Aerospace Engineering

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

Not all airplanes have the same takeoff distance. Also known as obstacle clearance takeoff distance, takeoff distance is the total horizontal distance an airplane requires to accelerate and take off to a specific altitude — typically 35 to 50 feet … Read More

The altitude at which an airplane flies will affect its flight characteristics. At high altitudes, they typically experience better fuel efficiency. The air is less dense at high altitudes, so airplanes generate less drag. At low altitudes, conversely, the dense … Read More

Landing gear assemblies consist of more than wheels and struts; many of them feature shimmy dampers as well. They are typically found on airplanes with tricycle-style landing gear where they prevent wheel oscillation. Here’s everything you need to know about … Read More