New Atlas

Aircraft Audio available

The Hexa manned multirotor: It’s real, and you can fly it

Loz Blain December 11, 2018

Flying taxi services may take some time to arrive, but if you want to be among the first to pilot a manned multicopter, you'll have the chance in 2019. Lift Aircraft is preparing to debut a personal flight experience in an 18-prop electric VTOL aircraft for about the price of a skydive.

The Hexa will land on four large floats, suitable for ground or water landings

Aircraft

Boeing's new BBJ 777X business jets fly farther than any before them

David Szondy December 10, 2018

Boeing Business Jets has launched the latest version of the 777X in the form of a record-breaking wide-bodied business jet capable of flying halfway around the world without refueling.

The BBJ 77X has a range of 11,645 nautical miles (21,570 km)

Aircraft Audio available

The last of the first 747 Jumbos retires

David Szondy November 28, 2018

The dawn of the jumbo age fades into history as the last 747-100 heads into retirement. The last flying example of the first Boeing 747 variant acted as a testbed for GE Aviation and earlier this month made its final flight to the Pima Air & Space Museum.

GE's 747-100 was the last flying example of the first 747 variant

Aircraft Audio available

Solid-state, ion-drive airplane silently flies with no fuel or moving parts

David Szondy November 21, 2018

A team of MIT engineers have flown what was long thought impossible – a heavier than air craft that needs no moving parts for achieving powered lift. The 5-lb (2.3-kg) does not use propellers, turbines, or fans, but relies on a silent stream of ionized air to maintain steady flight.

A new MIT plane is propelled via ionic wind

Aircraft Audio available

Virgin Orbit's "flying launchpad" completes first captive carry flight

David Szondy November 19, 2018

Virgin Orbit's Cosmic Girl took to the skies over Southern California on November 18, 2018 carrying a 70-ft-long (21-m) rocket for the first time. The specially modified 747-400 aircraft with the LauncherOne booster under its port wing took off from Victorville, California on an 80-min test flight.

Sunday's test flight was the first carrying LauncherOne

Aircraft Audio available

Lockheed begins manufacture of X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology aircraft

David Szondy November 16, 2018

Commercial supersonic flight has left the drawing board with Lockheed Martin announcing fabrication of the first part of the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) test aircraft has begun at the company's famous Skunk Works, setting the project on course for its maiden flight scheduled for 2021.

Artist's concept of Lockheed Martin’s Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) X-plane

Aircraft Audio available

Odysseus solar-powered, ultra-long endurance, autonomous aircraft readied for maiden flight

Rich Haridy November 15, 2018

After a decade of development Aurora Flight Sciences has finally unveiled Odysseus, its full-scale, solar-powered, autonomous aircraft designed to stay in the air for months. Odysseus is scheduled for its first test flight in 2019.

The first test flight of Odysseus is set for early next year

Aircraft Audio available

Planned hybrid airship will combine aspects of planes, blimps and helicopters

Ben Coxworth November 8, 2018

It was just last year that we heard about the Plimp, a sort of plane/blimp/helicopter hybrid drone manufactured by Egan Airships. As was hinted at then, the Seattle-based company has now officially announced that it's working on a passenger-carrying variant known as the Model J.

Plans call for the Model J airship to be mainly computer-controlled

Aircraft Audio available

Autonomous Sikorsky helicopter makes piloting optional

Nick Lavars November 1, 2018

Describing a helicopter as "optionally piloted" might not do much to comfort those onboard, but this is the future DARPA is aiming for with its Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS).

DARPA and Sikorsky have been testing out the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System over the past ...

Aircraft

For $150,000 you can now order your own Hoverbike

Rich Haridy October 28, 2018

This crazy looking motorcycle-styled hoverbike appeared in early 2017 and we were skeptical the contraption would ever move beyond just an odd engineering curiosity. However, Hoversurf has revealed its hoverbikes are now ready for production and preorders are open, with delivery scheduled for 2019.

$10,000 will reserve you a limited edition Hoverbike