Aerospace Engineering

Are you familiar with the different types of airspeed? While cars, trucks and other vehicles on the road typically have a single speed metric, airplanes have several speed metrics. They include indicated airspeed (AIS), true airspeed (TAS) and ground speed … Read More

Stabilizers are an important part of most airplanes. Located on the tail assembly, they live up to their namesake by providing stability. Stabilizers are essentially aerodynamic surfaces that stabilize the airplanes with which they are used. Here are six facts … Read More

T-tail empennages are undoubtedly popular. They are characterized by their T-shape design consisting of a single vertical stabilizer and a horizontal stabilizer. All airplanes have an empennage. Also known as the tail assembly, it’s the structure on the back of … Read More

Wire strikes are a concern for helicopters. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), they account for nearly 6% of all single-turbine helicopter accidents and a little over 4% of all twin-turbine helicopter accidents. Wire strikes often involve power … Read More

When researching the different types of aircraft aluminum, you may come across 7178-T6 and 7079-T6. Aluminum is often used in the construction of airplanes. Roughly 80% of a typical Boeing 737, in fact, consists of aluminum. Airplanes don’t use ordinary aluminum, … Read More

A typical commercial airplane features several types of exterior lights. In addition to tax lights, for instance, most of them feature landing lights. When preparing to land at night, pilots will use these lights to improve their visibility. What Are … Read More

When most people think of spoilers, they envision the wing-like appendages on the back of cars. Many cars, particularly sports cars, feature a spoiler. By incorporating this aerodynamic appendage into their design, they benefit from improved braking at high speeds … Read More

When inspecting the leading edge of an airplane’s wing, you may notice that it has small wedge-shaped strips. Known as stall strips, they change the wing’s aerodynamic properties. For a better understanding of stall strips and how they work, keep … Read More

Airplanes have changed the way in which we travel. Since their origins in the early 20th century, they’ve opened the doors to faster and more convenient transportation. While most airplanes have a wheel-based landing gear system that requires them to … Read More