To say there are a lot of airports would be an understatement. In the United States, there are now over 5,200 publically accessible airports and over 14,000 private airports. While you can airports just about anywhere, many of them are … Read More
Have you ever noticed the hinge-like flaps on the back of an airplane’s wings? Known as ailerons, they aren’t used for aesthetic purposes. Rather, they are flight control surfaces that provide pilots with greater control over the airplane. Whether narrow … Read More
As one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturing companies, Airbus is constantly developing new commercial airliners. One of its latest airliners is the A321neo. An acronym for “new engine option,” the A321neo is a variant of the A320 family. It’s … Read More
Boeing and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are making the final preparations to launch the Starliner to the International Space Station (ISS). The Starliner, of course, is a reusable crew capsule. It was designed and manufactured by Boeing … Read More
Airbus has announced plans to develop a new variant of its A350 family. As you may know, the A350 is a wide-body commercial jet. It was introduced in 2015 with Qatar Airways. Since then, it’s been used by some of … Read More
Landing gear is essential for all types of airplanes. As you may know, it consists of a set of wheels — along with other components — that allow airplanes to roll on the runway. Pilots will use the landing gear … Read More
Reciprocating engines are commonly used to power private and commercial airplanes. Also known as piston engines, they are characterized by the use of reciprocal-motion pistons. The piston or pistons “reciprocate” inside of the engines while simultaneously converting combustion-generated pressure into … Read More
Have you heard of the Atlas V? It’s the fifth version of Boeing’s expendable rocket-based launch system. The first Atlas V flight was conducted in 2002, with the most recent flight occurring in 2021. Even if you’re familiar with the … Read More
Aviation encompasses many different concepts, one of which is flight envelope. Whether propeller or jet engine-driven, all airplanes have a flight envelope. Pilots must familiarize themselves with the airplane’s flight envelope for safety purposes. What is flight envelope in aviation? … Read More
