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different types of aircraft deicing methods

The Federal Aviation Administration requires that all aircraft have ice built up on their wings and fuselages stripped off before takeoff. This is because ice, if not removed from the aircraft’s engine control surfaces, can negatively affect the handling characteristics of the aircraft and pose a safety hazard.

The best method for deicing an aircraft is simply to heat it up. Heated hangars can be kept at a temperature that melts ice, whereupon it can be wiped away with a towel. Afterwards, a thin coating of freezing point depressant (fluid) is applied to the aircraft’s wings to prevent ice from forming again during takeoff and flight. However, this space is often at a premium, and some smaller airports may not have any heated hangars available at all.

Another option for preventing ice buildup is using aircraft covers designed to shield the wings and other components vulnerable to ice build-up. These covers also have the advantage of being easy to store, and relatively inexpensive. However, icing can still occur between taking the covers off and take-off, so applying FPD liquid may still be necessary.

The final and most common method for deicing aircraft is using spray equipment that applies FPD liquids to the plane. Most airports provide portable spray equipment like pressurized containers and spray wands to apply de-icing liquid, which consists of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. As the FPD melts ice however, it mixes with the water and dilutes. If the aircraft is on the ground for extended periods of time and waiting for takeoff, it may be necessary to apply additional coatings of FPD. Glycol is also toxic, much like the antifreeze in automobiles and refrigeration equipment, so safety precautions must be taken to prevent exposure.

all about wind turbine bearings

We know that an aircraft bearing component is quite important in aviation, but let’s take a look at another industry— wind energy. Wind turbine technology is on the rise as more U.S. companies look to invest in renewable energy. Bearings are an important component used in wind turbine operation, and they are often utilized in the main shaft. There are two integral bearing variations that you will come across within the main shaft of a wind turbine— spherical roller bearings and tapered roller bearings.

Spherical roller bearings (SRB) are usually used in single SRB designs, where a 3-point mount system is supported by one main bearing. Because the main bearing can take some of the load, two torque arms are designated to carry gearbox reaction stressors and loads. Failures of this mechanism occur because of two occurrences—application of too much thrust, or inadequate lubricant generation. Regular maintenance concerning the former issues is extremely important, as full replacement of a main shaft and its bearings can cost upwards of $450,000.

Tape bearings (TRBs) are designed to improve the powertrain performance of the turbine. They are engineered to provide increased stability to the main shaft through a load sharing construction of rows, and predicted roller-to-race interactions. There are three main types of TRBs, including: widespread single TRBs, large diameter TRBs, and single preloaded TRBs.

A widespread single TRB is considered economic in design because of its compact size and its ability to preload a whole turbine system using just two TRBs. The system can adjust bearing capacity through an upwind and downwind series. These components act like bookends to the widespread center between the two bearings. The series manages applied load by adjusting the contact angle when necessary.

A large diameter TRB, sometimes referred to as a TNA bearing, is most often seen on direct-drive wind turbines. It is known for its easy set up and has excellent ratings for field performance. This component utilizes a spacer unit that is placed between two cone races at a steep angle. The angle of the cones creates what is called high tilting stiffness within a compact axial design, allowing the turbine manufacturers to reduce overall nacelle length if necessary.

A single preloaded TRB can manage higher radial loads and thrust loads than an SRB. It utilizes two bearing rows in order to evenly distribute load sharing. Because of its design, this mechanism is able to accommodate higher load capacities and has the capacity to tolerate greater system misalignment.

commercial aircraft engines - fun facts

Jet engine technology has revolutionized global air travel since 1949. The British Overseas Aircraft Corporation (BOAC) introduced the world’s first commercial jet airliner, the Comet 1, which took its maiden flight on July 27th, 1949. It was followed by the iconic development of Pan American Airlines, whose transatlantic routes sparked the beginnings of the competitive aerospace market we know today. In celebration of the jet engine’s evolution, let’s take a look at five fun facts about modern commercial aircraft engines and also look at the how Aircraft engine control.

