Aircraft

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!

Bleed air is a term that is tossed around frequently when it comes to aircraft systems. But what is bleed air exactly and what does it do? ‘Suck, squeeze, bang, blow’: this is the phrase that most people use to describe how an engine works. Known as the Otto cycle, this summarizes the stages of

Just like all combustion engines, jets need to begin spinning to start. Small internal combustion engines, like those in our cars or small piston airplanes, use a small electrical motor. The motor spins the flywheel, which makes the cylinders in the engine move. Once fuel, air, and spark are added in, the engine fires right

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

It’s a common question and a natural one to ask: do airplanes have keys? After all, cars need keys to start the ignition, so why not planes? Can you just walk up to any airplane, step into the cockpit, turn the ignition and take off? Interestingly enough, the answer to that question is, it depends

In any aircraft, the flaps play an important role in the way it flies. If you think you know what flaps are and why they are so important, you might only know half of it. Indeed, these are an interesting part of an airplane that are small yet serve a very important function, and even