Transportation

Air travel is far more than getting from point A to point B safely. How much do you know about the million little details that go into flying on airplanes?

By Alia Hoyt

A Boston-based company plans to manufacture a supersonic business jet that will replace windows with video screens.

By Patrick J. Kiger

HowStuffWorks explains how physics helps animals get airborne.

As "Sully" debuts in U.S. movie theaters, we ask aviation folks how exactly a pilot can successfully and safely land a plane on water.

By Kate Kershner

Since 1948, more than 100 aircraft have gone missing while aloft and never been found. How is this possible? We'll look at some of these unsolved mysteries, as well as other bizarre airline mishaps.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Steampunk enthusiasts imagine an alternate version of history, where the dress code demands petticoats and suit vests and airships are the most romantic forms of all transportation.

By Alexander Davies

Discovery Channel deliberately crash-landed a Boeing 727 passenger jet in a remote and uninhabited Mexican desert as part of a scientific experiment for a new documentary. Plane crashes terrify people -- but what do the statistics show?

Flight has been a human dream for centuries. It wasn't until the dawn of the 20th century that man was finally able to leave the ground. This gallery highlights some of the milestones in aviation.

By Rick Mayda

The Golden Age of Flight timeline chronicles some of the major milestones in this era of aviation. This era saw the shift from largely wooden planes to metal-build frames. Check out the Golden Age of Flight timeline.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Since prehistoric times, people have wanted to take to the skies. Trouble is, humans weren't meant to fly. Of course, that didn't stop some determined souls from trying.

By John Fuller

The Wright Flyers established Orville and Wilbur Wright as aviation leaders. Sadly, the majority, especially in Europe, thought them liars. The insulted brothers stopped flying from 1905-08. Read about the story of the Wrights and their aircraft.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Your luggage gets "mishandled" by an airline and favorite pieces of your wardrobe, souvenirs and toiletries disappear into a black abyss. Or do they? Actually, your wardrobe is hanging out in Scottsboro, Ala., and it has some interesting company.

By Sarah Dowdey

You know those loaders used in construction and landscaping that dig up and pick up EVERYTHING? Learn how these incredible machines work!

By Karim Nice

If a device has a motor, engine or spring, it probably has gears! But what do gears do, exactly, and how do they do it?

By Karim Nice & Kristen Hall-Geisler

Although certain security measures were in place due to high profile hijackings during previous decades, U.S. airports were fairly easily and quickly navigated in the past. Then 9/11 happened, and flying would never be the same.

By Janet Bednarek

The first commercial jetliners had square windows. So why did engineers change the design to the rounded windows we know today?

By Sharise Cunningham

The C-band spectrum used by 5G carriers is close to the frequencies used by key electronics that aircraft rely on to land safely, and that can garble the signals.

By Prasenjit Mitra

As we all have heard, the friendly skies have gotten a lot less friendly over the past few years, but is a no-fly list for unruly passengers the answer?

By Dave Roos

Black boxes help investigators determine what happened in an airplane accident. What's inside a black box and how does it record flight data?

By Kevin Bonsor & Nathan Chandler

Believe it or not, the marvel we know as the helicopter began as a Chinese top consisting of a shaft — a stick — adorned with feathers on one end.

By Tom Harris & Talon Homer

Ever gaze in wonder at the huge cranes, bulldozers, backhoes, loaders, shovels and fork lifts on a construction site? Find out all about hydraulic machines, from backyard log splitters to big construction equipment.

By Marshall Brain

Tractor pulls are popular displays of raw horsepower.The trucks used in these competitions use engines that are capable of producing thousands of horsepower.

By Marshall Brain

A fascinating article that describes how a block and tackle (as well as levers and gears) works!

By Marshall Brain

Move over Orville and Wilbur, there’s a new flying machine in town! And this time it’s made for personal use. Imagine a flying version of the Segway and you’re on the right track . . . Check out the Springtail EFV-4B, not yet available but perhaps just around the corner . . .

By Kevin Bonsor & Katherine Neer

Air taxis could make a trip to the beach or a visit with friends and relatives go from taking six hours on the highway to a quick, no-hassles plane ride. Find out how the air-taxi system will operate.

By Carolyn Snare