What Are Winglets on Airplanes?

Not all airplanes have flat and smooth wings. Many of them feature wings that curve upwards at the end. Known as winglets, they are commonly found on commercial jets. Some of the world’s most popular commercial jets feature winglets. What … Read More

Lifting Body vs Flying Wing Airplanes: What’s the Difference?

Airplanes rely on lift to stay in the air. Lift is the force produced as air flows under an airplane, thus “lifting” the airplane up. To produce lift, some airplanes have a flying wing design, whereas others use a lifting … Read More

What Are Servo Tabs on Airplanes?

Airplanes are complex vehicles that consist of many different moving parts. A typical 747 commercial jet, in fact, is built with over 5 million parts. While you might be familiar with the wings and landing gear, there are smaller parts … Read More

6 Fun Facts About Airbus

Airbus is a trusted name in the aerospace manufacturing industry. It produces a wide variety of civilian and commercial airplanes, some of which include the A220, A300, A310, A318, A319, A320, A321, A330, A340, A350 and A380. While you may … Read More

Overview of the 4 Types of Airplane Wing Flaps

The wings on a typical airplane aren’t completely flat and smooth. Whether it’s a private or commercial airplane, most airplane wings have flags. Wing flaps are designed to minimize both take-off and landing distances. Located on the trailing edge of … Read More

How Do Propeller Airplanes Work?

Not all airplanes are powered by jet engines. Some of them are powered by propellers. Technically speaking, propeller airplanes still have engines; they just don’t have jet engines. Propeller airplanes, instead, are powered by a different engine type, such as … Read More

What Causes Turbulence and How Does It Affect Airplanes?

Turbulence is a common phenomenon experienced by airplanes. If you regularly fly — whether for work or leisure — you’ve probably encountered it. Some instances of turbulence are minor, whereas others are more severe. What is turbulence exactly, and how … Read More

Comparison of the 5 Classes of AN Connectors

AN connectors are commonly used in the electrical systems of airplanes. AN, of course, is a specification derived from the U.S. military. For over a half-century, the U.S. military has used AN-style connectors in airplanes as well as other vehicles. … Read More

Aluminum vs Carbon Fiber: Which Material Is Best for Airplane Fuselages?

Aluminum and carbon fiber are two of the most common materials used in the construction of airplane fuselages. In the past, most commercial airplanes featured an aluminum fuselage. Since the advent of the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350, however, … Read More