If you ask me, 2018 is off to a great start as far as the moon is concerned. Not only did we kick off the month with a spectacular supermoon, which came with some amazing photos of aircraft flying past the supermoon (some featured below), but we’re ending the month with another. The phenomenon hasn't [...]
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 [...]
You might have experienced traveling with an airline during the winter months. Sometimes things go smoothly, sometimes there are hold-ups. But things are a little different for private plane owners. Think about what it must be like to fly in a plane without pressurization or only minimal heating. Some dedicated pilots don’t let the cold [...]
Hilda Hewlett has the title of Britain’s first female pilot, the first woman in Britain to earn her pilots license, and the owner of the U.K.’s first flying school. Known as “Grace Bird,” that doesn’t include all of the accomplishments she’s made during her life. A woman ahead of her time: a budding aviatrix [...]
The people who care for the planes we travel on are the unsung heroes of the field. Without their knowledge and hard work, we would face a lot more problems than we do now when flying, to say the least. The job of an aviation mechanic entails a lot of training and duties. Today, we’re [...]
Before a pilot gets behind the wheel of an actual plane, they often rely on technology to teach them the ropes. The technology behind flight simulators is fascinating and complex. The benefits of a flight simulator are plentiful and not necessarily for the reasons you might think. Simulators take flight Flight simulation first came about [...]
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 [...]
We’ve mentioned Jeana Yeager before in our Rutan Voyager Plane of the Week feature, but we’re thrilled to be bringing her back in this Pilot Profile! Known as the first women to fly a plane nonstop around the world without refueling, Jeana is truly an inspiration. By Ray Kamm, SDASM Archives - Ray Kamm [...]
Morse code has saved countless lives over time. This method uses a series of sounds, lights, and clicks, in different lengths and combinations to convey a message, the most famous being SOS. It’s a system that has transcended time, really. This particular incident is a one-off story of the system not necessarily working. In August [...]
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 [...]
