Rear-Mounted Versus Wing-Mounted Engines
There are only two places in an airplane where jet engines are positioned, either in the rear or aft, and at the wings. Both have advantages and downsides, but you…
Rain Cannot Make a Jet Engine Flame Out
I recently received a question in my social media inbox. The person asking admitted to being a nervous flyer because he was told by some "maritess" that flying in the…
Posted inAircraft Aviation Information
Ten Loudest Planes in the World
Planes today are getting more quiet. In fact, you barely wake up to their noise when they fly above your house at the wee hours in the morning. However way…
Why Some Boeing Planes Use Raked Wingtips
When we observe the wingtips of today's commercial aircraft, they are often equipped with wingtip devices, mostly winglets. The Boeing 737NG and the Airbus A320 feature blended winglets, while the…
How Much Fuel Do Aircraft Carry for a Flight
Unlike cars, aircraft are not typically filled to full tank capacity. We're accustomed to filling our cars with fuel based on our budget and the contents of our wallet. Moreover,…
The Function of the Cone at the Exhaust of Jet Engines
If there's one feature on commercial planes that has always intrigued me, it's the cone-shaped structure on the exhaust pipes of some jet engines, like those on the 747-200 and…
What These Military Aircraft Designations Stand For
It's relatively straightforward for aviation enthusiasts to identify the roles of certain military aircraft based on their designations. For example, the "F" in F-16 and the "B" in B-2 Spirit…
Posted inAircraft Aviation Information
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 VS Lockheed L-1011 Tristar
During my childhood years as an early aviation enthusiast in the 1980s, two exceptional planes caught my interest: the world's most popular widebody trijets at the time, the McDonnell Douglas…
What Happens When Reverse Thrust is Deployed Mid-flight?
Whenever I travel by plane, several questions linger in my mind. What if, what if, what if? One question, in particular, concerns reverse thrust: what would happen if it were…
Why the F-15 Eagle is Still the Best Fighter Jet for Me
Ask me what my favorite aircraft is, and I will immediately tell you: the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle. This plane ignited my love for aircraft and, eventually, aviation.…