A very exciting thing happened this week…

Our company http://beta.team successfully flew one of our electric Alia aircraft from Plattsburgh NY to Bentonville , Arkansas last week. The flight was made in 7 hops each of about 200 miles.. The plane recharged from a truck that was following along on the ground. As far as I know it’s the longest all electric trip of an aircraft of our size and weight. .. The plane performed beautifully  and was piloted alternately by my friends Lochie and Arlo .

I’m only able to talk about it now that its been publicly disclosed. (see this story in Popular Science today  and this short video about the trip )

My friend Kyle (our CEO) flew down to be there for the last leg . He took a samstone for us to be aboard  for this historic flight.   Lochie was piloting and he sent me these pictures of his Samstone above Arkansas and in the hanger in Bentonville.

Here’s a video from the cockpit

Whats so cool about having a samstone on board  is that in addition to doing freight logistics for some of the worlds biggest shippers, one of Beta’s primary missions is to deliver genetically engineered organs  for transplantation. Sam was an organ donor and anyone who’s ever been involved in human organ transplantation knows just how  hard it is to match donors and receivers. There just aren’t enough organs to go around. One of Beta’s  first and principle investors is Martine Rotheblatt . Martine is an amazing inventor and visionary. She formed United Therapeutics.

to engineer live saving therapy for her daughter who had a rare disease. Since that time UT has pioneered many lifesaving therapies  including human lung rehabilitation for transplant and the creation of genetically engineered animal organs that are designed to be suitable for human transplantation  (eg see here)

Congratulations and thanks to all the folks at Beta who made this possible.. and huge thanks   to Lochie , Kyle for taking Sam along for the ride !

nite all, nite sam

-me

I may,… It was downright cold today… In the 50s and rainy . I worked at home as I’m trying to do on Wednesdays. It was incredibly busy and productive day… Just not much noteworthy to talk about.

Sometimes it’s really nice to have a completely indoor day

nite all, nite sam

-me

Hmm.. what happened today.. My friend Aaron’s Corn snake ( I think) clementine molted.. Here she is modeling her new skin with our friend Issa

I’m sure soemethign else happened today. .I just can remember what  🙂

nite all, nite sam

-me

It was nice having a real day off..
I spent some time thinking about the real meaning of Memorial Day..   I personally only know a few folks who died in the military.. Adam Mueller down the street who died in Afghanistan, My 3rd cousin who died iwhiel serving in the Israeli Army.. and .. by story only, my friend Aarons friend who died after serving in Afghanistan  with Aaron.. That’s the guy he was Abel to say good uy to finally while visiting the temple at burning man

War seem s so senseless.. even so .. I hook the folks on all sides who chose.. or didn’t choose to serve.

Anyone who has lost someone close knows how precious life is.. I believe if everyone truly understood that. wars would stop…

but it probably will need happen that everyone has that awareness at the same time..

if only it could happen.

I spent it wrestling with replacing a pipe joint that had been leaking inside of a walled off part of our house for who know how long. I had to vut into the wall to find it.. and I’m glad I did.. it had been soaking an inaccessible part of the floor for months ? years ?

it wasn’t an easy place to do the repair.. but its done  now

We took a post sunset walk down by the river… nice
teh Dame rockets are startign to bllom.. smell so great ! Ahhh home !

nite all. nite sam

-me