Matt Claiborne

One of the really neat things about riding in the passenger seat of an airliner is sitting over the wing and watching all of the plane’s flight controls move during flight. What are they all doing? Everyone has heard of “flaps,” but what exactly are they? What Are Flaps? Flaps are trailing-edge high-lift devices. That’s

Aviation has complicated jargon and terminology that can stump even seasoned enthusiasts. But every once in a while, a device’s name is so simple that its purpose becomes quickly apparent. Such is the case with spoilers. How Do Airplane Spoilers Work? Spoilers are devices on the wing that “spoil,” or reduce, the lift being made.

A duopoly is an industry or sector dominated by only two businesses. Two companies dominate the commercial airliner market, namely Boeing and Airbus. These companies are continually in the news, battling one another for slices of market share. And since these are the planes that most people fly on at one time or another, they

We’re all used to seeing two pilots on the flight decks of airliners. But what about the smaller private jets you see flying around secondary community airports? Are these planes flown by wealthy owners, or are they operated by charter companies? Most jets, even small ones, require two pilots in the cockpit. The reasons why

It should come as no surprise that North American-based Boeing manufactures some big airplanes. Since the maiden flight of its venerable 747 in the late 1960s, Boeing has been hitting the runway with big planes. The current version of the 747, the 747-8, is at the head of the pack. So, which is bigger, Boeing

Airports can be complicated places. They’re generally flat, with no easy to identify visual landmarks. There’s no standard layout or design–no usual way things are organized. Pilots visiting unfamiliar airports are at a considerable disadvantage, especially if the visibility is low or the weather is bad. To help them navigate safely, airport markings and signs

For passengers, one of the greatest mysteries is how airplanes know how high they are. After all, the third-dimension of flying is what sets it apart from all other modes of transportation. How do airplanes measure altitude and who else cares how far they are from the ground? How Do Pilots Know Their Altitude? The

Airplanes are built for missions, even if they fly in the civilian world. Nowhere is mission-based design more evident than in the world of private jets, where there is a jet for every customer. Some are super fast, some are ultra-long range, and some are as luxurious as a palace. Private jets fall into eight

Ultralight aircraft are tiny one-seaters that are not subject to the same certification requirements that other aircraft are. Pilots do not even need a pilot license–these planes are built for individuals to use for fun. They’re almost like motorcycles but in the sky! Ultralight aircraft aren’t allowed to fly in controlled airspace without permission, nor

Aircraft, just like cars or boats, need maintenance and may even break down occasionally. When they do, they need to be moved back to their base for maintenance. Since these flights are generally different from what the plane does typically, pilots and crews have different ways to refer to them. What is a Ferry Flight?