The top 5 aviation movies have been voted by over 10,000 visitors of AirVenture.

Here are aviation movies that made it to the Top 5:
1. Top Gun [1986]
2. Twelve O’Clock High [1949]
3. Memphis Belle [1990]
4. Battle of Britain [1969]
5. Spirit of St. Louis [1957]

The champion is “Top Gun,” the 1986 blockbuster that starred Tom Cruise (an EAA member), Kelly McGillis, Tom Skerritt, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards and several other stars in a drama based at the U.S. Navy’s “Top Gun” fighter training school. The movie which was the biggest grossing film in the U.S. that year, will be shown during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007 at the event’s Fly-In Theater, presented by Ford Motor Company and Eclipse Aviation.

The finalists were the 10 most-nominated films by EAA members earlier this year, who submitted more than 140 aviation movies. Others in the final poll included “Battle of Britain” (1969) with 11.8 percent; “Spirit of St. Louis” (1957) and “The Great Waldo Pepper” (1975), each with 8.6 percent; “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” (1965) 7.1 percent; “The Flight of the Phoenix” (1965) 5.2 percent; and “The High and the Mighty” (1954) with 4.0 percent.

On April 1st, Russian air company Ural Airlines unveiled a new subclass especially for newlyweds, called the love class.

The love class area on the plane is separated from the business and economy classes. It is equipped with special seats that have a bigger inclination angle than standard passenger seats. Couples will also have a personal steward that can be notified with a call button. Love class passengers are allowed to take 30% more liquids on board the plane in their hand luggage.

Tickets for the love class can be purchased only if a couple holds a certificate of marriage registration, and can be returned if a bill of divorce is presented.

March is Women’s History Month, and during this time of the year, the contributions of women to events in history are highlighted. On March 28, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Sailors gathered at Huntington Hall in Newport News to honor women’s heritage and history.

The celebration in honor of female service members was organized and facilitated by a group of volunteer Sailors from the ship’s American Heritage Observance Committee (AHOC). The committee promotes diversity and American heritage activities for crew members stationed on board the USS Carl Vinson.

The observance highlighted the significant contributions women have made as members of the Armed Forces, as well as to the nation. AHOC committee members also displayed uniforms worn by female Sailors through the years while reciting milestones and advances in women’s history.

Lynn Ruehlmann, an actress who creates and performs her own storytelling programs, was guest speaker. Said Ruehlmann, “I really enjoyed participating in the ceremony today. It’s wonderful to see the Navy honoring women like they are doing now. Women’s history is important. Unless you know where you’ve been, you don’t know where you want to go. It’s all about opportunity, education, and respect.”

Many crew members stated that the celebration helped them better appreciate the broadened opportunities available today for women serving in the military.

Yeoman 2nd Class (SW) Tina Johnson said, “Today, women can do pretty much every job in the Navy across the board. When we highlight women’s history, we learn how important these advances are for our Navy and our country.”

Two British Marines were killed in a blast stuck a NATO patrol in southern Afghanistan last Sunday. The said soldiers were members of the Royal Marines 40 Commando and were on patrol that day when their vehicle was “caught in an explosion,” the Ministry of Defense said Monday. The explosion happened near Kajiki in the southern Helmand province, a region of high poppy production and frequent clashes between NATO soldiers and a resurgent Taliban.

NATO reported that the troops were airlifted to a military hospital after they were caught in the explosion during a routine patrol Sunday in the volatile southern part of the country where Taliban fighters are active. Both died at the hospital of their injuries.

Lt. Col. Simon Millar, a spokesman for the force, said both soldiers were British and that their families had been informed of their deaths.