Can airplanes land with none engine?
Have you ever realised that the aircraft was gliding almost every flight you have ever been on? Let’s start with the technical part - the lower the power of the engine, the less fuel is burnt. When the aircraft lands, the thrust is set at its minimum, which means that the aircraft is effectively gliding with one engine shut down to save more fuel. In fact, most aircraft can fly a long distance with no engine at all. All fixed-wing aircraft have some capability to glide with no engine power. They continue to glide horizontally while landing, instead of sinking straight down...
Why do pilots say roger that?
Pilots use the phrase “Roger that” when they are in the air. Have you ever thought who the Roger is and why his name appears in the conversations between pilots? The reason goes back to the very first flights. The first plane flight by Wright brothers dates back to 1903. Then they used flares, hand signals and coloured paddles to communicate while the plane was in the air as there was no such thing as radio communication. The aviation technologies developed and pilots started to use the Morse code to communicate in approximately 1915 when air-to-ground voice transmission became possible. Back then they...
Travelling on Christmas: What You Need to Know
We all know holidays add to the stress level almost each of us experience, especially when we have to travel on a Christmas Day by airplane to see our beloved ones. Then flight delays are always a hassle, as no one wants to be stuck at the airport while their family are digging into Christmas dinner. Fortunately, you are lucky enough if you are reading this article right before your flight! We will remind you and share some simple tips to reduce the holiday stress. „Worst“ Days to Travel The infographic, created by eBay, shows that the worst day to travel during the...
TOP 10 Christmas Gifts for Pilots
Everyone knows, it’s quite hard to surprise a pilot and the biggest challenge comes while choosing a Christmas gift which would appeal to those „high flyers“. If you really want to find a creative and practical gift for an aviation enthusiast, you've come to the right place! From aviation-themed socks to an ultra-smart gadget, these are the gifts for every budget that would appeal to every aviation geek. 1. Bose A20 Aviation Headset If you want to make a pilot’s navigation procedure more pleasant and your Christmas budget is of no concern, then this aviation headset is a perfect gift for a...
Did You Know How New Aircraft Names Are Created?
Which aircraft types have you travelled by? Have you ever noticed that aircraft names are not just a combination of letters and numbers randomly assigned to the aircraft? Actually, there is a fine-tuned system behind it. Every manufacturer has a pretty rigid code for its aircraft names. Let’s start with Airbus and take a look into the Airbus aircraft names. Airbus 300 was the first aircraft produced by the company. The name was created following a simple rule: the first letter “A” stands for the company name Airbus and 300 was the number of the aircraft’s capacity. Afterwards, Airbus decided to...
Flying Big: To Be a Wide-Body Aircraft Pilot or Not?
Enormous wide-body aircraft take everyone’s attention at the airport. Even pilots are impressed by their size. The majority of them have been dreaming of becoming captains of the wide-body aircraft since they started studying at aviation academy or even before that. The growing demand for passenger flights leads airlines to expand their fleet with the new wide-body aircraft. This means that the wide-body pilot demand is ascending too. Let’s look into the situation in the wide-body aircraft sector and what it means to be a pilot of the wide-body aircraft. Flight demand forecasts International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts 4.2% of annual passenger...
Prior Preparation – a Key to Healthy Pilot Life
Each industry has its own health risks that we need to be aware of. However, we all can take the necessary precautions in order to minimize or to avoid those risks. In the aviation industry, pilots face a number of physical problems. Good news is that most of pilots’ health problems can be reduced with some preparation and preliminary understanding. Knowing what your body does when faced with different issues means you can identify when a particular condition is happening and take essential steps to reduce or remove it. We are here to help you understand the major pilot health problems...
Did You Know: How Does in-flight Wi-Fi Work?
Have you ever wondered how your cell phone’s Wi-Fi works in the height of almost 12 kilometres and children around can watch “Shrek” on their iPads? You may have already realised that in-flight Wi-Fi availability on aircraft is increasing. And the reason for that is the decreased cost of better hardware (including its installation), which allows more airlines to upgrade to faster speeds and smaller airlines to adopt Wi-Fi for the first time. In fact, there exist two operating systems that help us to stay in touch with family and friends during a flight: ground-based and satellite. Ground-based Wi-Fi works in...
Did You Know | Why Are You Not Allowed to Walk Under the Wings of an Aircraft?
Boarding a plane is a sequence of airport procedures. When you finally arrive at the plane and walk to get aboard you may notice that the area under aircraft wings is usually separated with orange cones signaling that walking under the aircraft wings is not allowed. Have you ever wondered why you are not allowed to walk under the aircraft wings when boarding? Like almost all things in aviation, this is a question of safety too. Everyone working around the aircraft receives safety training on when, where, and how to approach an aircraft. This restriction is related to several safety issues....
Flight Training: Does it Matter Where?
The student-pilot arrives to the aerodrome and gets onto the plane for the first flight. This is the moment the student has been waiting for. From the very moment the student takes off, they become a member of a pilot community around the globe. Let’s be honest. Flight training is the most interesting and awaited time after long hours of learning intensive aviation theory in classes and preparation for exams. Then the flying itself might feel like a reward. All you need to do is simply to fly. But have you ever thought whether there is a difference where to conduct...