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Why don't airplane turbo piston engines have boost control? Why is it possible to over-boost piston aircraft engines? All turbo car engines have a wastegate that just vents pressure back to the intake, whereas in an airplane the pilot has to look at the manifold pressure gauge to protect the engine. <Q> The majorit...	It is possible to overboost ANY turbocharged or turbo-normalized engine if handled improperly, aviation or otherwise.
What are CAS and EAS used for? What are calibrated airspeed (CAS) and equivalent airspeed (EAS) used for? When would a pilot need to know these? <Q> The different airspeeds: <S> IAS is indicated airpseed CAS is calibrated airspeed <S> EAS is equivalent airspeed <S> TAS is true airspeed <S> CAS is IAS correct...	For engineers, TAS (actual velocity through the air) is used in lift equations, EAS is used in calculating dynamic pressures on the plane (TAS corrected for air density).
Does "cleared into the Bravo at 3500" mean I must wait until I hit 3500 before entering it? Let's say I'm two miles away from entering the class B, heading straight for it at 1500 feet and climbing. Approach control gives me my clearance as "...cleared into the class Bravo at 3500 feet...". On one hand, they know my he...	Another interpretation is that you are cleared to enter a shelf of the class bravo with a floor at 3500', as listed on your charts.
Does a runway have to be closed for not having markings due to resealing work? Is it required to close a runway if the paint has been removed for resealing the asphalt? <Q> Not Necessarily While some regulations or guidance material may call for some or most runways to be closed during maintenance or construction work...	Basically, if you are not a passenger airport with scheduled or non-scheduled service of aircraft with 30 or more passengers, or if your sealing project is not funded through a Federal AIP grant, you may leave temporary markings off as long as NOTAMS are issued to this effect to the pilots - that the runway is unmarked...
What is the meaning of "altimeter three-zero-one-one"? I've been listening to a lot of liveatc.net recently (mostly at CYVR). What does it mean when the ATC give an "altimeter" reading (usually around the 3000 area). Altimeter three-zero-one-one. I'm assuming it's like a QNH setting? But not in kPa? Addon Quest...	That refers to an altimeter adjustment to compensate for local atmospheric variations in pressure.
How can you identify an Airbus or Boeing from the inside? How can you recognize a plane from the inside, when you are already sitting as passenger? In particular, is there a way to understand if you are inside a Boeing or an Airbus? <Q> Look at the safety card in the seat pocket in front of you: <S> As a side note, ...	Airbuses have a sign showing when the door / plane was manufactured.
Are the first solo flights by a student pilot more dangerous? The first solo flight is a nail-biting moment, not only for the student pilot, but also for the flight instructor who's sending him off. In theory not having a CFI reduces the margin of safety compared to flights with an instructor (at the same point in a s...	Actually, student pilots themselves are prone to less accidents compared to others.
When taking passengers, what should I do to prepare them? What kinds of stuff should I think about in terms of taking other passengers flying in a small airplane? Many potential passengers have never been in a small airplane. <Q> I go through the SAFETY checklist with all my passengers. <S> The FAA recommends this ...	Make sure everyone knows how to fasten and unfasten, and when the lap and shoulder portions should be worn. If we need to land off the airport, I will ask you to pop open the door just before landing to ensure we can exit the airplane safely.
What aircraft would have these tail numbers? Last night I was looking at a flight radar on my phone, and I saw two blips flying close to each other over Camden, NJ. They were heading northeast at around 250 knots, and the only information displayed was their registrations, listed as 1678c37 and 1678c38. A google search...	I'm convinced this numbers were fligtradar-internal identifiers, nothing concerning the flights themselves.
How is a "fast jet" classified? In the book 'Pocket guide to military aircraft', they use the term 'Fast jet' for a certain range of aircraft. Is 'fast jet' a common and well defined term used within aviation? If so, how is it defined? In order to be classified as a 'fast jet', does an aircraft have to be able to reac...	To reiterate, I'm not aware of any precise technical term called 'fast jet' and this seems to be (mostly) a British thing.
Why isn't dumped fuel burned? Fuel dumping seems to have a lot of restrictions, like the need to do it above a certain altitude and over water. It also has to end up somewhere, even if it vaporizes, which is less than desirable. It seems like burning off fuel as it's dumped could solve these problems. Obviously there's...	Burning the fuel represents much more risk than just "rapid unplanned incineration".
How are aircraft transported to, and then placed, in an aircraft boneyard? I was looking at the boneyard at Davis Monthan Air Force Base and was wondering: How are aircraft brought there, and then how are they placed so tightly together? <Q> Most are just flown in to Davis-Monthan AFB and then towed over to the boney...	A plane headed for a museum or restoration shop, even as a donor, is often disassembled and sent by truck, train or ship.
