Fixed-wing aircraft facilitate controlled flight by manipulating several moving components called control surfaces. These surfaces, which include the rudder, flaps, elevators, and ailerons, help to guide the plane as it travels through the air with smoothness and safety. While each of these elements plays a critical role in aerodynamics, this blog will focus on the design, operating principle, and various types of ailerons.
Aircraft hydraulic systems allow operators a way of remotely controlling an array of components by transmitting force through a pressurized fluid. Hydraulics can quickly and accurately generate high forces through lightweight pipes of varying sizes, shapes, and lengths. Furthermore, they serve as the primary sources of power in aircraft systems like flight controls, flaps, wheel brakes, and more.
Aircraft windows are an important element of the fuselage that provide crew members and passengers a view of the outside atmosphere and allow for safety and comfort to be upheld with ease. With the intensive atmospheric conditions present in the altitude range aircraft typically travel at, airplane windows have to be designed with ample integrity and strength. In this blog, we will discuss how airplane windows are designed and the various materials that make them up.
For a jet engine to properly function with high performance and reliability, it requires a continuous flow of oil. Oil plays various roles for an engine assembly, serving to cool hot parts, lubricate moving assemblies, and remove the buildup of debris. For the oil system to function with ease, all parts need to function together so that oil can be stored, cooled, directed, and distributed as necessary. With the grand importance of the jet engine oil system, it can be very beneficial to have a general understanding of its design and functionality for proper care and use.
When an aircraft is parked at a terminal or is otherwise grounded with all engines and power units shut off, power is unable to be generated for various internal systems and electronics. Whether the aircraft is being prepared for its next flight or is simply being inspected for system functionality, there will need to be a source of power provided without utilizing the engines for safety and fuel savings. With an aircraft ground power unit (GPU), electrical power can be provided from an external source to various aircraft parts and systems with ease. As GPUs serve as a common form of ground support equipment that is extremely useful for aviation applications, it can be beneficial to have a better understanding of them.
In the realm of aviation, a stall refers to an aerodynamic condition in which lift is lost as a result of the disruption of smooth airflow over wings. As stalling is a very hazardous condition that can lead to an accident, it is important that pilots have ample training on how to recover themselves when it occurs. While understanding the basics of stall recovery is essential, it is also highly useful to be aware of the most common mistakes that pilots make during such procedures.
Altitude is the vertical distance above a specific reference point. While you may be familiar with the term, you may not know that there are five types of altitude. There are many factors that determine altitude including the vertical distance above mean sea level and above the ground surface, as well as pressure and density. In this blog, we will be providing an overview of five different types of altitude, thus giving you a better understanding of their distinguishing features and importance.
Upon takeoff, aircraft can make a number of noises that can disturb unknowing residents in the area around an airport. Engine noise can be sourced from the fan, compressor, or the air discharge from the core of the engine; however, the noise generated by the engine exhaust is the loudest. While not all the noise produced by aircraft can be mitigated, aerospace engineers have crafted a solution: noise suppressors. Noise suppressors are commonly an integral, airborne part of the aircraft engine installation or engine exhaust nozzle.
Industrial springs are common hardware components that are often overlooked, typically being mounted within an assembly of moving parts. Crucial to motion control and industrial equipment, industrial springs may be found in door closing systems, the mechanical seals of rotary unions, and much more. While there are numerous types of industrial springs that one may use, the most common variations that serve industrial applications include compression, extension, and torsion springs.
When observing commercial aircraft as they conduct operations, one may notice that there are a variety of small surfaces that are commonly implemented on the ends of wings. These surfaces at the end of wingtips are known as winglets or Sharklets depending on the manufacturer of the aircraft, and they serve to reduce drag for the means of achieving more optimal flight. To better understand the role that winglets and Sharklets serve, as well as their difference, we will provide a brief overview of each.
