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How did a suicidal passenger get the door of a pressurized plane open? Plus: Can't any pilot fly most planes? And: The autopilot was on during landing?
By Patrick Smith
May 1, 2009
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Is pilot fatigue a menace to airline safety?
By Patrick Smith
April 17, 2009
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The Buffalo crash revisited. Plus: Landing in the water, idolizing Sully and selling books.
By Patrick Smith
April 10, 2009
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Did a stupid, inexplicable mistake cause the crash near Buffalo, N.Y.? Plus: The weird hell of working for a regional airline.
By Patrick Smith
April 3, 2009
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Planes crash. The media descends. But why can't reporters get their facts straight? Plus: Kudos to an outstanding exception.
By Patrick Smith
March 27, 2009
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If you're a pilot, no matter how much skill you have, or how many lives you've heroically saved, the only thing that matters is seniority.
By Patrick Smith
March 20, 2009
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Will the airlines' current financial troubles affect safety? "Sully" Sullenberger thinks so, but I'm not so sure.
By Patrick Smith
March 6, 2009
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What makes a plane stay in the air, anyway? And what happened the night Flight 3407 fell from the sky near Buffalo, N.Y.?
By Patrick Smith
February 27, 2009
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Was ice the culprit in last week's deadly plane crash? Or some other unlikely chain of events?
By Patrick Smith
February 16, 2009
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How to build the perfect airline terminal? Here are 15 steps in the right direction.
By Patrick Smith
February 13, 2009
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JetBlue is touting its fancy new terminal, but it just makes me wonder: Why can't Americans build better airports?
By Patrick Smith
February 6, 2009
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There's more than one way to define "hero."
By Patrick Smith
January 30, 2009
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It wasn't heroics that saved the passengers of Flight 1549. It was professionalism -- and luck.
By Patrick Smith
January 23, 2009
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Most bird strikes don't cause damage, but they can be disastrous. Thursday's accident ended well because of good luck and brilliant flying.
By Patrick Smith
January 15, 2009
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The hazards of flying while Muslim. Plus: Africa's coolest airport, surly airport staff, dangerous T-shirts.
By Patrick Smith
January 9, 2009
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Bailout nation: Will the airlines follow Detroit to the government trough?
By Patrick Smith
December 19, 2008
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Can commercial jets fly upside down? Has terrorism forced a change in transoceanic flight paths? And other probing questions for our expert.
By Patrick Smith
December 12, 2008
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Malcolm Gladwell claims cultural issues can play a big role in plane crashes. The pilot begs to differ.
By Patrick Smith
December 5, 2008
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Leave the claw hammer at home, don't hog the overhead bins, keep cellphone chatter to a minimum and other tips to help smooth out your holiday travel experience.
By Patrick Smith
November 26, 2008
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Winding up the safest seven years in modern aviation history. Plus: A federal task force weighs in on tarmac delays.
By Patrick Smith
November 21, 2008
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Tedium in the age of terror: 9/11, Martin Amis and the real legacy of Mohamed Atta.
By Patrick Smith
November 14, 2008
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To President-elect Obama: From air traffic control to security, here are six things we should do to improve the state of our skies.
By Patrick Smith
November 7, 2008
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We're about to elect a new president. Will he have the will to take on the serious issues affecting air travel?
By Patrick Smith
October 31, 2008
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The American non-traveler: What's the price of staying put? Plus: When airline pilots have the opportunity to roam widely, but choose not to.
By Patrick Smith
October 24, 2008
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Of airports, hedgehogs and poverty. Meditations from an African slum.
By Patrick Smith
October 17, 2008
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