Airport Tails

The Boeing Supersonic Transport

Boeing's 2707-200 was designed with a swing-wing configuration for efficient variable-speed flight. In the early 1960s, Boeing began the development of a supersonic passenger aircraft named the Boeing 2707. The company aimed to offer an American version of the supersonic airliner that would transport between 250 and 300 passengers at speeds approaching Mach 3 with a range of 4,000 miles. No less than four General Electric GE4 turbojet engines were selected to power the super

G. Rhodes

Mar 145 min read

What Flight Attendants Observe

Flight attendants worldwide are well trained to not only assist passengers, but to ensure cabin safety. Flight attendants almost always welcome passengers upon boarding the aircraft. This may include a formal greeting as well as double checking boarding passes to assist with seating, or helping passengers stow their luggage into the overhead bins. While it may look like a straightforward process, there is a great deal more that goes into welcoming passengers onboard. Boarding

G. Rhodes

Feb 285 min read

Determining Cruise Altitudes

Higher altitudes enable aircraft to fly above most weather, ensuring a smoother ride for passengers. Airplanes fly at high altitudes for a variety of reasons. To put it simply, the higher an airplane flies, the lower its fuel burn. Higher altitudes also allow the aircraft to achieve greater cruise speeds more efficiently. Furthermore, high altitudes ensure the aircraft is well away from the most severe weather which can lead to turbulence and icing. Aircraft altitudes vary, w

G. Rhodes

Feb 145 min read

The Iconic Lockheed Constellation

KLM began flying the Constellation in 1946 with the L-049 , using it on its transatlantic route to NY. When thinking about iconic airplanes from aviation history, most people will mention aircraft like the Boeing 747 , the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar , or the Concorde . But, aside from these jet planes, many earlier civilian airliners are often overlooked. Before jet aircraft became the norm, the world was flying on piston-driven aircraft like the Lockheed Constellation, someti

G. Rhodes

Jan 315 min read

Variables That Affect a Smooth Landing

A perfect landing involves a stabilized approach, with precise alignment followed by a smooth flare. You're seated at the window and about to land. You watch as the trees grow larger, cars appear closer, and roads grow wider. Your plane crosses over the airport perimeter fence, and the runway suddenly appears under the aircraft. You might reach for the armrest in preparation for landing, but the touchdown is nearly imperceptible. The landing was perfect. Behind the flight de

G. Rhodes

Jan 174 min read

The World of Pilot Schedules

Schedules impact pilot performance and the safety of passengers and crew, as well as their health. If you’re a fan of consistent schedules, being a commercial airline pilot is probably not the job for you. Flight crew schedules are a complex integration of airline priorities and legal requirements that result in changing schedules for pilots on a monthly basis. They’re complex at best due to a combination of external factors and internal regulations, including safety rules

G. Rhodes

Jan 35 min read

Developing Modern Commercial Airliners

Detailed technical drawings feature the aircraft's shape and the precise specifications for all parts. Developing a commercial airliner today is a lengthy and complex process requiring billions of dollars and years of hard work involving thousands of employees across a wide range of disciplines. The process includes extensive engineering, design, prototype manufacturing, and rigorous testing to meet stringent safety certifications from regulatory bodies like the US Federal A

G. Rhodes

Dec 20, 20255 min read

Painting an Aircraft

A livery i dentifies the airline and provides a major form of branding and advertising for that carrier. Commercial aircraft are generally expensive to manufacture, operate, maintain and fly, but not many people think about the cost that goes into painting one. The average cost to paint a jet aircraft ranges from $65,000 for light jets to over $200,000 for large commercial airliners, with highly complex or massive jets like the Airbus A380 potentially reaching $300,000 or mor

G. Rhodes

Dec 6, 20255 min read

The Most Luxurious Plane We’ve Never Heard Of

Targeted at the rich, the beautiful aircraft had its maiden flight in 1949, just four years after WW2. Imagine a double-decker aircraft with wings wider than a Boeing 747 , sleeping berths, a sit-down restaurant and a separate movie theater, all designed to serve and pamper its passengers while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Such a plane was actually built in 1949, but it was never adopted by the airlines. Built not by Boeing and long before Airbus even existed, the Brabazon

G. Rhodes

Nov 22, 20254 min read

Beyond the Runways: The Story of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

The Atlanta Airport Atrium serves as a gateway to other areas and a gathering place for travelers . The world’s busiest airport is located on what in the Eighteenth Century was part of Creek Indian Territory . Over one 150 years later, the Atlanta Speedway opened on that site in 1909. However, the track failed to attract consistent crowds after its opening, which resulted in significant debt for its majority shareholder, business tycoon Asa Candler, Sr., founder of the Coca-

G. Rhodes

Nov 8, 20255 min read

Flight Attendants Through the Years

In the early years, those wishing to fly put up with uncomfortable seats and no real safety equipment. At the dawn of commercial aviation, flying was an exclusive experience, reserved for the wealthy and adventurous. Passengers traveled in small, unpressurized cabins, and flying was considered more of a novelty than a necessity. Among the many changes that have shaped the airline industry, one of the most fascinating transformations has been the evolution of the role we now c

G. Rhodes

Oct 25, 20255 min read