Aviation technology analysis with Vector. Electric aircraft, avionics advances, eVTOL certification, satellite connectivity, and the engineering innovations shaping the future of flight.
Beta Technologies is solving electric aviation's chicken-and-egg infrastructure problem by building both the aircraft and the charging network simultaneously.
Joby Aviation leads the U.S. eVTOL race toward FAA type certification, but as of mid-2026 no powered-lift aircraft has crossed that finish line - here's what the milestones actually mean.
The Current Icing Product (CIP) is a probabilistic model, not a guarantee - understanding NCAR's algorithm and its limits makes you a smarter winter pilot.
Honeywell Anthem's partitioned architecture represents a fundamental shift in how certified avionics software is built and updated - and the HondaJet Elite Two is its proof of concept.
Your aircraft broadcasts its position, registration link, and full flight history to anyone with a $50 receiver - here's what the FAA built to address it.
NASA's SOFIA program flew a modified Boeing 747-SP as a functioning infrared telescope from 2010 to 2022, culminating in the discovery of water on the Moon's sunlit surface.
ZeroAvia has flown a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Dornier 228, targeting the 9-19 seat regional market as a credible zero-emission alternative to turboprops.
Electra Aero's hybrid-electric eSTOL uses blown lift technology for 300-foot ground rolls, targeting small communities that lost scheduled air service.
GPS spoofing silently corrupts ADS-B surveillance, broadcasting falsified aircraft positions to controllers and other pilots with no receiver alerts triggered.
How the 1985 Delta Flight 191 microburst disaster built the wind shear detection system protecting airline passengers today - and why GA pilots still operate outside its coverage.
How Enhanced GPWS eliminated controlled flight into terrain from commercial aviation - and why the original system almost made things worse.
Honeywell Anthem's open architecture promises post-certification software evolution - a genuine shift from how avionics have worked for decades, if Honeywell can execute.
Solid-state batteries could push aircraft pack energy density from 200 to 500+ Wh/kg, but manufacturing challenges mean meaningful aviation use is still a decade away.
How 66 low-Earth orbit satellites gave controllers continuous real-time position data over oceanic airspace for the first time in 80 years of commercial aviation.
The EHang EH216-S became the world's first type-certified autonomous passenger eVTOL in October 2023 - and nearly three years of commercial data sets it apart from every American program.
The Eviation Alice completed its first flight in September 2022, but battery physics and a long certification road separate that milestone from commercial airline service.
The Leonardo AW609's 30-year certification journey exposes the true cost of certifying novel aircraft - and what that means for every eVTOL timeline you've been sold.
Eight military pilots flew the X-15 above 50 miles in the 1960s, earning astronaut wings and defining the altitude threshold still encoded in U.S. commercial space law today.
Reliable Robotics has been flying an autonomous Cessna 208 Caravan since 2021 - here's the certification path, the engineering challenges, and what it means for cargo pilots.
CFM International's RISE program is reviving the open fan engine with modern materials and AI design tools that could deliver 20%+ fuel savings for the next narrowbody generation.