Preston Lerner

Preston Lerner has been writing for Air & Space since 1989.

The shape of Otto Aviation’s portly Celera was a design decision to minimize drag. A bonus: Its commodious cabin accommodates six passengers, who—because of a six-foot, two-inch ceiling—will be able to stand.

The Celera 500L Just May Revolutionize Business Aviation

Its unusual shape helps it travel more miles on a single tank of gas.

An artist’s depiction of InSight with the Mole, on the right, firmly embedded in the soil. If only.

The Long, Frustrating Saga of the Mole on Mars

Digging on another planet is harder than it looks.

For decades, Sea Furys owned by the Sanders family—(front to back) Dreadnought, Argonaut, and 924—have been strong competitors at Reno’s National Championship Air Races.

One of the World’s Most Famous Air Racers Retakes the Trophy

<i>Dreadnought,</i> a race-crowd favorite, is backed by a family tradition.

The Mars Helicopter, as shown in this artist’s conception, could pave the way for aerial reconnaissance of the Red Planet, exploring areas inaccessible to astronauts and rovers.

A Helicopter Dreams of Mars

Hitching a ride with the next NASA rover, a new explorer gets a chance.

Bystanders crouch over Thomas Selfridge, pulled from the wrecked Wright Model A.

The Father of Crash Investigation

In 1908, Frank Lahm issued the first airplane accident report.

In 1985, customers flocked to see the B-17 Lacey Lady propped atop a gas station.

Once a Roadside Attraction, This WW2 Bomber May Get a Third Life

How a B-17 came to roost in Oregon.

Boron, California, consecrated its ties to test pilots with a town museum.

Where the Wild West Meets the Cosmos

On the far side of Edwards Air Force Base, a quirky museum of flight.

A TDR-1 being prepared for a mission on Mbanika Island, in the Solomons. Note the TV camera in the nose.

The First Drone Strike—in 1944

The TDR-1 even had a TV camera mounted in its nose.

Airliner cockpits are designed for two pilots, but they’re so highly automated NASA has studied single-pilot ops.

Would You Fly on an Airliner Without a Pilot?

Studies show that with technology available today, you could.

Bob Pardo (left) and Steve Wayne were nearly disciplined for the push, but squadron commander Robin Olds intervened.

Bob Pardo Once Pushed a Crippled F-4 Home With His F-4. In Flight.

...while in combat over Vietnam.

When a pilot suffered an eye injury while flying a Hawker Hurricane Mk. I, Harold Ridley treated him and made a discovery that would benefit people afflicted with cataracts.

How a WW2 Combat Injury Led to a Treatment for Cataracts, 40 Years Later

WW2 ace Gordon Cleaver’s doctor came up with a technique that has saved the sight of millions of people.

How Much of the Sky Overhead Do You Own?

Frightened chickens once determined in court how high airplanes could fly over your property.

Fernando Soto in 1970 atop his Honduran Corsair, with symbols marking his victories. The aircraft is now in the Honduras air museum, which keeps it in running (but not flying) condition.

The Last Piston-Engine Dogfights

Corsairs against Mustangs in the skies over Central America in 1969.

Lift off! A judge signals when Frank Knapp’s experimental L’il Cub leaves the runway.

The Bushplane Olympics

In Valdez, Alaska, the prize goes to the airplane that takes off and lands in the shortest distance.

Learning to fly unmanned aircraft can now be part of a college education. A teacher at Arizona’s Embry-Riddle University readies a radio-control airplane for his student’s lesson.

UAV U.

How to train the next generation of pilots—who will never take to the skies.

The Bugatti went on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, last March. Scotty Wilson hopes to get it airborne by the end of the year.

Aviation’s Sexiest Racer

Ettore Bugatti built fast cars—and just one airplane.

A Curtiss JN-4H chugs over Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, one of the few sites where you can see World War I replicas fly.

A Spotter’s Guide to World War I Replicas

Where to see a Jenny in flight

Robert Baslee’s Dr.1 looks authentic, but gets a big boost from a four-cylinder engine.

Where to Buy a WWI Aeroplane

Just like the ones they used to fly in 1917—almost.

The driver tailing the U-2 is himself a U-2 pilot.

Wingman in a Pontiac

It takes two to land the dragon lady.

Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America Sonic 1 employed the transonic area rule via its high-waisted fuselage. Area ruling, which reduces drag at transonic speeds, enabled the early 1960s Convair F-102 to reach Mach 1.2.

The Bonneville Jet Wars

A California hot-rodder took on the feuding Arfons brothers in the 1960s.

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