HowStuffWorks "Flight"

WHAT'S INSIDE: FLIGHT

Flight is truly one of the most amazing engineering feats man has achieved. This collection of flight articles will show you some of the coolest aircraft ever created.

Classic
Modern
Future

Classic
From the Wright Brothers to the Boeing 747, explore the classic planes that helped forge an industry and alter the face of human transportation in the 20th century.
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Modern
Ever wondered how an ejection seat works, or how to ride a hot air balloon? This section explores modern jet mechanics and aircraft operations and components.
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Future
Take a journey into the future of aviation. Switchblade planes and sonic aircraft may soon be taking people around the world faster than ever.
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Explore These Topics:
- How Aerobatics Works
- How the Switchblade Plane Will Work
- How the Aeroscraft Will Work
- How Sonic Cruisers Will Work

FEATURED: FLIGHT

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End of the 20th Century Flight Timeline

The end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st brought a wave of new space missions and increasingly powerful military jets. Learn about the most recent developments in aviation history.

videos: transportation

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Massive Engines Videos

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Boeing 747

The gigantic, ubiquitous Boeing 747 transport symbolizes the most important aspects of progress in civil aviation: the democratization and globalization of travel. Read about the challenges and successes that Boeing had with their new 747 airplane.

What's the world's largest airplane?

Length, height and wingspan are all popular ways to rank an aircraft, but truly giant planes are often judged by their maximum takeoff weight. Which plane outlifts them all, and should we expect other Goliaths in the future?