21st Century Aviation
Aviation innovations, milestones and developments from 2001 to the present
The X-51 Ends on a High Note
The Waverider soars, thanks to the longest scramjet burn ever.
May 08, 2013 |
By Tony Reichhardt
The X-47 Ships Out
The Navy’s unmanned combat aircraft makes a historic takeoff, and prepares for carrier trials at sea.
December 06, 2012 |
By John M. Doyle
Robot Reporters
Will UAVs become as indispensable for journalists as notepads and digital recorders?
November 16, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Evacuating the Injured
A Marine Corps pilot flies CASEVAC missions in Iraq.
September 2012 |
By Rocky Checca
Robot Fall, Robot Get Up
When the AirBurr flying robot crashes into an obstacle, it rights itself and keeps going.
July 03, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Europe’s Typhoon Fighter
For the first time since World War II, fighters are stationed at RAF Northolt.
July 2012 |
By Carl Posey
Under the Eurofighter’s Hood
Europe’s frontline fighter is a marvel of technology.
May 21, 2012 |
By Carl Posey
Personal Jetpacks of the Future, Today
Watch Yves Rossy fly his jet-powered wing above the Swiss countryside.
April 24, 2012 |
By Heather Goss
2013 Airshow Planner
Use our interactive map to link to events around the country, then share your airshow experiences.
April 2012 |
By Air & Space staff
Why the Skies Will Not Be Full of Flying Cars
There's a reason why we don't already have them.
April 04, 2012 |
By Pat Trenner
The Ultimate Fighter?
With the F-35, Lockheed Martin takes a turn trying to make one combat plane that can do everything.
February 2012 |
By Richard Whittle
Green Light for Fuel-Efficiency Races in California
Teams gathered their experimental planes in Santa Rosa, California last week for a competition of their environmental industriousness.
October 03, 2011 |
By Heather Goss
X-47 on Deck, Kind Of
This summer the X-47B unmanned combat aircraft made its first arrested landing on the USS Eisenhower. Well, actually it was an F/A-18D Hornet (left) operating as a surrogate, using the software and [...]
September 12, 2011 |
By Roger Mola
Distance Runners
Unmanned aerial vehicles redefine the term "nonstop flight."
September 2011 |
By Michael Milstein
Streaking Along at Mach 20
Initial reports from an August 11 test of DARPA’s Falcon HTV-2 hypersonic research vehicle were mixed. The glider launched successfully and separated from its Minotaur IV rocket over the Pacific, but engineers lost contact with the vehicle nine minutes into the flight, and the test ended prematurely with the vehicle self-destructing according to safety procedures. [...]
August 29, 2011 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Air Travel 2050: Panoramic Views With a Wave of the Hand
Airbus calls its Concept Plane for 2050 an aircraft “inspired by nature.” But it sure includes a lot of technology. “The idea is to move out from the old-fashioned class system—first class, business class, economy class—and think more about the experience,” says Airbus chief engineer Charles Champion in an interview with The (London) Telegraph. “So [...]
June 15, 2011 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Mile-High Jetpack
If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look at this video of the Martin Aircraft Company’s recent mile-high test of its personal jetpack and safety parachute system. The flight topped out at 5,000 feet, but could have gone higher. While a dummy was on board for this test, the New Zealand-based company is marketing [...]
June 13, 2011 |
By Tony Reichhardt
A Brief History of Unmanned Aircraft
From bomb-bearing balloons to the Global Hawk.
May 18, 2011 |
By Ed Darack
