to Cook !!!
??????

Husband came home drunk. To avoid wife’s scolding, he took a laptop & started working.
Wife: Did u drink?????
Husband: no!
Wife: Idiot!!! then why are you typing on a suitcase?!!!
?????

Don’t laugh alone.
Pass it on ???

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White Plains, NY, April 15, 2016 — ? Last night, a beautiful, energetic eighteen-month cancer patient, by the name of Baron Yerby, flew home to Atlanta after receiving treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. However, this flight was quite different than others he?s taken. Instead of flying on a crowded commercial plane with the potential for immune deficiency issues, he and his parents flew on a corporate jet, belonging to NCR, a Fortune 500 Company headquartered in Atlanta. And the flight was free of charge, arranged by Corporate Angel Network, (www.corpangelnetwork.org) the only charitable organization in the United States whose sole mission is to help cancer patients access the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer by arranging free travel in the empty seats of corporate jets. It?s also their 50,000th patient flight.

When Baron was three months old, his parents, Jonathan, a college professor, and Casey, a social worker, became concerned about an odd glow in his right eye. He was soon diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer. The tumor in his right eye was huge and there were smaller tumors in the left eye. After receiving chemo in Atlanta, all seemed to be going well, but 30 new tumors suddenly appeared in Baron?s left eye. The family was told that all treatment options had been exhausted – except for one that was performed only at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC. The procedure directs a high dose of chemo right to the eye tumor by going up through Baron?s groin and prevents the effects of systemic chemo. He has already lost sight in his right eye but currently the tumors have stopped growing. However, due to his age and his high risk of reoccurrence, trips to New York will go on for the foreseeable future. The Yerbys discovered Corporate Angel Network through a social media community of parents facing similar diseases. These flights greatly reduce their emotional stress and enable patients to avoid crowded, germ-laden airports and planes.

?When we first heard about Corporate Angel Network, it seemed too good to be true, but it was true,? said Jonathan Yerby. ?From the moment we got on the plane, to the moment we arrived at the hangar, the hospitality was unreal. The pilots were fantastic. This flight took away so much of our stress and it was also much easier for Baron, who tends to squirm and get feisty when we fly commercial, because he?s sitting on our laps and can?t move around. We are very grateful for the opportunity to fly with Corporate Angel Network. We felt so cared for.?

NCR, the corporation that?s providing the jet for Baron?s flight, is an Atlanta based global tech company that?s been working with Corporate Angel Network for several years. ?Giving back to communities in which we operate is interwoven in the fabric of NCR?s 132-year, rich history,? said Andrea Ledford, Executive Vice President, Chief Administration Office, and Chief Human Resources Officer for NCR. ?In keeping with our mission and shared values as a corporation, we started working with Corporate Angel Network in 2010. We are honored to be a part of this historic milestone flight and more importantly, our prayers and well wishes are with Baron and his parents.? Over 500 well-known corporations participate in Corporate Angel Network?s program, including half of the Fortune 100 and many in the Fortune 500. .

Corporate Angel Network began in 1981, when three people shared the dream of using empty seats on corporate aircraft to transport cancer patients to treatment centers nationwide. Leonard M. Greene, founder and president of Safe Flight Instrument Corporation, Priscilla H. Blum, a licensed commercial pilot, and Jay N. Weinberg, then owner of Mt. Vernon, NY Avis Car Rental franchise together developed the idea of asking corporations to accept these patients a guest passengers. On December 22, 1981, Greene, a pilot, personally flew the fist Corporate Angel Network flight, bringing a patient home to Detroit for Christmas from treatment in New York City. From that day forward, Corporate Angel Network literally soared.

?We hope that by commemorating our 50,000th flight, we can bring renewed attention to our organization,? said Executive Director Emeritus of Corporate Angel Network, Peter H. Fleiss. ?Our goal is to let cancer patients know that they have an option to travel to the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer while at the same time, making their lives, and the lives of their families, considerably less stressful during a very difficult time. In addition, we hope to bring new corporate partners into the fold to expand our ability to help more people.? For their work, Corporate Angel Network has received numerous awards in recognition of its service to cancer patients, including the highest volunteer award from the President of the United States, The Volunteer Action Award.