What is the descent rate in emergency situations? I fly a plane at 40000 feet. There is a sudden depressurization; what is the maximum vertical speed I can keep to come back at a proper altitude? Is this speed different for different emergency situations? (Engine stopping/fire/general emergency). Are there any numeric...	The Mesa E175 that had an emergency descent about a year ago peaked around 7000 fpm, in total taking 6 minutes to descend from FL340 to 10,000 ft.
Why are airplanes parked at the gate with max rudder deflection? Quite often I see aircraft parked at the gate with rudder deflected to the max. I see this either with Boeing and Airbus aircraft so it must have been done on purpose. I know that there are dampers connected to the yaw, or are those not powerful enough to...	Some aircraft, like a C-172, have a pin that locks the aileron and elevator in place. Strong wind may also cause the surfaces to deflect past their designed maximum, causing damage.
What is the power source of the clock in glass cockpits? I always get the impression that, once the shutdown & secure checklist is completed, there would be absolutely no electricity to any components in the cockpit or any aircraft systems. However, most flight management computers know the current time. The time is a...	A low-current hot buss that is always connected to the system battery A small rechargeable battery that powers low-power time and memory circuits
When should a PPL student start learning navigation? A big part of the ground syllabus for PPL training is navigation and flight planning. The ground training feeds into practising navigation in-flight and of course eventually to the qualifying cross-country. What's the best time to start the classroom work on this su...	Studying navigation way ahead of using it is unlikely to give you any real advantage as you will likely forget a lot by the time you do go flying and have to re-learn the topics.
Is there anything wrong with this more symmetric aircraft design, and why isn't it used? I imagine a fixed wing airplane design that's a lot more symmetric than what I see today. This symmetric design has wings in the middle of the fuselage (neither high wing nor low wing), and the empennage is a symmetric cross. Two...	While there may be minor advantages of having the vertical tail symmetry, there is no actual symmetry in the vertical plane for any airplane, simply because any airplane needs to produce lift - which is the biggest aerodynamic force.
What is the weight that is used to balance an aircraft called? I remember I was reading about balancing an airplane a few days ago, and i came across a type of weight that is added to balance the airplane. But, I do not remember what it was called. Also could someone tell me the approved location of these weights on ...	It is called ballast - part of the inherited ship
Which aircraft require that the vertical position of the centre of gravity is checked? We normally check the aircraft CG along the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis (sometimes referred to as the transverse axis) to ensure it is within limits. Until recently I was unaware of any aircraft that required a check and c...	So the simplest answer is that it does make a difference, which is more than just measurable in some applications, but normally the difference is of small consequence and only a tertiary consideration.
Is the induced drag independent of wing span? I am a new aviation student and I was reading about induced drag the other day. I know that it is produced as a result of the tip vortices and that the greater the aspect ratio of an airplane the less the induced drag force. But when it came to the equation of the force, it...	The coefficient of induced drag is inversely proportional to the aspect ratio.
Are an aircraft's nuts and bolts generally either all Imperial or all Metric, or can they be mixed? This is a low-tech question, but I was wondering about the distribution of imperial vs metric hardware on aircraft. When current commercial aircraft land at major airports, a mechanic will know which set of wrenches to...	There are also a significant minority of aircraft that use exclusively metric hardware. Speaking from my experience of having worked at remote airports, on vintage aircraft, most toolboxes reflect the use of Standard hardware.
Can large airliners such as a 747 maneuver without electricity? Small aircraft have the flight controls physically linked to control surfaces by some kind of cable and pulley system. For a large aircraft such as a 747, are the control systems mechanically aided and if so, can they be used without power? <Q> Flight cont...	In case the electrical supply fails ( extremely low likelihood actually ), some aircraft have mechanical backup, while the others haven't got anything, apart from aircraft like 787, which have their controls actuated by electrical power and are dead once electrical supply fails.
Can civilian aircraft fly through or land in restricted airspace in an emergency? This is a super hypothetical question of mine. I was wondering if civilian pilots who happened to be faced with a severe emergency could fly through or possibly request to land in restricted airspace? Mainly I am referring to Area 51? <Q>...	OTOH, in a general sense of the question, the answer is "yes, if necessary for safety of flight, a civilian emergency can land at an airfield in restricted airspace." While Area 51 is a pretty extreme example, people have had emergencies and landed in military or other restricted facilities.
