Airport

Airports contain a variety of equipment to accommodate airplanes, crews, and passengers. One of the largest pieces of equipment is the jet bridge. Based on the name, some people may assume the bridge connects jets. However, the real use is much simpler. TLDR – A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable structure used at airports...

It may surprise an aviation outsider to learn this, but airports are among the most challenging places for pilots to navigate. Planes are built to fly, and operating them on the ground isn’t always easy. They don’t have great visibility, they don’t turn around fast, and they can’t back up. Furthermore, those long wings have...

PAPI lights are things most people have seen at airports but not realized just how cool they are. They’re mounted next to nearly every runway in the world, but they look like red lights to most people. From the pilot’s perspective, however, they’re an incredibly valuable tool to help them land. What Are PAPI Lights?...

Of all of the colored lights that twinkle at an airport, VASI lights are some of the most interesting. These lights change color depending on where the viewer is, and they help pilots find their way to the runway. Day or night, they are present at nearly every airport in the world. The VASI light...

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...

Around aviation, you may hear the term MRO often. The term has been generalized to refer to many different organizations in aviation, but all of them revolve around the maintenance of aircraft. MRO stands for maintenance, repair, and overhaul. This label is used in aviation to indicate a major maintenance facility, be it part of...

Even the most ordinary things in aviation sound fancy, mostly because they get fancy-sounding acronyms. What sounds classier than a gas station and a corner mini-mart? In aviation, that would be an FBO. FBO stands for fixed-based operator and is a business found at an airport. The most common services offered by FBOs are fuel,...

Arriving at LAX for an LA holiday? Due to arrive at JFK for a big business trip in the Big Apple? Flying to Heathrow or Charles de Gaulle for “business or pleasure” in Europe? Airports are a big deal. But what are the different types of airports? Different airports create a different experience for travelers....

At a time when stocks are soaring yet many Americans feel their wages are grounded, airports around the world share in that wage-earning and workplace turbulence. Wages, working hours and conditions, perks – all of these vary from airport to airport. It is hard to imagine a workplace more constantly active than an airport. Open...