Tupolev Tu-144
A Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic transport jet lifts off the runway at Russia’s Zhukovsky Air Development Center in September 1998. NASA teamed with American and Russian aerospace industries for an extended period in a joint international research program featuring the Russian-built Tu-144LL. The object of the program was to develop technologies for a proposed future second-generation supersonic airliner to be developed in the 21st Century.

Topics Related To: AVIATION HISTORY
Piper Cub Catapult Takeoff
An industrious aircraft salesman develops a system of elastic bands to launch his Piper Cub from small clearings, enabling operation from his backyard.
Pan Am Helicopter Transfer
A ramp view of passengers transferring between an airliner and a helicopter for quick and easy access to Manhattan.
Airport Design: The Tangential Runway Concept
A novel airport design concept emerged in the 1940s, promising speed and efficiency, but ultimately failed to overcome regulatory and operational realities.