What is the most widely used commercial engine?
Turbofan engines are the most common propulsion system utilized for commercial aircraft. This type of engine has 4 integral parts: turbofan, compressor, combustion chamber, and turbines. They also contain Aircraft Engine Valvetrain parts.

What is the most powerful commercial jet engine?
The General Electric 90-115 B, which is utilized by Boeing’s 777- 300 ER, holds the Guinness World Record for a most powerful commercial jet engine. It generates an astounding 115,000 pounds of thrust.

How many hours per day is an aircraft engine in operation?
The average commercial aircraft will spend 16 hours a day in the air. Flight cycles per aircraft vary, but the average flight cycle length is 1.9 flight cycles per day. A flight cycle is a series of stages an aircraft experiences from take-off to landing. Bonus fun fact—we use the term “flight cycle” for birds of flight as well. The term describes the process of flight from the moment they expand their wings to the moment they land.

How much does one aircraft engine cost?
Price per engine varies depending on the market, size of the engine, and thrust provided. Usually, the price of the engine/s is integrated into the total cost of an aircraft. A few popular engine models are the Pratt and Whitney 4056, Rolls-Royce RB211, and General Electric CF6. The aircraft these engines are seen in, and their average price, are listed here in consecutive order: Boeing 747- 400, $5.8 million; Boeing 757, $10 million; and Airbus A330, $11 million.

What is the hottest temperature within an engine?
Any given aircraft engine can reach temperatures of 1400 ? or 2552 ?. This temperature occurs in the combustor, where fuel and compressed air
are mixed.

all about aircraft ball bearings

A bearing is a part of a machine that endures friction, often caused by a rotating part. A rotating ball produces less friction than two surfaces that are sliding against each other because there is less contact. Balls, or spheres, only contact the inner and outer race at a small point and because of this it cannot handle heavier loads without deforming. Roller bearings are cylindrical which means that the contact between the inner and outer races are a line, not a point. This allows them to support heavier loads without deforming.

A ball bearing reduces rotational friction and supports radial and axial loads. It is composed of at least three races; one must be stationary and the other is attached to the rotating assembly. As the race moves, the balls move, and the load is transmitted through them. In aviation, ball bearings are used in airframe control systems, landing gear, engine mounts, APUs, navigation systems, etc. Different types of ball bearings are used for different applications due to their varying heat, stress, and load tolerance. Some bearings are capable of handling axial loads, radial loads, or some combination thereof.

Angular contact ball bearings support both the axial and radial loads. The races are axially asymmetric, with the angle of contact being the same on both the inner and outer races. When the contact angle is larger, is supports a higher axial load, but a lower radial load. When they are being used in high speed applications, the balls generate a centrifugal force which causes the contact angles to shift. The balls are composed of ceramics in this case because they are lighter than steel and reduce the amount of centrifugal force produced; they are similar to steel in that they do not wear quickly in high temperature environments.

In an axile or thrust ball bearing, the axial load is transmitted directly through the bearing and a large radial load will most likely cause damage. Deep groove radial bearings have races and balls that are similar in size. This supports higher loads: both axial and radial. These common designs are often applied in preloaded pairs, two bearings are put on a rotating shaft and face each other; pairing evenly distributes the loads and increases the load capacity.

The spindle bearing is designed to accommodate heavy loads and high speeds. Since this bearing supports the axial load on only one side, it is adjusted against a second spindle ball. There are two primary kinds of spindle bearings: open and closed. Open spindle bearings contain large balls which maximize performance capacity. The closed spindle bearing contains small balls which reduce capacity but increase axial rigidity and speed.

At ASAP Sourcing Solutions, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we can help you find all the radial ball bearings, aircraft ball bearings, and ball bearing spindles you need, new or obsolete. As a premier supplier of parts for the aerospace, civil aviation, and defense industries, we’re always available and ready to help you find all the parts and equipment you need, 24/7x365. For a quick and competitive quote, email us at sales@asap-sourcingsolutions.com or call us at 1-412-212-0606.

how does aircraft de-icing work?

