DaVinci said it was possible, as have many others since. Now, maybe it’s happening. English movie stuntman Gary Connery recently became the first man to jump out of a helicopter wearing nothing but a reinforced spaceman suit and pair of bat-like wings. It took him nearly a minute to glide the thousand feet safely to earth.

According to news reports, improved versions of his equipment, including a light propulsion engine backpack, are already on the drawing board. Can you imagine the whole lot of shaking going on right now in airline boardrooms?

Once people start flying around independently, will that result in reduced ticket prices to lure them back into cramped five-across seats? What about the airport security fondlers? Will they have to find other outlets for their fun? And what does it mean for air traffic controllers? Will they have to stay awake long enough to act as traffic cops as hordes of people sail by in all directions? Oh, the humanity!

Back a dozen years ago, when airlines started charging for checked luggage, people reverted to carry-ons. When carry-on bins got too stuffed, airlines began charging for them.

Several airlines are now actually doing something sensible that may not cost passengers extra. They’re redesigning the overhead bins so they can hold more bags. A genius came up with the simple solution to expand the bins outward and make the doors curved.

Of course, it will make getting in and out of your squeezed seat a bit more difficult and increase the chance that you’ll bump your head on the way to the loo. But, hey, you can’t have everything.

Considering that people have died while trying to climb Mount Everest, a positive story about scaling the heights can be welcome at this time.

According to the Associate Press, a Japanese 73-year-old just climbed to Mount Everest's peak to win the title of the oldest woman to achieve that lofty goal.

Tamae Watanabe, an experienced mountaineer with several Mount Everest climbing experiences, made it up the almost six miles to the summit. Fortunately, she did the successful climb with no serious problems.

So, traveling seniors, next time your feet hurt while climbing steps in the airport, cruise ship or hotel, think of Tamae’s amazing feat.

It’s not like the traditional kennel where you leave Fido locked in a virtual dog prison. A new company has created an online dog hosting service. It matches up local owners with travelers who want their dogs to stay in more natural home settings with just one or two other dogs.

The new website DogVacay.com is sort of a dog online dating service. It lets pet owners look up hosts in their area who’ll care for dogs in their own homes, providing food, exercise and companionship you’d give if you stayed home. The price goes from $25 to $30 per day. DogVacay plans to add other pets, including cats and birds to the service.