The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet traces its direct ancestry to the Northrop Cobra, a twin engine multimission fighter design developed for the export market in the late 1960s.

The B-1 evolved from a series of studies in the 1960s into a long-range conventional multi-role bomber that operates with precision and persistence.

The United States Air Force's 184th Intelligence Wing is located at McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kansas. The Wing is a vital mission component of the Kansas Air National Guard/Air Combat Command known as "Jayhawks."

Boeing Phantom Works Technology Projects in Australia

Simply put, a laser beam is one form of directed energy -- similar in concept to sunlight focused through a magnifying glass, a directed burst of microwave energy, or a bullet fired from a gun.

A number of ideas are being worked on for future aircraft developments. Some are new, some have been tried before but may prove more practicable with modern technology.

As many of us feel the ongoing effects of a depressed economy fueled by wary investors and uncertain global politics, it is also an ideal time to look at the potential changes that will help the General Aviation industry emerge as a stronger, even more innovative and competitive business entity.

The Boeing KC-767 is an early 21st century military aerial refueling and strategic transport aircraft developed from the Boeing 767-200.

Gray went red last fall on the tail of one F-16 at the 187th wing, the Alabama Air National Guard unit at Dannelly Field in Montgomery. Aviation buffs will recognize the paint scheme as reminiscent of the aircraft flown by the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

Virgin Galactic is a company within Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, which plans to offer sub-orbital spaceflights and later orbital spaceflights to the paying public.

McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Wichita, Kansas. It is the home of the USAF 22d Air Refueling Wing, the Air Force Reserve Command's 931st Air Refueling Group, and the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Air Refueling Wing.

The Cessna Citation X (X as in the Roman numeral for 10, not the letter) is a medium-sized business jet aircraft and it is the fastest business jet and fastest currently flying civilian airplane in the world, traveling up to Mach 0.92 (703 mph).

The Cessna Citation Mustang, Model 510, is a "very light jet" class business jet built by Cessna Aircraft Company at their Independence, Kansas production facility.

Commentary by Col. Charles J. Westgate III, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander

While other nations have Marines who are aviators, only the United States Marine Corps has its own dedicated aviation arm.

The Defense Satellite Communications Systems Phase III is an important part of the comprehensive plan to support globally distributed military users.

While Americans and Japanese alike expected the war to end only after a bloody invasion of Japan, the U. S. government was readying a secret weapon that would dramatically affect the war's outcome.

Steve Fossett is a businessman and pilot who set several aviation records during his lifetime. He disappeared while flying solo on September 3, 2007.

One of the first memories I have of aviation is the day my mother’s cousin took me up in his Cessna Skyhawk. I must have been in the 4th or 5th grade and it’s a day I’ll never forget.

Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force, best known for being the pilot of the Enola Gay, the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb.

There's absolutely no better place on earth to report and write about aviation than in Wichita, the Air Capital of the World. Wichita's aviation pioneers, Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna, Bill Lear, Lloyd Stearman and others, spawned an industry key to Wichita's economic heartbeat.

"We've been kicking everyone's butt with this airplane," says Lt. Col. Mike Stapleton in an animated briefing on the F/A-22 Raptor.

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used by the US Air Force as a surveillance aircraft.

The aviation industry is in a period of innovation and new frontiers, with one of the hottest topics right now being the (Very) Light Jet.

Airmen of the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here flew to the Pele Bombing Range in Hawaii to drop inert weapons as part of Exercise Koa Lightning Sept. 16 and 17.

NASA is now accepting applications for its 2009 astronaut class. The agency is looking for a few men and women who want to fulfill their dreams and be a part of the next generation of explorers.

Bong entered college and instantly enrolled in a government-sponsored pilot training program and soon earned a private pilot license in a Cub. After 2 1/2 years of college, he enlisted in the Air Corp's Aviation Cadet Program. His timing was opportune. Pearl Harbor was attacked just after he started pilot training.

The execute order is given. The two orbiting pilots fly across the border and point their F-35A Lightning IIs toward a high-value target in enemy territory.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is a scientific research organization operated by the United States Air Force dedicated to the development of warfighting technologies.

The A-10, officially christened Thunderbolt II, but universally referred to as Warthog because of its ungainly appearance, is the first US Air Force aircraft specifically designed for close air support of ground forces.

