Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers blog

 Birds don’t have any of the hassle we do when flying: no passports, no tickets and no luggage. Although we can’t fly off to somewhere far away as we please, thanks to two clever brothers and great developments in technology, we can ride through the clouds every now and then and explore other countries. Yes, the Wright Brothers gave us one of the most influential forms of transport we know today – the aeroplane. And recently we saw a memorable step in the life of this large machine, as the Airbus A380 made its first commercial journey from Singapore to Sydney on Thursday.

The super-jumbo was met with mixed reactions though, as not everyone thinks that it is practical. And in an age where greener transport is a very important issue, it’s not surprising that every new development is not thought of as positive. As technology takes steps forward, more and more people are stepping back to simpler and environmentally friendlier ways of getting out and about.

Although planes are not regarded as being the greenest out of all vehicles, they still amaze a lot of users. How does something so heavy stay up in the air? Can they fly in reverse? Why is Boeing called Boeing? These are just some of the curious questions floating around on Answers. Also, as exciting as drifting in the sky sounds, it’s not everyone’s idea of fun. Many suffer from a fear of flying and luckily, Answerers have managed to help each other out.

Things have changed hugely since the Wright Brother’s initial small mechanically controlled glider. So as the aircrafts continue to get bigger, more advanced, and yet greener transport is sought, keep your aeronautical questions coming.

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team