Aerospace Engineering

Engine pylons play an important role in aviation. All airplanes have engines. Whether it’s a turbofan or turboprop, they are the main thrust-generating devices. Engines produce the forward force needed to overcome drag and move the airplane through the air. … Read More

Fuel management is an important part of piloting an airplane. Whether commercial or civilian, practically all airplanes burn fuel for thrust. A typical Boeing 737 burns about a quarter-gallon of jet fuel per second, whereas larger airplanes like the Boeing … Read More

A lot of work goes into assembling modern airplanes. A typical commercial airliner has millions of individual parts. Depending on the size, it can take anywhere from weeks to months to assemble them. While some of these parts are small, … Read More

Passengers often assume that airplanes will immediately land upon reaching the destination airport. After all, lingering in the air wastes time and fuel. In many cases, however, airplanes will enter a holding pattern. What is a holding pattern exactly? The … Read More

Ever wonder how jet streams affect airplanes? There are over 100,000 flights globally on any given day. While some of these flights involve short distances, others span more than 2,500 miles. For long-haul flights such as these, pilots will often … Read More

If you’ve seen watched footage of military jets or supersonic jets, you may have noticed a glowing-red flames shooting out the back of the engines. Known as afterburners, they provide a temporary increase in thrust. Pilots can activate the jet’s … Read More

Have you ever noticed the short extensions protruding from the rear belly of an airplane’s fuselage? Known as a tailskid, they play an important role in protecting airplanes from damage. Airplanes have strict pitch limits. Pilots raise the nose during … Read More

Ever wonder how airplanes are able to stay so steady during flight? The answer is yaw dampers. As their name suggests, yaw dampers reduce or “dampen” an airplane’s yaw. The end result is a smoother, steadier flight. To learn more … Read More

It’s no secret that airplanes undergo a lot of inspections. Commercial airliners typically undergo D-checks every six to 10 years and A-checks every four to six months. D-checks involve heavy maintenance like checking airframes and engines, whereas A-checks involve light … Read More