Aerospace Engineering

The next time you fly, look outside at the airport’s tarmac and you’ll probably discover that most of the airplanes waiting to take off have a white frame. Although there are exceptions, white is the predominant color in which airplane … Read More

Although there are exceptions, most commercial jets fly at around 28,000 to 35,000 feet. Being that Earth’s troposphere is between 23,000 and 65,000 feet — depending on the season and latitude, at least — this means that commercial jets are … Read More

Commercial airplanes today use complex control systems consisting of hundreds of dials, knobs, buttons, switches, levers and more. Whether it’s a short flight across state lines of an intercontinental flight to the opposite side of the world, pilots must engage … Read More

From the Airbus A330 to the Boeing 787, practically all commercial aircraft are manufactured with riveted joints instead of welded joints. With riveted joints, two components are connected using a fastener known as a rivet. There are different types of … Read More

Ground forces are just one tool used to prevent, control and extinguish wildfires. While essential to firefighting operations, air forces are equally as important. It’s not uncommon for states and municipalities to use airplanes to fight wildfires. Unless you’re familiar … Read More

Boeing is known throughout the world for its iconic commercial jets, including the 747, 777 and 787. The U.S.-based company designs and manufacturers aircraft that are sold to commercial airlines as well as private and government organizations alike. But while … Read More

NASA has its crosshairs fixed on the Red Planet. In November, the space agency’s InSight spacecraft touched down on Mars. Considering that Mars is almost 34 million miles away from Earth, that alone is an impressive feat. However, NASA is … Read More

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is urging drone operators to stay away from naval bases. Granted, the FAA has prohibited operators from flying drones in and around restricted military airspace. But not all operators are complying with this rule, … Read More

The next time you fly in a commercial jet, look out the window during takeoff and you’ll probably see that a section of the wings extends by a few feet. Although there are exceptions, most commercial jets feature extended wing … Read More