Aircraft turbine engines play a crucial role in aviation, powering various types of aircraft and enabling them to soar through the skies with efficiency and reliability. These engines are designed to generate thrust by converting energy from fuel into mechanical power, which propels the aircraft forward. In this blog, we will discuss several different types of aircraft turbine engines, exploring the unique characteristics and applications of each one.


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When it comes to the safety and functionality of electrical systems, circuit breakers play a crucial role. These unassuming devices, often compared to switches, are silent guardians of electrical networks across the globe. 


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Aircraft fuel systems play a vital role in ensuring safe and efficient aviation operations, such systems being responsible for storing, supplying, and managing the flow of fuel to the engine. Having a familiarity with the primary components of an aircraft fuel system is crucial for pilots, engineers, and aviation enthusiasts, allowing them to best maintain and operate such apparatuses. 


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When piston-powered aircraft are in flight, they are subjected to four fundamental forces that need to be balanced to remain in equilibrium, these being thrust, lift, drag, and weight. While structures like the wings and horizontal stabilizer provide vertical lift to overcome the forces of weight, aircraft will still be faced with drag that combats their forward momentum. To overcome drag, piston-powered aircraft rely on thrust generated by the engine-propeller combination. In particular, light aircraft feature an internal combustion engine that powers the vehicle, and this type of engine works on the principle of converting the reciprocating motion of pistons moving up and down into a rotational motion that drives propellers. The movement of the pistons themselves is driven by force generated by a combusted mixture of fuel and air, wherein the chemical energy of fuel is converted into mechanical energy. 


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A fiber optic cable is a type of network cable that is made of one or more thin, flexible fibers that have a glass core that light can be sent through with very little loss to illumination. As such, they can be used as a communication pathway between two devices, turning the simple output of light versus dark into complex messages that can traverse long distances at alarming speeds. For this reason, homes and businesses often use fiber optic technology as part of their high-speed internet connection network. 


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Nearly all aircraft take advantage of some hydraulically-powered components. For example, light general aviation aircraft typically only use hydraulic power to activate the wheel brakes, while larger, complex aircraft use it for a number of other components. Usually, how a hydraulic system is used depends on the aircraft in question, with some models using a single hydraulic system, or two or more hydraulic systems working together.


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Today, most modern passenger and military aircraft are equipped with gas turbine engines, or jet engines as they are often called. While there are many different types of gas turbine engines, every turbine engine is composed of similar parts, the primary component being the compressor.


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When you are working with machinery that depends on rotating and reciprocating shafts, you will need to employ anti-friction bearings with rolling capabilities. Rolling element bearings serve the purpose of mitigating axial or radial movement with reduced friction. Depending on your specific application, it could make more sense to either employ a roller bearing or a ball bearing, so it is important you understand which to select before making a purchase.


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Electric motors are integral components of everyday components ranging in application from vacuum cleaners to automotive vehicles. Although scaleable, the technology in these products remains the same regardless of their size. In order to accomplish high-output applications, however, electric motors must often be paired with additional mechanics. One such instance is in the gear motor, which employs gearheads to accommodate more demanding projects. 


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Helicopters are a useful form of aircraft for many operations, capable of conducting flight in areas where conventional fixed-wing aircraft are not feasible. For example, helicopters are able to take off and land vertically, meaning they do not require runways. Nevertheless, helicopters still necessitate landing gear for basic ground operations and for touching down, and these assemblies may come in various forms. While skids are often seen on many helicopter models, various others will still feature wheel assemblies such as would be seen on fixed-wing aircraft. Typically, wheels are reserved for larger helicopters, due to their various characteristics and requirements. In this piece, we will discuss the wheels of helicopters and why some models choose them over typical skids.


