Flight

In the world of flight, it's a fine line between flying high and falling fast. Can you name 10 of the innovations that keep planes and their passengers airborne?

By William Harris

Would you risk the mother of all jet lag if you could cross the U.S. in less time than it takes to pass through airport security? After all, your time is precious, and haven't supersonic and hypersonic technologies been around for decades now?

By Nicholas Gerbis

The airline industry is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, but it's possible to fly and do minimal damage to the environment.

By Alexander Davies

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

What is the future of supersonic flight? Learn more about the future of supersonic flight in this article.

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?

In fall 2011, 240 passengers climbed aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to get up close and personal with the long-awaited, much-discussed aircraft. In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded U.S.-registered Dreamliners. What happened?

By John Perritano & Vicki M. Giuggio

Not your "typical" Honda: This one features fully-adjustable leather seats, power window shades and a private bathroom with a black marble sink -- oh, and don't forget its over-the-wing engines, too.

By Christopher Neiger

More than 100 years ago the Wright brothers made their historic first flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. Even after all these years, their creation still boggles the mind: How can something so heavy take to the air?

By Marshall Brain, Robert Lamb & Brian Adkins

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

Why would a pilot ever want to eject an airplane's fuel intentionally? And why would it happen during a flight? Although it sounds alarming, a fuel dump is a safe procedure.

By Jane McGrath

It's hard to look up in the sky on a clear day and not see a "cloud" trailing from an airplane. They're called contrails, though some refer to them as "chemtrails" and have odd explanations for their existence.

By Jane McGrath & John Perritano

Private pilots have the luxury of being able to pick up and go, soaring over the gridlocked streets below. But earning this privilege is no simple matter -- it takes hours of work and thousands of dollars in lessons and practice. How is it done?

By Jessika Toothman

The loops, rolls and rocketlike maneuvers these stunt pilots perform are astounding. What's the history behind aerobatics and how do they perform those tricks in the sky?

By Patrick J. Kiger

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?

By Julia Layton

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.

The Flight in the Depression timeline chronicles some of the major milestones in this era of aviation. Highlights include the development of military planes for World War II. Check out the Flight in the Depression timeline.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

From the first man in space to new speed records, aviators launched into new frontiers in the 1960s. Read about flight highlights in the 1960s.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

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.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

After the end of the Cold War, aviation saw developments like the Space Shuttles and the incredible air power of the United States during the Persian Gulf War. Learn more about the history of flight in the 1980s and 1990s.

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 Dawn of Flight Timeline detailing the early history of the aviation industry. Follow the development of flight from 400 B.C. to the historic flight at Kitty Hawk. Learn more about the dawn of flight timeline.

The Korean War had ended, but the world was on the brink of the long Cold War. Read about the rapid development of flight technology of the 1950s and 1960s.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The 1960s brought the height of the Space Race and revolutions in flight technology. Read about advances in flight during the '60s and '70s.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.