Like birdstrikes, tires blowing are rare but happen from time to time. Again, like birdstrikes, when it does happen, it is usually a non-event (assuming a plane with multiple tires). But, as we know from the “Miracle on the Hudson,” a rare event can occasionally cause a serious accident. In 2000, on one of the […]
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Is water in an aircraft unfit to drink?
I am a pilot and work for an airline that subcontracts to a major airline and operates regional jets in the livery of the major airline. Regional airlines are not exactly renowned for high levels of service, or for their commitment to spending money on the little things that would be easy to scrimp on. […]
Why is the A380 faster than the B777 even it’s much heavier and the engines produce less thrust than the GE 90 engines?
There is much to consider when answering this question. I’ll attempt to cover some of the key considerations, but not all. Please let me know what think. One of the chief determinants of what economic cruise speed of an aircraft will be like is the sweep of its aerofoils, particularly its wings. (One of many […]
Why does Southwest Airlines only fly one model of plane?
It was the strategy of Southwest to keep only a fleet of 737’s for the following reasons: A. Maintenance and parts are abundant. So they could easily stock needed parts and save time and reduce costs. B. Training on a 737 especially the 200 series was easy and once you have learned the plane and […]
What will happen if one of the 2 engines fails in an airplane?
If you are cruising at a high altitude, as soon as the engine fails, you will notice a drop in aircraft speed. This is the first thing that needs to be addressed as a pilot. To address this a descent must be initiated to a lower altitude where the remaining engine can use the thicker […]
How do jet engines provide thrust?
SUCK-SQUEEZE-BANG-BLOW More complex answer: Let’s initially ignore the most common type of jet turbine engine in use today, the turbofan, and focus on the turbojet engine, which were used in the US Navy’s A-6 Intruder and F-4 Phantom II. (Typical single spool turbojet engine) The turbofan and turbojet engines share a similar hot section and […]
Why many Aircraft don’t have a row 13
Thirteen is regarded as an unlucky number in many cultures. One (probably unverifiable) hypothesis holds that 13 is a reflection of the human fear of the unknown, since it is the first number that cannot be enumerated using our 10 fingers and 2 feet. Unreasoned fear of the number 13 is termed triskaidekaphobia. Due to […]
Why is the Airbus A380 being discontinued? Is it because of the lack of airline demand?
The rapid demise of the Airbus A380 is a complex tale of missed connections, a changing market and, ultimately, a staggering lack of demand for the largest commercial airplane ever built. And, as a result, this giant of the skies could well be the last of its kind. The decision to stop production on the […]
Do Most Landing Gear Failures Occur at the Nose Landing Gear?
There are those social media arguments that get you hooked at 3 a.m. and keep you scrolling to hear both sides of the story. I was recently hooked by such a thread discussing landing gear failures that gave me more questions than answers. I could not sleep as I kept asking myself “Do most land […]
Why are most runways made of concrete and not asphalt?
The construction material choice for runways is mostly decided either by weather conditions and/or the weight of the aircraft that will use the surface. Asphalt runways are used almost exclusively for general aviation (under 12,500 pounds gross takeoff weight). While almost all runways that are concrete are designed for use by aircraft that weight significantly […]
Can rain cause a jet engine to flame out?
In Jet engines air is compressed by fan blades and directed to the combustion chamber, where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. The hot exhaust gases then exit the engine and provide thrust. A jet engine can handle a large amount of water ingestion, as most of the water is spun out by the […]
How to disable MCAS during flight and manually control the aircraft?
MCAS or Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System is a software method of helping prevent unwanted attitudes in the Boeing 737 Max series aircraft. It works by applying nose down Horizontal Stabilizer trim imput when the aircraft’s Angle of Attack exceeds a certain point nearing a stall. Angle of Attack (AoA) is determined through two vanes that […]
United B752 near Denver on Feb 19th 2024, slat damage in flight
A United Boeing 757-200, registration N57111 performing flight UA-354 from San Francisco,CA to Boston,MA (USA) with 165 people on board, was enroute at FL310 about 100nm northwest of Denver,CO (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Denver after passengers observed slat damage to the right hand wing. The aircraft landed safely on Denver’s runway […]
TUI UK 787 Involved in Door Mishap at Birmingham Airport
In an avoidable ground incident, TUI Airways Boeing 787-8 aircraft (G-TUIF) is grounded after the left fwd passenger door was badly damaged as it was Ripped off by an Airstairs on the apron of Birmingham International Airport. Source – FL360Aero
Air Serbia Embraer received serious damage to its fuselage
Air Serbia Embraer ERJ-195 (OY-GDC, built 2008, leased from Marathon Airlines) received serious damage to its fuselage and left stabilizer when it hit obstacles behind the takeoff runway 30 at Belgrade-Intl AP (LYBE), Serbia. ADSB data suggest flight #JU324 to Dusseldorf took off from an intermediate taxiway leaving only reduced length for take-off. The pilots […]
Why does the Boeing 777 fuselage section start from 41 and not 1?
