modern aviation
COMMERCIAL AVIATION
The Boeing 777X’s Folding Wingtips: Engineering a Giant to Fit Any Gate
The Boeing 777X folds its 235-foot wingspan to fit into standard gates. Here’s how the folding wingtip system works and why it matters for airline efficiency.
Humid Air Reveals Stunning Wake Vortices
Unique atmospheric conditions reveal the unique wake turbulence generated by a Boeing 757 airliner.
Seaplane Operations in the Pacific Northwest
The deHavilland turbine Beaver is a mainstay of the Kenmore Air fleet of aircraft that provides scheduled and unscheduled air service in the Pacific Northwest.
Mountaintop Altiport: How a Tiny, Sloping Runway Provides Access to a Legendary Ski Resort
Ask a group of pilots to describe the most challenging airports they’ve ever experienced, and you’ll hear stories about airports around the world that present a wide variety of unique characteristics. From airports built on plateaus like Telluride, Colorado, to others on tiny scraps of land jutting out into the ocean like Saba in the Caribbean, short runways and unusual geography can make approaches and departures far more challenging than everyday airports.