Corporate Angel Network is based in White Plains, NY with a staff of 30 part-time volunteers and a paid staff of six. Together, they work with patients, physicians, corporate flight departments and leading treatment centers to arrange more than 2,500 patient flights per year. Patients must register with Corporate Angel Network within three weeks of an appointment with, or discharge from, their cancer treatment center. Corporate Angel Network will check with the physician to confirm that the patient is well enough to fly and will then begin looking for a corporate flight matching the patient?s requested travel route. To fly with Corporate Angel Network, patients must be able to walk unassisted up aircraft stairs and sit during the flight and must not be in need of oxygen, IV or onboard medical assistance. Patients may travel with an adult companion and a child may travel with two adults.

Media Contact:
Mona Finston
mfinstonpr@earthlink.net
646-692-4997646-692-4997

Since its inception in 1981, Corporate Angel Network has been matching patients needing to travel for treatment and corporate participants whose jets are already traveling the desired routes for business. Over 500 well-known corporations participate in Corporate Angel Network?s program, including half of the Fortune 100 and many in the Fortune 500 resulting in more than 225 patient flights every month. Corporate Angel Network is a 501(c) (3) with public charity status as described in the Internal Revenue Service?s IRS sections 509 (a) (1) and 170 (b) (1) (a) (vi) and is supported entirely by contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations.

For more information on Corporate Angel Network go to: www.corpangelnetwork.org or call (914) 328-1313(914) 328-1313

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on 50,000th Corporate Angel Network Patient Flight.  Good News speaks to Peter Fleiss – Corporate Angel Network’s Executive Director Emeritus

On the evening of April 14, 2016, one-year-old cancer patient Baron Yerby will fly home to Atlanta after a treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering.  However, this flight will be quite different than the others he’s taken after treatment. Instead of flying on a crowded commercial plane with the potential for immune deficiency issues, he and his parents will fly in comfort, free of charge, on a corporate jet, belonging to NCR, a Fortune 500 Company headquartered in Atlanta. The flight was arranged by Corporate Angel Network, (www.corpangelnetwork.org <http://www.corpangelnetwork.org>  <http://www.corpangelnetwork.org> ) the only charitable organization in the United States whose sole mission is to help cancer patients access the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer by arranging free travel in the empty seats of corporate jets. It’s also their 50,000th patient flight.

When Baron was three months old, his parents, Jonathan, a college professor, and Casey, a social worker, became concerned about an odd glow in his right eye. He was soon diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer. The tumor in his right eye was huge and there were smaller tumors in the left eye. After receiving chemo in Atlanta, all seemed to be going well, but 30 new tumors suddenly appeared in Baron’s left eye. The family was told that all treatment options had been exhausted – except for one that was performed only at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC.  The procedure directs a high dose of chemo right to the eye tumor by going up through Baron’s groin and prevents the effects of systemic chemo. He has already lost sight in his right eye but currently the tumors have stopped growing. However, due to his age and his high risk of reoccurrence, trips to New York will go on for the foreseeable future. The Yerbys discovered Corporate Angel Network through a social media community of parents facing similar diseases.  These flights greatly reduce their emotional stress and enable patients to avoid crowded, germ-laden airports and planes.

If you'[d like to do a story about Corporate Angel Network please contact  The Yerbys, Peter Fleiss, Executive Director Emeritus of Corporate Angel Network, and Jeff Michael, Director of Aviation of NCR’s Flight Department will be available for interviews at 8:00pm, prior to the 9:22pm flight from Teterboro airport on April 14. (For directions and instructions ? please contact Mona). By commemorating the 50,000th flight, Corporate Angel Network hopes to inform more potential patients and corporations of their important work. Since its inception in 1981, Corporate Angel Network, a 501©(3) organization with Public Charity status, has been matching patients needing to travel for treatment and corporate partners whose jets already travel the desired routes for business. Over 500 well-known corporations participate in Corporate Angel Network’s program, including half of the Fortune 100 and many in the Fortune 500 resulting in more than 225 patient flights every month.

