Aircraft - Page 4

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

Diesel aircraft engines burn Jet A instead of leaded avgas. See the certified engines, the planes that fly them, and why diesels haven’t taken over yet.

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

Most people know that the FAA is responsible for certifying pilots (or airmen, as the FAA calls them). But did you know that the FAA also certifies aircraft? And not just when it comes to N-numbers and registrations, either. When a manufacturer wants to build a new airplane type, the design must go through a

Buying an airplane isn’t unlike other major purchases one might make. It’s not much different than buying a car, a house, or a boat. You can choose new or used. You can buy a beautiful ready-to-fly example or a sorry fixer-upper. But there is a striking difference. Cars are well known to only depreciate, but how

Have you ever wondered what the numbers and letters on an airplane mean? On some planes, they are huge, while on others, they look tiny. And do they all start with N? Let’s answer some of these common questions about airplane tail numbers. What is an Airplane Tail Number? Tail numbers, or N-numbers in the

A lot of a pilot’s job occurs before the flight. There’s route planning and weather forecasts to check. There are airport procedures to study and airspace restrictions to review. But one of the most important things that a pilot must complete before every flight is a review of his or her aircraft’s performance information. The

Lightning is one of the most potent forces of nature. It is seemingly random, a powerful act of God that shakes you in your boots. Everyone knows not to be playing golf in a thunderstorm because metal and tall objects attract lightning. But what about airplanes? They’re made of metal and flying in the clouds!