If you own a car and live in climates that go below freezing, then you’re more than likely aware of the burdens of de-icing your car. For those residing elsewhere, it's not something that you have to think about...unless of course you own and operate an aircraft. If you are based in a place with temperatures like that of sunny California, owning an aircraft means you have to get familiar with the process of de-icing your aircraft and understand its important role in aircraft maintenance.
If you have ever sat on the window seat of a passenger flight, you may have noticed that there is a tiny hole in each window leading to the outside. As aircraft must remain at specific pressures for the safety of individuals, it may seem counterproductive to leave openings in the window structure. Despite the concerns that one may have, these tiny holes actually provide for safety, and they do not actually connect to the outside atmosphere.
Also referred to as a “bleed” or “breather hole”, those tiny holes at the bottom of the airplane windows parts actually have a purpose. Airplane windows are thicker and stronger than they may appear, and for a good reason.
In order to keep airplane cabins windows relatively comfortable, a pressurized atmosphere allows for proper breathing and comfortable temperature. What makes this possible while still being able to watch the skies around you is a three-layered window, made to equalize the low pressure outside and the high pressure inside.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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