Before a new airplane ever makes its voyage flight, it undergoes dozens of safety tests to ensure airworthiness. Engineers endeavor to put new aircraft through all the environmental stressors it will face as part of standard operating conditions, and in addition, they push planes to their limits by subjecting them to extraordinary conditions. This blog will discuss the various stress tests aircraft must undergo before holding passengers or cargo.

An aircraft’s motion in flight is dynamic and controlled by a series of different parts. Unlike other modes of transportation, airplanes move in a three-dimensional plane. The three axes that an aircraft can rotate in are yaw, pitch, and roll. Movement on any axis will shift the center of gravity and require a counter-movement to maintain a level and comfortable flight. While pilots manipulate many different aerodynamic devices to maintain level flight, this blog will focus on an often overlooked part called the rudder.

Before flight and after takeoff, it is imperative that all aircraft undergo appropriate anti-icing and deicing measures to circumvent the buildup of ice when exposed to freezing temperatures. As certain aircraft are predisposed to accumulating more ice than others due to their shape and operational factors, certain items composing an aircraft require additional attention to detail upon construction to mitigate complications caused by ice accumulation. As ice can rapidly form on all areas of an aircraft, including the engines, ice protection systems are critical for the following systems of an aircraft: wings and aerofoils, power plants, high lift devices, control systems, and ice protection systems. Within this blog, we will discuss the fundamentals behind the basic operations of deicing and anti-icing systems and why they are crucial to ensuring passenger safety and vehicle stability.

While supplemented oxygen is necessary when flying at high altitudes, have you ever considered how breathable air is provided to the cabin? Within most commercial aircraft, air is divided equally between two ratios: recycled air and bleed air provided by the engine or auxiliary power unit (APU). Before this air can be circulated to the cabin and exposed to passengers, it must first undergo filtration to ensure quality, breathability, and comfort. As an installed feature among many fixed-wing aircraft, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) systems ensure circulating air is not only free from pollutants, but also help protect against dust, dirt, fibers, microbes, allergens, and more. Within this blog, we will go over the fundamentals of cabin air filters, how they are constructed, and why they serve a large role in keeping the cabin and crew safe.

In aircraft systems such as the engine, lubrication serves to protect moving assemblies through the reduction of friction and heat. No matter how thorough or precise the manufacturing process is, there will always be microscopic imperfections on assembly surfaces that can break or seize when coming into contact with other irregularities. Beyond damaging the surface of a particular component, broken off pieces may continue to flow through a system, resulting in more wear and tear to various structural parts. To prevent these hazards from affecting the service life of a particular assembly, it is important to properly implement and manage lubrication on regular intervals.

Whether an aircraft is preparing to take off, is in cruise, or is about to land, pilots are regularly in communication with individuals outside of the aircraft for safer and efficient operations. While talking over the phone in an automobile is an illegal act that is quite dangerous, communication during aircraft operation is paramount as it allows for the pilot to safely conduct their operations without the risk of running into other aircraft or other hazardous situations as they communicate with air traffic control and others. From traditional radios to up and coming communication devices, there are numerous ways in which pilots can communicate with others.

The wheels of aircraft are subjected to countless stressors during standard flight operations, often worn over time from harsh weather, the impact forces of landing, moisture, and other factors. As wheels continue to take punishment, they can eventually lose their performance or cause a safety risk. In order to prevent such hazards and maintain the service lives of wheels, regular inspections and maintenance should be conducted. In this blog, we will provide a basic overview of aircraft wheel inspections, allowing you to understand how they are conducted to protect such components.

When conducting inspections, maintenance, and repairs for aircraft of all types, hand tools serve as useful equipment pieces that allow mechanics to service areas quickly and efficiently. Hand tools refer to those that may be operated by hand, and they do not require any source of power or a motor for their use. As such, aircraft hand tools include a variety of equipment pieces such as wrenches, hammers, screw drivers, cutters, and more. As hand tools are extremely useful for a number of MRO services, having an understanding of their common types and uses can be beneficial for anyone working on aircraft or procuring tool types for their operations.

Like any other part of an aircraft, the windows, especially the windshield, require careful maintenance. The pilot must have a clear and unobstructed view through the windshield in order to properly monitor conditions on the horizon, avoid debris, and carry out their general flight duties. Using the proper cleaning products and techniques, as well as understanding a bit about the material you are working with, will help keep your aircraft windows and windshield look and perform as good as new. In this blog, we will discuss the basics of aircraft window and windshield maintenance.