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Good News is proud to cover the ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by a reception at VIP lounge.  The Oasis, to celebrate this important moment with us.

Venue: John F. Kennedy International Airport

Terminal 4

Door 2, Row 2

China Airlines (CAL) is the largest airline in Taiwan and the flag carrier of the Republic of China. Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development. China Aviation Development Foundation is in turn owned by the government of the Republic of China.

The airline, with headquarters in and flight operations from Taoyuan International Airport, flies to destinations in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. China Airlines has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Northeast Asia. The airline started scheduled chartered flights between Taiwan and mainland China on July 2008. Most flights serving this market are concentrated at Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. China Airlines has operated the Hong Kong route since 1967, which is the airline’s most profitable market, generating 13.3% of its NT$121.9 billion (US$3.7 billion) revenue in 2006 with over 140 flights flown a week between Taipei, Kaohsiung and Hong Kong.

China Airlines’ wholly owned subsidiary, Mandarin Airlines, manages regional flights to secondary cities with smaller capacity requirements. China Airlines’ cargo division China Airlines Cargo operates CAL’s dedicated freighter fleet, and manages the cargo-hold capacity in CAL’s passenger aircraft.

Before the Chinese Civil War, there were three airlines operating in the Republic of China. One was Civil Air Transport, founded by General Claire L. Chennault and Whiting Willauer in 1946. The other two were joint ventures by the ROC government with Pan American World Airways and Lufthansa. As a result of the Chinese Civil War, the Communist Party of China took control of mainland China, and only Civil Air Transport moved along with the Kuomintang (KMT)-controlled ROC government to Taiwan.

With a fleet of two PBY Amphibians, China Airlines was established on December 16, 1959, with its shares completely held by the Republic of China government[citation needed]. It was founded by a retired air force officer[citation needed] and initially concentrated on charter flights. During the 1960s, China Airlines was able to establish its first scheduled routes. In October 1962, a flight from Taipei to Hualien became the airline’s first domestic service. Growth continued and on December 1, 1966, Saigon, South Vietnam (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) became the airline’s first international destination.  Trans-Pacific flights to San Francisco were initiated on February 2, 1970.[citation needed]

The China Airlines Taipei Branch Office and the former China Airlines headquarters in Songshan District, Taipei

The next 20 years saw sporadic but far-reaching growth for the company. Routes were opened to Los Angeles, New York, Honolulu, Dhahran and Johannesburg, among others (China Airline’s first European destination was Amsterdam). Jets were acquired, and China Airlines employed such planes as the Boeing 747 in its fleet. Later, the airline inaugurated its own round-the-world flight: (Taipei-Anchorage-New York-Amsterdam-Dubai-Taipei).[citation needed] 1993 saw China Airlines listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

Change of logo and livery

As the flag carrier for the Republic of China, China Airlines has been affected by disputes over the political status of Taiwan, and under pressure from the People’s Republic of China was barred from flying into a number of countries maintaining diplomatic relations with the PRC. As a result, in the mid-1990s, China Airlines subsidiary Mandarin Airlines took over some of its Sydney and Vancouver international routes. Partly as a way to avoid the international controversy, in 1995 China Airlines unveiled its “plum blossom” logo, replacing the national flag, which had previously appeared on the tail fins (empennage), and the aircraft livery from the red-white-blue national colors on the fuselage of its aircraft.[citation needed] Plum blossom (Prunus mume) is the National Flower of the Republic of China.

Throughout the 1990s, the airline employed many ex-ROC Air Force pilots. Due to the company’s poor safety record in the 1990s, China Airlines began to change its pilot recruitment practices and the company began to actively recruit civilian-trained pilots with proven track records. In addition, the company began recruiting university graduates as trainees in its own pilot training program. The company also modified its maintenance and operational procedures. These decisions were instrumental in the company’s improved safety record, culminating in the company’s recognition by the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

In late 2004, President Chen Shui-bian proposed the renaming of all state-owned enterprises bearing the name “China” to “Taiwan.” This was opposed by the Pan-blue coalition, the opposition parties in the ROC legislature. The airline also voiced concern over its international operations, codeshare agreements and other commercial contracts. The issue was dropped after the 2004 Legislative Yuan election when the pro-Chen Pan-Green Coalition failed to win a majority. In 2007, however, the issue resurfaced with the renaming of several state-owned companies such as Chunghwa Post, whose name was changed to Taiwan Post (a name that was reverted again to Chunghwa Post when the KMT won both the presidential and legislative 2008 elections) and CPC Corporation.

