Aircraft, airlines, history, and the future of flight.
Sit down in row 11 of an Airbus A220-300 and look out the window. Go on, really look. The window is enormous — noticeably, almost absurdly large compared to what you’d expect on a single-aisle narrowbody. You can see the whole engine. You can see the curve of the wing. On a clear day over…
Picture an en-route controller at a busy sector boundary late on a Friday evening. Traffic is stacking up, a line of thunderstorms is pushing aircraft off their planned tracks, and three pilots have just requested altitude changes simultaneously. For decades, the tool helping that controller hold everything together was essentially a strip of paper —…
In the early 1950s, flying was still an act of considerable courage, patience, and expense. Piston engines droned. Cabins vibrated. Passengers chewed gum against the pressure changes and arrived hours late as a matter of routine. The idea that aviation could become something ordinary people did for ordinary reasons — holidays, family visits, business meetings…