A plane carrying more than 200 passengers from Chicago to Hong Kong was diverted to Alaska after two of the aircraft's toilets were vandalised with excrement, officials said. The United Airlines flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Anchorage on Thursday evening due to a "passenger smearing faeces everywhere". Police said the man, a US resident of Vietnamese origin, made no threats. It is not clear what led to the episode taking place.

An aerial photographer explains precisely how he took this amazing photograph.

Despite in many cases possessing design advantages, very few profoundly asymmetric aircraft have been constructed. There is no obvious reason for this but it may just be that they are not trusted. By Joe Coles.

The existence of unidentified flying objects using technology more advanced than human capabilities has been proved “beyond reasonable doubt”, the former head of a secret US government programme has said. Luis Elizondo, who quit as head of the Advanced Threat Identification Programme (AATIP) two months ago, warned nations now “had to be conscious” of the potential threat posed by UFOs.

Who said flying is a drag? One bold and inspired pilot brought seasonal joy to the world by drawing a giant Christmas tree in the sky on a flight path over Germany while doing a test flight of an Airbus A380 aircraft for Emirates.

On May 23, 2006, Boeing delivered the last two 717-200 jetliners to customers at its Long Beach, California factory. It marked to the end of a program filled with promise but that had ultimately failed to capture the interest of airlines. Even Boeing's well-oiled sales operation could only manage to muster up 156 orders for the little 100-seat, short-haul-airliner. Currently, the 717 is operated primarily by four airlines; Delta, Hawaiian, Qantas, and Spanish low-cost carrier Volotea. With 91 of the planes in its fleet, Delta is the by far the type's largest operator.

Researchers at Oxford University have discovered that peregrine falcons steer their attacks using the same control strategies as guided missiles.

The decision not to carry a passenger was made on a 'case-by-case decision', says Lufthansa spokesman Michael Lamberty. By Jon Sharman. [Autoplay]

Global airlines are expected to earn a record $82 billion US this year by charging customers extra for everything from seat assignment to baggage fees to travel commissions. And Air Canada is among the top ten airlines in the world when it comes to earning this so-called ancillary revenue, racking up nearly $1.18 billion US last year, according to reports from IdeaWorksCompany, a U.S. research company that tracks airline revenue.

A C-2 pilot describes how the workhorse Greyhound we know today was a very finicky and neglected aircraft years ago. By James Wallace, Tyler Rogoway.

A computer glitch has allowed all of American Airlines’ pilots to take vacation during the week of Christmas, according to ABC and Reuters. The error could leave thousands of planes grounded during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. Citing the union that represents pilots, Reuters reports that over 15,000 planes currently lack pilot assignments in December. “On Friday, management disclosed a failure within the pilot schedule bidding system,” the Allied Pilots Association said in a statement.

Norway will have an electric aircraft from next summer. Airport operator Avinor says it wants Norway to become the first country in which electric powered airplanes take a significant market share, reports news agency NTB. The aircraft – an Alpha Electro G2 – has been ordered from the Pipistrel manufacturer in Slovenia and will primarily be used for demonstration purposes, according to the report.

India has for the first time fired a BrahMos missile from a Sukhoi Su-30 plane, with the country’s Defense Ministry claiming the air-launch a success. The missile’s developer said it “can be a game changer for any air force in the world.” “The successful maiden test firing of [a] BrahMos air launched cruise missile (ALCM) from [a] Su-30MKI will significantly bolster the IAF’s air combat operations capability from stand-off ranges,” the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement. A modified Su-30 fighter jet took off from Kalaikunda Airbase in West Bengal state and hit a decommissioned boat in the Bay of Bengal Wednesday.

A Department of Homeland Security official admitted that a team of experts remotely hacked a Boeing 757 parked at an airport.

An aircraft and a helicopter have crashed in mid-air over Buckinghamshire, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. Emergency services were called to the site near Waddesdon Manor, near Aylesbury, at 12:06 GMT. The AAIB said it was sending a team to investigate. Ambulance crews said there had been a number of casualties. A Wycombe Air Park spokesman said both aircraft involved came from the airfield near High Wycombe.

A 3-year-old girl was the only survivor of a plane crash in far eastern Russia, which killed six people Wednesday, officials said. An L-410 twin-engine turboprop crashed while trying to land at a small airport near the village of Nelkan. The aircraft, which belonged to regional carrier Khabarovsk Airlines, was on a regular flight to Nelkan from Khabarovsk, the regional center which is near a border with China.

Neither tight canyons, nor wildlife on runways…The postman’s creed is slightly different for pilots delivering mail in the mountains. By Debbie Gary.

An inventor who built a real-life Iron Man suit so that he could fly through the air like Tony Stark has earned himself a world record. On a dramatic day at Lagoona Park, Reading, British entrepreneur Richard Browning achieved a speed of 32.02 mph (51.53 km/h) on his third timed attempt, before mistiming a turn and dropping into the lake. He has been awarded the Guinness World Records title for the fastest speed in a body-controlled jet engine power suit - a brand new title created just for him.

Reacting to public backlash, Icon has replaced its 40-page purchase agreement with a simpler contract, removing many onerous requirements found in the original. The company also announced a major cut in production for 2016.

An airline in Finland says it will begin weighing some of its passengers between late October and early November, according to The Helsinki Times. The Times on Tuesday reported that Finnair will perform the move on a voluntary basis at Helsinki Airport. Finnair’s objective is to gather more accurate data about the average weight of its passengers and their carry-on luggage.