5 Interesting Facts About Aerial Firefighting

Not all airplanes are designed specifically to transport passengers and cargo from one place to another. Some of them are designed to extinguish fires. A profess known as aerial firefighting, it’s commonly used to prevent the spread of wildfires. If … Read More

How Rivets Are Used to Manufacture Airplanes

A lot of parts go into the construction of an airplane. A typical Boeing 747, for instance, has approximately 6 million parts. Of course, many of these parts are small. Most airplanes have thousands of small fasteners, with rivets being … Read More

Jet vs Reciprocating Airplane Engines: What’s the Difference?

All airplanes require one or more engines. Engines are responsible for generating propulsion, which along with lift, allows airplanes to safely traverse the skies. While some airplanes have jet engines, though, others have reciprocating engines. Jet engines and reciprocating engines … Read More

FAA to Fund Emissions-Reducing Technologies for Airports

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has its eyes set on creating cleaner airports with fewer emissions. In August 2021, the FAA announced a series of grants to fund various airport projects, many of which seek to reduce airport emissions. … Read More

How the Wings of an Airplane Generate Lift

Lift is the acting force that keeps airplanes in the air. It allows airplanes to maintain or increase their altitude during flight. Without lift, gravity will pull airplanes down, resulting in a lower altitude. While there are dozens of types … Read More

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Celebrates 9th Year on Mars

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Curiosity rover has clocked over nine years of service on the Red Planet. For nearly a decade, Curiosity has collected data about Mars. It’s been measuring the Red Planet’s climate and geology while … Read More

What Is a Biplane? Here’s What You Should Know

Not all airplanes are designed with a single pair of wings. Some of them feature two pairs of wings — with one pair stacked on the other pair. Known as biplanes, they’ve been around for over a century. The Wright … Read More

Did You Know? Why Airports Are Oftentimes Located Near Water

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

How Ailerons Work on Airplanes

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