What makes a plane a plane is the fact that it can fly. It needs to be piloted by someone, but that someone can be piloting the plane remotely. That’s the case with this week’s Plane of the Week: the MQ-1 Predator. Design and Development The MQ-1 Predator was designed in the 1990s with its [...]
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is one of the largest military aircraft in the world--and probably out of this world, too. The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is the United States Air Force's largest and only strategic airlifter. This gargantuan aircraft can carry more cargo farther than any other aircraft in the world. Additionally, with its payload of six [...]
In 1985, the Cessna Aircraft Company began producing what would become one of the most popular aircraft: the Cessna Caravan. The aircraft's 208 airframe can operate under several different environments because of its ability to be fitted with various landing gear, such as floats or skis. A single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine [...]
Boeing is an iconic company that produces equally iconic aircraft. One of these includes the Boeing C-40 Clipper, the military version of the Boeing 737. This aircraft came from a military need for logistics support and these aircraft are still in service today. Identifying a Need The C-40A, also known as the C-40 Clipper, is [...]
The MiG-21 is flown by over 50 nations and is the most produced supersonic jet fighter. 11,600 MiG-21s were built since entering service in part because its simple design made it easy to manufacture. This plane originates from the Soviet Union and its development began back in the 1950s with a mission to replace the [...]
The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet is not to be confused with the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet—although the former was based on the latter. This hornet is super This twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather multirole fighter jet is capable of landing and taking off from an aircraft carrier. What is perhaps the most impressive feat [...]
Today, business and personal flight is the norm—if you’re traveling far, you jump on a jet and get there quickly. But 747s weren’t always around. The first commercial jet was the Learjet 23. These were also the first products of Learjet Corporation. Learjet 23 Design and Development In 1959, William P. Lear Sr. started with [...]
The Antonov An-2—sometimes referred to as the Colt—has one of the longest production runs in history. Its ability to assist in many different ways contributed to its nearly 50-year (and still counting) run. Designer Oleg Antonov grew up in Saratov, Russia and was inspired by the progress of aviation he witnessed firsthand. He set up [...]
While the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar’s lifetime was incredibly short, it was not without fanfare. This medium-to-long-range, wide-body trijet airliner was the most technologically advanced commercial jet when it was finally delivered in April 1972. Six years of design work and unforeseen setbacks made sure of it. This aircraft’s development was meant to rival the Boeing [...]
Designed by Burt Rutan, the Rutan Model 202 Boomerang’s appearance is downright unforgettable. But why the unique design? There’s a reason behind every rhyme. Design and Development The Boomerang was modeled after one of the most well-known twin-engine civilian aircrafts: the Beechcraft Baron 58. The plane made its debut at the 1996 Oshkosh, Wisconsin AirVenture. [...]
