Behind the Wings

Fire aviation teams are critical, complex efforts, made up of pilots, technicians, and coordinators who work together with ground crews to put out and contain wildfires. As environmental conditions set the stage for unprecedented fire seasons, night vision goggle technology is employed for the first time.

New fire conditions call for new firefighting methods and tools. Looking at Calfire, we learn how the largest municipal fleet of firefighting aircraft in the world has developed over time. The challenges in fighting wildfires are greater than ever, but with new methods of fighting the fires, so are the opportunities.

In the 1950s, The Century Series defined an era of aviation during the Cold War, charting a metamorphosis from one era to another. Starting with the F-100, the first production airplane to break the sound barrier in level flight, we explore how the Century Series pioneered new airplane designs. As a series, their legacy is evident in modern fighter jets.

For nearly sixty years the Learjet came to define a new class of luxury airplane – the business jet. Now, the last Learjet ever is being assembled at the Wichita-based production facility in “The Aviation Capital of the World”. Speaking with aviation icons past and present, we get an intimate look at a company that shaped aviation as we know it today.