The Beginner’s Guide to Air Valves

When researching components for pressurized aircraft systems, you may come across air valves. They are found in nearly all modern airplanes. Pressurized systems, such as oleo-pneumatic struts, use air valves to regulate their pressure. For a better understanding of air … Read More

What Are Total Air Temperature Probe and Why Do Airplanes Use Them?

Sensors play an important role in modern aviation. A typical airplane has hundreds or even thousands of sensors, each of which collects valuable data. Among these sensors are total air temperature probes. The Basics of Total Air Temperature Probes Total … Read More

Zinc vs Cadmium-Plated Aerospace Fasteners

They may be small in size, but fasteners play a big role in aerospace engineering. They are used to mechanically hold two or more parts together. Temporary fasteners include bolts, screws and nuts, whereas permanent fasteners include rivets, staples and … Read More

What Are Breather Vents and Why Do Airplanes Use Them?

A typical airplane has hundreds of thousands or even millions of parts. While most people are familiar with major parts like the wings, tail and engines, smaller parts like breather vents often go unnoticed. Nonetheless, breather vents play an important … Read More

Shim Washers: A Simple and Effective Spacing Solution

Aircraft structures are often engineered with tight tolerances. If a component has a gap or isn’t properly misaligned, the entire structure may succumb to excessive vibrations. Shim washers, however, offer a solution. These specialized washers can fill spaces to meet … Read More

Autopilot vs Flight Director: What’s the Difference?

Do you know the difference between autopilot and flight director? In the early days of aviation, airplanes only featured manual controls. It wasn’t until 1912 when autopilot was invented, which automated many basic flight controls. In the 1950s, however, flight … Read More

What Are Leaf Spring Receptacle?

Leaf spring receptacles are used in a wide range of aerospace-related applications. You can find them in engine cowlings, aircraft access panels, electrical housings, doors and more. Even with their widespread usage, though, many people are unfamiliar with them. What … Read More

Understanding Top-of-Descent Points in Aviation

Airplanes don’t stay at cruising altitude forever. Eventually, they must descend so that they can prepare to land. Top-of-descent points play an important role in this process. Air traffic controllers use it to maintain traffic flow, whereas commercial airlines use … Read More

Grommets vs Grommet Edging: What’s the Difference?

When running cables through holes, you need to take steps to prevent them from damage. Most cables have an outer jacket. Friction, however, can wear down this jacket and expose the cable’s inner conductors to damage such as fraying. Fortunately, … Read More