The pilot in his 100-horsepower Cassutt racer, in which he set world altitude and speed records.

Flight Today

The Man Who’s Flown Everything

Robert “Hoot” Gibson’s priorities: (1) Fly. (2) Fly some more.
By Robin White

Also see: The Hoot List

In Dads footsteps: Sean and Eric Tucker in 1983

The Smithsonian’s Hollywood Moment

The makers of Night at the Museum took great pains to get it right.
By Rebecca Maksel

The Air and Space 2009 Airshow Guide

Use our interactive map to link to more than 150 events and share your airshow experiences.
By Air & Space staff

During a recent visit to the National Air and Space Museum, Gibson poses with models of some of his rides.

Photo Essay:The Blakesburg Fly-In

Antique airplanes—the cream of the crop—fluttered around corn country to celebrate an air mail birthday.

In December 2005, an Aerospatiale Alouette III landing at Escalante National Monument in Utah suffered ground resonance that tore the helicopter apart in four seconds. All aboard survived.

How Things Work: Ground Resonance

When is a helicopter like a Patsy Cline song? When it falls to pieces.
By Peter Garrison

Moments & Milestones: Nobody’s Fuel...Yet

By George C. Larson, member, NAA

How Things Work: Flying Fuel Cells

Out of gas? Not a problem.
By Michael Klesius

The Eurofighter Typhoon, armed for sales combat, will take on Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Then & Now: Less Haste, More Flying

Less Haste, More Flying
By Paul Hoversten

As Nemesis rocketed past 400 mph, pilot Jon Sharp entered territory held by aircraft in the Unlimited and Jet classes.

Moments & Milestones: Giddyup 409

Giddyup 409
By George C. Larson

Who Says a Jet Can't Be Cheap?

Gerry Merrill says he can build you one for $150,000.
By David Noland

How Boeing Put the Dream in Dreamliner

When aircraft designers wanted to make passengers feel happy, they turned to psychologists.
By Douglas Gantenbein

Super Jump

The race is on to be the next human meteor.
By Michael Klesius

Reader Scrapbook

Snapshot

Air & Space Videos

	Armstrong’s Close Call A fiery bailout while training to land on the moon.
	The First Lunar Landing One of history's great voyages, captured on 16mm film.
	Aviation Training in the United States, 1917-18 Rare footage of Army pilots learning to fly Jennies during World War I.
	Mercury Astronauts Meet the Press, 1959 ...and answer the question: "What was your least favorite test?"
	Marines Test the Joint Strike Fighter A Marine takes the new F-35 for a spin.
	On the Prowl Climb into the cockpit for a flight in an EA-6B Prowler.
	Dodging Missiles F-105 pilots recall the dangers of flying over North Vietnam.
	F-105 Walkaround Get a close look at the National Air and Space Museum’s Thunderchief.
	PTQ: Put Together Quickly Watch Boeing technicians repair an airliner—in two minutes.
	Operation Tumbler-Snapper Atomic bombs versus airplanes in the Nevada desert.

In the Magazine

Air & Space Interview

A&S Interview: Captain Eric Brown

Holder of the Guinness World Record for most types of aircraft flown

New Worlds

Confidence Booster

This little known Apollo artifact caused astronauts to rest a little easier.

View full archiveRecent Issues

About Us

Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine has been delighting aerospace enthusiasts with the best writing about their favorite subject since April 1986. As an adjunct of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, Air & Space matches the grand scope of the Museum, encompassing every era of aviation and space exploration. With stories that range from the Wright Brothers to the design of NASA's next lunar lander, Air & Space emphasizes the human stories as well as the technology of aviation and spaceflight.

Robert “Hoot” Gibson’s priorities: (1) Fly. (2) Fly some more. By Robin White

The son of famed airshow pilot Sean Tucker follows in his father’s smoke trails. By Jill Michaels

Chesley Sullenberger talks about That Day, his advice for young pilots, and hitting the ditch button (or not). By Linda Shiner

To the Federal Aviation Administration, civilian UAVs are the new barbarians at the gate. By Douglas Gantenbein

Where there’s smoke, there’s pollution. How can airport firefighters green it up? By Sam Goldberg

Today’s airshow performers do it gyroscopically. By Debbie Gary

The makers of Night at the Museum took great pains to get it right. By Rebecca Maksel

Some of our favorite poems about aviation. By airspacemag.com

A true tale of invention, obsession, and murder. By Paul Brown

With little fanfare (and less structure), the Breezy homebuilt spreads the message: Flying is fun. By Jason Paur

Portraits of female pilots

Richard Branson and Boeing heap hope-and hype-on biofuels. By Michael Milstein

Rest and renewal in a long-standing pilot community. By Del Wilber

By Peter M. Cleland

Where you can fly from Chicago to Atlanta without leaving your living room. By Ed Regis

Use our interactive map to link to more than 150 events and share your airshow experiences. By Air & Space staff

All the aircraft the legendary pilot has ever flown. By Robert L. Gibson

Our photo editor offers 12 tips to make your airshow album a work of art. By Caroline Sheen

What to listen to when you're pretending to be a pilot. By Diane Tedeschi

Antique airplanes—the cream of the crop—fluttered around corn country to celebrate an air mail birthday.

