Similar to how an inactive motor vehicle will need time to warm up before it is safe to drive, aircraft also need significant care and time to warm up and “stretch.” If an aircraft is inactive for too long, it gets into what those in the aviation industry call “ hibernation mode” meaning its functions and components (such as the engine) may need time to warm up before operating. In the article below, you can read more about a specialists' manual for checking some essential territories of your plane before you head off somewhere out there this spring. Read more >>

When assembling an aircraft, fasteners are extremely useful for securing components together. With the use of aircraft fastener components, structures, equipment, avionics, and other parts can be joined together. Fasteners are implemented within an assembly to support loads, relieve tension stresses, mitigate vibration, safely hold structures together, and beyond. Rivets in particular are a type of mechanical fastener, providing for a permanent attachment of components. In regards to aircraft assembly, rivets are widely used across many assemblies and structures. For example, a single Boeing 747 uses 40,000 rivets on a single wing. Read more >>

Rotary wing aircraft, also known as rotorcraft, are a type of aircraft that produces lift through spinning rotor blades placed around a mast. Read more >>

A torque converter is a type of fluid coupling that transfer’s power from the engine to the transmission. Torque converters rely on fluid hydrodynamics to allow the engine to spin independently of the transmission. When the engine is idling, as it does when you are at a stop light, the amount of torque present in the converter is miniscule. However, there is still enough torque to necessitate pressure on the brake pedal in order to prevent the car from creeping forward. When you release the brake and press on the gas, the engine speeds up and pumps more fluid into the torque converter, resulting in more power (in the form of torque) being sent to the wheels. Read more >>

Understanding the functions of an aircraft’s various control surfaces is one of the most important parts of being a pilot. Each surface affects the aircraft’s aerodynamic profile in different ways, and how they work and when to use them are the most important things a pilot can know. This includes the flaps mounted on the wings, which are vital for take-off and landing procedures. Read more >>