Like all shuttle missions, STS-118 is about the future: putting the International Space Station a step closer to completion and gathering experience that will help people return to the moon and go on to Mars.

A military exercise (also called war game in American English) is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat.

The Boeing E-4B Advanced Airborne Command Post, with a project name of "Nightwatch", is an aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and is specially built to serve as a survivable mobile command post for the National Command Authority (the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense, and successors).

Maj. Dean Neeley is in the forward, lower cockpit of the Lockheed U-2ST, a two-place version of the U-2S, a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft that the Air Force calls "Dragon Lady."

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a four-engine heavy bomber propeller aircraft flown by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and other military organizations afterwards. The name "Superfortress" was derived from its well-known predecessor, the B-17 Flying Fortress.

There is nothing romantic about my getting a job at The Boeing Co. I simply needed a job and they were hiring. I hired in on 15 April 1957 and retired on 1 August 1999.

The MQ-9 Reaper is a medium-to-high altitude, long endurance remotely piloted aircraft system. The MQ-9's primary mission is as a persistent hunter-killer against emerging targets in support of joint force commander objectives.

Chief Test Pilot Recounts Early Flights

The United States Navy's Blue Angels (or Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron), formed in 1946, is the world's first officially sanctioned military aerial demonstration team.

Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force airbase located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley.

Boeing Phantom Works has partnered with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory to study the structural, aerodynamic and operational advantages of the Blended Wing Body concept.

National missile defense (NMD) as a generic term is a military strategy and associated systems to shield an entire country against incoming Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).

An intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, is a long-range (greater than 5,500 km or 3,500 miles) ballistic missile typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (observed this year on 2007-05-28). It was formerly known as Decoration Day.

United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) is one of the nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense.

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

A stealth aircraft is an aircraft which has been designed to absorb and deflect radar by using stealth technology, making them harder to detect than conventional aircraft.

Blackstar, is the reported codename of a secret United States orbital spaceplane system. The possible existence of the Blackstar program was reported in March 2006 by Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine.

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces.

Lt. Winston Scott, an experienced Naval aviator with more than 900 hours in the F/A-18C, smiles as he climbs down from his F-16 Fighting Falcon. Scott has just completed his first solo flight in a Navy F-16.

Approximately 18,500 military personnel from thirty-seven countries are stationed in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack.

The F-15E Strike Eagle is a dual-role fighter designed to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), commonly called Star Wars after the popular science fiction movies of the time, was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983

It is one thing to see a fifth-generation fighter from afar. It is quite another to see one close up.

The F-22 Raptor, is a stealth fighter aircraft, was originally envisioned as an air superiority fighter.

Capt. Craig Morrison tucks himself into the bottom bunk around 9 a.m. as the bright sunlight bounces off the desert rocks and sand outside his dorm.

The Hawker 4000, originally known as the Hawker Horizon, is a super-midsize business jet developed by the Raytheon Aircraft Company.

This spectacular aviation photo calendar by the celebrated aircraft photographer Paul Bowen

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a mid-sized wide body, twin engined passenger airliner currently under development by Boeing and scheduled to enter service in May 2008

During the three-day conference and training session, current Air Force fighters like the F-16, A-10, F-15C, and F-15E are flown in formation with vintage aircraft from World War II.

Veterans Day is the American name for the international day of called Armistice Day. It falls on 11 November, the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War One.

The B-2 Spirit, made by Northrop Grumman, was a milestone in the bomber modernization program of the United States.

Duke, Double, Shotgun, and Dirty - names never given to the daughters of America - are the call signs of four F-16 pilots who just happen to be women.

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a joint organization of the United States and Canada which provides aerospace warning and control for North America.

Business jet, private jet or, in slang, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of modest size, designed for transporting small groups of business people for commercial reasons at a time convenient to their business needs.

Kansas Inc. requested a forecast of the state’s aerospace industry to be produced by the Center for Economic Development and Business Research.

With the wide-open skies as inspiration, Kansas is taking off with many top-rated aviation and aerospace attractions.

The Thunderbirds are the Air Demonstration Squadron of the United States Air Force. As such, they tour the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially-marked USAF jet aircraft.

Today, aviation security is high on the list of priorities of air travelers, the Federal Government, and the international air community. In the earliest days of aviation, however, aviation security was only a minor concern.

The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the Israel Defense Forces and currently operates around 900 aircraft.

