Aerospace Engineering

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

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

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