I thought this would be a fun one for all of the flying aficionados out there.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Edwin A. Shackleton of the UK has flown as a passenger on more types of aircraft than anyone else on the planet.

So, how many different types of aircraft has Mr. Shackelton flown on? An astounding 841. He took his first flight in 1943 on a De Havilland DH 89 Dominie. Along with a wide range of military and commercial airplanes, Mr. Shackleton has also ridden “shotgun” on balloons, helicopters, airships, and more.

Mr. Shackelton’s record was added into the book in January 2007, so if you want the record for yourself, you better start flying.

The summer travel season is upon us, and people all over the country are planning their getaways. But where they are going?

The ASTA has released its projected numbers for this year’s summer travel. According to the travel agents, this year’s top US summer destination is the same as last summer’s: Orlando.

No surprise that Mickey and the gang are still bringing in big numbers, but if you take a look at the 2008 list, you’ll see that there are very few differences from last year.

Keep reading to see which cities rounded out the ASTA’s list and which destinations made up ground from 2007…

What’s the fastest operating commercial jet in the skies today?

The Boeing 747. It can fly at 605 miles per hour.

The fastest business jet? The Citation X. At the ever so slightly faster 607 mph.

Okay, so what USED to be the fastest passenger jet in the air? Hint: it wasn’t the Concorde. Keep reading!

Where and when was the first commercial flight in America? Most historians agree it took place on January 1, 1914, in Florida.

The airline was called the St. Petersburg-Tampa Air Line, and for good reason: flights began in St. Petersburg and ended up in Tampa. Not surprisingly, the trips didn’t take long — just 23 minutes from start to finish. There wasn’t much of a view, either: altitude was just 15-feet.

So what did it cost? It wasn’t cheap, as you’ll see when you keep reading…

A few weeks we go, I highlighted the busiest flight routes by world region. With those statistics, “busiest” meant the largest number of weekly flights. Using those calculations, the busiest route in the United States is Honolulu-Kahului (Island of Maui). OK, fair enough. But what are the busiest flight routes in the US when it comes to sheer number of passengers?

Keep reading for a look at the Top 10 routes that service the most passengers annualy. In all honesty, you probably won’t be too surprised by the cities that dominate the list…

With aircraft maintenance issues and weather problems, we’re used to hearing about mass flight delays at this point. But there are some flights out there that just seem to be chronically late even when conditions are normal.

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at which flights are almost guaranteed to be late. Is there a particular airline that comes up short time and time again, or is it a specific airport that feels the brunt of delays?

Keep reading to see the five most consistently delayed flights from the 4th quarter of last year…

The merger between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines will create the world’s largest airline. And, we may see more mergers in the near future — Continental and United perhaps?

I thought it would be interesting to see just how things are going to get shaken up by taking a look at the pre-merger airline traffic rankings. This list of Top 10 U.S. airline rankings is from January 2008 and is based on domestic and international scheduled enplanements.

Combine Delta and Northwest’s numbers you’ll see how they’ll nab the top spot. Take a look at Continental and United, to see what a merger between those two airlines would mean. Now, let’s look at the list — just click “more”.

Each year, OAG (Official Airline Guide) compiles a list of the busiest flight routes by global region (and throws the busiest international route in for good measure). The OAG’s lists are based on the number of weekly flights for a particular route; they do not take into account the number of passengers on those flights.

There were some close races, but clear “winners” did emerge, so keep reading to see which routes play host to the most flights week after week…

Ever wonder which airports have connecting flights to the most countries? We’re speaking, of course, about the giants, the huge hubs, those with the most competition & cheap flights.

I’ve been to some of them; I’ll bet you have to.

Number one on the list connects to 106-countries — the airline tickets must need an U.N. Interpreter …Give up? Just click more for the answer.

This past year, Boeing received its 7,000th order for one of its 737s. Lion Air placed the momentous order that sparked a celebration, speeches, and the proclamation from Boeing that the 737 is “the most successful commercial airplane family in history.”

Of course, a claim from the manufacturer can’t be treated as fact, but as a point of reference, Airbus’ A320 family (built to compete directly with Boeing’s 737 family) is still moving ever closer to its 6,000th order.

So, what does the 7,000th order of the 737 mean for Boeing? Well, it means they got to have a nice party and a bit of PR, but it also gives them fuel in their ongoing battle with Airbus. 2007 saw Airbus deliver more planes than Boeing, but Boeing can still claim victory, as they received more new orders than their French rival.

Liked this Story? Check out “Which Airline Flies to the Most Countries?”

Making a good airfare purchasing decision requires a healthy dose of technology and education.

Today I want to broaden your insider knowledge of airlines and their prices by chatting a bit about the “invoice” price of an airline ticket.

Since you don’t actually own the seat you fly — the “invoice” price is related to the flights that make up your trip and the easiest unit of measure for comparison is “price per mile”.

As you might imagine airlines have a pretty significant difference in their costs.

Would you shop for a car without knowing the Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds invoice? Keep reading–this will help you find cheap airfare sales.

If you travel the world, maybe the answer won’t surprise you: Air France travels to more countries than any other airline (86 of them).

So which U.S. airline boasts travel to the most nation-destinations? No, it’s not American. And, you should know there’s only one U.S. carrier in this contest that cracks the top-5.

Getting curious? Placing your bets? Just click “MORE” for the rest of the answers.

Liked this? Then check out “What are the Top 6 Longest Commercial Flights?”

So, where all does the huge Airbus A380 fly, and where else will it fly later on this year?

The Airbus A380 has a rather storied past — as Tim Russert might put it, “Delays, delays, delays” but the “Big Bird” is now flying and will be flying more later this year, on the following routes (click “more” to see them):

Last week, I highlighted the longest of the long haul flights, so this week I wanted to point out the Top 5 shortest flights you can catch in the U.S.

If you can only handle a few minutes in the air, these are the flights for you. Some will have you wondering if taxi-ing to them would be just as fast …

Think that LAX to JFK flight is a bear? Well then, take a look at the “Top 6 Longest Commercial Flights” out there.

They make those transcontinental flights seem like nice little jaunts.

Just click “more” and believe me, you’ll know what I’m talking about!