Reliable Robotics and Xwing are retrofitting certified Cessna Caravans with autonomous systems, pursuing a cargo-first regulatory path that may reach commercial operations before any eVTOL.
VectorCategory III ILS autoland uses triple-redundant computers that vote on every control input to land commercial jets in near-zero visibility - here's how it works.
VectorACAS X replaces TCAS's fixed decision rules with a precomputed optimization algorithm, reducing nuisance alerts and scaling to drones, eVTOLs, and increasingly complex airspace.
VectorBoom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator reached Mach 1.12 in January 2025, marking the most credible progress toward commercial supersonic flight since the Concorde retired in 2003.
VectorCFM International's RISE program is developing an open fan engine targeting over 20% better fuel efficiency than the LEAP, with target service entry in the mid-2030s.
VectorHow Aireon's space-based ADS-B network, riding 66 Iridium satellites in low Earth orbit, ended decades of blind oceanic air traffic control in November 2019.
VectorHydrogen propulsion is advancing on two distinct engineering paths - combustion and fuel cell - each with different timelines, tradeoffs, and implications for pilots.
VectorFADEC gives modern turbine engines full digital authority over every parameter - understanding what it does and how it fails is essential pilot knowledge.
VectorSix years of European flight school data on the world's first type-certified electric aircraft reveal what electric training actually looks like in practice.
VectorSolid-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.
VectorBoom Supersonic's XB-1 broke Mach 1 in January 2024, validating key aerodynamics - but the uncertified Symphony engine remains the single open variable in Overture's commercial viability.
VectorElectra's nine-seat hybrid electric eSTOL uses NASA-proven blown lift and eight electric motors to target a 150-foot ground roll, opening thousands of airstrips to fixed-wing service.
VectorThe X-37B spaceplane has executed fully autonomous runway landings from orbital velocity across seven missions, building the most demanding autonomous landing dataset in aerospace history.
VectorZeroAvia is developing hydrogen-electric powertrains targeting zero-emission regional flights up to 500 miles, with commercial operations projected for 2028–2029.
VectorA new Maryland facility is producing digital voice switches to replace 40-year-old ATC analog systems, a critical step in FAA's long-stalled communications modernization.
TowerRadio Hangar explores The CFM RISE Open Fan, the Unducted Engine With No Cowling, and the Twenty Percent Fuel Bet That Could Reshape the Single-Aisle Jet.
VectorJetZero's Z-4 blended wing body promises up to 50% less fuel burn, with a full-scale demonstrator targeted for 2027 and passengers in the mid-2030s.
VectorWhy the 90-second transition from hover to forward flight is the hardest problem in the eVTOL air taxi industry.
VectorHow Boom Supersonic's XB-1 and 'boomless cruise' physics could finally make supersonic flight legal over land.
VectorHow Auto-GCAS, the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, takes control from an unconscious pilot to pull an F-16 off the ground and save lives.
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