One of the most influential cockpit levers on a jet’s take-off is the flap handle. Hinged panels at the wing’s trailing and leading edges transform a sleek airfoil into a low-speed lift sail.

The sight of birds soaring through the sky has inspired humans for generations before the invention of powered flight in the early 20th century. Still looking to learn from winged animals, a team of ...

Airplane plumage might be the next big thing in aviation. Bird wings are contoured with overlapping rows of feathery tufts, spreading out from near the shoulder. These “covert feathers” help birds ...

A manual flap handle, also known as a "Johnson Bar," is a mechanical lever that is directly connected to wing flaps via a system of cables and pulleys. These were once commonplace in general aviation, ...