“Winter is coming”, Game of Thrones infamous motto from House Stark is used to instill the characters and audience with a sense of dread for the oncoming winter and the threats that come with it. Well, it instills a sense of dread in the real world, beyond the television screens, too. For most pilots, wintertime can be a little scary.

Flying in the winter, when the temperature is below freezing, brings with it the threat of icing. The icing is when a layer of ice and sleet forms around the exterior of an aircraft. While this is expected on the ground, it can also happen mid-flight. While ice and sleet seem harmless, they can actually damage the aircraft, ruin the aerodynamics of an aircraft, and actually create potentially disastrous scenarios. That’s why it’s important to de-ice. But how does de-icing work?

One of the first ways to approach de-icing systems is the pre-bath prep. Spray the aircraft with compressed air to free the exterior of snow, ice, or sleet that cling to the wings, tail, nose, and engine intake. Afterward, prepare a de-icing fluid bath. A type-1 de-icing solution made of water and propylene glycol is perfect for light snow and ice. For heavier snowfall, type-4 de-icing solutions made of 100% propylene glycol is best.

After the aircraft is bathed and allowed to dry, pilots and maintenance crew can choose to put on de-icing boots, which are ideal in inclement weather. Generally installed on the leading edges of the aircraft wings, they are thick rubber bands that are inflated and deflated to loosen any ice that accumulates on these surfaces. Of course, the de-icing boots should be regularly inspected and maintained. Even the smallest scratches can lead to leaks, which would decrease their efficacy. Larger airliners and military aircraft tend to have heating systems equipment integrated inside the wings instead of using a boot.

ASAP Sourcing Solutions, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, is a leading supplier of parts and components for the aerospace, aviation, and defense industries. With a wide variety of aviation de-icing solutions to choose from and 24/7x365 customer service, we can always help you find all the parts you need, new or obsolete. For a quote, email us at sales@asap-sourcingsolutions.com or call us at +1-412-212-0606.

how airplane windows are designed?

In recent years, airplane windows have become a point of interest. Tragedies like in early 2018, when a Sichuan Airlines A319 cockpit window blew out at 30,000 feet, or when a Southwest 737 a window was struck by a piece of shrapnel and killed a passenger who was partly sucked out the window have caught public attention.

These events have raised many questions on the safety of aircraft windows parts and how changes can be made to improve it.

Airplanes and submarines are similar in structure, both are designed to withstand high pressure in otherwise inhospitable environments. Not only do airplanes have to maintain safety with harsh conditions at high altitudes, but there are obstacles they must consider as well, such as birds and other debris. Aircraft windows have strict guidelines that make them operational on the aircraft. This can be found on the FAA’s AC (advisory Circular) 25.775-1.

In short, this requirement puts the windows through stringent stress tests that would mimic the use on an aircraft 30,000 feet in the sky. These are vital to the confidence of the aircraft performing the way its intended and include bird tests, pressure tests, temperature tests, and chemical resistance. Bird strike tests are done with 4-pound bird and is travelling anywhere from 250-350 knots.

One of the world’s largest airplane window distributor is PPG. They developed a transparent material called the Opticore Advanced Transparency Material. This material is significantly stronger than prior window materials. It famously has the properties to withstand cracks and breaks at unbelievable levels. This amazing product can be shaped into many different applications and thicknesses and can be used in any need where transparency is needed in an aircraft.

Aircraft windows in the passenger section have two windows. The second acting as a backup. Many factors go into the safety and fastening of windows. In 1990 flight safety Australia said that the cause of a window blowout in the cockpit was due to unauthorized aircraft fasteners parts that were used to hold the window in place. Accidents like this and the ones from 2018 are terrifying, but the truth is that they’re so uncommon and rare that when they do happen, they’re immediately sensationalized.