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Since the first implementation of the 5G network in 2018, numerous countries worldwide have received access to quick and lossless network connectivity. Although individual users and small businesses may enjoy the various features associated with 5G network access, large data centers, such as those owned by Google and Amazon, stand to benefit the most from the novel technology. However, in order to achieve compatibility with such networks, data centers worldwide have had to upgrade and replace equipment to achieve next-generation standards. This modernization is not only costly, but it is also challenging to find products that can meet the standards without pulling enormous amounts of power and taking up space in a limited facility. In this blog, we will discuss the next generation of high-speed optical modules, which will play a significant role in facilitating network compatibility.


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Helicopters are designed with unique flight characteristics that provide them with the efficiency and speed they currently possess. Considered rotary-wing aircraft, helicopters are equipped with rotors, or rotating airfoils, that produce lift in a similar way wings provide lift on fixed-wing aircraft. Regarding helicopters, the air flows at a faster rate over the curved, upper surface of the rotors, creating a negative pressure that lifts the aircraft.


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While one may argue that there is no better way to learn how to pilot a plane than to actually fly one yourself, manning a powered aircraft is not always the best option. Instead, many prospective pilots can now cultivate their piloting skills with a flight simulator, allowing for them to hone their abilities in a controlled environment. With modern advancements to simulator technology, such equipment is a far cry from the devices used in the past. Now, flight simulators are robust enough to provide ample and reliable training for a pilot. In this blog, we will discuss the primary benefits of utilizing a flight simulator for airplanes and why they are often used in lieu of the real thing.


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As engines are integral to the function of many systems, they necessitate a number of tests to ensure their functionality, one of which includes a compression test. A compression test is a good way of determining the condition of your engine, revealing the state of the valves, cylinders, rings, and valve seats. According to professional mechanics, healthy engines should have compression values of over 100 PSI per cylinder, with a deviation between the maximum and minimum readings remaining within a 10% range.


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Just like an automobile or marine vessel, aircraft require cleaning on a regular basis for both the health of assemblies and to maintain appearances. Whether the aircraft in question is a personal sport plane or an advanced airliner, it is important that aircraft of all types are properly cleaned to ensure ample cleanliness and to avoid damaging any sensitive components or systems. In this blog, we will discuss the most common ways in which aircraft are cleaned, allowing you to conduct such procedures with ease.


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While reciprocating engines serve as the original powerplants of aviation, they still find implementation and use on countless light, single-engine aircraft to this day. Throughout the history of reciprocating engines, many types have come about to tackle the issues of their predecessors. The radial engine is one example, that of which surpassed the rotary engine during World War II with its higher power output and other capabilities. While many aircraft have since moved on to using newer jet engines, radial engines are still present on a number of models. In this blog, we will discuss the functionality of the radial engine, allowing you to better understand their use and abilities.


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While the starting of a hot or cold automobile engine is often a straightforward process that consists of inserting a key and igniting the engine, aircraft often face more difficulty as a result of such extraneous factors. Weather is often a major cause of starting issues, and combating such problems may differ based on whether the engine is a carburated or fuel-injected type. As both engine types face issues in different temperatures, it is important to understand when such problems occur and how to combat them. In this blog, we will discuss some of the common starting issues faced by aircraft engines as a result of weather, allowing you to better understand their troubleshooting.


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An aircraft and its various structures are regularly subject to intense stressors during standard flight operations, thus care and maintenance is crucial for maintaining the health of all parts. During the manufacturing or repair stage, fabric coverings are used for all open structures and closed plywood structures. The aircraft fabric covering process has been a common procedure since the early days of aviation, and there are various materials and methods that may be used.


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Control over an aircraft and its heading is provided through various flight surfaces and systems spread across the fuselage. For large aircraft, flight control systems can be heavy and robust pieces that are unable to be moved through the sheer force of the pilot. To help pilots overcome their own limitations for the means of adjusting flaps, ailerons, and other components, various control systems may be used. These come in the form of mechanical, hydromechanical, and fly-by-wire systems, each of which differ in their makeup and capabilities. To help you understand the differences between each, we will discuss them briefly.


