Rob's quintessential aviation must-knows
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Flying is more than just a great way to get from A to B, fast. The aviation industry really started with hot air balloons before more recently evolving into the powered fixed wing aircraft we know so well. It's barely more than 100 years since the Wright brothers took to the air and steered a powered biplane for the first time over a short but significant distance. Since then the aircraft industry has expanded from those humble beginnings to be a major factor in peaceful globalisation, transportation and, alas, in warfare and global pollution.

It has to be mentioned that whilst global aviation has played a role in bringing nations together and breaking down barriers to understanding, the downsides include high altitude air pollution, general greehouse gas emission and local noise pollution.

Aviation is exciting - after all it's not really natural for a primate to be airborne for long, cartainly no longer than to swing from tree to tree. So to soar with the birds is an experience that stimulates the senses and challenges the mind. It's no surprise to find that the Web is littered with aviation sites!

• So check out Airliners.net - a massive resource with plenty of pics and a huge database of many different types of aircraft
• Or find an airline, anywhere in the world - you can search this database by nation
• Or search for 'Airline' at Everything, and find aviation hobby books and materials at Aviation World
• Or lose yourself for a few years reading up on the history of thousands of airlines, large and small at dmoz - the open directory
• You'll find that airline number 112 at the Airlines by Index ummm, index, is QANTAS. Check out the history of QANTAS then search the rest of the database. Flying boats also get a guernsey here.

Airline collectibles, including postcards and photographs

• People start collecting for many reasons. I started collecting airline postcards whjen I was about 9 years old... it was a tangible expression of my interest in aviation without great cost - and it taps into that human urge to collect basically anything. More postcards here.
• My own airline postcard gallery is here, and my airliner photographs are here as well
• Memorabilia in Excelsis... or just excess? Check out the collectible airsickness bags!

The Hardware

• OK, so how does it all work? What keeps you flying? From Howstuffworks. Or look at the nice diagrams here at this aeromuseum in Ohio
• Or visit the museum of flight
• Read everything technical about the Boeing 737 or the Special Performance 747SP or the classic 707
• Mind you, I really love Lockheeds and especially the Constellations.
• And I have a soft spot for the Vickers Viscount as well.