Planes shrunk the world – and helped us reach the tiniest, most remote specks of land faster than ever before. There’s still a handful of places left in the world that are cut off, and too treacherous to reach by sea all the time. Here are some of our favourites.

They’re so commonplace that we take them completely for granted – but planes are beautiful, graceful and awe-inspiring machines. They’ve taken humans to remote places and on regular commutes, on great adventures and out of sticky situations. In all their forms, planes are great to look at, but some have the X-factor. This is a … Continue reading “The Most Beautiful Planes Ever Built”

For 36 hours in December 2018, Gatwick airport was on its knees. 140,000 passengers on over 1,000 flights were affected in the most disruptive event since the 2010 Icelandic volcano eruption. What has the industry learned from the event, and can drones be prevented from causing this kind of chaos ever again? Drone Chaos Timeline … Continue reading “Gatwick Drones: the Impact on Aviation”

Since planes could fly, military powers have been looking for ways to hide them. Stealth planes were once the biggest secret in the world. Today, they’re famous icons of engineering and military might. But how did they come to be, and how do they work? Colour, Light and Shape Camouflage is one of the oldest … Continue reading “Stealth Planes: How do They Work?”

The 2010 eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull, which wreaked havoc with travel plans, spread a cloud of ash across Europe, North America and far into the Asian continent. Flights were grounded all over the world and getting home was impossible for many. How did a tiny island’s volcano bring aviation to a halt? What Happens … Continue reading “Why Can’t Planes Fly When a Volcano Erupts?”

Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have flown a plane with no moving parts. Is this a significant event in aviation, the game changing moment that leads to electric planes? How it Works The futuristically named ion drive works by moving electricity at high voltage (20,000V) through electrodes at the front of an aerofoil, … Continue reading “MIT Ion Drive Plane Flies with Zero Moving Parts”

Emotional support animals are, for now, an American phenomenon; one yet to reach Europe. Over 500,000 animals fly on US airlines every year and it’s common to see not just service dogs, but all types of pets on planes. From pet rabbits to parrots, and even pigs – pretty much anything flies if you can … Continue reading “Are Pets on Planes a Real Benefit?”

Airports are getting bigger and busier. Advances have been made across the aviation industry, with new routes and better in flight experiences – but what can we expect airports to be like in the future? Personalised Airport Experiences Despite the ever changing needs of customers and cities, airports have remained pretty much the same. As … Continue reading “How are Airports Preparing for the Future of Travel?”

Next time you fly, you might want to pack some hand sanitiser and wet wipes. And maybe wear a hat. You’ll probably want to wash your clothes and have a shower as soon as you get to your destination, too – because the dirtiest places on planes are pretty much always touching you. CBC has … Continue reading “Report Finds Planes are Disgusting Places”