When is a helicopter like a Patsy Cline song? When it falls to pieces. By Peter Garrison

The masters of time are about to give us a little extra. Use it wisely. By James R. Chiles

By George C. Larson, member, NAA

Out of gas? Not a problem. By Michael Klesius

If you want a customer to spend $10 billion on your jet fighters, you gotta bust some Mach. By Jorge and Karen Escalona

Weapons research may yet produce a true spaceplane. By Geoffrey Little

Less Haste, More Flying By Paul Hoversten

Giddyup 409 By George C. Larson

The world’s largest seaplane fights wildfires in California. By Tom LeCompte

Loni Habersetzer teaches pilots how to land on the harshest terrain. By Tom LeCompte

Megalifters prove you’re never too fat to fly. By Kara Platoni

One tough job for the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. By Michael Behar

Air & Space picks the best of this year’s EAA Airventure. By The Editors

Of course you realize nothing like this could ever happen. By George C. Larson

Up there or down here, it can be a struggle to maintain “situational awareness.” By Roger A. Mola

Student engineers answer NASA’s call to design the airplane of 2058. By Michael Klesius

Gerry Merrill says he can build you one for $150,000. By David Noland

When aircraft designers wanted to make passengers feel happy, they turned to psychologists. By Douglas Gantenbein

An accident blamed on the catch-all "pilot error" could have a single preventable cause. By Stephan Wilkinson

The race is on to be the next human meteor. By Michael Klesius

Reader Scrapbook

Snapshot

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Air & Space Videos

In the Magazine

Air & Space Interview

New Worlds

View full archiveRecent Issues

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Robert “Hoot” Gibson’s priorities: (1) Fly. (2) Fly some more.
By Robin White

The son of famed airshow pilot Sean Tucker follows in his father’s smoke trails.
By Jill Michaels

Chesley Sullenberger talks about That Day, his advice for young pilots, and hitting the ditch button (or not).
By Linda Shiner

To the Federal Aviation Administration, civilian UAVs are the new barbarians at the gate.
By Douglas Gantenbein

Where there’s smoke, there’s pollution. How can airport firefighters green it up?
By Sam Goldberg

Today’s airshow performers do it gyroscopically.
By Debbie Gary

The makers of Night at the Museum took great pains to get it right.
By Rebecca Maksel

Some of our favorite poems about aviation.
By airspacemag.com

A true tale of invention, obsession, and murder.
By Paul Brown

With little fanfare (and less structure), the Breezy homebuilt spreads the message: Flying is fun.
By Jason Paur

Richard Branson and Boeing heap hope-and hype-on biofuels.
By Michael Milstein

Rest and renewal in a long-standing pilot community.
By Del Wilber

Where you can fly from Chicago to Atlanta without leaving your living room.
By Ed Regis

Use our interactive map to link to more than 150 events and share your airshow experiences.
By Air & Space staff

All the aircraft the legendary pilot has ever flown.
By Robert L. Gibson

Our photo editor offers 12 tips to make your airshow album a work of art.
By Caroline Sheen

What to listen to when you're pretending to be a pilot.
By Diane Tedeschi

When is a helicopter like a Patsy Cline song? When it falls to pieces.
By Peter Garrison

The masters of time are about to give us a little extra. Use it wisely.
By James R. Chiles

Out of gas? Not a problem.
By Michael Klesius

If you want a customer to spend $10 billion on your jet fighters, you gotta bust some Mach.
By Jorge and Karen Escalona

Weapons research may yet produce a true spaceplane.
By Geoffrey Little

Less Haste, More Flying
By Paul Hoversten

Giddyup 409
By George C. Larson

The world’s largest seaplane fights wildfires in California.
By Tom LeCompte

Loni Habersetzer teaches pilots how to land on the harshest terrain.
By Tom LeCompte

Megalifters prove you’re never too fat to fly.
By Kara Platoni

One tough job for the U.S. Civil Air Patrol.
By Michael Behar

Air & Space picks the best of this year’s EAA Airventure.
By The Editors

Of course you realize nothing like this could ever happen.
By George C. Larson

Up there or down here, it can be a struggle to maintain “situational awareness.”
By Roger A. Mola

Student engineers answer NASA’s call to design the airplane of 2058.
By Michael Klesius

Gerry Merrill says he can build you one for $150,000.
By David Noland

When aircraft designers wanted to make passengers feel happy, they turned to psychologists.
By Douglas Gantenbein

An accident blamed on the catch-all "pilot error" could have a single preventable cause.
By Stephan Wilkinson

The race is on to be the next human meteor.
By Michael Klesius