Have you ever noticed a small hole in the back of an airplane’s tail assembly? It’s a common feature of many commercial airliners. Being that the engines are typically located on the wings, you might be wondering what exactly this … Read More

Clipnuts offer a convenient way to secure the end of a bolt. Also known as speed nuts, they feature a hole and can be clipped onto the edge of sheet metal. Once in place, you can then drive a bolt … Read More

Modern airplanes are designed with a variety of flight control surfaces, two of which include airbrakes and spoilers. They both consist of hinged devices that, when deployed, affect flight characteristics. What are airbrakes and spoilers exactly, and how do they … Read More

Airplanes no longer require pilots to manually control fuel flow. Whether it’s a small light aircraft or a jumbo-sized commercial jet, it will likely feature autothrottle. Located in the cockpit, autothrottle simplifies many fuel-based controls. What is autothrottle exactly, and … Read More

Not all airplanes are powered by a single jet engine. Most commercial airliners, in fact, are powered by two or even four jet engines. Airplanes with two jet engines are known as twinjets. A typical twinjet features two turbofan engines. … Read More

When shopping for screws, you may come across pan head machine screws. They are commonly used in aircraft. From control panels and flight instruments to electrical systems and fuselage sections, pan head machine screws play an important role in many … Read More

Ice building is a concern for airplanes powered by carburetor engines. When the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, moisture may condense and freeze on the carburetor’s throttle valve and other components. If left unchecked, icing such as this may … Read More

When researching leading-edge extensions, you may come across dogtooth extensions. The leading edge of an airplane’s wings typically isn’t straight. Instead, it has several extensions, such as a slat and dogtooth extension. Overview of Dogtooth Extensions A dogtooth extension is … Read More

Stalling is a concern for pilots. When the critical angle attack of an airplane’s wings is exceeded, the amount of lift generated by the airplane will decrease and its drag will increase. This phenomenon is known as a stall, and … Read More