Aviation technology analysis with Vector. Electric aircraft, avionics advances, eVTOL certification, satellite connectivity, and the engineering innovations shaping the future of flight.
GPS spoofing in conflict zones is generating phantom traffic on pilot displays - here's how it works, where it's happening, and what to do about it.
Sierra Space's Dream Chaser is a reusable lifting body spaceplane designed to return from orbit and land on a conventional runway - a direct descendant of 1960s Edwards research.
The Graphical Turbulence Guidance combines real-time airliner EDR sensor data with numerical weather models to produce the most accurate turbulence forecast most GA pilots have never used.
NASA and Boeing's X-66A targets a 30% fuel burn reduction for single-aisle jets through a radical high-aspect-ratio truss-braced wing design.
Wisk Aero is the only major eVTOL company pursuing fully pilotless passenger flight from the ground up - a certification gamble that could reshape aviation safety standards industry-wide.
Radar attenuation can paint a dangerous thunderstorm gap as clear green - understanding this blind spot is essential for any pilot using airborne weather radar.
Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL is accumulating real FAA test data toward type certification, backed by United Airlines and a new powered-lift regulatory framework finalized in 2023.
Electra Aero's hybrid-electric eSTOL targets a 150-foot takeoff and landing roll using blown lift, potentially reopening thousands of underserved U.S. airports to scheduled service.
CFM International's RISE program targets more than 20% better fuel burn by eliminating the nacelle entirely, marking the most fundamental rethink of commercial jet propulsion in decades.
The FAA's LADD program lets pilots block their aircraft from public tracking platforms - but independent receiver networks operate outside those rules.
The Stratolaunch Roc - the world's widest aircraft at 385 feet - has found its mission as a reusable hypersonic test platform after pivoting away from orbital launch.
The TBM 960's certified autothrottle - the first in a single-engine turboprop - signals a turning point in how cockpit automation manages the demands of single-pilot IFR flight.
Joby Aviation's S4 eVTOL is deep in FAA certification - and the regulatory framework it establishes will govern every electric air taxi that follows.
Reliable Robotics is pursuing FAA Part 135 certification to fly the Cessna 208 Caravan autonomously for cargo, with FedEx as a partner and commercial routes likely 3-5 years out.
NASA's X-59 QueSST completed its first flight on January 24, 2024, launching a program aimed at replacing the 50-year US ban on supersonic overland civil flight with a noise-based standard.
Pete Knight flew the X-15 to Mach 6.7 on October 3, 1967 - a speed no winged aircraft has matched in nearly 59 years, and a record built on engineering that still shapes aerospace today.
TIS-B targets on your ADS-B display are radar-relayed, not direct broadcasts - carrying up to 12 seconds of latency that can place traffic half a mile from where it appears.
GPS spoofing corrupts ADS-B position data without triggering any cockpit warning, creating a silent surveillance integrity threat now documented across European and Middle Eastern airspace.
The Eviation Alice flew in 2022, but turning an 820 kWh battery-electric commuter into a certified airline product still requires years of unglamorous work.
The Garmin GFC 500 brings modern envelope protection and one-button unusual attitude recovery to legacy piston aircraft for $12,000–$20,000 installed.