When most people think of fasteners used in the aerospace industry, they envision traditional fasteners. Modern airplanes, however, are manufactured using a variety of fasteners. In addition to traditional threaded fasteners like screws and bolts, many airplanes now feature quarter-turn … Read More

When researching aircraft systems, you may come across pitot-static systems. Pilots today rely on a variety of instruments to provide essential flight data. The pitot-static system is a collection of instruments that’s responsible for measuring airspeed, vertical speed, altitude and … Read More

You can ignore the head style when shopping for airframe bolts. Most airplanes use thousands or even hundreds of thousands of bolts in their construction. Along with rivets, airframe bolts are one of the most common. They are designed to … Read More

Proper torque is essential when installing aircraft bolts. With their threaded body or “shank,” bolts offer a convenient way to fasten parts. You can drive a bolt through two or more parts to secure them together. When used to assemble … Read More

Takeoffs are complex flight procedures that involve many different steps. Pilots, for instance, must calculate an appropriate speed. Airplanes must fly fast enough to generate sufficient lift. Otherwise, they won’t be able to take off. V1 is one of the … Read More

The empennage is an important part of modern-day airplanes. Also known as the tail assembly, it provides stabilization as well as pitch and yaw control. Without a tail, most airplanes would be too unstable to fly. Airplanes would essentially “swing” … Read More

Material fatigue is a concern in aviation safety. Airplanes are exposed to significant mechanical stress during flight. Over time, this can lead to material fatigue that jeopardizes the airplane’s structural integrity. For a better understanding of material fatigue in aviation, … Read More

Sheet metal screws offer a reliable fastening solution for sheet metal panels. Like all screws, they feature a pointed tip and threaded shank. Sheet metal screws, however, typically have finer and deeper threads than those found on other types of … Read More

Magnetos play an important role in modern aviation. These magnetic devices are used to provide ignition for aircraft engines. Magnetos supply spark plugs with an electrical current. Using this electrical current, the spark plugs can ignite the mixture of air … Read More