Transportation
Many of us take public transportation or fly in airplanes on a regular basis, but have you ever wondered how all of these things work? This collection of transportation articles help explain how people get from place to place.
Learn More / Page 7
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.
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
Advertisement
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.
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.
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
Hydraulic cranes perform seemingly impossible tasks, lifting 70-ton objects with absolute ease. See the simple design behind the Herculean results.
By Kevin Bonsor
Advertisement
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
We see them all the time, but do you ever think about everything these machines do? A fire engine is a combination personnel carrier, tool box and water tanker. Learn all about this amazing 3-in-1 machine.
By Kevin Bonsor
You probably ride escalators all the time, but do you know how they move, and flatten, and keep the handrail in synch with the steps? Find out exactly what is going on inside an escalator.
By Tom Harris
Going through airport security is the worst part of flying for most people. Now you may be asked to turn your cell phone on in the security line. Why do you have to do that? And does it really keep us safe?
By Beth Brindle
Advertisement
Imagine whipping through the sky at thousands of miles per hour. This special type of jet engine can do exactly that.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an unmanned aerial vehicle traveling faster than the speed of sound!
By Chris Opfer
Sure, flight-simulation video games and drone piloting both involve computer screens and handheld controllers, but do these similarities make gaming a useful training platform for real-life, high-stakes military operations?
Why do we still lock away critical data on a box that can go down with the plane? It may be time to think differently about the black box and its contents.
Advertisement
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?
One of the key pieces of infrastructure that we could really use in the U.S. is a high speed, efficient, and effective train system.
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.
In January 2004, the citizens of Milan, Italy, were preparing for a strike that would shut down all public transportation. Since an estimated 28 percent of greater Milan’s 3 million populace relied heavily on public transit, the strike meant gridlock for most of the city.
Advertisement
What is the future of supersonic flight? Learn more about the future of supersonic flight in this article.
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?
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.
Our planet's rising temperatures are making it harder for planes to take off at some airports, presenting yet another challenge to civil aviation. So, how does warmer air affect takeoff?
By Talon Homer
Advertisement
Ever sprinted through one of these behemoth airports desperate to make a flight? Here are the world's seven largest airports, not by passenger volume, but by sheer size alone.
By Dylan Ris
Fear of flying? Here are 10 airports where location, terrain, weather and design limitations make takeoff and landing a challenge for pilots and a nail-biter for passengers.