Hoses and tubes are commonly used in airplanes. There are pneumatic and hydraulic hoses, for instance. The former carries pressurized air, whereas the latter carries pressure liquid. Airplanes use these hoses in various systems, such as landing gear and engine … Continue reading →

Have you heard of adverse yaw? Yaw, of course, is one of the three axes of flight. It represents the oscillation or rotation of an object, such as an airplane, around a vertical axis. Pilots can control the airplane’s yaw … Continue reading →

Ever wonder why airplanes use knots to measure their speed instead of MPH? The speedometers in cars, trucks and other land-based vehicles display speed in MPH. The airspeed indicators in airplanes, however, display speed in knots. What Is a Knot? … Continue reading →

Ever wonder how retractable landing gear works? With the exception of small private airplanes and commuter airplanes, most airplanes don’t have fixed landing gear. Instead, they have retractable landing gear. Their landing gear systems are concealed within the belly of … Continue reading →

Not all airplanes have a traditional wing configuration consisting of a single horizontal wing around the middle of the fuselage. There are alternative wing configurations available, one of which is a canard. Canards are commonly found on military jets. Some … Continue reading →

A little bit of erosion tape goes a long way at protecting the leading edges of airplanes from weather-related damage. You can apply it to the wings, tail assembly, landing gear and more. Once in place, erosion tape will create … Continue reading →

Heat shrink tubing offers a simple and effective way to protect wires from damage. Also known as heat shrink, it consists of plastic tubing material. Rather than leaving wires exposed, you can run them through the hollow center of heat … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →