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.
The aerospace industry in the United States is highly regulated in all areas. Whether you’re flying in a trainer aircraft, commercial airliner, or military aircraft, each of them has gone through a series of tests to become certified as airworthy. In comparison to civil and commercial aircraft, military aircraft are subject to faster speeds, extreme temperatures, and quick maneuvers. As such, military parts require particularly complex standards due to them. nature in which they operate. The military will only allow the best products to be used on their aircraft— and there is no room for error Regulations cover everything from the nuts and bolts used on an aircraft to the main structural components. Electronics, wires, cables, seatbelts, etc., are all well-regulated.
Both delay-on-make timers and delay-on-break timers are classified as time delay relay systems. In other words, these components are considered control relay devices with time delay functions built in. Though both mechanisms are not typically noticeable, we see them quite often in everyday life. When you step through a door and a fan overhead turns on, you’ve activated a delay-on-make. If you’ve adjusted a thermostat or air conditioning system, you have encountered a delay-on-break. Electronic parts manufacturers label both systems under the same umbrella because the processes of these electronic part types are essentially the same, but the results differ.
When buying electronic parts, there are many factors to consider. It’s important to be able to find the aviation components you need without unnecessarily overpaying, and to be sure you are purchasing the right product.
The first step is to search the market for pricing, availability, and lead times if the product is out of stock. The most efficient way to do this is to use aggregator websites. Here, potential customers can see distributors’ listings and compare prices and availability all on the same site. It’s much more efficient to use these types of sites rather than Google, because you can find many electronic parts distributors who stock the part without going back and forth between the multiple sites Google generates. Not to mention, Google search results are not always reflective of popularity or relevance thanks to features such as Google Ads.