CURRENT ISSUE

May 2010

Features

At Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Hugh Schoelzel channels Louis Blériot in the nation’s oldest flying aircraft.

Let the Shows Begin!

What's hot on this summer's airshow circuit.

The Editors

Simply the Best

Is there an airshow fan alive who doesn’t know the legendary Bob Hoover?

Debbie Gary

An engineer adjusts the beam-control optics that ride in the nose of the Airborne Laser Testbed, a modified Boeing 747-400F. The optics stabilize and shape the weapon laser’s beam as it is aimed by the nose turret’s computer-controlled telescope at a targ

How Things Work: Missile Killer

In this tables-turned scenario, the airplane shoots down the missile.

Damond Benningfield

Kevin Lacey, here with a repossessed Citation VII, gets the job done by striking an effective balance between folksy and wily.

Grab the Airplane and Go

How to repossess an airliner without getting shot, or thrown in jail, or beat up, or slammed into a wall, or...

Stephen Joiner

The Osprey’s role in Afghanistan has been mainly assault support: transporting troops and supplies (here, Army soldiers unload gear from an MV-22 at a remote combat outpost).

Osprey at War

Can the MV-22 pass muster in Afghanistan?

Ed Darack

Two-armed Dextre robot, which will be used to demonstrate orbital refueling.

Mr. Fix-It

Frank Cepollina takes repair calls to new heights.

Robert Zimmerman

How Good Is Your Airline?

Two professors analyze the stats.

Craig Mellow

The color-coded mosaic is oriented as if the viewer were hovering directly above the lunar South Pole,which lies at the bottom center. In some areas of the surface, the 70-centimeter wavelength penetrates up to 100 feet.

What Lies Beneath

You don't have to go to the moon to find out what it's made of.

Mike Klesius

The Pride of Cherry Grove

With little more than Bernard Pietenpol's plans, anybody could build an airplane.

Marshall Lumsden

Glenn Martin (standing). By 1913 Martin was taking credit for Broadwick’s invention, and the following year he patented it. Here, he and Tiny watch Broadwick stitch up the canopy of a parachute.

Pack Man

Charles Broadwick invented a new way of falling.

Lisa Ritter

Departments

Viewport

Viewport: All the Sky’s a Stage

J.R. Dailey

In the Museum

In the Museum: A la Cart

Above & Beyond

An Extra Two Seconds

This is how test pilot Bob White set a records in the X-15

Robert M. White as told to Al Hallonquist

Flights & Fancy

Flights & Fancy: It Started off Bad and Went Downhill

William J. Onderdonk

Moments and Milestones

Moments-Milestones Old Faithful

Uncategorized

Sightings: Head On

You don't normally see a DC-3 from this angle. Good thing, too.

The Editors