Aerospace Engineering

If you ever look at the trailing edge of an airplane’s wings, you may notice an array of small rod-like devices attached to it. These aren’t flight control surfaces. Rather, these unusual-looking appendages are static wicks. What Are Static Wicks? … Read More

Rivets play an important role in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Like all fasteners, they are used to hold two or more parts together. Rivets, however, are permanent fasteners that resist external forces like vibrations. They don’t have threading like bolts … Read More

Modern airplanes are equipped with a variety of airflow control devices on their wings. Most airplanes have slats and flaps, for instance. Slats are hinge-like devices on the leading edge of an airplane’s wings, whereas flaps are hinge-like devices on … Read More

Ever wonder why airplanes have a tailplane? From commercial airliners to commuter airplanes and military jets, most airplanes have a short lifting service on their tail. Known as a tailplane or horizontal stabilizer, it serves several purposes. Stability The main … Read More

Most airplanes don’t have completely flat and smooth wings. Rather, their wings feature adjustable flight control surfaces. Elevators, for instance, are hinged control surfaces that allow pilots to control the airplane’s pitch. In addition to elevators, some airplanes feature stabilators … Read More

Modern airplanes are equipped with a variety of control mechanisms. Consisting of knobs, levers, dials, pedals and buttons, they allow pilots to control the airplane. In addition to primary flight controls, however, there are secondary flight controls. To learn more … Read More

Have you ever noticed a small hole in the back of an airplane’s tail assembly? It’s a common feature of many commercial airliners. Being that the engines are typically located on the wings, you might be wondering what exactly this … Read More

Modern airplanes are designed with a variety of flight control surfaces, two of which include airbrakes and spoilers. They both consist of hinged devices that, when deployed, affect flight characteristics. What are airbrakes and spoilers exactly, and how do they … Read More

Not all airplanes are powered by a single jet engine. Most commercial airliners, in fact, are powered by two or even four jet engines. Airplanes with two jet engines are known as twinjets. A typical twinjet features two turbofan engines. … Read More