Ever since the first powered, heavier-than-air flight in 1903, a multitude of fixed-wing aircraft types and representations have come about from a variety of manufacturers and developers. While designs of aircraft have constantly evolved and undergone innovation to meet needed applications, some primary components have become concrete to aircraft design. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of some of these primary aircraft components that are featured across most designs, and how they serve aircraft flight operations.

Studs and other fasteners are crucial in any application to ensure that important pieces and components are held together during operation. In the high-stakes aerospace, aviation, and defense industries, where fasteners are subject to extreme conditions at high altitudes, they are that much more important. Before looking at studs, it’s important to understand fasteners as a whole. All studs are fasteners, but not all fasteners are studs. In addition to studs, fasteners refer to bolts, screws, nuts, and rivets. The singular purpose of fasteners is to join parts together. Fasteners are not intended to position aircraft parts relative to another, or to operate similarly to axles, pivots, or fulcrums.

Among important tools that are necessary for a pilot to carry when boarding a flight are headsets. Pilots must use headsets to communicate with the ground crew, as well as with FAA authorities or other groups that can help with navigating the airspace. Communication outside of the cockpit is essential as the pilot will have to be vigilant of any news regarding their flight, such as objects that are in the path of the aircraft, other planes, etc. That’s why it is of utmost importance that a pilot, whether operating for a commercial airline or for a small private plane, must ensure that they have a proper efficient headset with which to communicate with their ground crew and other important authorities. For more information on top headsets, read on below.

Aircraft batteries are a vital component of aircraft functionality, providing ground power, emergency power, clearing faults, improving DC bus stability, and much more. The aircraft battery’s main function is to start the auxiliary power unit (APU) or generator of the aircraft, which then takes over for system powering and charges the battery through the rest of the flight. Typically, smaller aircraft feature lead acid batteries while larger commercial and corporate aircraft utilize NiCd batteries for powering.

If you’ve never worked within the aircraft industry, then you’ve probably never asked yourself what aircraft cables, are and which are the best for cutting wires without fraying. But if you’re here browsing our site, chances are that you’re definitely working in aviation and aerospace in some sector. And some information on aircraft cable cutters wouldn't hurt, so here we go.

Landing and Taxiing aircraft used to be much harder than it is today. Before planes were equipped with the current tricycle wheel landing configuration, early aircraft had what is called a Taildragger. The landing gear of a Taildragger is located ahead of the aircraft’s center of gravity with a steerable tailwheel in the back that keeps the tail from touching the ground. This tilts the nose of the plane up and the tail down. On the other hand, tricycle gear, with its center of gravity behind the landing gear, sits an aircraft evenly on the runway, making it easier to taxi and land. It takes a pilot with sharpened skills and a special technique to land and taxi a Taildragger because of its offset center of gravity and here’s why.

Power plants are the engine of the aircraft, aiding in their ability to achieve flight through the generation of thrust. An aircraft power plant may vary in its configuration, sometimes being a singular jet engine, or they may contain propellers aircraft and other components alongside the engine. The configuration mostly depends on the type of aircraft or rotorcraft and its needs. The two most common forms of aircraft power plants are the piston engine and gas turbine engine.

Each day, millions of passengers worldwide board flights that span the entire globe. With thousands of aircraft racking up countless hours of flight, there is invariably the constant need for repair, maintenance, and new parts. Because of this, the aircraft parts market is in constant movement with an overflow of requests. What follows is a rundown of the ten most commonly purchased aircraft spare parts and a brief explanation of each.

Aircraft tires are paramount to the functionality of an aircraft through bearing their weight, aiding with braking, absorbing shock from landings, and allowing for taxiing through the airstrip. Due to this, aircraft tires undergo meticulous maintenance, overhaul, and repair during their lifetime. They are also manufactured with high standards to endure the pressures they are subjected to. Aircraft tires may be tube-type or tubeless, and are further classified by factors such as type, ply rating, and whether they are bias ply tires or radials.

Technical Standard Order (TSO), is a minimum performance standard that is set out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for aircraft appliances and equipment for use on civil aircraft. The FAA can approve TSO authorization for manufacturers regarding specific components. This means that the manufacturer is authorized to manufacture TSO standard materials, aviation parts, and appliances. This does not, however, give them approval to be able to install the piece on an aircraft.