Aerospace Engineering

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

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