ASAP Axis Blog

As an aircraft soars through the sky during standard flight operations, it must push through air and take advantage of its flow to achieve and maintain lift. As air is a fluid with flow that is disrupted by the moving airframe, interference and a change in direction can result in aerodynamic drag. Drag is a force that opposes the movement of an aircraft, resulting in efficiency losses and increased fuel burning to maintain set speeds. In order to achieve the most optimal operations, engineers have modified numerous aircraft sections to improve their design for more streamlined air flow.

When discussing the joints of a particular assembly or manufactured item, one is referring to the location in which two or more components are permanently or temporarily attached to one another. There are various benefits to both variations, the permanent joint allowing for a strong anti-loose assembly while the temporary joint can enable more ease in separation for maintenance or replacement. Welding and riveting are both common methods for creating joints, often being used for the assembly of aircraft components, industrial machinery, and much more. To better understand the differences between welded and riveted joints, as well as their various advantages and disadvantages, we will provide a brief overview of each.

Used to connect pipe systems to other pieces of piping or equipment, flanges are the second most popular method of assembly behind welding. Adding flexibility to pipe systems by improving ease of disassembly, three items that commonly comprise a flange are pipe flanges, gaskets, and bolting. Of these three components, when building a typical flanged connection, the materials that comprise the bolt and gasket are often the same. Capable of also being connected with parts made of certified materials, flanges are most often manufactured out of stainless steel. Other common, but not as frequently used, flanges include Monel, Inconel, Chrome Moly, and other types depending on the application. To better understand flanges, we will go over their common types, their intended purpose, and how they can be used to best fit your applications.

Transistors and diodes are both semiconductor devices, and each component serves as an essential building block of countless electronics and circuits. While transistors and diodes are often found in similar applications, their roles and operations tend to differ from one another. In this blog, we will provide a brief overview of transistor and diode part types, allowing you to have a better understanding of their functionalities and differences.

An aircraft stall is a condition in which the angle of attack has reached a point where lift begins to decrease. Such instances are quite dangerous, requiring a pilot to quickly fix their angle before they begin to drop. In order to prevent such hazardous incidents from occurring, many aircraft utilize the Stall Warning System which is capable of giving the pilot advance notice of any potential stall conditions. As stalls are very dangerous, understanding the functionality of the Stall Warning System and how they may be used is crucial for safe flight operations.

As aircraft are equipped with such a wide array of different lights, it can quickly become difficult to understand which lights serve what purpose and when they should be used. Some of the lights found on aircraft include rotating beacons, anti-collision/strobe lights, position/navigation lights, landing/taxi lights, and logo lights. In this blog, we will discuss the times when pilots are required to use each of these types of lights. The requirements referenced in this blog are those listed by the United States Government’s Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

When dealing with fluid applications, leaking is something that always should be avoided for the safety of assemblies as well as the performance of the device itself. As gaskets and seals both provide the ability to prevent leaking, it can sometimes be difficult to discern which is the best fit for a particular application. While seals and gaskets both have similar functionalities, it is important to understand their differences to ensure that the right kind of component is chosen.

For those who are more unfamiliar with the inner workings of a vehicle engine, understanding the difference between the camshaft and crankshaft can be difficult at first. While close in name, the two devices play separate roles in the functionality of the engine itself. Additionally, both parts are very important for smooth operations, as the failure of one or the other will surely lead to a maintenance visit. As there is always a chance that equipment pieces may fail and require maintenance through continued use, having a basic understanding of the camshaft and crankshaft can be useful when procuring parts or choosing services.

A muffler is a device used to reduce the noise emitted by the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. Mufflers are installed within the exhaust system of an engine to reduce the loudness of sound pressure by the engine through the process of acoustic quieting, wherein vibrations are dampened to prevent them from creating significant noise. Mufflers are found in all automobiles, but did you know that they are also in some aircraft? While not common on older aircraft, many new, small, piston aircraft have mufflers. This blog will cover the use of mufflers in aircraft as well as new technologies being used to achieve the same thing.

Across all the possible hazards and dangers that an aircraft may face during operations, fires can prove to be one of the most dangerous. This is due to the presence of flammable fuels and electronics that are spread across the body of a typical aircraft, as well as the altitudes they operate at which makes the extinguishing of flames more difficult. As such, engineers have heavily researched, implemented, and improved upon various systems over the years that assist in protecting aircraft from the dangers posed by fires. Beginning with the detection of a fire to the extinguishing of flames, the robust fire-protection systems of aircraft function to ensure the safety of passengers and components throughout flight operations.