My name is Ian Kluft
I live in San Jose (Silicon Valley), California
I'm a Software Engineer and a Commercial Pilot / Flight Instructor.
I participate in Open Source software development.
My Amateur Radio callsign is KO6YQ. I'm a volunteer for my local emergency services.
Tue, 02 Mar 2010Reminder: paper pilot certificates no longer valid after March 31Pilots: if you're still using a paper pilot certificate, time is running out to replace it with a plastic certificate so you can keep using it. See my entry on my PilotQuest blog, "Reminder: paper pilot certificates no longer valid after March 31".Thu, 11 Feb 2010New FAA instrument flight procedures published todayIt's another 56-day cycle of FAA instrument procedures. More airports are getting LPV instrument approaches. The lucky one in California this time is Auburn. I have a summary of what's new in my flying and flight instruction blog at PilotQuest.com.Sun, 08 Nov 2009Masten Space Systems goes to Washington DC for NASA award in Lunar Lander Challenge, Nov 5, 2009
I posted my photos
of the trip with the Masten Space Systems crew to Washington DC for the
NASA and X-Prize Foundation award ceremony at the Capitol
for the Lunar Lander Challenge on Nov 5, 2009.
And I did some sightseeing on Nov 6-8 while I was there.
Fri, 30 Oct 2009Masten Space Systems qualifies for Level 2 of Lunar Lander Challenge, Oct 30, 2009
I posted my photos
of Masten Space Systems' rocket flights qualifying for Level 2 of the
Lunar Lander Challenge in Mojave, California on Oct 30, 2009.
Wed, 07 Oct 2009Masten Space Systems qualifies for Level 1 of Lunar Lander Challenge, Oct 7, 2009
I posted my photos
of Masten Space Systems' rocket flights qualifying for Level 1 of the
Lunar Lander Challenge in Mojave, California on Oct 7, 2009.
Sun, 04 Oct 2009List of planned instrument approaches now updated weeklyI posted an entry on my flight instruction blog, "List of planned instrument approaches now updated weekly". This is a display of the FAA's schedule of new instrument approaches. And now my display of the data has been expanded from a statewide list to nationwide.5 year ago: SpaceShipOne won the X-Prize
I was there among the tens of thousands of spectators on Oct 4, 2004
to see SpaceShipOne win the X-Prize in Mojave for a second manned
space flight in a matter of days.
See my pictures and others' at Stratofox.
Sat, 26 Sep 2009Stratofox remote support for Mars Society TEMPO3 balloon flight, Sept 26, 2009I was one of the Stratofox crew who provided remote assistance from California for the Mars Society's TEMPO3 balloon flight in Colorado on September 26, 2009.Las Vegas photos
I posted
photos from my trip to Las Vegas
to visit family on Sept 23-25, 2009.
Mon, 21 Sep 2009WebFetch 0.13I posted WebFetch 0.13, an update of the feed reading and distributing Perl module. A new feature is the ability to write data to TWiki systems.XML::CAP 0.02 Perl moduleI posted XML::CAP 0.02 an update of the Perl module which handles the XML Common Alerting Protocol (CAP).Sat, 12 Sep 2009Photos of Space Shuttle Discovery landing at Edwards
I posted
my photos of the Space Shuttle Discovery landing at Edwards AFB
on Friday, Sept 11, 2009.
Masten Space Systems rocket lander flight test
I posted (with permission)
photos of Masten Space Systems test flight
of the XA-0.1B rocket lander in preparation for the
Level 1 Lunar Lander Challenge competition flights.
Tour of XCOR Aerospace in Mojave
I posted (with permission)
photos of a tour XCOR Aerospace
on Friday, Sept 11, 2009
including quick looks at the EZ-Rocket, X-Racer and progress on construction
of the Lynx spacecraft.
Flight to Mojave to see the space shuttle landing
I posted
pictures from
the flight to the Mojave Air & Space Port
to see the space shuttle landing on Sept 11, 2009.
Wed, 09 Sep 200910 years ago today: Lightning struck my backyard
10 years ago today,
lightning struck a tree in my backyard.
It was easy to remember the date: 9/9/99.
I posted pictures of the burn marks on a broken branch when it was
later removed, and notes about what I learned about the event.
At least I knew my Ham Radio antennas were properly grounded - since an
antenna taller than the tree was only 15 feet away and was not struck!
The strong line of thunderstorms had gotten the attention of everyone
across the Bay Area. I wasn't the only one with a story like this.