It’s been a unique Boeing tradition since the late 1950s. Boeing’s first passenger jet, the 707, had its nose section designated as section 41 in engineering drawings. There is no planned section in front of the nose section. It is one end of the airplane. It is the portion of an aircraft, extending from the […]
Pilatus PC-12 has lost its left wing during crash-landing at Courchevel, France
This Saturday, February 17 at 10:15 a.m., a Pilatus PC-12 missed its landing at the Courchevel altiport. Its wings left was torn off but fortunately the plane did not catch fire. The pilot and co-pilot, slightly injured, were treated by firefighters and transported to the station’s medical office. French Courchevel altiport (LFLJ) is currently unusable […]
How does an airplane lose cabin pressure? How is it fixed? Does it happen often?
I was in a 757 a couple of years ago conducting a maintenance test flight on an airplane that not flown in about a year. There was a sticky valve that failed to close on takeoff that is used for electronic equipment cooling that is open on the ground. The airplane never pressurized. Climbing into […]
Why is fuel stored in the wings of the aircraft?
The main reason is to balance weight because fuel is one of the heaviest components of an aircraft. On some long-haul flights, the fuel can account for as much as a third of the aircraft’s gross weight. Storing this extra weight in the fuselage would reduce available cargo space and increase the strain and stress […]
What is the difference between a Boeing 737 with winglets and one without winglets?
The primary difference between a Boeing 737 equipped with winglets and one without them lies in their aerodynamic efficiency and performance characteristics. A Boeing 737 equipped with winglets features these distinctive wingtip extensions that serve multiple purposes. Winglets are designed to reduce lift-induced drag significantly, enhancing fuel efficiency by improving aerodynamics. They provide additional lift, […]
Why is the A330 nose landing gear shorter than the main landing gear?
Not only Airbus A330, almost all aircraft have their nose gear shorter than the main landing gear. The main reason is that, when the nose gear will have lesser height than the main landing gear, the pilots will able to get a better view of the runway during ground operations. There could be another reason. […]
Norwegian 737-800 collided into another company 737-800 at Oslo-Gardermoen Airport .
It’s not exactly peak traffic season in Oslo Norway but it can be freezing cold in the snow. Fogged goggles, slippery snow make a wing walkers job not so easy Norwegian 737-800 collided into another company 737-800 at Oslo-Gardermoen Airport . Flight DY276, (LN-ENO) contacted (SE-RPI) . The left winglet hit the left horizontal stabilizer […]
At least 2 dead after twin-engine plane crashes on I-75 in Collier County
Horrendous crash on US I-75 in Florida as a Challenger 604 HOP A JET attempts to land after losing both engines. At this time two people have not survived. Three passengers are known to have miraculously escaped the wreckage as investigations began to determine the causes of the tragic accident. Tracking the plane’s tail number, […]
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (5Y-AXL / 40 years old) collapsed its main landing gear on landing at Malakal Airport
On February 9, African Express Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (5Y-AXL / 40 years old) collapsed its main landing gear on landing at Malakal Airport, South Sudan 🇸🇸. The aircraft landed short of the runway threshold. The local media stated that there were no injuries among passengers or crew. 📷 via JACDEC/X | Kenyanaviator/X Source – […]
A passenger opened L1 door and deployed the emergency slide
On February 7, a passenger on Thai Airways operating flight TG121 between Chiang Mai and Bangkok was arrested after he opened the L1 door and deployed the emergency slide. The aircraft was on the runway and preparing for takeoff. The aircraft stuck on the runway, causing 13 flights to be disrupted. The flight to Bangkok […]
Why does the Boeing 747 have the cockpit on the second floor while the Airbus A380 puts it on the first floor?
