spacetoday.net: Company plans zero-g airplane flights in US

Posted: Wed, Oct 16, 2002, 7:47 AM ET (1147 GMT)
Zero Gravity Corp. 727 (Zero-G)

A US company announced Monday that it has received FAA approval to conduct zero-g parabolic flights. Zero Gravity Corporation (Zero-G) said that the FAA will permit the company to carry out parabolic flights using a Boeing 727 jetliner, although the company still needs to receive final approval from the appropriate FAA district office. Zero-G plans to start offering parabolic flights in the US next year, using an aircraft that will be converted between daytime parabolic flights and nighttime cargo flights. The parabolic flights, similar to those conducted by NASA's KC-135 "Vomit Comet" and Russian Il-76 aircraft, will fly between 20-60 parabolas, each providing 25-30 seconds of weightlessness. The company leased a 727 in January 2000 for FAA flight testing, and filmed scenes for an unnamed Hollywood film during those tests. The cost of the flights, which will be offered from several locations in the US, was not disclosed, but may be significantly less than the $5,400 currently charged by Space Adventures for Russian zero-g flights.