The Oshkosh Airshow is an annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which was established on July 29, 1958 by the National Aeronautics and Space Act.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day.

President Harry Truman proclaimed the first Armed Forces Day (AFD) on May 20, 1950. Every year since then, on the third Saturday in May we've honored the men and women who have served in uniform.

Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. ("Spirit"), based in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer.

In operation since 1957, the KC-135 Stratotanker is used primarily to re-fuel aircraft during flight.

When World War II ended in August 1945, the U.S. government cancelled most orders for bomber aircraft, which had been a mainstay of the aircraft industry.

The North American X-15 rocket plane was perhaps the most important of the USAF/USN X-series of experimental aircraft.

The origins of business flying can be traced back to the late 1920s, using open-cockpit biplanes as well as enclosed cabin designs.

Steve Fossett is one of the world's most accomplished adventurers.

The restoration project began in Wichita in May 2000. The goal is to complete the renovation by the end of 2006.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued on July 20, 2004, new certification requirements for light-sport aircraft, pilots and repairmen.

Rocketplane will conduct a 25-flight atmosphere test programme with its four-seater XP suborbital spaceplane from January 2007 followed by a July maiden launch.

Scaled's 'Model 311' aircraft is a single engine turbofan aircraft specifically designed for non-stop global circumnavigation by a solo pilot with no passengers.

Following the purchase of Boeing-Wichita Commercial Aircraft Division by Spirit Aerosystems, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems remained an extremely important resource for military programs in Wichita, Kansas.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a combat-proven, 5th generation strike fighter with built-in versatility.

Responding to the overwhelming preference of airlines around the world, Boeing Commercial Airlines has focused its new airplane product development efforts on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a super-efficient airplane.

The U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, though designed and developed in great secrecy five decades ago, has somehow never fully emerged from the shadows.

Carmine Vito is the only U-2 pilot to fly directly over Moscow. His flight was the third operational flight over potentially hostile territory.

The National Museum of Naval Aviation bills itself as one of the world's three largest aviation museums, but it is second to none in many respects.

The unique family of mostly exotic research aircraft that first came into being with the advent of Bell Aircraft Corporation's X-1 of 1945.

The sport pilot/light-sport aircraft rule is a set of regulations finalized by FAA that creates a new pilot certificate category - called sport pilot - and a new class of aircraft - called light-sport aircraft.

On 17 June 1943, the Air Force formally approved what was to become Lockheed's first jet aircraft-the US Air Force's XP-80. That day is considered the birth date of the Skunk Works.

Day or night, good weather or bad, aerial refueling keeps our military aircraft in the air, extending their endurance, range, and payload and vastly increasing their effectiveness.

Labor Day Weekend, 1922. Clear skies, mild temperatures, and the promise of a show that had already been postponed once because of bad weather.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has reported that AOPA members have been inquiring exactly how their skills as pilots can be utilized in the rescue and relief efforts.

The Bird of Prey technology pioneered breakthrough low-observable technologies and revolutionized aircraft design, development and production.

Wichita Development and Modification Center workers are helping volunteers in the effort to return the Wichita built airplane to flying condition.

Technical facts and figures about the space shuttle.

Pushed by relentless necessity, it entered a U.S. Army competition to design and produce a small, light observation and liaison airplane.

Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer. To many people, this day is an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country.

In the boom years since World War II, Cessna has designed, manufactured and marketed scores of airframe designations. But there was also an equal number of ideas that seemed awfully good at the time, but which for one reason or another you may not have ever seen at your local airport.

The technology of "sport" skydiving has come a long way since it's beginnings after World War II.

With the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer back in the hangar, the team assembled in Salina for the final time when Steve Fossett received official certification of his world record.

Boeing has been a fixture in the Wichita aerospace industry since 1929. Here’s what makes this site tick

A look at the Open Pilot Warranty, it's requirements and it's coverage.

With an acceptance letter from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in hand, a group of Kansas Aviation Enthusiast's have assembled an organization, Air Force One Simulator Kansas Project, to get the historical 707 simulator from Augusta, Kansas to Simi Valley, California.

Renowned aviation photographer Paul Bowen assembles a spectacular collection of in-flight Mustang and Corsair fighters in this beautiful calendar.