The placement of the cockpit on the second floor of the Boeing 747 and on the first floor of the Airbus A380 is primarily due to the design choices made by each manufacturer. The Boeing 747, which first flew in 1969, was designed with a distinctive hump to accommodate both the cockpit and a passenger […]
LATAM Brasil A319 dropped main wheel
LATAM Brasil A319 at Sao Paulo on Feb 6th 2024, dropped main wheel. A LATAM Brasil Airbus A319-100, registration PT-TMO performing flight LA-3923 from Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont,RJ to Sao Paulo Congonhas,SP (Brazil), was descending towards Sao Paulo when the crew decided to divert to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport reporting a gear problem. The […]
Why do jet engine fan blades have a curved and twisted shape?
All in an effort to seek more fan efficiency. Fan blades have gone through a number of evolutionary steps. Early jet engines use what are called narrow chord fan blades that are typically made of solid titanium. Because they are thin but long (a high aspect ratio), they required “snubbers” (the ring-like circle going through […]
Which section of an airplane is the most structurally sound?
Interesting question and it might vary by aircraft, but I’m going to make a very educated guess regarding the most structurally sound part of an airplane. It’s the wing and its attachment to the fuselage — although many wings continue through the fuselage to make the wing essentially a single structure. I’ve seen pictures of […]
Where would a flight between New York and London do an emergency landing if it’s engines fail in the middle of the Atlantic?
If all of its engines fail, it will land somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. There are many possibilities. Now, if it’s a twin-engined aircraft, and ONE of its engines fail, it will proceed to the nearest ETOPS (ICAO: Extended Twin Operations) Alternate Airport associated with the closest ETP (Equal Time Point). If it’s lucky enough […]
“Full white” Avion Express Airbus A320 skids off runway at Vilnius Airport
Vilnius International Airport (VNO),Lithuanian was forced to stop all incoming and outgoing flights on Saturday afternoon after an Avion Express Airbus A320-232 plane (LY-NVL) skidded off the runway 19 during landing. The incident with the Avion Express plane took place at 2:20 p.m. All passengers are safe, airport officials said, but the runway is closed to all flights […]
Does an airplane take off automatically upon gaining sufficient speed or is there anything the pilot must do in order to lift the plane?
We all know that at the right speed, there would be lift on the wings and that the plane would rise up. Only thing is if the plane just continues flat like this, it will eventually lift up in the air, but would rise up parallel to the ground. It will not have the typical attitude of […]
What is a stick shaker on an aircraft?
A stick shaker is a mechanical device that produces a pronounced vibration on the control yoke/stick of an aircraft to warn the pilot of an imminent stall. Most modern transport aeroplanes are equipped with an angle of attack sensor. As an aeroplane will always stall at a given angle of attack (not airspeed) for a […]
2012 built Royal Air Force Airbus A330-200MRTT Voyager (ZZ335) suffered Right MLG FWD Outboard tire burst during takeoff
2012 built Royal Air Force Airbus A330-200MRTT Voyager (ZZ335) suffered Right MLG FWD Outboard tire burst during take-off at Nellis AFB (KLSV) on 16 January. The aircraft returned back for a safe landing. By – FL360Aero
What happens if you flush while seated on the toilet on an airplane?
Flushing the toilet while seated on an airplane should not cause any harm or discomfort. The vacuum system used in airplane toilets is designed to handle flushing while someone is seated. However, it’s always a good idea to follow any specific instructions provided by the airline or cabin crew regarding toilet usage. Airplane toilets, also […]
2004 delivered KLM Boeing 777-206ER aircraft (PH-BQE) went off the paved surface
2004 delivered KLM Boeing 777-206ER aircraft (PH-BQE) went off the paved surface and got stuck in the mud in the act of towing at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). Aircraft has been recovered from the situation and sent for maintenance. 📸Courtesy: Jacdec
Do passenger airplanes drop their water waste in mid-air?
Short answer: Water, yes. Waste, no. Let’s talk about Airbus A320, an aircraft with which I’m little familiar. When you flush your stuff down the toilet, it enters the waste management system of the A320. At this point, the system checks aircraft’s current altitude. When flying at cruise altitudes (33,000 – 36,000 feet), the air […]
How effective are winglets in improving an airplane’s aerodynamics?
