Flight

words aren't arbitrary, so why do pilots and sailors call out 'Mayday!' rather than something else?

ByNathan Chandler

You've heard all about the exploits of Amelia Earhart, but do you know the story of Bessie Coleman, the first Black American woman to receive a pilot's license?

ByTara Yarlagadda

Before Yeager did it, people thought it was impossible to break the sound barrier in flight. But he proved them wrong, even flying the plane while nursing two cracked ribs.

ByNathan Chandler

After all, airports are kind of like mini cities, even if those running the "cities" prefer that no one actually takes up residence there.

ByJanet Bednarek

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

ByPatrick J. Kiger

Airlines are flying planes with no passengers, due in part to the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus, but also for economic reasons that have nothing to do with disease.

ByLaurie L. Dove

Without the system that pumps unused air from an aircraft's engines into the cabin, passengers and crew would be unable to breathe at 30,000 feet. But how does that system work?

ByPatrick J. Kiger

Your pilot apologizes for your plane leaving late but then assures you she can make up the lost time in the sky. Is she pressing extra-hard on the accelerator or what?

ByNathan Chandler

The Boeing 737 first flew into the world a half century ago. Here's the scoop on Boeing's fastest-selling airplane.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

A blanket and pillow can transform a long, uncomfortable flight into a sleepfest, but not all airlines still hand them out. When they do, are they clean and safe to use?

ByPatrick J. Kiger

Cleaning an airliner for the next flight is a complex undertaking that must be carried out rapidly. And it's even more important now during the coronavirus pandemic.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

Although it doesn't happen often, large passenger jets crash for many reasons, from mechanical failure to pilot error.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

With 36,000 workers, it has its own fire department, banks, day care facilities, medical clinic and water treatment plant.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

The Dubai police force got the world's first legal personal drone. Are these flying motorbikes coming to streets near you?

ByCherise Threewitt

Ever sat on an airplane and wondered how your laptop works at 30,000 feet?

ByPatrick J. Kiger

They're the stuff of headlines, often characterized as evil in the sky. But how do unmanned aerial vehicles actually get off the ground and flying?

ByNathan Chandler

Would you risk the mother of all jet lag if you could cross the U.S. in less time than it takes to pass through airport security? After all, your time is precious, and haven't supersonic and hypersonic technologies been around for decades now?

ByNicholas Gerbis

Writing a legible message on paper requires a steady hand; writing one in the sky requires a steady everything.

ByJulia Layton

More than 100 years ago the Wright brothers made their historic first flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. Even after all these years, their creation still boggles the mind: How can something so heavy take to the air?

ByMarshall Brain,Robert Lamb&Brian Adkins

Why would a pilot ever want to eject an airplane's fuel intentionally? And why would it happen during a flight? Although it sounds alarming, a fuel dump is a safe procedure.

ByJane McGrath

It's hard to look up in the sky on a clear day and not see a "cloud" trailing from an airplane. They're called contrails, though some refer to them as "chemtrails" and have odd explanations for their existence.

ByJane McGrath&John Perritano

Camera-equipped commercial drones are cheaper and require less training. Is it time to say goodbye to your local eye-in-the-sky traffic reports?

ByPatrick J. Kiger

There are so many tweaks we wish airlines would implement, especially if future seat configurations mean stacking passengers with butts suspended above heads.

ByJulie Douglas

It used to be that air travelers complained about not having enough legroom. But with airlines jamming more seats into planes, there’s less room for their heads, too.

ByPatrick J. Kiger

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.

ByCherise Threewitt