During World War I, citizens of Paris were quick to contribute to the war effort in any way possible. Parisians of all walks of left chipped in, whether poor or rich, young […]
Parisian Parrots Protect People From Planes
Meet the Man Who Ate an Entire Airplane
Say what you will about Michel Lotito, but one thing is for certain: he never suffered from iron deficiency in his diet. For that matter, he didn’t want for glass, plastic, aluminum, […]
Plug Your Ears for a Flight in the World’s Loudest Airplane
Few aircraft created such an indelible impression on its operators as the XF-84H “Thunderscreech.” Created by Republic Aviation for the U.S. Air Force, this experimental fighter never saw combat, but it left […]
From Plane Wreck to “Star Trek” — the Heroic Exploits of Gene Roddenberry
Fans of Star Trek are all too familiar with the scene: the ship is badly damaged, the helm is unresponsive, and everything seems to be going wrong. In moments like this, Captain […]
The Hijacking Everyone Thought Was a Prank
For the passengers and crew of Eastern Airlines Flight 7, February 3, 1969, is a day they will never forget. That was the day they all had a serious brush with disaster, […]
Take to the Skies With These Fun Facts About Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport
Anyone who travels by airplane in the United States will inevitably travel through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Although millions pass through O’Hare every year, few take the time to contemplate some of […]
Look Inside the World’s Largest Airplane Boneyard
Where do airplanes go when they die? Just as elephants make one final journey to their graveyards, aircraft — at least, those owned by the United States government — have their own […]
Take a Crash Course Into Aeroflot’s Harrowing History
Airline passengers tend to take for granted that purchasing a ticket will result in travel aboard a dependable aircraft run by an airline that places safety at a premium. The biggest concerns […]
Flying a Plane is All in the Numbers
If Airport X has a runway 30, and Airport Y’s top-numbered runway is 27, logic suggests that Airport A is the larger airport, right? Actually, the number of the runway has nothing […]
Anchors Aweigh for a Singular Honor
Air Force One is well known as the aircraft of the President of the United States. Technically, it is any US Air Force aircraft in which the President is a passenger. […]
It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s an Inflatoplane!
Goodyear, the manufacturer of tires, developed an inflatable airplane called GA-468, but commonly known as the Inflatoplane. The Inflatoplane’s performance was comparable to that of a a J3 Cub. The airplane was […]
You Take the Chicken; I’ll Have the Fish
On commercial airliner flights, the pilot and co-pilot never eat the same meal. This is for the safety of the craft: if the pilot is laid low by food poisoning, the co-pilot […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 