Aviation technology analysis with Vector. Electric aircraft, avionics advances, eVTOL certification, satellite connectivity, and the engineering innovations shaping the future of flight.
The Pipistrel Velis Electro earned the world's first electric aircraft type certificate from EASA in June 2020, establishing the certification blueprint every eVTOL and electric aircraft program now follows.
The Pipistrel Velis Electro became the world's first fully type-certificated electric aircraft in June 2020, and European flight schools are training real students in it today.
The X-15 set the all-time air speed record of Mach 6.72 in 1967, and its thermal, control, and reentry data directly shaped Apollo, the Space Shuttle, and every hypersonic vehicle in development today.
ZeroAvia has already flown a 19-seat commercial aircraft on hydrogen fuel cell power, making it the most advanced zero-emission propulsion program in regional aviation today.
ZeroAvia is building hydrogen fuel cell powertrains for regional turboprops, with real flight tests completed and commercial service projected between 2033 and 2040.
ACAS X replaces TCAS II's fixed 1980s decision rules with probabilistic optimization, cutting nuisance alerts 30–40% while maintaining collision avoidance performance.
Aireon's space-based ADS-B network, operational since April 2019, gave air traffic controllers real-time surveillance over the North Atlantic for the first time in aviation history.
Auto-GCAS has saved more than a dozen F-16 pilots since 2014 by taking direct control during incapacitation - with zero false positives across a decade of operations.
The Boeing X-37B has completed six fully autonomous orbital missions since 2010 - including one lasting 908 days - and lands itself on a runway every time.
Electra Aero's EL-2 Goldfinch uses proven blown lift aerodynamics and distributed electric motors to target takeoff and landing distances under 150 feet.
The Garmin GFC 500 brings digital autopilot technology - including VNAV, GPS steering, and an upset recovery mode - to legacy piston aircraft for under $15,000 installed.
NASA's X-59 QueSST is building the evidence case to replace a 50-year FAA ban on overland supersonic flight with a measurable acoustic performance standard.
Wisk Aero is pursuing FAA certification for a pilotless passenger aircraft - here's what that means for the technology, the regulatory timeline, and pilots sharing the sky.
Reliable Robotics is retrofitting Cessna 208 Caravans with autonomous flight systems, targeting cargo-first FAA certification for remote aviation operations.
Synthetic vision technology gives instrument pilots a continuous 3D terrain picture generated in real time from GPS and elevation data, dramatically reducing CFIT accidents in general aviation.
The angle of attack indicator has been standard on military jets since the 1950s, is now certifiable for GA, and the accident data says we need it.
The Avidyne IFD 550 offers a 10.6-inch display and full knob-and-touch interface that competes directly with the Garmin GTN 750 Xi - at a lower price point.
How MCAS design flaws and a broken certification process caused 346 deaths across two 737 MAX crashes and permanently changed how aviation certifies cockpit automation.
CFM's RISE program is developing a counter-rotating open fan engine targeting 20%+ fuel burn improvement over current LEAP engines, with entry into service targeted for the mid-2030s.
The FAA's ADS-B mandate created an unintended public surveillance layer - here's how the LADD and PIA programs address it, and their real limitations.