Why don't we have helicopter airlines? Just a curious thought. Why isn't there any helicopter airline? Airlines that operate large helicopters that can transport 10 or 20 people a short distance? <Q> They do in fact exist, though they often use smaller helicopters. <S> A Google search on the term "heli taxi" yields tho...	In the UK, British International Helicopters (formerly British Airways Helicopters ) is a helicopter airline, although they do not currently fly any regular public routes.
Why doesn't a single engine airplane rotate along the longitudinal axis? As far as I know, the tail rotor in helicopters prevents the aircraft from turning in the opposite direction that the main blades turn (due to Newton's third law). On the other hand, torque in single-engine airplanes makes them drift away from the...	As to the solution, most single engine aircraft have the vertical stab offset by a small amount to generate a counter force to the torque.
Is turning off engines before landing "Normal"? I was traveling by Airbus A380 recently and I was sitting near the wing.Throughout the flight, I could hear the airplane noise even with headphones on. Suddenly before landing, everything went silent. There was no noise at all. There was a strange silence throughout the...	There's virtually no chance of the pilot deliberately switching off all 4 engines, and even less chance of all 4 engines failing at the same time.
Can we borrow Formula One's ground effect for airplanes? ( Source ) Inspired by the now banned late 70's F1 ground effect , I wondered if it can be adopted by airplanes. So, I came up with this: (Own work) The system A belly door that opens at slow speeds and leads to a narrowing cavity—inverted diffuser. In e...	Ground effect works for the car because it increases the force between the car and the ground, over and above the car's weight.
What is the reason of having an Angle of Incidence on an airplane? I know that the angle of incidence is the angle between the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. I know that it doesn't change in flight because it is fixed. And usually, there is a positive angle of incidence on airplan...	Setting the wing at an angle helps in keeping the drag low for the given lift.
Why did WWII prop aircraft have colored prop tips? Why do propeller aircraft from World War II and similar planes sometimes have the tips of the props colored? I see it on single engine planes like the P-51 as well as bigger, multi-engine planes such as the B-17. <Q> The prop tips are painted for visibility, to show th...	The tips on the opposite side are painted bright colors so the spinning propeller can be more easily seen to warn those on the ground about walking into it.
Why isn't tungsten used in supersonic aircraft? Why isn't Tungsten used in supersonic jets or flights even though it has a High Melting and Boiling point? <Q> While tungsten does have a high melting point (I'm not sure what's the relevance of boiling point here), it has little else to offer for aircraft construction. <...	Tungsten is used in armor piercing projectiles; the results of a tungsten turbine blade failure would not be good.
Why do jet engines smoke? ( YouTube video ) From the video linked above, I was wondering why the engines emit so much smoke? Has something gone wrong? Poor maintenance? Isn't it dangerous? <Q> Early jet engines used to create a lot of smoke due to these reasons (and due to lack of environmental regulations). <S> ...	Smoke in jet engines is usually from unburnt or partially burnt fuel (or by water injection).
Was the Boeing 747 designed to be supersonic? I heard a rumour that the Boeing 747 was originally designed for supersonic cruising. Is this correct? Are the airframe and wings able to cross the sound barrier without damage? <Q> No. <S> The Boeing 747 was not designed for supersonic flight, though during testing, it w...	The Boeing 747 is NOT designed for supersonic flight...
How does a jet's throttle actually work? How does a jet's throttle actually work? What does it do to the pressure chamber and the fire output controller? <Q> The throttle (or thrust lever) in a gas turbine engine adjusts the thrust produced by controlling the fuel flow to the combustion chamber. <S> Most of the mode...	Early jet aircraft did use a throttle - literally a cockpit lever connected to a throttleable valve to precisely meter fuel into the combustion chamber(s) of the engine.
How does the Aerobridge dock with an aircraft? What mechanism is employed by the Aerobridges to dock with the aircraft. I am not looking at how the plane docks but how the aerobridge manages to attach itself over the door of the aircraft? Is it some vaccum tech or what? From outside, one can only see the bellows/ flexi...	Well jetways don't exactly 'dock' with an aircraft; there is no hard coupling between the tunnel and the airplane like say that found with a spacecraft docking. Actual docking systems always involve specially designed parts that hook up to each other and lock in place, plus a sealing mechanism (for example a rubber sle...
What is a Cessna 172's maximum altitude? What is the maximum altitude at which a Cessna 172 can fly? <Q> The absolute ceiling, or the maximum height an aircraft can fly to, is usually not published; manufacturers usually use service ceiling as the benchmark. <S> Depending on the model 172, this is between 13,000-15,0...	Service ceiling is the maximum altitude which the aircraft can attain flying in air at Standard Temperature and Pressure (29.92" Hg and 15° C at MSL) and still be able to climb at a rate of at least 100 feet/min.
