A satellite-based version of ADS-B is being developed that offers the potential to provide coverage across all Atlantic airspace, which could mean dramatic changes for oceanic ATM procedures. The Aireon system will rely on an Iridium satellite network instead of ground stations, so it can provide coverage beyond the range of terrestrial ADS-B ground stations. It is considered not suitable for busy domestic airspace, but a good solution for less-congested oceanic airspace.

NASA and industry have made substantial progress in minimizing sonic booms by carefully shaping aircraft to control the shockwaves. But a sonic boom is a complex phenomenon, and what works in steady flight might not work so well at other times. Accelerating and turning can cause the shockwaves to focus, creating an amplified superboom. NASA is conducting flight research to determine if a shaped boom can survive the focusing, or if operating techniques must be developed to ensure a superboom never touches down where it can be heard.

Demand for pilots is expected to accelerate in the next couple of years as the U.S. economy gets back on its feet. But there are real questions about whether there will be enough qualified candidates to move into the cockpit. Not long ago, I was sure I would be one of them. But I've given up on my dream of becoming an airline pilot. I have run out of money and do not want to add to the debt I have taken on to pay for my college education and flight training for a job that is going to pay me $20,000 a year.

Materials advancements promise next-gen engine energy efficiency

For months, Pentagon officials have described the impact of across-the-board budget cuts with gruesome metaphors. The March 1 deadline for those reductions to take effect is now close enough that the military is beginning to drizzle out some long-awaited specifics. In the past two weeks, each of the services has begun to explain some near-term actions and the longer-term impact to weapons systems and deployment schedules.

Middle East carrier to take a stake in India's Jet Airways.

With a key deadline looming in mid-February, negotiators from American Airlines and US Airways raced to seal a merger deal that would create the world's largest airline.

Aftershocks from Arab Spring linger