Modern-day airplanes are designed with a variety of automated systems. In addition to autopilot, for instance, many of them feature an automatic braking system. Known as autobrakes, it’s used during landings and rejected takeoffs. To learn more about autobrakes and … Read More

Nylon washers have become a popular alternative to traditional metal washers. They still feature the same ring-shaped design, and they are still used to distribute the load of a threaded fastener. The difference, of course, lies in the material from … Read More

Rivets are commonly used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. The Boeing 747, for instance, features over 1 million rivets. As permanent fasteners, rivets are better protected from vibration-related loosening than traditional threaded fasteners. There are different types of rivets, however, … Read More

Spacers are commonly used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. As shown in the adjacent photo, they look like cylindrical pieces of metal with a hollow interior. They are available in different sizes, with some spacers being wider or longer than … Read More

Ever wonder if the altitude at which an airplane flies affects its speed? Most commercial jets have a cruising altitude of 31,000 to 42,000 feet. After taking off, they will climb for about 10 minutes to reach this altitude. Yes, … Read More

Zero fuel weight is an important metric for fixed-wing aircraft. Not to be confused with maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), it represents the total weight of an aircraft minus fuel. Whether you’re a private pilot or aerospace engineer, you can’t ignore … Read More

Aircraft fuel systems are more complex than their automotive counterparts. While most cars, trucks and other automobiles have a single fuel tank, large commercial airliners typically have at least two fuel tanks. The Boeing 787, for instance, has three fuel … Read More

If you’re tired of constantly replacing your heavily worn or damaged drill bits, you may want to invest in a set of double-ended drill bits. You can use them to drill holes in a variety of materials — just like … Read More

When shopping for washers, you may come across split lock washers. They are used to distribute the load of a threaded fastener — just like all washers. With their split design, however, split lock washers also protect the threaded fasteners … Read More