Top 4 reasons why takeoff is smoother in a larger plane
For those who have flown in a small airplane versus a large commercial jetliner, you know that the experience is quite different, even though all the parts are the same: takeoff, fly in the air, land. So why is it such a different experience if both planes are doing the same things? Captain Jon Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems explained the four key factors that contribute to the ease that someone feels in a jetliner at takeoff. 1) The weight of the plane Most people have the tendency to assume that pilots of small airplanes must not be as skilled ...
How your Teeth are Helping Build Better Planes
What does a human, a walrus and a Tyrannosaurus Rex all have in common? I bet your first guess was not the microscopic structure of their teeth enamel, but if somehow it was, you are exactly right! This fun fact was discovered by Nicholas Kotov, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Michigan College of Engineering. DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, challenged researchers across the nation to develop a material that is strong and rigid, but can withstand frequent vibrations without cracking under the pressure. If you think about the stresses and demands on materials such ...
How Often Do Airplanes Hit Deer?
Stats behind wildlife strikes may surprise you When we think about birds hitting airplanes or getting sucked into the engines and forcing planes to land or even crash, many of us are reminded of the unlikely story of US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when a flock of geese was struck by the aircraft and caused immediate engine failure, forcing pilot Chelsey Sullenberg to safely navigate the plane to glide and land on top of the Hudson River. But other than the outstanding heroics of the pilots of that particular flight, the situation itself of planes crashing due to wildlife strikes ...