If you’ve ever watched commercial airliners land on a runway, you may recall seeing their engines open up. There are door-like panels on the sides of jet engines. While these panels typically remain closed during takeoffs, they open during landings. … Read More
Think you know everything there is to know about airplane cabins? All commercial airplanes have a cabin. Located within the fuselage, it’s the main interior section that houses the airplane’s cargo and passengers. Here are five fun facts about cabins. … Read More
Airplanes may not have gas pedals like those found in automobiles, but they do have rudder pedals. Both the pilot and copilot typically have their own pair of rudder pedals. As the name suggests, these specialized pedals are used to … Read More
Solid rivets are one of the most common types of mechanical fasteners used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Like all rivets, they are designed to resist external forces, such as vibrations. Solid rivets, however, feature a solid construction that distinguishes … Read More
Have you heard of dihedral angles? Most commercial airplanes don’t have completely flat and straight wings. When looking at the tarmac on your next flight, you may notice that they have curved wings. This curvature is represented by a dihedral … Read More
Have you heard of insulating electrical washers? When most people think of washers, they envision metal, ring-shaped discs with a hole in the center. You can place a bolt or similar threaded fastener through the center of a washer to … Read More
Ever wonder if airplanes can fly in snowy weather? Rates of annual snowfall in the United States vary from state to state. Northern states like Maine and Vermont get up to 90 inches of snow per year, whereas southern states … Read More
When shopping for washers, you may come across cupped washers. They are commonly used to distribute the load of threaded fasteners. Rather than only using a nut and bolt to secure two parts, for instance, you can use a cupped … Read More
High-pressure shock strut valves play an important role in many aircraft landing gear systems. Like with other valves, they are designed to control the flow of substances. While other valves control fluids, though, high-pressure shock strut valves control gas or … Read More