For all of your aircraft window needs, visit ASAP Sourcing Solutions, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, at www.asap-sourcingsolutions.com. ASAP will provide you with operational windows and other aircraft components fast, easy, and for a competitive price.

the future of rotorcraft

Joining Westland Helicopters Ltd. in 1975 as a researcher in aerodynamics and eventual Head of Future Projects, Dr. Ron Smith talks about faster helicopters and the future of rotorcraft in an interview with alternative aviation news site, Husk-Kit.

When asked about which effort to produce faster helicopters seems most promising, Smith thinks that it would be between Sikorsky’s designs and the tilt-rotor designs such as the AW609, or the Bell V-280 Valor. Smith explains that Sikorsky has, since the XH59A achieved max speeds of 274 mph in 1973, followed the ABC or Advancing Blade Concept which uses two contra-rotating rotors to maintain balance and auxiliary propulsion to achieve high speeds. Sikorsky found further success in 2008 when the X2 reached speeds of 290 mph, and in 2015 with the S-97 Raider, which boasts cruising speeds of 253 mph.

When asked about why helicopters seem to be limited at 200 mph, Smith explains that for safety and noise control, manufacturers tend to restrict the flight envelope to around 200 mph or less. Helicopter rotation is usually around 650-700ft/sec, and on the retreating side, local speeds get reduced and ultimately lead to blade stall and stall flutter, which can cause fatigue damage to the key helicopter rotors system components. While doing things such as adding an auxiliary wing and thrust devices can push the flight envelope to 250 mph, this creates a different configuration known as a compound helicopter.

And when asked about the future of tilt-rotors, Smith answers, the problem is not in the design or the success of tilt-rotors, but in whether they can be financed. Smith points out that the V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor with Congressional backing and sufficient funds, still took 18 years between first flight and operational deployment.

why and how to deice an aircraft?

Some may have questions on the reasons for de-icing an aircraft, how is it done and why? When traveling from a wintery weather the ice, snow, or sleet could be problematic for the aircraft. The aircraft needs to be deiced to initiate take off. Removing and avoiding the build-up of ice is essential because the aircraft is built in a very specific way in which the shape of the aircraft is designed for the airflow to move in a certain direction for an ideal take off. This means the ice/ build-up of snow could potentially alter the shape of the aircraft in a way that the airflow across the surface hinders the ability to create a lift. Which could cause a potential error during take-off.

When the weather causes accumulation of ice or snow on the aircraft the pilot oversees acquiring the airport's deicing facility to have it removed and prevented. The deicing fluid is a mixture of glycol and water which goes under the heat and is sprayed under pressure to remove any ice or snow off the aircraft. However, this fluid goes only as far as removing the ice/snow/sleet. To prevent from icing any further or keep snow or sleet off the anti-icing fluid is used after the deicing fluid. The anti-ice is a higher concentration of glycol, the freezing point is below 32 degrees, so it can prevent any freeze off the aircraft’s surface.

The anti-icing fluid loses its effectiveness over time; however, the aircraft is equipped with a system that prevents frozen precipitation from building onto various parts of the aircraft. These systems are not only for winter months or wintery climate because the aircraft fly in high altitudes which is well beyond the freezing point. Deicing, while the aircraft is in high altitudes, can be done by hot air from engine moving to the piping in the wings and tail or by engine opening to warm surfaces.

ASAP- Sourcing Solutions, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, should always be your first and only stop for all your hard to find or anti-icing components. ASAP- Sourcing Solutions is the premier supplier of deicing system and fluid, aircraft spares, and more! Whether new, old or hard to find, they can help you locate it. ASAP-Sourcing Solutions has a wide determination of parts to browse and is completely furnished with a well-disposed staff, so you can simply discover what you're searching for, at painfully inconvenient times of the day. If you’re interested in obtaining a quote, contact the sales department at www.asap-sourcingsolutions.com or call +1-412-212-0606.

airbus helicopters delivers 200th h145 to norsk luftambulanse

This past week, Airbus Helicopters delivered the company’s two-hundredth H145 to Norsk Luftambulanse, also known as NOLAS. Norsk Luftambulanse, an air rescue operator, will utilize the H145 for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) in Norway. The delivery of this two-hundredth H145 is the last helicopter to complete NOLAS’ current order with Airbus. This brings their Airbus fleet to 8 H145s and 7 H135s. These helicopters are used to bring services to HEMS from different bases across Norway.

