Modern Aviation
An era from 1991 to the present marked by achievements in air and space flight, including unmanned aerial vehicles and the International Space Station
Now You See It, Now You Don’t
Blinding us with science: the next generation of stealth.
November 2009 |
By Damond Benningfield
Carrying the Fire
While there are still 105 days until the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, the Olympic Torch Relay has already begun.Some 12,000 people will participate in the relay, which runs from October 30, 2009 to February 12, 2010 (the longest relay in Olympic history). The relay part...
October 30, 2009 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Pilot Survey Was Flawed, Says Report
Two years ago, then-NASA Administrator Mike Griffin got into trouble by appearing to censor the results of a pilot survey that reportedly showed a higher than expected number of airplane accidents and near-accidents. Some accused NASA of squelching the truth to protect the airline industry. Congres...
October 29, 2009 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Wasser von Braun
Old Wernher the rocket scientist, if he were alive, would want one of these babies on holiday. It's a water-powered jet pack conceived in Canada by JetLev and licensed to German company MS Watersports GmbH, and it appears to address at least two major problems of jet packs: If the engine quits, you...
September 28, 2009 |
By Mike Klesius
Reno Wrap-up
What was hot—and what was not—at the 2009 National Championship Air Races.
September 28, 2009 |
By Linda Shiner
What happens if an airliner suddenly loses cabin pressure?
Let's just say it's not like it is in the movies.
September 24, 2009 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Over the No-Fly Zone
Patrolling over northern Iraq in 2001 felt like driving through a small town with Hell's Angels.
September 22, 2009 |
By Randy Gordon
First Around the World
For balloonists Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones, the end of one journey marked the beginning of another.
September 17, 2009 |
By Linda Shiner
Devils’ Advocates
Some people go to Las Vegas to gamble, others to learn about Mars.
September 2009 |
By Tony Reichhardt
To Paraphrase Bette Davis, It's Going To Be a Bumpy Ride
Today’s Washington Post reports that a passenger on United Airlines flight 236 was injured on Tuesday when the Boeing 757 encountered severe turbulence en route from Los Angeles to Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. The report notes that an Accuweather .com meteorologist said tha...
September 10, 2009 |
By Pat Trenner
Last Breath
As NASA prepares to shut down a historic wind tunnel in Virginia, some hope for a stay of execution.
September 10, 2009 |
By Michael Klesius
Anatomy of an Airliner
Our maxim: The airlines giveth, and the airlines taketh away.
September 2009 |
By The Editors
Hot-Rod Helicopters
There’s just no way to add 100 mph to the speed of a helicopter. Or is there?
September 2009 |
By James R. Chiles
Martial Arts
Memo to bad guys: Wanna know what U.S. warplanes you’ll tangle with in the future? Visit an aerospace model shop.
September 2009 |
By Chad Slattery
Mars, and Step on It
When it’s not the journey but the destination that counts.
September 2009 |
By Michael Klesius
Tiltrotors for the Rest of Us
An Osprey for commuters? Bring it on. Can we get a quiet car too?
September 2009 |
By Mark Wolverton
Block That Star!
How can we find other Earths if their suns keep blinding us?
September 2009 |
By Tony Reichhardt
The Perfect Airplane
Fast, green, and quiet. Come on, brainiacs, you can do it.
September 2009 |
By Ed Regis
