Aviation Distribution Blog

When assembling an aircraft and their various equipment and instruments, a plethora of fasteners are used to secure components together, providing for load bearing, preventing movement of parts, and more. Threaded inserts are an extremely useful fastener component that can be paired with a correlating fastener to provide high strength and versatility. In this article, we will discuss what threaded inserts are, as well as the various types of threaded inserts that are used across aerospace applications.

The average person probably knows that cruising altitude for a commercial aircraft is 35,000 feet - or at least in that region. But what they might not know is that there are five types of altitude when it comes to aviation. True altitude, indicated altitude, pressure altitude, density altitude, and absolute altitude are all representations of altitude that differ based on a number of factors and guidelines. This blog will explain each type of altitude as well as the tools used to measure them.

When establishing a network and connecting systems, there are a few basic components that one should be familiar with. While an initial set up can seem daunting for someone who may not be well versed in various network components, the process is easier once you have a basic understanding of what each main part is, as well as their functions. In this blog, we will provide a short, basic overview of the main network components.

The monitoring of an aircraft’s performance and data will continue to be one of the most useful tools in the aerospace industry. The main driver behind demand in this market is commercial aviation. Air Data Systems (ADAs) like the altimeter and pitot tube measure air pressure to determine an aircraft’s altitude above sea level and airflow speed. This and other valuable data is utilized to produce accurate vertical speed, airspeed, altitude and winds aloft. Advancements in digitalization, alternative technologies like photonic-based systems, proliferation of drones, and de-icing technologies will revolutionize this industry.

As a passenger, aircraft safety can be just as pertinent to you as it is to the pilots and crew. Understanding where the exits are, what to do in an emergency, as well as what is and is not allowed is important to maintain the safety of everyone. For guidance and instruction, the aircraft safety card has all the information you need and is easily available at your seat at any time. They are a requirement for every commercial flight all around the world, and their design and implementation has constantly evolved since their inception.

Think of a turbocharged airplane engine as taking a big deep breath. More air in a piston engine equals more power in the sky and this is exactly what a turbocharged engine offers a pilot equipped with a little extra torq under its wing. See below for a look at pressurized and unpressurized airplane construction and their benefits and drawbacks.

Despite their slightly silly name, flaperons are a crucial part of any aircraft that mounts them. As their name implies, flaperons are a combination of flaps and ailerons, both of which are used to control an airplane while in flight. Ailerons are control surfaces located on the outer trailing edges of an aircraft’s wings and control roll on the longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

There are many parts to an airplane, but few people really take notice of such parts when boarding an airplane. While it’s definitely not a necessity for the average person to know all about important plane parts and their functions, it can still be beneficial for you to know more about what you’re boarding, and it should make the experience that much more interesting. Below is a brief outline of the main parts of an airplane and what their functions are.

A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine used to power an aircraft propeller. A very well-known and respected turboprop engine type is the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6. Developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC), it was designed in the late 1950’s before entering service in 1964. Many variants of the engine have been made since its inception, but the PT6A has remained the most widely-used. Not only are these engines popular among pilots, they are loved just as much by mechanics. Here are three reasons why:

National Stock Numbers or NSNs, are 13-digit serial numbers assigned to all standardized items within the federal supply chain. All components that are used by the U.S Department of Defense are required to have an NSN, the purpose of which is to provide a standardized naming of components. The NSN system can be dated back to the WWII era when the military would use a specific component that had several different names depending on who supplied or manufactured the component. This made it difficult for the military to locate suppliers, or share items between the different organizational branches. An item could be in short supply in one location, but in surplus in another. To overcome this sourcing issue, the Department of Defense created the NSN system.