Aerospace Engineering

Do you know the difference between subsonic and supersonic flight? Like automobiles, airplanes have become faster over the years. The Wright Flyer, for instance, topped out at just 30 mph, whereas commercial airliners can reach speeds of 500 to 500 … Read More

Oil isn’t limited to automotive engines. Whether it’s a small commuter plane or a wide-body commercial airliner, nearly all aircraft engines use it as well. Oil is typically added to new aircraft engines, and it’s replaced at specific intervals. Here … Read More

Flight test instrumentation plays an important role in the development of new types of aircraft. To earn their certification, new airplanes must undergo testing. Flight test instrumentation is a part of this testing process. What is flight test instrumentation exactly, … Read More

Ever wonder how airplanes are able to land without skidding? It’s not uncommon for airplanes to touch the runway at speeds of up to 180 mph. In some cases, pilots must also deal with inclement weather. Most airplanes, however, are … Read More

When researching propeller airplanes, you may come across the term “feathering.” It’s commonly used when turboprop engines fail. Turboprop engines are a type of gas turbine engine that turns a propeller blade. When they fail, pilots will often feather the … Read More

If you regularly travel by air, you may notice that flights take less time when traveling East in the United States. You can fly between the same two cities on the West and East Coast. Flights to the East Coast, … Read More

If you ever look at the trailing edge of an airplane’s wings, you may notice an array of small rod-like devices attached to it. These aren’t flight control surfaces. Rather, these unusual-looking appendages are static wicks. What Are Static Wicks? … Read More

Rivets play an important role in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Like all fasteners, they are used to hold two or more parts together. Rivets, however, are permanent fasteners that resist external forces like vibrations. They don’t have threading like bolts … Read More

Modern airplanes are equipped with a variety of airflow control devices on their wings. Most airplanes have slats and flaps, for instance. Slats are hinge-like devices on the leading edge of an airplane’s wings, whereas flaps are hinge-like devices on … Read More