Albert S. "Scott" Crossfield was a Navy fighter pilot and flight instructor. Born on October 2, 1921, Crossfield attended the University of Washington to study aeronautical engineering. He eventually dropped out and instead graduated from civilian aviation school before obtaining his private pilot’s license. He shifted back and forth between working at Boeing Aircraft Company [...]
Nearing the end of the year always brings a certain type of nostalgia. As we look towards the future, it's always good to reflect on past accomplishments, too. By doing so, we can measure our growth. It's kinda like time travel that way--a blast from the past! We've grown a lot over the past year [...]
As part of the journey to building more fuel-efficient aircraft, aeronautic engineers have extensively researched ways to modify aircraft wings and make them more flexible. Less rigid wings could be the key to these flights because the overall weight of the aircraft would decrease while flexibility would increase. NASA’s Advanced Air Transport Technology project and [...]
Boeing equipped its long-range 777 with a laser to discover turbulence before coming in contact with it. If the laser proves efficient, the plane, crew, and any passengers on board will be saved from a rough ride. Troublesome Turbulence Photo Credit: CBC News | Technology and Science, Ted S. Warren In-flight turbulence is [...]
In the wake of hurricane season, you may have heard of the "Hurricane Hunters" and wondered, why anyone would go towards a hurricane rather than away from it? Well, there's good reason pilots fly into the eye of the storm--to collect accessible data for public officials. Their flights help gather information on a hurricane's strength, which can [...]
Traveling by air does wonders. It transforms long, grueling drives into manageable flights and allows people to go places impossible to reach by car. The convenience is unparalleled. However, like anything, flying does not come without frustrating features for both passengers and those on the ground. Passengers sometimes undergo lengthy commercial flights (in addition to [...]
The C-130's versatility is second to none. The C-130 Hercules is considered one of history's most important aircraft. It has landed on high air-strips in the Himalaya Mountains, as well as those in the middle of the ocean on ships. Harsh environments are no stranger to this aircraft as it's usually the first plane landing [...]
If you’re a fan of National Geographic or the Discovery Channel, you may have heard of storm chasers. These people dedicate themselves to following a storm—usually a tornado—and getting video footage of clouds forming and hail falling. For some, the purpose behind storm chasing is more than just getting a thrill. They’re hired to gather [...]
If you’ve ever ridden a roller coaster, you may have felt a sense of weightlessness followed by abrupt heaviness. Going over bumps, through corkscrews, and around loops nearing a speed of 100 mph contributes to all those sensations—it’s also why you may feel a little queasy after getting off the ride. Roller coasters cause you [...]
Long before Neil Armstrong made one giant leap for mankind (or, you know, didn’t, if that’s your belief), NASA’s work was a lot closer to home. In fact, it had nothing to do with aerospace at all. At least, not technically. The NASA we know and love today grew out of a federal agency founded [...]
