The 23-foot-long plane, called the Spirit of Innovation, is designed to be an electric speed demon. Rolls-Royce, the company that makes it, plans to fly the machine faster than 300 mph before the year is out, and smash a speed record for electric aircraft in the process if it can do so. 

Now the guts of the airplane include a three-battery system that’s made up of more than 6,000 cylindrical cells. Each battery powers one electric motor. All told, the three batteries and three electric motors work together to power the propeller in the front, which actually spins a little bit slower than it would if it was powered by a regular engine. The three batteries, plus the three motors, represent three independent systems. 

On its first flight, it hit an indicated airspeed of about 210 miles per hour.

The Airbus A380 has officially found a new lease on life as an ultra-luxurious private jet.

Sparfell and Partners announced at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition that it will offer second-hand Airbus superjumbos for sale as head-of-state aircraft. The Geneva-based firm also announced that it will work with London's Winch Design to create the A380 private jet's opulent interior.

While Sparfell did confirm that the A380s it has been tasked with selling are used, they declined to disclose the source for these aircraft. According to Flight Global, Sparfell's superjumbos are believed to be the four early-build A380s coming off lease from Singapore Airlines. Although the cost of the conversion is not revealed, a company representative said that the converted A380s will cost less than a comparable new Ultra VIP transport.

The announcement represents the beginning of a new phase in life for the iconic aircraft. In fact, with the earliest production A380s expected to enter the second-hand market over the next few years, the ultra-lux executive jet market may be a viable channel for these planes. Until now, most industry observers have looked towards high-density, low-cost, long-haul carriers or bargain-hunting mainline carriers as potential second-hand customers.

The A380 as a VIP transport is not a new idea. However, there have been few willing to take on the world's largest airliner as a private jet. In 2007, Saudi Arabia Prince did place an order for such an aircraft. However, the proposed aircraft never came to fruition and the order was eventually stricken from the Airbus order book

Whether you are a pilot, a hiker, a beachcomber or just interested in random facts, there is a location on the Olympic Peninsula that offers something not found anywhere else in America. It isn’t the Hoh Rainforest, the Killer Mountain Goats or the lifetime of memories. It also isn’t the Bigfoot tours or the amazing trails that are all over. No, the Olympic Peninsula offers the last of the airports that consist of nothing more than the sand on the beach.

The city of Copalis, Washington is home to some of the strangest beach dwellers known to man, as well as an airport that exists that is one of the most unique in the world. The airport, which is really just a section of beach along the Pacific Ocean, limits your landings to low tide and pilots have to be aware of everything from cars and people to driftwood. The airport is also legally in the boundary of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, which limits flights below 2000 feet. However, since this is an airstrip, they allow the pilot to take a quick pass over the beach to check for debris, cars people and sand conditions before they land. Pilots are encouraged to land on dark color sand, as it is usually more compact and easy to land on, as opposed to the loose white sand. Finally, once you have landed, you are to make sure you park your plane above the high tide mark, otherwise, you may not have a plane when you want to depart.

Obviously this area is limited to flights, but with new weather apparatus, as well as more visible markers for where your plane could land, this would make for an amazingly unique place to stay while touring the Olympic Peninsula