Tue, 01 Sep 2009New instrument approaches planned for CaliforniaI posted a blog entry and a web page with the full list of FAA's planned new instrument approaches for California. Many airports are getting new WAAS LPV approaches with lower minimums, which means they should be useful in more types of weather.Wed, 26 Aug 2009WebFetch 0.12I updated the Perl module WebFetch to version 0.12.Mon, 24 Aug 2009New Perl module XML::CAPI uploaded a new Perl module XML::CAP which handles the XML Common Alerting Protocol (CAP).Tue, 28 Jul 2009Something else Twitter could stand forAs tweeted, something else Twitter could stand for: "Today's Worldwide Internet Trend for Tech Entertainment and Revolution". |
windy day in #Mojave: XCOR's @rclague compared carrying lunch to car w/ food-handling challenges of zero-G #newspace
Wed 10-Mar-2010 15:20:33 PST
NTSB: glass cockpits in General #Aviation aircraft have not led to expected safety improvements http://is.gd/a8Qcv
Wed 10-Mar-2010 09:47:57 PST
new Hollister Air Show on Memorial Day weekend, after Watsonville move to Labor Day weekend http://is.gd/a8zvE #aviation
Wed 10-Mar-2010 08:52:37 PST
50 years ago this Spring, Gene Shoemaker founded Planetary Geology science by proving impact origin of Meteor Crater, AZ
Wed 10-Mar-2010 00:05:44 PST
Twitter has its own URL-shortener now; will be used in DM links to scan for fraud http://is.gd/a5yON (via @chrismessina)
Tue 9-Mar-2010 17:42:14 PST
Students: @mastenspace posted update: Summer intern application deadline is 4/4 http://bit.ly/a1nXrW #Mojave #newspace
Tue 9-Mar-2010 13:32:11 PST
first Boeing 787 flight outside WA went to Victorville CA (SoCal Logistics Airport) today http://is.gd/a4h30 #787FT
Tue 9-Mar-2010 13:07:32 PST
SpaceX F9 test appears to be scrubbed for the day - was surprised by the live video of a test - scrubs happen
Tue 9-Mar-2010 11:18:46 PST
via @SpaceflightNow: waiting to hear if another F9 firing to be attempted today. Some hours available http://is.gd/a3skb
Tue 9-Mar-2010 11:04:58 PST
looked like SpaceX Falcon9 brief rocket ignition followed by small pad fire, quickly went/put out - engineering at work
Tue 9-Mar-2010 10:50:36 PST
SpaceX Falcon9 fueled for 3.5 sec test burn of its 9 rocket engines at 1:30PM ET http://is.gd/a3skb - in 5 minutes
Tue 9-Mar-2010 10:25:24 PST
"NTT docomo is now an OpenID Provider" for ~50% of Japan population http://is.gd/a3zEM #OpenID
Tue 9-Mar-2010 10:23:12 PST
see SpaceX Falcon9 static test firing at Cape Canaveral 1:30PM ET live at http://is.gd/a3skb thx @mattcannella for link
Tue 9-Mar-2010 09:56:12 PST
Snow on Tehachapi - XCOR and @MastenSpace tweets say some can't make it to #Mojave (yet) this morning
Tue 9-Mar-2010 09:17:30 PST
♺ @fedora_linux: Fedora 13 "Goddard" Alpha release is available! http://ow.ly/1g76f More on features: http://ow.ly/1g7lh
Tue 9-Mar-2010 09:16:23 PST
San Jose city press release: "PodCar City" (Personal Rapid Transit) technology show Oct 27-29 http://is.gd/a0aib #PRT
Mon 8-Mar-2010 18:44:58 PST
that's @milesobrien's show: ♺ @robinsnelson: let's all subscribe to This Week In Space! http://spaceflightnow.com/twis/
Mon 8-Mar-2010 00:51:05 PST
♺ @AeroNews: DC Airspace Violation Gets F-16 Response http://tinyurl.com/ydnt2he #aviation
Sun 7-Mar-2010 21:25:09 PST
♺ @AeroNews: NTSB Chairman Warns Of Dangers From Fatigue http://tinyurl.com/ydmoxep #aviation
Sun 7-Mar-2010 01:21:04 PST
City of SJ offering "San Jose Prepared" class in May, $50 materials, 20hrs over 6 sessions http://is.gd/9MAwV #cert
Fri 5-Mar-2010 15:57:19 PST
♺ @rocketshadow: Plane Crazy @ #Mojave, 20 March, 10am to 2pm. If you like Klingons, I strongly suggest you attend
Fri 5-Mar-2010 14:37:57 PST
After JFK kid incident: pilots, student pilots and flight instructors can no longer get tours of ATC facilities #FAAfail
Fri 5-Mar-2010 10:14:27 PST
youtube video of @MastenSpace disassembling Xoie rocket for rebuild w/ aeroshell http://is.gd/9J8wB #newspace #Mojave
Thu 4-Mar-2010 21:48:23 PST
OK, I'll confess I tried to time last tweet to be Twitter's 10-billionth. Missed it by 283, awfully close #twit10B :-)
Thu 4-Mar-2010 17:00:19 PST
Buzz Aldrin: "Mars Is Within Our Reach -- Here's How" (op-ed at AOL News) http://is.gd/9IbW7 #newspace
Thu 4-Mar-2010 16:54:12 PST
NSF: "Revisiting Chicxulub" #asteroid impact confirmed as dinosaur-killer http://is.gd/9I7bQ
Thu 4-Mar-2010 16:36:42 PST
Reuters: #TiVo wins ruling in EchoStar case http://is.gd/9I2cv #tech
Thu 4-Mar-2010 15:36:16 PST
#Linux 2.6.33 changes outlined, lots for mobile devices, via @linuxfoundation http://is.gd/9Hpcs #opensource
Thu 4-Mar-2010 12:22:32 PST
NASA JSC scientist @rikerjoe blog on meeting @MastenSpace crew: "Dream It. Plan It. Do It." http://is.gd/9FjY4 #newspace
Thu 4-Mar-2010 02:29:30 PST
♺ @AeroNews: Hawaiian aviation businesses seek reimbursement for Obama visit http://is.gd/9EHQN #aviation
Wed 3-Mar-2010 22:32:39 PST
JFK Tower Controller caught letting his kid transmit clearances to airliners, Fox25 Boston: http://is.gd/9C0oZ #aviation
Wed 3-Mar-2010 08:32:45 PST