Our strategic target is to continuously strengthen profitability and boost our competitiveness among international carriers.

―Philip Wei (魏幸雄 Wèi Xìngxióng), Former Chairman of China Airlines

SkyTeam

China Airlines signed an agreement to begin the process of joining the SkyTeam airline alliance on September 14, 2010 and officially became a full member on September 28, 2011. This was marked by an update to the logo of the airline and the typeface in which “China Airlines” is printed.

The float built by China Airlines won the International Trophy in the Rose Parade in California on January 2, 2011 for the 20th time in a row.

China Airlines changed their Taipei-New York stopover from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to Kansai Airport, ending Anchorage’s only non-seasonal international passenger flight after 28 years, on April 28, 2011.

Japanese Government awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to China Airlines for its post-quake efforts.

China Airlines announced the intention of bringing the fleet from 68 now to 100+ within at most 10 years. With the orders of the Airbus A350s (14 orders and 6 options), China Airlines recently announced the intention of leasing more Airbus A330s or narrow-body aircraft in order to meet the increasing demands of regional routes and cross-strait routes. China Airlines also announced that the decision of the long-haul fleet plan will be announced by the end of 2012 the latest.

China Airlines’ original livery prior to 1995 was a livery with the Republic of China Flag printed on the tail. It changed its livery since the Chinese mainland government prohibits any aircraft flying with the Republic of China Flag printed on the plane to land in the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau and pressured other countries to do so too. Under political pressure, China Airlines changed its livery to the livery now.

China Airlines has had many uniforms since its 1959. China Airlines’ present uniform was changed in 2007 to celebrate its 47th anniversary.

China Airlines has used different slogans throughout its operational history. In 2006, a second slogan was introduced to complement the new uniforms and to celebrate the 47th anniversary. China Airlines’ slogans have been as follows:

“We treasure every encounter” (1987?C1995)

“We blossom everyday” (1995?C2006)

“Journey with a caring smile” (2006?Cpresent)

Further information: China Airlines destinations

Most of China Airlines’ flights originate out of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, its main hub near Taipei, Taiwan. At Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, China Airlines’ flight operations are in Terminal 1 and 2. China Airlines’ regional flights are mainly concentrated in Terminal 1. Its long-haul flights, especially American, European, and Australian, are mainly concentrated in Terminal 2. Additionally, China Airlines and its domestic subsidiary Mandarin Airlines operate numerous flights out of Kaohsiung International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport. China Airlines’ focus cities outside Taiwan are mainly Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, Hong Kong’s Hong Kong International Airport, and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport.

Through the mid 2000s, China Airlines’ route network was affected by the political status of Taiwan, which has historically limited access for Taiwanese airlines to Europe and certain Asian countries. Because Taiwanese carriers did not have direct access to China, China Airlines used Hong Kong as its interline destination. China Airlines started to operate regular charter flights to China in 2008. The airline began regularly scheduled, direct cross-strait operations in December 2008, following the restoration of direct travel links.

China Airlines now serves 98 destinations in 29 countries and territories (including cargo) on four continents, with a well-developed Asian network.

Codeshare agreements

China Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines: (* denotes as Skyteam members and or affiliates)

Alitalia *

China Eastern Airlines *

China Southern Airlines *

Czech Airlines *

Delta Air Lines *

Garuda Indonesia (future SkyTeam member)

Japan Airlines (Oneworld)

KLM *

Korean Air *

Shanghai Airlines *

Thai Airways International (Star Alliance)

Vietnam Airlines *

Virgin America *

Xiamen Airlines (future SkyTeam affiliate member)

In addition, China Airlines has a codeshare agreement with Deutsche Bahn.

Interline agreements

China Airlines has interline agreements with the following airlines:

Virgin America

WestJet

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