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Airplane travel has continuously been the safest form of travel for decades. No other method of transportation is as litigious or tightly regulated as aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which falls under the Department of Transportation, is the main regulatory body for civil aviation in the United States. Their purview covers everything from air traffic control to regulating re-entry from space. One of the most critical functions of the FAA is to certify that an aircraft is “airworthy.” The legal definition of airworthiness is covered in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Chapter 14, Part 39.


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While early aircraft were often limited in their ability to provide power for the operation of electrical systems, the glass cockpits, lighting, power outlets, and other modern additions of aircraft demand the presence of power generation and distribution systems. For a general aviation aircraft such as a Cessna to achieve sufficient power for operating all electrical systems and devices, an alternator may be used as a reliable and efficient source. In this blog, we will discuss the basics of the electrical systems that accommodate general aviation aircraft, allowing you to familiarize yourself with their functionalities and primary parts.


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Flying an aircraft can be a complex process, requiring a pilot to manage and control the aircraft while also maintaining navigation, radio communication, fuel tank management, engine management, and much more. As technology improved in the aviation sector over the years, advanced electronic systems such as the autopilot system have come about to enhance the safety of flight. As a device capable of guiding an aircraft to its destination without input from the pilot, autopilots have alleviated a decent amount of the work from pilots so that they can focus on the most important aspects of a flight.


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Whether an aircraft features a gas turbine or reciprocating engine, most aircraft engines require some sort of assistance in initiating their starting process. Known as starters, such devices are electromechanical mechanisms that produce the mechanical energy required to rotate an engine before it becomes self-sustainable. As different engines require varying amounts of force and rotation to begin their operations, there are numerous engine starting systems that may benefit particular aircraft types. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of the common aircraft engine starting systems so that you may find what is best for your particular needs.


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The aircraft fuel system is what allows the crew to manage, pump, and deliver aviation fuel to the propulsion system and auxiliary power unit. Fuel systems can vary greatly depending on the type of engine they are used with. In this blog, we will cover the main components of the fuel systems in turbine engines.


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During standard flight operations, pilots regularly use their radio equipment in order to establish and maintain communication with Air Traffic Control personnel and others for the means of safety. As radio interference can affect the quality and capability of communication, it is essential that engineers enact proper measures to suppress electromagnetic fields and electrostatic interference. While some interference may manifest as audible noises from communication systems, large static electricity discharges can present a hazard to sensitive components if they are unprotected. Across most aircraft, the most common methods of reducing radio interference include shielding, isolation, bonding, and static discharge wicks.


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While many are familiar with the wind turbines, nuclear power plants, steam turbines, and other power generation methods that produce electricity that we as a society depend upon, some may not be familiar with the reciprocating engine generator and the role it plays. While similar to the reciprocating engines that benefit aircraft, reciprocating engine generators are responsible for power generation and serve a major role in ensuring consistent grid powering. With the flexibility and capabilities offered by the reciprocating engine, they can serve as beneficial apparatuses for a number of power generation applications.


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A motor controller is a group of devices that control the performance of an electric motor based on predetermined settings. Sometimes called governors, they have several functions including automatic & manual starting or stopping of a motor, setting forward or reversing the course of rotation, choosing and monitoring the speed of rotation, controlling & regulating torque, and protecting the motor from electrical overloads.


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In the electronics industry, a switch is a type of device that functions to establish or break a circuit. As such, they serve as one of the most commonly implemented electronic components within electrical systems. With their simple functionality of switching between an ON state with closed contacts and an OFF state with open contacts, switches can work together with various components in order to carry out complex procedures and operations. With all switch types, they are either mechanical or electrical, meaning that they are either operated physically or through semiconductor action. In this blog, we will provide a short overview of the primary switch types, allowing you to know what is the best fit for your needs.


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When installing an electrical system and wiring within a building or apparatus, the implementation of circuit protection is crucial for the safety of appliances and individuals. This is because electricity is extremely volatile, and it can damage sensitive components and present a danger to others if left unchecked. Electronic fuses and circuit breakers are electrical protection devices that are commonly used for electronic circuits of all types, interrupting the flow of electricity as needed to prevent dangerous overloads.


