Covering this topic was one of my biggest challenges at Airways. Most often, journalists cover at the magazine cover commercial aviation news and the in-depth technicalities of modern airplanes. Thus, writing an article about a downside of the modern industry -- and about the humanistic aspects of aviation -- was a nearly unprecedented topic for any aviation publication to cover. My top goal for this story was to send a message to readers that there's much more involved in the aviation industry than we think -- for every flight, tens of people work in strenuous conditions for passengers to depart on time. Writing this story required me to go on the airport tarmac and gain a firsthand experience of how night operations functioned, which included experiencing the pressure required to prepare each aircraft. This story enabled me to appreciate that there's much more to the aviation industry than just the commercial sector, and that just focusing on the industry's commercial aspects often overlook the experiences of these workers.

One of the most controversial aspects of modern aviation is an aircraft's lack of sustainable energy. The average aircraft typically burns 1 gallon of fuel every second in flight. United Airlines accepted an interview to discuss the specifics of their Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) program, one of the first sustainability programs in the industry. This article opened up a gateway for me to cover aviation stories that intersect with modern-day issues such as climate change. 

As more efficient planes entered the aviation industry, older workhorse aircraft soon retire and exit service. Writing about the Boeing 717, one of Boeing's oldest aircraft, was a special story for me. This article was comprised solely through hours of research about the aircraft's history, specifications, and role in Delta Air Lines. Through this research, I developed some of my most essential skills as a journalist, such as differentiating the research which is useful in the article from that which is not. And, along the way, I had a fun adventure learning more about this aircraft.