Fixed-Wing Aircraft

Flying is exciting ... plain and simple. Flying helicopters is even more fun. You can take off from anywhere, land anywhere and slow to a crawl while still maintaining control if you need to settle into a small space. You don't need a runway. Runways are for fashion models. more »

A number of different types of air transportation exist, both commercially and privately. Some of these types have been developed over the course of decades or even centuries to meet the needs of modern humans. Each different type is unique in the way it achieves flight, the speed it travels and the sustainability of its voyage. Many... more »

Air ambulances have been in effect since the early days of World War I. Advances in technology, including the advent of the helicopter in the postwar era and the development of municipal emergency medical service programs, has reduced the mortality rate of patients significantly. In the United States there are an estimated 200... more »

While they took longer to develop, helicopters are now as ubiquitous as fixed-wing aircraft. Although they now share the vertical take-off and landing role with VTOL jets (the Harrier) and tilt-rotor planes (the V-22), outside the military the helicopter remains the only choice for practical take off and landing without a runway, and... more »

People have dreamed of flying for hundreds of years. For some the dream of flying extends beyond the occasional business or pleasure trip to a career in aviation. Some commercial pilots receive their training in the military, but many others attend civilian flight schools. Attaining the required number of flight hours can be costly,... more »