When inspecting the cockpit of a typical airplane, you may see a yoke. Also known as a control column, it’s one of the most common types of flight control systems. Yokes are essentially steering wheel-like components that allow pilots to … Read More

Nearly all gas-turbine airplanes run on jet fuel. Also known as aviation turbine fuel, it’s a type of kerosene that’s made of ultra-refined petroleum. It was invented in the mid-1900s. Since then, jet fuel has been used to power countless … Read More

O-rings and grommets aren’t the same. While they feature a similar shape, they are nuances in their design that affect their utility. For most applications, o-rings and grommets aren’t interchangeable. You may be able to use an o-ring for one … Read More

Rivets are one of the most common types of fasteners used in airplanes. Airplanes still have screws and bolts, many of their components are secured with rivets. Rivets don’t have the same type of threaded body as screws and bolts. … Read More

Terminal blocks are commonly used in the electrical systems of airplanes. They consist of block-shaped connectors that support multiple wires or cables. Rather than using a twist-cap connector, for instance, you can connect two wires with a terminal block. Below … Read More

When researching some of the different types of nuts used in the aerospace manufacturing industry, you may come across castellated nuts. They are one of the most common types of non-self-locking nuts in airplanes. Castellated nuts are essentially castle nuts. They feature … Read More

Fasteners are commonly used in the construction of airplanes. It’s estimated that a typical 747 airliner has over 3 million fasteners. While some of these fasteners consist of rivets, others consist of bolts or screws with external threading. Threaded fasteners … Read More

Fuses are commonly used in the electrical systems of airplanes. Up until the mid-1960s, in fact, they were the primary form of protection for electrical devices in airplanes. While many modern airplanes now feature circuit breakers, fuse boxes aren’t obsolete. … Read More

When most people think of fasteners, they envision nuts and screws. While threaded fasteners such as these are common, there are other fasteners that don’t feature any threading. Retaining rings fall under the latter category. They are used in fastening … Read More