Airplanes

Flying in icy conditions can be dangerous under the best circumstances. If possible, storms and cold conditions are best avoided. However, that simply isn’t realistic for pilots in cold weather climates. As such, pilots need to make sure that their planes are as ice-free as possible, which means de-icing them. Why Are Planes Deiced? For

Believe it or not, but planes get hit by lightning at a rate that is more frequent than you might expect. With between 8,000 and 20,000 planes in the air at any given moment, what are the odds of your plane being hit by lightning? More importantly, does it pose a threat to the safety

From Sopwith Camels to Spitfires to today’s supersonic jets, from dogfights over Flanders to the Battle of Britain and beyond, the Royal Air Force (RAF) has time and again come flying to the rescue in Britain’s time of need. One of the oldest and most storied air forces in the world, the history of the

The 20th century saw the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, and with it the rise, fall, and rebirth of Russian aviation. Soviet/Russian jets have long been a fixture military aviation, and look set to remain so. Let’s have a look at some of the best Russian fighter jets produced by the former Soviet

Military power projects national prestige. The past few decades have seen China become a global superpower, and so it should come as no surprise that the Chinese military is, by manpower, the largest in the world. China’s military spending is about a third of that of the USA. Today we list some of the best Chinese

For more than 110 years, the French Air Force has been a military mainstay in Europe. From WWI Biplanes and WWII Fighters to the first jet fighters and today’s models, France has long been at the center of aviation innovation. These are 12 of the best French fighter jets of the current age. If there

Since Wilbur and Orville Wright first took off at Kitty Hawk, America has always been a leader in flight. That legacy continues today, as America remains one of the biggest producers and users of top-of-the-line fighter jets. These are the 15 best American fighter jets currently in use by the U.S. Military. With contractors like

Have you ever wondered what helps an airplane stay together while traveling at high speeds? There is a world of technology that goes into making today’s fastest jets, and it just keeps getting better. Let’s take a closer look at some factors of why airplanes are riveted instead of welded. Why are airplanes riveted instead

Most people are aware that airplanes dump fuel before they land, but many people are unaware of why they do this. Airplane fuel can cost $5 to $6 per gallon, and when you consider that many large planes carry up to 5,000 gallons of fuel, it may sound wasteful to dump it, but that isn’t

There has been a terrible accident, the pilot and copilot are dead, and the call goes out to the passenger cabin – “Can anyone land this plane?” Wouldn’t it be nice to be the action movie-esque figure who is able to stand up, save the day, and land the plane with the utmost cool? Can