HowStuffWorks Newsletter
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.
Many airlines around the world put planes in hibernation during the pandemic because of reduced demand for air travel. What does it take to wake them up?
The first commercial jetliners had square windows. So why did engineers change the design to the rounded windows we know today?
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.
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It can definitely be done — we saw Capt. Sully Sullenberger successfully land an Airbus A320 without any engines, in the Hudson River no less. But just how far a plane can fly without its engines depends on a few different factors.
By Mark Mancini
Investigations into unruly-passenger incidents by the FAA have soared 168 percent through June over 2020's numbers. What's going on in the unfriendly skies? And what is the TSA doing to protect flight crews?
By John Donovan
After all, airports are kind of like mini cities, even if those running the "cities" prefer that no one actually takes up residence there.
Before Yeager did it, people thought it was impossible to break the sound barrier in flight. But he proved them wrong, even flying the plane while nursing two cracked ribs.
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You've heard all about the exploits of Amelia Earhart, but do you know the story of Bessie Coleman, the first Black American woman to receive a pilot's license?
The words aren't arbitrary, so why do pilots and sailors call out 'Mayday!' rather than something else?
Without the system that pumps unused air from an aircraft's engines into the cabin, passengers and crew would be unable to breathe at 30,000 feet. But how does that system work?
Airlines are flying planes with no passengers, due in part to the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus, but also for economic reasons that have nothing to do with disease.
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was just named world's busiest airport for the 21st time. So how has a city in the Deep South reigned king for decades?
By John Donovan
Measuring how fast an aircraft travels depends on whether you factor in the speed of the wind behind it.
Although it doesn't happen often, large passenger jets crash for many reasons, from mechanical failure to pilot error.
A Boston-based company plans to manufacture a supersonic business jet that will replace windows with video screens.
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Cleaning an airliner for the next flight is a complex undertaking that must be carried out rapidly. And it's even more important now during the coronavirus pandemic.
A blanket and pillow can transform a long, uncomfortable flight into a sleepfest, but not all airlines still hand them out. When they do, are they clean and safe to use?
The Boeing 737 first flew into the world a half century ago. Here's the scoop on Boeing's fastest-selling airplane.
Your pilot apologizes for your plane leaving late but then assures you she can make up the lost time in the sky. Is she pressing extra-hard on the accelerator or what?
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Ever sat on an airplane and wondered how your laptop works at 30,000 feet?
The Dubai police force got the world's first legal personal drone. Are these flying motorbikes coming to streets near you?
With 36,000 workers, it has its own fire department, banks, day care facilities, medical clinic and water treatment plant.
Airlines keep cramming in more and more seats, making flying nearly unbearable for some. But does that also make it unsafe?
By Dave Roos
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You better know the rules before you get out and fly your drone or you could end up violating FAA regulations.
HowStuffWorks explains how physics helps animals get airborne.