The main motivation for using wingtip devices is the reduction of the wingtip vortices created by the wing, although winglets do not eliminate the tip effect, they reduce it considerably, so its main advantage is to reduce drag but this advantage has more implications than you can imagine. In general, we can say that fitting […]
FAA provided instructions for airlines to begin inspections for Boeing 737 Max 9
The Federal Aviation Administration released final instructions to airlines to begin conducting inspections of their 737 Max 9 planes Wednesday a move that will eventually allow them to fly again. The agency had grounded nearly 200 of the planes after an Alaska Airlines flight lost one of its door plugs mid-flight earlier this month. Alaska […]
Russian jet crashes carrying Ukrainian PoWs – Moscow
Within minutes of the crash, Russia claimed the military plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew and three people accompanying them, without providing any evidence. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod region, said all 74 people onboard had been killed in the crash. Sources within the Ukrainian military had told local media that the […]
Japan plane crash a reminder to be thankful for caring flight attendants
The New Year period is usually characterized by festivities and increased air travel. However, on 2 January, the mood of 367 passengers and 12 crew members was spoiled when the Japan Airlines aircraft they were traveling on was involved in a runway collision at Haneda Airport. This article highlights some of the commendable actions taken by the crew and the factors surrounding the successful evacuation […]
Delta Boeing 757 plane loses wheel while taxiing for takeoff
A 31-year-old (1992 built) Boeing 757-200 aircraft (N672DL) lost a nose wheel just before the take-off. On 20 January, while operating flight DL982 to Bogota (BOG), the aircraft had been cleared to taxi into position on Runway 27R , as it awaited take-off clearance. However, while taxiing onto the Runway, one of the wheels of the […]
Did you know : The Boeing 777X is not the first commercial airplane to offer a folding wing.
Infact, The Boeing 777-200 was originally designed with a much longer folding wing option in order to use airport gates that had been built to accommodate fleets of DC-10s/767s & save on fees. The 196 foot 11 inch wingspan, presented gate compatibility & taxiway congestion problems to many potential customers. Boeing’s solution was to offer […]
France A359 at Toronto on Jan 21st 2024, tail strike on landing/go around
An Air France Airbus A350-900, registration F-HTYH performing flight AF-356 from Paris Charles de Gaulle (France) to Toronto,ON (Canada), was landing on Toronto’s runway 24L when the aircraft bounced, increased the pitch and contacted the runway surface with its tail before climbing out to safety. The aircraft positioned for another approach to runway 24L about […]
How did pilots find out their position on the globe before their aircraft was equipped with GPS?
The British were the first to come up with an analogue ‘GPS’ system for aircraft. The HS-121 Trident (which by the way was the first aircraft to even perform an automatic landing in the late 60s) had an actual moving map in the cockpit that showed the pilots the live position of the aircraft. It was a world […]
An evacuation was initiated at Gran Canaria airport on a Transavia Boeing 737-8K2(WL) plane (PH-HXL) due to a possible fire in the baggage hold
An evacuation was initiated at Gran Canaria airport on a Transavia Boeing 737-8K2(WL) plane (PH-HXL) due to a possible fire in the baggage hold. No injuries reported,though most of the passengers left everything behind,few carried their belongings. 📸Ellert C. Pater Source- FL360Aero
Did Concorde expand in flight?
Due to the extreme frictional heating from flying at a sustained speed of more than twice the speed of sound, Concorde would expand in length by as much as 9 or 10 inches because of thermal expansion. Concorde the best aircraft to ever grace the skies expanded due to the kinetic heating on the airframe. […]
Why don’t airplanes have giant parachutes attached to them to save the plane and its passengers in times of emergency? Would it not be feasible to have this sort of parachute? If not, why?
In the pursuit of enhancing safety during emergencies, the notion of equipping airplanes with giant parachutes may initially appear appealing. However, upon closer examination, this idea proves to be impractical. Commercial airliners possess an immense weight, and the parachute system required to support such a monumental load would be substantial, leading to a significant reduction […]
A Korean Air plane carrying 289 people hit a parked Cathay Pacific aircraft while taxiing
A Korean Air plane carrying 289 people hit a parked Cathay Pacific aircraft while taxiing to a runway at northern Japan’s New Chitose Airport but caused no fire or injuries Tuesday, a local fire department said. Korean Air Lines’ initial assessment attributed the cause to a groundhandler that was towing the airplane in heavy snow, […]
Is it possible to design airplane wheels to spin on landing (e.g. using fan blades) to reduce tire wear?
Years ago, I asked that exact question to someone at Goodyear Aircraft Tires. I was sure no one else had ever thought about it and I would be hailed as a genius. Goodyear is one of the handful of major suppliers of aircraft tires and my friend there didn’t hesitate to respond, proving there’s rarely […]