The Next Generation Air Traffic System

A recent New York Times article focused on the issue of replacing our current air traffic system. Much of the technology used today was developed during World War II when there were far fewer airplanes in the sky than now. It’s a huge credit to air traffic controllers that flying is as safe as it is.

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Best Seat in the Plane

A friend of mine has very definite seat requirements when she flies commercially. A nervous flyer, she wants to know which seats offer the best chance of survival in an airplane crash. She also wants easy access to the lavatory and hates the window seat because it reminds her that she’s 35,000 feet above the ground.

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F-35 Lightning II Passes One More Test Flight

In early January, Lockheed Martin reported that the F-35 Lightning II successfully passed its second round of flight tests. The tests were conducted at the company’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The stealth fighter will eventually replace many of the aircraft, such as the A-10s, F/A-18 Hornets, F-16s, and AV-8B Harriers currently in service for the United States military. The F-35 Lightning II is also slated to replace the United Kingdom’s Sea Harriers and Harrier GR-7 aircraft.

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Flying Solo for the First Time

I was terrified to take my first solo flight a few years ago. Sure, I worried about my personal safety, but mostly I was afraid of embarrassing myself. What if I bent the airplane? I thought of all the students before me who had managed to keep it in one piece. Leave it to me to make the Big Mistake. Death would have almost been preferable.

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