Rivets are commonly used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. The Boeing 747, for instance, features over 1 million rivets. As permanent fasteners, rivets are better protected from vibration-related loosening than traditional threaded fasteners. There are different types of rivets, however, … Continue reading →

Spacers are commonly used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. As shown in the adjacent photo, they look like cylindrical pieces of metal with a hollow interior. They are available in different sizes, with some spacers being wider or longer than … Continue reading →

Ever wonder if the altitude at which an airplane flies affects its speed? Most commercial jets have a cruising altitude of 31,000 to 42,000 feet. After taking off, they will climb for about 10 minutes to reach this altitude. Yes, … Continue reading →

Zero fuel weight is an important metric for fixed-wing aircraft. Not to be confused with maximum takeoff weight (MTOW), it represents the total weight of an aircraft minus fuel. Whether you’re a private pilot or aerospace engineer, you can’t ignore … Continue reading →

Aircraft fuel systems are more complex than their automotive counterparts. While most cars, trucks and other automobiles have a single fuel tank, large commercial airliners typically have at least two fuel tanks. The Boeing 787, for instance, has three fuel … Continue reading →

If you’re tired of constantly replacing your heavily worn or damaged drill bits, you may want to invest in a set of double-ended drill bits. You can use them to drill holes in a variety of materials — just like … Continue reading →

When shopping for washers, you may come across split lock washers. They are used to distribute the load of a threaded fastener — just like all washers. With their split design, however, split lock washers also protect the threaded fasteners … Continue reading →

When most people think of spoilers, they envision the wing-like structures found on the back of sports cars. Spoilers such as these are common. They are aerodynamic devices that disrupt or “spoil” the airflow, resulting in better performance. But spoilers … Continue reading →

Do you know how sheet metal screws are measured? Sheet metal screws are threaded fasteners designed for use with sheet metal. They feature a pointed tip, a fully threaded shank and a head. Using them, you can fasten sheet metal … Continue reading →