Aerospace Engineering

Ever wonder how in-flight internet works? Most homes and businesses leverage a landline connection. Internet service providers (ISPs) run copper or fiber optic lines to their customers, which carry data. Airplanes, of course, don’t have a landline connection, so they … Read More

Nearly all airplanes are powered by one or more combustion engines. Combustion engines are fuel-burning engines that have an internal chamber. They are designed to burn a mixture of fuel and air in this chamber, which creates hot exhaust gases … Read More

Rain isn’t the only force of nature that affects airplanes. Equally if not more impactful is wind shear. From small Cessnas to jumbo-sized commercial airliners, it affects all types of airplanes. For a better understanding of wind shear and how … Read More

Turbofans are one of the most common types of airplane engines. A type of air-breathing jet engine, they offer a unique combination of power and efficiency. Turbofans feature a ducted fan that draws air into a combustion chamber where it’s … Read More

Ever wonder if airplanes can hydroplane on the runway? Not all flights occur when the sky is clear and sunny. As long as the weather isn’t severe, many airplanes will take off and land in the rain. As a result, … Read More

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