Aircraft

Have you ever wondered why there is a tiny jet engine in the tail end of large airliners? What difference could such a small engine make in a huge wide body airliner, right? The APU does not provide any thrust, but is nevertheless indispensable for running and operating the aircraft, as well as for you […]

Owning a personal airplane is something most of us can only dream of. Unless you’re a celebrity or superstar athlete with a few million in the bank, the cost of even the most basic small plane is way out of your reach. But what if you could get that same sense of freedom and excitement […]

What most people describe as a jet engine usually encompasses several different engine designs. In the early days, the turbojet dominated the skies and changed aviation forever. It is, after all, where the term “jet” came from. But in the years since, the technology has been tweaked and improved. The jet engine you find on […]

For decades engineers have been trying to combine the best qualities of helicopters and airplanes to create an airplane that can hover. As a result, different types of vertical-take-off-and-landing have been produced, some more successful than others. Both airplanes and helicopters offer impressive capabilities, but they are, in some cases at least, mutually exclusive. Helicopters […]

The newest trend in aircraft manufacturing isn’t bigger and better—it’s smaller and better. Light sport aircraft are popular around the world. These small aircraft enable pretty much anyone to take to the skies in their own plane. Are they the rebirth of general aviation? Light sport aircraft, or LSAs, are lightweight aircraft that are simple […]

Ultralight aircraft offer fun and value to the aviation enthusiast. It’s true that you don’t need a license to fly these planes, but even airline pilots love flying them, just for the joy or flying. If you’re thinking about getting into the world of ultralight flying, here are ten of the most popular ultralight aircraft worthy […]

There is a revolution occurring in modern light aircraft that you might not be aware of. More and more planes are being designed that use diesel engines. What is the benefit of diesel engines in aircraft, and will they become more mainstream? Diesel engines operate much more efficiently. Plus, they are more forgiving of the types […]

The military isn’t all about fighter planes, you know? If you have any doubt, you need only look to its slew of aircraft to get your validation. While it is known for its series of fighter planes, it also does have an impressive arsenal of aircraft that isn’t meant for that kind of defense.  Different […]

Have you ever wondered how high a plane can fly? Many people confuse an airplane’s “cruising altitude,” which is simply the altitude at which the pilot has chosen to fly today, with the “ceiling”–the limit of its abilities. Most planes do not operate at their ceilings very often for safety reasons. An aircraft’s service ceiling […]

When a plane crashes, investigators retrieve the “black box” to determine the cause. To withstand the impact of the crash, fire, and water, the box needs to be virtually indestructible. So, what is a black box made of that allows it to survive the most severe plane crashes? TLDR – Black boxes are made of […]