aviation

Attendees take photos in front of a Chinese C919 passenger jet after its first flight at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai.

China's first domestically made passenger jet is a warning to Boeing and Airbus

The world's fastest-growing aviation market wants to stop buying foreign-made planes. Or at least not as many.

China's first domestically made passenger jet is a warning to Boeing and Airbus
Drones

How a group of drone racers are hoping to use their big events to educate others

How a group of drone racers are hoping to use their big events to educate others
French gendarmes and police inspect a piece of plane debris found on a beach on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion.

What can the Indian Ocean plane wreckage tell us?

What can the Indian Ocean plane wreckage tell us?
Niloofar Rahmani

Meet two women who are the first female pilots in their countries

Meet two women who are the first female pilots in their countries
Solar Impulse 2 grounded in Hawaii until 2016

The record-breaking solar plane, Solar Impulse 2, is grounded in Hawaii

The record-breaking solar plane, Solar Impulse 2, is grounded in Hawaii
Solar Impulse 2 parked in Japan

Solar-powered airplane lands safely, breaking flight record

After flying for five days, Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered plane, has landed safely in a Hawaii airport after flying out of Japan. The pilot, Andre Borschberg,has broken the endurance record for a solo flight.

Solar-powered airplane lands safely, breaking flight record
The US Marine Corps C-130 Hercules named "Fat Albert," assigned to the US Navy “Blue Angels” flight demonstration team, uses Jet Assisted Take Off bottles during the 2005 Blue Angel Homecoming show.

A Marine pilot breaks the gender barrier in one of the world's most elite squadrons

When the elite aerial team called the Blue Angels formed in 1946, all of its pilots were men. In 2014, the same thing was true. Now history has been made with the addition of Capt. Katie Higgins, the first female pilot to serve with the Navy's world-famous demonstration squadron.

A Marine pilot breaks the gender barrier in one of the world's most elite squadrons
The view from 15,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean as seen from the Two Eagles Balloon flight deck.

A US-Russian pair is trying to smash the 'holy grail' of ballooning records

Balloon pilots Troy Bradley and Leonid Tiukhtyaev of Russia are currently floating above the Pacific Ocean on what they hope is a record-setting flight. Now five days and more than 5,000 miles into the trip, they're gunning for the record for longest gas balloon trip of all time.

A US-Russian pair is trying to smash the 'holy grail' of ballooning records
A child looks on at a viewing gallery overlooking AirAsia planes on the tarmac at Changi Airport in Singapore December 29, 2014.

An AirAsia jet carrying 162 people is still missing

As authorities continue to search for a missing AirAsia flight bound for Singapore, fears are growing that the aircraft is "at the bottom of the sea." Meanwhile, AirAsia’s flamboyant chief executive, Tony Fernandes, has been thrust into the international spotlight as his company confronts its first major crisis.

An AirAsia jet carrying 162 people is still missing
Flights from Israel had partially resumed Friday, but there were still plenty of cancellations. The FAA ban on flights to Tel Aviv left many Israelis feeling claustrophobic and isolated — even if only for two days.

The US flight ban left Israelis feeling cut off from the world

It lasted only 48 hours, but a halt to American flights in and out of Israel touched an uncomfortable nerve in the small and isolated country.

The US flight ban left Israelis feeling cut off from the world
A departure board displays various cancellations at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv.

Despite recent events in Ukraine and Israel, flying over hot spots is business as usual

Airlines have been criticized for flying over Ukraine — now they're being criticized for halting flights to Israel. Who decides where it's safe to fly? Pilot Patrick Smith says it's a multi-layered process.

Despite recent events in Ukraine and Israel, flying over hot spots is business as usual
Pilots stand in the shade of the wing of a DC-3 in the hamlet of Miraflores in the Colombian jungle.

Ancient DC-3s deliver hope in Colombia, and seat belts are optional

The twin engine DC-3 got its start in World War II. And some of those vintage planes are still flying in Colombia.

Ancient DC-3s deliver hope in Colombia, and seat belts are optional