Even before Norsk Luftambulanse’s commencement as Norway’s national helicopter emergency medical services operator in June, the company will be the sole air ambulance operator to utilize a full Helionix-equipped fleet of both H135s and H145s. NOLA’s global H145 fleet has reached over 100,000 hours of flight since the helicopter’s entry into service in 2015. Babcock, the largest global operator for the H145, operates a fleet of thirty-one H145s for both HEMS and police missions. G-SASS, which is a H145 flown by Babcock for the Scottish Ambulance Service, leads the global fleet of H145 with over 2,500 hours of flight.

The H145 family, which also consists of the EC145 and BK117, has collected over five million flight hours with over 1,400 helicopters transported to this day. The H145 is known as the most advanced unit of Airbus Helicopters’, multi-use, twin-engine category. The H145 is the aircraft of choice for high intensity operations for a variety of different missions (like military and HEMS) for several reasons. It is compact in size, possess a large and flexible cabin while still being easily reconfigured, boasts the lowest maintenance costs in its class, and is fueled by powerful engines as well as the Helionix avionic suite with 4-axis autopilot.

foreverbolt introduces the nl-19 configuration for enhanced fastener exterior

For over 80 years according to Foreverbolts company founder Patrick Vogel, the company has yet to change the way they manufacture their bolts and have recently implemented a new change. Introducing what is known as the NL-19 configuration determined to enhance performance and longevity of the fastener. The fastener made its debut at the exclusive Grainger show that took place in Orlando. Foreverbolts wish to be able to present a better product for customers to come by stating,

“The NL-19 treatment modifies the surface of stainless steel fasteners in a way that increases their corrosion resistance by more than 7x. Not only were we successful in preventing corrosion but after treatment, the fasteners are 1.9% stronger. It’s nothing short of amazing!”

Apart of this innovate project Foreverbolt has learned to team up with Grainger to be able to bring each other’s resources to create such a highly demanded product. Grainger offers much of the same type of resources that Foreverbolt does, but also has materials to be able to mass produce items such as lighting, motors, plumbing, safety supplies along with other services such as technical support.

The versatility of the fastener allows it to be able to be placed in many types of industries. According to Foreverbolt the type of industries that it extends its welcoming of their fasteners are industries such as food processing, petroleum, home building, piers, bridges and roadways, automotive, marine, recreational equipment, aviation and water treatment.

Foreverbolts have been fully certified by ASTM B117 salt spray tests its results can be found the company’s website. Foreverbolt is very confident they are the qualified candidate for any fastener need. 30 years with extended knowledge in the engineering of the fasteners the company rest assures that they know the composition down to a science.

ASAP Sourcing Solution
ASAP Sourcing Solution stainless steel fasteners type, steel fastener component, and able to provide parts for fasteners industry inventions. Our company can offer a variety of different parts from different industries to complement the fasterners like Forever bolts. ASAP is dedicated to you and vows to be able to supply even the most hard to find parts. For an instant RFQ call + 1 412 212 0606 or email sales@asap-sourcingsolution.com .

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different types of aircraft deicing methods

all about wind turbine bearings

commercial aircraft engines - fun facts

all about aircraft ball bearings

how does aircraft de-icing work?

how airplane windows are designed?

the future of rotorcraft

why and how to deice an aircraft?

airbus helicopters delivers 200th h145 to norsk luftambulanse

foreverbolt introduces the nl-19 configuration for enhanced fastener exterior

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Different Types of Aircraft Deicing Methods

All About Wind Turbine Bearings

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All About Aircraft Ball Bearings

How Does Aircraft De-icing Work?