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.

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Blimps combine the simple buoyancy of a hot air balloon with the technology of an airplane. Learn all about these lighter-than-air vehicles.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Hot air balloons are about as simple as flying can get — no engine, no moving parts really, and very little the pilot can do to control the vehicle. Find out what it's like to fly a hot air balloon!

By Tom Harris

Flying in a glider is about as close as you can get to soaring like a bird. Amazingly, these graceful machines manage their maneuvers without an engine. Learn how gliders fly without power.

By Marshall Brain & Brian Adkins

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How do you start a gas turbine engine? What is the mechanism to begin the rotation of the large fan blades?

Airline pilots have an amazing job with huge responsibilities. Learn what it's like to be a pilot and what it takes to make it in this highly competitive profession.

By Joel Freeman

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

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Afterburners allow a jet plane to take off from a short runway, such as the deck of an aircraft carrier. What, exactly, is an afterburner and how do they work? Learn the answer to this question in this article from HowStuffWorks.

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

It's the largest passenger jet ever built -- so huge that airports have to be redesigned to accommodate it. Find out just how big the A380 is and what this type of craft means for the future of air travel.

By Ed Grabianowski

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The Aeroscraft is a heavier-than-air vehicle currently in development for use in the near future. Learn how the Aeroscraft flies and what it will be able to do.

By Ed Grabianowski

When a military aircraft is in trouble, the pilot may have to eject to save his life. Find out how this crucial escape system separates pilot from plane.

By Kevin Bonsor

Need to go from New York City to Australia, but don't have a lot of time? Book a seat on board Boeing's new sonic cruiser!

By Kevin Bonsor

Measuring how fast an aircraft travels depends on whether you factor in the speed of the wind behind it.

By Patrick J. Kiger

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The Department of Homeland Security announced it is extending the REAL ID full enforcement date by 19 months to allow states time to get up and fully operational after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many licensing offices.

By Cherise Threewitt

The Bleriot XI monoplane was the culmination of five years of hard work by Louis Bleriot. The success of the Bleriot XI spelled trouble as pilots tried more and more daring maneuvers. Learn how these rash desires led pilots to abuse the Bleriot XI.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The first Curtiss aircraft was the Golden Flyer. The golden tint of the varnish on the fabric covering of the Golden Flyer's wings and tail inspired the name. Read about this classic early plane, and the Curtiss rivalry with the Wright brothers.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Every one of these classic airplanes was the product of loving care of an intelligent design team doing the best work of their era. Learn how aviation evolved and find links to classic airplane profiles, from the early years through today's jet age.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

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Over the years, 199 Ford Tri-Motors airplanes would be built. They would serve all three branches of the U.S. military, many airlines, many corporations, and 20 foreign countries. Learn about the strong, reliable, versatile Ford Tri-Motors aircraft.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The Ryan NYP monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, is inextricably linked with American aviator Charles Lindbergh. In 1927, the 25-year-old flier made the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic. Read more specifications for the Spirit of St. Louis.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The timeless Piper J-3 Cub was easy to fly and well suited to a variety of tasks. Because the Cub was economically priced, it helped democratize civil aviation. Learn the story and specifications for this classic, straight-forward aviation workhorse.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The Beech Staggerwing was an amazing leap forward on the date of its first flight, November 4, 1932. Learn how the reverse stagger of its wings, its clean fillets, and its retractable landing gear made this Depression-era gamble into a success.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

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The Lockheed Vega, which first flew on July 4, 1927, at the crest of the Lindbergh euphoria, was an all-wood, high-cantilever monoplane with a beautiful streamlined monocoque fuselage. Check out this beautiful, record-setting classic airplane.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

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.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.