Modern aircraft engines are powerful apparatuses, capable of keeping massive vehicles airborne through the combustion of fuel-and-air mixtures. Without the power produced by engine assemblies, aircraft would not be able to generate the thrust necessary for forward movement, eventually leading them to lose altitude as aerodynamic forces change. As such, it begs an important question: what happens when an aircraft loses functionality of its engine during flight?

For most commercial aircraft, operations are carried out at an average altitude of around 33,000 to 42,000 feet above sea level. At this height, modern engines can perform optimally and with the benefit of avoiding common adverse meteorological conditions. Despite these advantages, oxygen conditions at such heights are not suitable for breathing, making it essential that passengers, pilots, and crewmembers are offered an atmosphere that is safe and comfortable. To do this, cabins are sealed, pressurized, and supplied with a stream of breathable air. In this blog, we will discuss the process of air circulation for commercial aircraft, allowing you to better understand how such environments are established and upheld.

Planetary gearboxes are special motion control tools typically used by vehicles as an essential piece of automatic transmission equipment. Specifically, planetary gearboxes are a form of gearbox where the input and output have the same center of turning. This formation has several gears spinning in one direction and “orbiting” an interior gear, giving planetary gearboxes their name. This blog provides a short overview of planetary gearboxes, so that way you can best make an informed decision when considering multiple components for your assembly.

The wings of an airplane are one of the most technologically advanced aspects of aircraft, generating and maintaining many of the forces required for flight. In addition to creating lift, airplane wings also serve a number of other purposes, ranging from storing fuel to controlling flight. Given their complexity, aircraft wings comprise a collection of parts designed for various purposes. For your better understanding, we will break down and explore the parts of a typical airplane wing in the following blog.

Each aircraft is a collection of complex technology and processes which have benefited from decades of rapid progress. One such innovation has been the implementation of aerial refueling wherein one aircraft pumps fuel through a hose to another aircraft mid-flight. To work effectively, the two aircraft must fly in formation at a specific distance from each other throughout the process. Once in the right formation, a hose and several other components are extended to connect the two planes. After which, a signal is sent out by the pilot to start pumping. This process is the result of careful learning and planning which has guided the steps of the procedure. In this article, we will be discussing how aerial refueling works in more detail, including the different methods that exist.

Commercial aircraft are massive and powerful vehicles, capable of traveling at hundreds of miles per hour in the atmosphere despite weighing as much as 250 tons. When landing on a runway to finish a flight operation, the average commercial aircraft will touch down at a speed of around 170 miles per hour, and it is up to the tires, brakes, and other flight systems to rapidly shed that speed to come to a safe stop. With the weight and speed of an aircraft landing, one may wonder how such an operation is possible without having tires burst everytime they establish contact. The reason behind this ability is that aircraft tires are specifically engineered and designed to be immensely rigorous, relying on a number of assembly parts to remain healthy across flight operations. 

From early flight management systems to modern digital displays, Honeywell has been an impactful figure in the airline industry for more than a century. Today, Honeywell products are found on virtually every commercial, defense, and space aircraft in the world. As they move into the modern era, focus has changed to incorporate more sustainability into their practices with exciting new technology to look forward to. Here is a list of seven products from the past and present which have revolutionized how pilots fly.

In a perfect world, all the chemical energy stored in fuel would be converted into engine thrust during the combustion process, so that the engine is 100% efficient. Unfortunately, this is not the case. For example, a typical internal combustion engine is only about 25%-35% efficient, meaning that the remaining 65%-75% of the total energy released through combustion is utilized to operate the engine or dissipates as heat. In fact, a majority of the energy stored in fuel is used to overcome engine friction or converted into heat and noise as by-products of combustion. Since a big fraction of the total energy is converted into heat, it is clear that having an efficient cooling system in place is paramount for keeping the engine in working condition. 

An operational aircraft must utilize airworthy designated parts from certified manufacturers as it is illegal to install or use any part that does not meet airworthiness standards. In addition, non-certified parts or components can compromise the safety and efficacy of a plane. Therefore, several organizations such as NATO and other international civil aviation groups work to regulate and maintain standard production requirements for all aircraft parts. One such organization is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which offers standards and certificates such as Technical Standard Orders (TSO) and Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) which signifies a part’s airworthiness or ability to meet specific performance standards. When ordering parts online, one must consider these standards to guarantee the high quality and reliability of parts for an aircraft. In this blog, we will discuss TSO and PMA standards and certifications offered by the FAA so that you may better understand their use and difference.

Air traffic has become a significant concern for the aviation industry as skies are becoming crowded like roads or highways, increasing the chances of air collisions. Despite having advanced technologies present in the aerospace industry, such as ground-based radars, visual vigilance, and traffic control, maintaining air traffic has become an enormous challenge. Due to this situation, collision avoidance equipment has become increasingly normal in every aircraft to reduce the chance of mid-air collisions.