Airframes are held together by a variety of fasteners. Airframes, of course, encompass fuselages, wings, undercarriages and empennages. Many of these components are held together by threaded fasteners known as airframe bolts. If you’re building an airplane, you’ll need to … Continue reading →

Airplanes rely on landing gear to take off and land. Consisting of wheels connected to a hinge-like system, they are found below the nose and around the wings. The wheels, of course, are typically retractable. Prior to landing, pilots will … Continue reading →

Retaining rings offer a simple solution to secure parts onto a shaft or bore. Also known as snap rings, they are circular-shaped fasteners. You can slide a retaining ring over a shaft or into a bore. Retaining rings can secure … Continue reading →

Sheet metal screws are commonly used in the aerospace manufacturing industry. Most airplanes contain few or no wooden parts. Instead, they are made of metal parts. Sheet metal screws are used to fasten these metal parts. While wood screws are … Continue reading →

Butt splice connectors offer a simple way to join two wires. They consist of crimp-style sleeves with a conductive interior. After stripping the ends of two wires, you can insert them into a butt splice connector. Crimping will compress the … Continue reading →

Airplanes are equipped with a variety of flight control surfaces. The wings, for instance, typically feature several smaller flight control surfaces, including slats. What are slats on an airplane exactly, and how do they work? Overview of Slats Slats are … Continue reading →

Have you heard of AN bolts? They are commonly used in airplanes. Most airplanes have thousands of fasteners, with AN bolts being one of the most common types. While they look like ordinary threaded fasteners, though, AN bolts adhere to … Continue reading →

Airplanes contain other types of fasteners besides bolts and screws. While threaded fasteners such as these are common, many airplanes also contain rivets. Rivets are permanent fasteners that, unlike most threaded fasteners, are resistant to vibrations. Rivets are used to … Continue reading →

Locking washers are available in different styles. There are internal and external locking washers. They both feature teeth that allow them to bite into the surface with which they are used. The placement of these teeth, however, varies. What’s the … Continue reading →