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A dimmer switch is an electrical component that allows users to adjust the brightness of a light from nearly dark to fully lit, simply through the turn of aknob or slide of a lever. How do dimmer switches achieve this? This blog will look at the technology behind dimmer switches and explain how they operate.


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In order to produce a safe, efficient and productive environment suited for utilizing high-powered electrical devices, the act of grounding is a necessary and crucial one. In the case that equipment or an electronic device breaks down or malfunctions enough to start spewing a harmful amount of current, the act of grounding allows the circuit to safely dissipate the excess charge. Grounding prevents harm to surrounding devices, but along with this, grounding can prevent harm such as shock or electrocution from coming to people. However the process of grounding is made much more complicated with aircraft as they can be cruising at an altitude of around 35,000 feet or higher. This begs the question, how is any aviation expert / engineer able to produce grounded electrical circuits in aircraft that are designed to fly above ground?


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The resistance temperature detector (RTD) and thermocouple are two examples of devices used to monitor temperatures. Because their function is so similar, the two are often mistaken. Despite this, the RTD and thermocouple have distinct differences in their principle operation. An RTD uses a single piece of metal whose changes in resistance represent the changes in temperatures. On the other hand, a thermocouple uses two metallic wires which generate a difference in voltages at the junction which corresponds to the change in temperatures. This blog will explain both RTDs and thermocouples in depth, as well as their many differences.


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Electrical connectors are used as a type of electro-mechanical trigger that serves to combine electrical circuits. This mesh of electrical circuits acts as a connector and interface and it is achieved by the use of mechanical assembly. These connectors are made up of jacks, those of which have a male end and plugs with a female end. The electrical connectors are a crucial component because they can be utilized alongside an adapter for a short term solution as well as a permanent solution. For more information on electrical connectors, read on below.


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Currently, many aircraft systems rely on hydraulic, pneumatic, and other mechanical forms of systems, though this trend is currently changing as newer technological capabilities progress. With the advancing technologies and benefits of the aircraft electrical system, aircraft design is shifting to favor electronic equipment over traditional mechanical systems. Aircraft electrical systems can save an aircraft weight and reduce expenditures across various segments, making them desirable. The aircraft electrical system operates to generate and distribute power throughout an aircraft, providing power for various systems, instruments, and components. Electronic equipment and systems may feature AC or DC power, and understanding these types and their functionalities can help one in designing aircraft and their electrical systems.


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Electrical connectors are a type of hardware that joins with a device to complete an electrical circuit and transmit electricity to a piece of equipment. This connection can be either wire to wire or wire to terminal. The process of joining the wires to each other or a terminal is called crimping. Crimping occurs when one piece of metal is deformed and compressed tightly with another piece of metal. The process does not necessitate soldering, but does involve specific steps and equipment.


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Optoelectronic devices deal with light, and they function to control, detect, or generate it. These devices serve many various applications across different segments and are a rapidly expanding field of technology. Light that optoelectronics are concerned with include visible, infrared, gamma, x-ray, and ultraviolet (UV). Often, these optoelectronic devices will use detected light as a way to transform light signals into electrical signals for various processes or functionalities. In this blog, we will discuss the principles of optoelectronics, common examples of such devices, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.


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In the realm of aviation, there are various flying machines that achieve flight through the use of various technologies, aerodynamics, and more. These can include aircraft, helicopters, hot air balloons, gliders, and airships.Fixed wing aircraft are a special type that feature wings to achieve flight through lift. In this blog, we will discuss the common components of fixed wing aircraft that make them distinct from other types of flying machines.


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Regardless of whether you’re a novice in the aviation industry or well versed in the mechanics of the industry, it’s worth knowing about the APU, or auxiliary power unit, in an aircraft. Put simply, the APU acts as an extra source of power for the main engines on a business jet or airliner. Equipped with an additional electrical generator, the APU is designed to produce sufficient fuel for the aircraft’s galley electrics, cockpit avionics, onboard lighting and more. It is also manufactured to heat up and cool down the aircraft by way of drawing bleed air from its own compressor.


