Author: John Cox, Special to USA TODAY

Some airports are very challenging in terms of terrain, runway length or airspace.

In heavy turbulence it can feel like the airplane is going up and down long distances.

In most airplanes, air is compressed by the engines, cooled by the air conditioning system and then sent to the cabin.

Two computer issues in two weeks that caused flight delays on major airlines have passengers wondering what’s going on.

Before pushback from the gate, I often hear what sounds like a drilling sound. Is it the cargo doors being secured or something else?

Planes making a sideways landing in a strong crosswind make for remarkable videos. How does the airplane handle the added stress of such landings?

Now that rearview cameras are standard equipment on economy cars, it seems like pilots should be able to see behind the plane and power back.

To keep takeoff and landing speeds as low as possible, engineers include highly efficient flaps (and slats) on the wing.

While they look confusing to the layperson the pilots know exactly what each one does and how it is to be used.

Why does it seem like more aircraft are sliding off runways and taxiways?