Aerospace Engineering

When researching aviation concepts, you may come across glide aviation. All fixed-wing aircraft are capable of gliding. It’s the result of their aerodynamic shape, which is largely attributed to their wings. Glide ratio represents how well an airplane can glide. … Read More

Airports have revolutionized the way in which we travel. As you may know, they are facilities where airplanes take off and land. Airports typically feature runways, taxiways, terminals, cargo areas and various support buildings. Even if you’ve traveled through an … Read More

Differential pressure is an important concept in aviation. Air pressure, of course, changes in relation to altitude. As the altitude of an airplane increases, the air pressure decreases. This is due to the fact that air molecules are spread farther … Read More

Ever wonder how airplanes prevent ice from building up on propeller blades? When flying at 30,000 feet above sea level, airplanes are exposed to very cold air — typically about minus 40 to minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit. At these temperatures, … Read More

When inspecting the wings of an airplane, you may notice they have hinge-like flaps on the trailing edge. Known as ailerons, they play an important role in modern aviation. Ailerons allow pilots to “roll” airplanes, thereby banking the aircraft to … Read More

Ever wonder why turboprops need oil? As gas turbine engines, turboprops don’t have cylinders. Cylinders are exclusive to reciprocating or piston engines. Even without cylinders, though, turboprops still require oil to function as intended. Lubrication One of the main functions … Read More

Pilots and airlines must carefully calculate fuel usage for flights. With the exception of fully electric airplanes, which are mostly still in development, all airplanes burn fuel. A typical Boeing 747, for instance, burns roughly 5,000 to 12,000 gallons of … Read More

Turbofans are one of the most common types of aircraft engines. They are characterized by the use of a ducted fan to blow air around the combination chamber. Upon entering a turbofan, some of the air will enter the combustion … Read More

Not all aircraft propellers are the same. While most pilots are familiar with fixed pitch and constant speed, there are other types available, such as climb and cruise. Climb and cruise propellers are both classified as fixed-pitch propellers. Like all … Read More