In today’s electronic age, there are a great amount of wires that provide power and data transfer for the many electronic systems and appliances that we rely on. Coaxial cables are a special type of electrical cable that serve as transmission lines for high frequency electric signals. Coaxial cables consist of a conductor that is encapsulated in insulation, which in turn is covered by a conducting shield tube which may or may not have a jacket. There are various coaxial cable types, such as RG-59 and RG-6 cables, and each type provides data transfer such as cable television, broadband internet, radio antenna, telephone trunk lines, and more. Due to the important applications that these cables serve, care should be taken to install them correctly in your building, home, or structure.
Aircraft engine power is measured according to its performance capabilities in ideal conditions known as ‘standard day’ conditions. When an aircraft engine has 300 horsepower, it means the engine has 300 horsepower in standard day conditions. However, standard day only refers to conditions at sea level. As you would guess, conditions at higher elevations deviate significantly from standard day. Air pressure, barometric pressure, and air temperature are wildly different at 20,000 feet than they are on the ground - pressure, for instance, is roughly half. Because of this, a normally aspirated engine will also perform at just half its usual power. This is where turbochargers come in.
With the multitude of cables that we utilize for our electronics, appliances, and more, it may be hard to understand what each type is. Coaxial cables, specifically, are an electrical cable used by many companies to provide services we rely on such as video, voice communications, and internet data. In this blog, we will discuss what coaxial cables are, and how to tell the difference between various types.
Since the advent of commercial flying, jet engines have come a tremendously long way in terms of reliability and safety. The chances of a problem or failure occurring has become extremely low, and even then, they often do not cause harm to any passengers. To achieve this, parts such as the engine are heavily tested during multiple phases of their life. The times that jet engines undergo this testing includes during their manufacturing, after installation, and after MRO servicing.
The switch from gas to electric engines is currently facing a very upward trend with research and popularity. With electric cars slowly making their way into the forefront of the market, people are looking to other industries to follow suit. Electrification can lead to cleaner environments and reduce pollution. Within the realm of aerospace, fuel efficiency and reduction of emissions through technology and improvements has almost peaked, and electrification seems to be a possible future for aircraft to solve these problems. In this article, we will discuss the possible future of aerospace electrification, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.
Composite materials are a commonly-used resource in the aviation industry, and for good reason; their unique properties let engineers overcome design obstacles that would be otherwise impossible to solve. Common composite materials include fiberglass, carbon fiber, and fiber-reinforced matrix systems. Fiberglass is the most common, and was first widely used in boats and automobiles in the 1950’s, the same decade Boeing introduced the material in its passenger jets. Today, aircraft structures are often made up of 50 to 70 percent composite materials. While composite materials have many advantages, there are also some downsides that some fear pose safety risks in the field of aviation. In this blog, we will break down the greatest pros and cons for composite materials in aviation.
Internal combustions like those found on propeller-driven aircraft need a consistent and reliable source of ignition for their engines. Aircraft Magnetos are the most popular choice for fulfilling this need, and consists of a self-contained electrical generator that uses magnets to produce a high voltage current that fires the engine’s spark plugs, which in turn provide the ignition needed for the engine to function. Magnetos boast a simple design, which makes them compact and reliable, and they require no external electrical source. This is a critical component of their design, as they allow the ignition system to keep running independently of the electrical system, which protects them from an alternator or battery malfunction.
For much of the history of manufacturing, steel has been the material of choice for manufacturing ball bearings. Modern steel bearings are typically made from either 52100 steel or 440C stainless steel. However, steel has one major weakness: it rusts. This makes steel a poor choice for any application that involves large amounts of water, such as food processing, swimming pools, boating, and medical applications. Plastic bearings, on the other hand, are easily machined or molded for such purposes, and have several advantages over conventional steel. In this blog, we will list several of those advantages.
Maintaining an aircraft is far more than washing the exterior and cleaning up the interior of the cabin. The maintenance cycle can be defined by various levels, each named with an alphabetical letter in progressing levels of complexity. Check A is the most routine, taking no more than an hour or two. Check C on the other hand, is a far more extensive checking of independent aircraft components, functions, tooling, and equipment.
Have you ever looked down on a city from a vantage point and marveled at all of the tiny little buildings below, interconnected by intricate streets and sidewalks? Each and every building serves a purpose. The streets that intertwine the city allow people to travel from one part to the other, making all the buildings accessible. The way cities are arranged, their interconnectivity, and their accessibility all contribute to the vibrancy of it and make it so much more than the sum of its individual parts. The same concept can be applied to electronic equipment.