flying

'The Travel Detective' Explains How Airlines Became A 'Mafia'

8:57am August 13, 2016

Airlines are making record profits, but more fees and flight cancellations haven't made air travel great recently. Travel journalist Peter Greenberg talks about the reasons why.

Ready, set, fly! The ball bearings glued to this bumblebee's legs simulate the weight and placement of pollen loads. The tag on the insect's back is a lightweight sensor, designed to track its movements in flight.

Heavy Loads Of Pollen May Shift Flight Plans Of The Bumblebee

10:52am August 04, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Foraging bumblebees can pick up nearly half their weight in pollen before heading home to the hive, research shows. All that weight tucked into hollows on their hind legs can complicate flying.

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To take better advantage of space on an airplane, this patent arranges passengers in a hexagonal pattern.

The Plane Seating Arrangement That's Being Called A 'Nightmare'

2:01pm July 10, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

A French company has filed a patent for an airplane seating plan that arranges passengers in a hexagon pattern with the middle seat facing backwards.

Former Swiss pilot Yves Rossy, known as Jetman, is the first person to fly a jet-fitted wing.

World News

Ever Dream You Could Fly? 'Jetman' Has. Let Him Tell You About It

10:38am July 03, 2015

by Alyssa Edes

Yves Rossy flies like Superman. But instead of a cape, he uses 7-foot-long wings and four engines. "You are like in a parallel world that normally doesn't exist," he says. "It's beautiful."

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From A Frequent Flier To SkyMall, Thanks For The Memory Foams

12:08pm January 24, 2015

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon remembers the many hours he has spent at 30,000 feet paging through the in-flight catalog SkyMall. SkyMall filed for bankruptcy this week.

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