Aerospace Engineering

Ever wonder why airplanes have a tailplane? From commercial airliners to commuter airplanes and military jets, most airplanes have a short lifting service on their tail. Known as a tailplane or horizontal stabilizer, it serves several purposes. Stability The main … Read More

Most airplanes don’t have completely flat and smooth wings. Rather, their wings feature adjustable flight control surfaces. Elevators, for instance, are hinged control surfaces that allow pilots to control the airplane’s pitch. In addition to elevators, some airplanes feature stabilators … Read More

Modern airplanes are equipped with a variety of control mechanisms. Consisting of knobs, levers, dials, pedals and buttons, they allow pilots to control the airplane. In addition to primary flight controls, however, there are secondary flight controls. To learn more … Read More

Have you ever noticed a small hole in the back of an airplane’s tail assembly? It’s a common feature of many commercial airliners. Being that the engines are typically located on the wings, you might be wondering what exactly this … Read More

Modern airplanes are designed with a variety of flight control surfaces, two of which include airbrakes and spoilers. They both consist of hinged devices that, when deployed, affect flight characteristics. What are airbrakes and spoilers exactly, and how do they … Read More

Not all airplanes are powered by a single jet engine. Most commercial airliners, in fact, are powered by two or even four jet engines. Airplanes with two jet engines are known as twinjets. A typical twinjet features two turbofan engines. … Read More

Ice building is a concern for airplanes powered by carburetor engines. When the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, moisture may condense and freeze on the carburetor’s throttle valve and other components. If left unchecked, icing such as this may … Read More

When researching leading-edge extensions, you may come across dogtooth extensions. The leading edge of an airplane’s wings typically isn’t straight. Instead, it has several extensions, such as a slat and dogtooth extension. Overview of Dogtooth Extensions A dogtooth extension is … Read More

Stalling is a concern for pilots. When the critical angle attack of an airplane’s wings is exceeded, the amount of lift generated by the airplane will decrease and its drag will increase. This phenomenon is known as a stall, and … Read More