Now in its 77th year, the Cessna Aircraft Company has delivered over 185,000 aircraft, including 24,000 twin-engine airplanes, 2,000 military jets and over 4,000 Citations - the largest fleet of business jet aircraft in the world.

For 40 years, the Beechcraft King Air has enjoyed tremendous success. Each generation of King Air owners have had several memorable moments in the aircraft.

A timeline of major events in Cessna's history.

The Beechcraft family of aircraft

The KC-135 was the first offspring of the Dash 80. It was the only jet airplane designed specifically for aerial refueling.

The Women in Military Service For America Memorial Foundation maintains and operates the Memorial Education Center and activities at the Memorial.

Nearly 59 years after the end of World War II, the National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

Remembering the sacrifices of those who have defended us, honoring the courage of those who defend us today,June 5th and 6th at Newton City/County Airport in Newton, Kansas.

Unique among the industry, nowhere else will you find the concentration of top-name general aviation aircraft manufacturers co-located within such a tight geographic boundary.

Working part time for over two years, Tom Sanders, owner of Riverside Airport in Wichita, and his nephew, Bill Sanders, painstakingly and lovingly restored a classic aircraft made by the Stinson Aircraft Company in 1949.

Since its creation in 1967, the American Bonanza Society (ABS) has had over 44,000 members. After 37+ years, nearly a quarter still belong, and the average length of membership is 10 years.

Kansas has a rich history in the aviation industry. Test your own knowledge with the following facts.

While the nation celebrated a century of flight last year, the aviation industry struggled to recover from an economic downturn that was particularly hard on aerospace.

In May 1999, a group of enthusiastic and diversified women came together to form the Kansas Chapter of Women in Aviation, International.

Who are the Flying Farmers? The organization is comprised of a group of men, women, teens and tots, individuals and entire families. They are farmers, livestock specialists and commercial pilots.

The Kansas Aviation Museum, located in Wichita, provides a glimpse into a 90 year aviation heritage in the heartland.

One of those famous B-29's, "Doc" has come back to Wichita to be restored to flying status.

Celebrate 100 years of aviation heritage in the Air Capital of the World, September 18-21, 2003.

From the early beginnings of aviation, women have taken their place in the cockpit along with men to achieve significant goals.

We welcome all worldwide visitors to this 2003 New Year launch of our upgraded and expanded aviation web site

For nearly 100 years, the men and women of Kansas have been building the nation's premier regional center for the development and production of aircraft. The book, "Borne On The South Wind" tells the complete story of Kansas aviation, the birthplace of the industry.

Mike Armour, Director of Aviation for the state has created a valuable website for pilots flying in Kansas.

It’s hard to think of the Bonanza as anything but immortal. After all, it’s a design that has endured for almost six decades.

From a joint collection of Wichita early history can be found, an interesting and valuable resource for aviation historical research.

NASA Celebrates Females Forging New Frontiers

By reading this, I assume you have an interest in photography, and in particular, aircraft or aerial photography. I do appreciate that interest.

If competition improves the breed, you should feel comfortable that the variety of light jets taxiing onto FBO ramps will only widen in the coming years.

Sitting majestically on the tarmac at the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas, this proud warbird is being lovingly restored.

Auxiliary of the United States Air Force

George Mills Boyd, Former Tuskegee Airman, Commander, Kansas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol

Women have been involved in aviation since its earliest days and during the last two decades, the number of women involved in the aviation industry has steadily increased.

The long time CEO of Cessna Aircraft Company, Dwane Wallace used to say when talking about general aviation in his speeches, "It’s still early in the morning and the sun is shining!".

The aviation industry is facing growing personnel shortages in all areas and levels.

A study completed in 1998 by the Center for Economic development and Business Research at Wichita State University, highlighted the impact of aviation employers in Kansas.

The International Bird Dog Association (IBDA) celebrated the 50th Anniversary!

Founded in 1939, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, or AOPA, has long been the world’s largest and most effective advocate for general aviation.

In celebration of the 65th anniversary of the original Wichita Municipal Airport, a reunion of early employees occurred on August 5, 2000.

The 184th Bomb Wing and the Kansas Aviation Museum, Wichita, Kansas, have brought Kansans a front row view of B-1B night afterburner takeoffs.

Information on the big 4 aviation companies: Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna and Raytheon.

A new tour unveiled by the Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau will provide tour groups with an up-close and personal look at the Wichita aviation industry.