Aerospace Orbit Blog

Most people outside the aviation industry will equate the terms air traffic controller with aircraft dispatcher and believe them to be synonymous. Even when reporting news stories on aircraft incidents, anchors will mistakenly refer to an aircraft dispatcher when they are actually referring to the air traffic controller. The terms and the duties of each can certainly resemble each other, but there is a significant difference between the two. If you’re hoping to enter into the industry, it helps being able to differentiate between the two.

From small generators to large commercial vehicles, every machine depends on fuel to function. Having the ability to conduct fuel calculation of an airplane is critical for crews so that they are able to adhere to set routes. There are a few methods and benefits of being able to measure the amount of fuel that is remaining in an aircraft. Quantity of fuel can be measured with the rate in which fuel is flowing into the engine and can be beneficial for the flight crew of an aircraft to calculate the remaining flight time. Airplane fuel meters and measurements also help for comparing the functionality and performance of engines to past calculated performance.

Airspeed is the measurement of the speed a plane is traveling on its own, without help from tailwind or other factors. Rather than being measured by an intricate system of electrical parts, airspeed is found using a type of differential pressure gauge called a pitot tube. The tube has an open end which, when mounted on the wing, faces toward the flow of air or water. The airspeed indicator works by measuring the difference between a fixed sensor away from the air stream and a sensor, the pitot tube, in the air stream. While the aircraft is still, the pressure in each tube is equal and the airspeed indicator displays zero.

Due to the risks involved in flight, safety measures must be exhaustive, comprehensive, and followed obsessively. Determining the airworthiness of an aircraft is the responsibility of the pilot, flight crew, and the maintenance staff that work on the aircraft. The pilot or copilot is responsible for performing a preflight check, and the maintenance staff is responsible for managing the maintenance state of the aircraft and delivering that information to the flight crew.

Over the course of aviation history, many different types of airplane propellers have been used in piston engine-driven aircraft, as advances in materials and engineering opened up greater and greater possibilities in the aircraft propeller's design and engine performance. In this blog, we will explore some of the different types of propellers used over the years.

Aircraft powered by piston and turboprop engines feature propeller blades that pull or push on the air around the aircraft to provide propulsion. As piston engines have become more powerful, they require more and more propeller blades.

Unlike early aircraft— which merely required a rough surface to land—  modern aircraft are required to have a fully functioning braking system to ensure a safe and full stop. The basic function of an aircraft brake part is to slow and stop the plane on the tarmac. Just as you push down the brake in an automatic car to stop it from moving forward at a red light, the brakes on an aircraft also allow a pilot to hold the plane on the tarmac before take-off or during taxi.

The propeller of an aircraft is a crucial component that contributes to flight. A propeller provides the thrust needed to maintain a forward direction. It maintains a rotary motion in which it creates a difference in air pressure between the front and back surfaces of its blades. The shape of the blade contributes to the pressure difference and air displacement. The rotary motion allows the blades to do their job. Most propellers require an engines assistance to spin.

The propeller system is the earliest thrust generator designed for fully powered aircraft flight. Though they have evolved quite a bit since their first operation by the Wright brothers in 1903, propellers utilize essentially the same principles of motion. Let’s take a look at how they work.

 "If I told you half the things I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, you'd probably short circuit." Since you’re here, these words said to R2D2 in the film Return of the Jedi are probably not the first time you’ve heard of a short circuit. A short circuit is one of the many issues electronic and electrical protection devices are designed to prevent.