ASAP Axis Blog

Aviation cameras are well suited to a wide range of flight applications including monitoring, surveillance, and recording. The most common applications include UAV piloting, flight guidance, taxi aid, cabin, cockpit, cockpit door, and cargo surveillance, in-flight entertainment cameras, wing tip cameras, and much more. Because aviation cameras are used in a broad array of harsh applications, they have to be up to the test. As such, they are manufactured with rugged designs according to stringent standards, ensuring their long term reliability. Industries where aviation cameras are used include commercial airlines, military imaging, aerial mapping guidance, and more.

While early aircraft were fairly simple in their design, there have since been numerous developments that have allowed pilots to truly harness the forces of aerodynamics in order to improve flight efficiency. Flight control surfaces are devices that allow for the pilot to govern the attitude of an aircraft, and they are commonly found on many fixed-wing aircraft. With flight control devices known as ailerons, the pilot is given control of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, allowing them to affect lift on each wing in order to roll. In this blog, we will discuss in detail what the aileron assembly does, as well as how pilots utilize it for flight.

          To provide power for the various aircraft electrical components that serve both operators and passengers, generators are needed for the production of electricity. As aircraft systems are engineered to operate at a specific range of voltage and the demand of electricity may vary, it is crucial that generators are controlled and regulated. With a generator control system, the output produced by generators can be governed in order to optimally power and protect all systems.

When conducting flight operations, engine instruments provide critical information about the health and performance of the engine, ensuring its correct operation and longevity of service. With the data obtained through engine monitoring, logging may also be conducted to aid in maintenance endeavors, allowing those servicing the engine to be aware of various trends of the system’s well-being. Although each aircraft may differ in their available instruments, some common types include the pressure gauge, temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and more. To ensure a safe flight and long service life of the engine, it is important to understand the various aircraft engine instruments that are available, as well as the significance of each.

Springs are elastic components, storing mechanical energy through their operation. When a standard spring is either compressed or stretched, it begins to exert an opposing force that is nearly equivalent to its change in length. Depending on their shape, size, materials, and other factors, springs may benefit a variety of applications. Across the industries that springs serve, the aerospace industry in particular benefits greatly from their capabilities. Springs are implemented in a number of aerospace systems and components, including those such as drones, solar panels, valves, aircraft controls, throttles, satellites, and more.

Both aircraft spoilers and speed brakes are important for a safe, controlled landing of an aircraft. Often, these two parts may be confused for each other for their operation as they are both utilized during landing procedures, despite both having different functionalities. As both component types are important for safe handling of an aircraft, it is important to be aware of their distinct operations. In this blog, we will discuss what aircraft spoilers and speed brakes are, and how they help an aircraft safely land.   

The aircraft engine is a complex system that provides for the propulsion and flight generation of an aircraft. During operation, there may be a great amount of engine system components that undergo heavy use, generating intense heat and causing friction through rubbing and sliding against each other. To mitigate the damaging effects that this can all cause, engines utilize an aircraft lubrication system.

Aircraft radio and communication systems may seem like part of the everyday normal in a pilot’s life, but if you take a few moments to reflect on what and how much they can be used for (eg. calling ground personnel for help) it's quite amazing to see how far the aviation world has come. Imagine a modern world where these communications systems did not exist. How can a pilot call for help when flying in foggy conditions? What can be done if there is no more room in the runway and you need to land fast? These are all scenarios in which an aircraft communication system comes in handy, as, prior to the invention of radio communication, a pilot would have to communicate with ground personnel (aka their friend on the ground) by waving their aircraft wing in a certain direction or by rapid tail deflection. In this article, we will look at the changing state of aircraft communication technology and how the parts meld into play.

Most people are familiar with a vehicle’s autopilot system, as it’s a system that most people can try out for themselves with their cars. In motor vehicles, the autopilot system is designed so that the car can proceed in driving and steering without the promptings of the driver. What some people might not be familiar with is that aircraft and even some boats also have this in place. The thought that something that travels so far up in the sky has an autopilot system may cause a double take for some people, but the aviation autopilot system is a safe system that pilots have been trained to utilize responsibly.

Latches are a highly critical component of any aircraft. For instance, when an aircraft is at cruising altitude, doors and other openings must be sealed and totally secure. Beyond this, latches have many different types and applications throughout an aircraft, appearing in the radome, engine nacelle, auxiliary power unit doors, and more. There are four main manufacturers that produce five main types of latches found on aircraft. The major manufacturers are Arconic Fastening Systems, Lisi Aerospace, Hartwell Corporation, and Avibank Manufacturing. The main latches they produce include shear pin latches, shear/tension latches, channel latches, pressure relief latches, and hook latches. This blog will explain each type and provide some insight into their applications.