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Almost all conventional aircraft mount an autopilot system. Designed to maintain an aircraft’s altitude and direction during a flight, autopilots are primarily used to reduce the work strain and fatigue for pilots while controlling an aircraft during long flights. Autopilot systems can be programmed to keep the aircraft stabilized in lateral, vertical, and longitudinal directions.


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Turbulence is something that many flyers have experienced, and often can affect various structures, such as the wings. Despite the fears that some may have, it is actually almost impossible for the aircraft’s wings to be greatly affected or impaired by turbulence. This is due to the material and structural breakup of wings, as well as their design that allows them to have the ability to bend without losing any integrity of the structure.


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There are numerous different types of pressure sensing devices, with names that can be confusing to the uninformed and uninitiated. All of these terms are specific to variable capacitive sensing technologies, which handle the detection and measurement of fluid pressure through the change in voltage across a capacitor. Variable capacitance is used in applications that need an extremely high degree of accuracy, like engine test stands and pressure decay leak detection. The most common terms are sensors, transducers, transmitters, and switches, which we will explore in this blog.


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Many applications and devices need to switch currents with high isolation, or require the ability to switch high voltages and high currents with a low power control signal. Sometimes, a solution based on semiconductors simply isn’t enough. Designers sometimes have to utilize electromechanical relays and contactors to provide the control they need.


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Given the complexity of modern turbofan engines, tools meant for maintaining them must be appropriately specialized for the task. In this blogpost, we’ll break down the six types of tools that’ll be the most frequently used in turbine engine maintenance and should never be missing from your toolbox.


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The production cost of an aircraft is staggering, thus, training an inexperienced pilot in one is counterintuitive. The cost of human lives is also something to consider; would-be pilots don’t have enough experience and have the potential to damage the aircraft or injure themselves. Therefore, a flight simulator is the perfect solution. Flight simulators recreate the experience of flying an aircraft by utilizing virtual reality software for the purpose of pilot training and technical development. The aircraft systems, flight controls, and air conditions are all replicated, allowing the pilot to experience different flight scenarios. Simulators can range from full-sized cockpits on hydraulic actuators with state-of-the-art technology to desktop computer-based games.


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Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are currently the most efficient light bulb on the market, often out-performing formerly popular compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and incandescent bulbs. The lights have the potential to create a more sustainable future for energy in the United States. It is estimated that if every American replaced one conventional light bulb with an LED, the energy savings would be equivalent to removing the greenhouse gas emissions of 800,000 cars. Let’s take a look at the history of LEDs, and how their technology has the capacity to change power consumption in the United States.


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Have you ever wondered why the phrase “the nuts and bolts of it” exists? The reasoning might help in remembering the biggest difference between screws and bolts. A bolt is defined as a threaded fastener with a nut and a flat bottom. It requires a nut to secure it to a material. The bolt can only be loosened when torque is applied to the nut. A screw, for all intents and purposes, is a threaded fastener without those attributes— it is defined as a screw head with a circular helical ridge. Screws are fastened by applying torque to the head.


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Gears are little confusing. There are so many different terms that can be used for the same thing, and there are so many slightly different things that the same general term can refer to. And “gearbox” is one of those terms. Despite the fact that they actually refer to slightly different gear arrangements, gearboxes are other interchangeably used with “gearhead” and “gear reducer”.


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Fasteners are typically small hardware pieces such as washers, screws, studs fasteners and more. Fasteners are used in several different industries including aerospace. One of the oldest and most common fasteners on the market is the nail. The standard nail is made of a shank, or a metal rod, and is flat at the top with an end that is pointed. Nails are typically hammered into wood, drywall, etc. and are used to fasten materials together. The standard nail is made from steel, but other variations include aluminum, brass, bronze, iron, or copper. The United States alone has over 300 different types of nails manufactured, most of which are used in residential construction.


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