Are aviation accident investigation reports always made public? How is the dissemination of aviation accident investigation reports regulated? Are the reports public by default, or can they be kept secret? Are there any known rules on this? If the reports are not public, do the people involved in the accident have a ...	European Regulation European regulation n°996/2010 specifies that the BEA makes public information on the progress of its investigations and that it informs in advance the members of the families of victims.
What kind of dihedral would be most stable? What kind of dihedral would be most stable? An airplane with wing span x ft and whose dihedral begins from the root(attachment point to the fuselage) of the wings and whose wing tips are y ft above ground level. An airplane with wing span x ft and its dihedral begins from ...	I believe that the polyhedral wing is stable but not the best because the wings are wide and too easy turn.
Has there ever been a sideways H-tail on an airplane? I've seen several aircraft with 2 vertical stabilizers and 2 rudders. This could be an H-tail like the B-25 Mitchell or the A-10 Warthog , or something more sleek like the Su-27 . However, I got to thinking, are there any airplanes that have 2 sets of horizonta...	Another good example is its predecessor, the Farman III , which had two horizontal stabilizers and a single vertical tail right in the middle, forming a perfect sideways 'H'.
What is the benefit of a curved up flight deck? A Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has an interesting aspect: the edge of the runway is raised, which “pushes” the plane in the air during the takeoff. Looking at takeoff videos, the curved edge seems very natural. All USA aircraft carriers I can think of have...	The catapult launch offers more options - it can operate in wider range of sea conditions compared to the ski-jump and can even launch aircraft even if one of the engines fail during the launch , a feat usually not possible for the aircraft in ski-jump.
What are the disadvantages of a delta wing biplane design? The idea of a delta wing as I understand it is to reduce stress on the wing and drag on the leading edge. Now using two delta wings on separate planes, on one frame would presumably allow for a reduced wing size, and therefore less drag. I imagine it could also...	The main drawback of a biplane is drag, but drag increases with the square of velocity, and delta wings are best in high-speed flight.
Is the Fortran language still being used in aviation? I am an aeronautical engineering student at Istanbul Technical University and our course plan includes Fortran as a programming language. I have some doubts about that because Fortran is an old language. Is Fortran still being used in aviation? <Q> FORTRAN is not u...	I've been told directly by a director of UAV development for the U.S. that Fortran is still used in their UAVs.
What are these aircraft at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake? What are these 12 aircraft at the co-ordinates 35.677323, -117.676903 ? I recognize the F-111 and C-130, but not the others. Source: google maps <Q> This answer is a Community Wiki .Community <S> edits are welcome. <S> The aircraft in the phot...	F-4 Vought F8U/RF8U Crusader North American T-39 RA-5C Vigilante tail number 156640 source , photographer: 4- McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom II Either a Grumman A-6 or a KA-6 Intruder.
Can a pulse jet be used on a light GA aircraft? I have an idea for designing a light, cheap and fast 2-seated private airplane... I was thinking about using a pulse jet engine which is simple to design and build, and is cheap too. Noise is not an important concern in my region. The only things that I'm wondering abo...	Generally pulse jets are not great at low speeds (and can be hard to start when stationary).
How do pilots identify the taxi path to the runway? When the aircraft is readying to taxi, the ATC asks them to proceed to some runway number, say runway 09. In big airports, how do the pilots identify the correct path to their runway? Does the ATC guide them? Or do they get a map of an airport chart? <Q> (Source: wi...	While taxiing there are signs on the ground which assist the pilot in navigating the taxiways.
What is the name and purpose of this part on the flap at the DA40? There is a part on DA40's and also DA42's flap. I cannot find the technical document and I couldn't decide what is the purpose of that part. Is it a mass balance part or what? You may see the part at picture. (Note: First picture is not showing the part...	These are hinges, pivot points for the flaps, and some of them also probably contain the extension mechanism.
Why do solar planes have many small propellers instead of fewer large ones? Many solar planes, like NASA's Helios (pictured above), NASA's Pathfinder , and to a lesser extent Facebook's Aquila employ the use of many small motor propeller sets instead of one or two engines like most planes. Why is this? Smaller mo...	In addition to the thrust distribution, a multi motor design also allows you to turn off some motors if you run into a cloudy situation that provides too little power. Also, boundary layer problems on propellers are less severe than on wings because the rotation will cause the slowed boundary layer to be moved outwards...
Why does the MiG-15 have a cruciform tail? The horizontal stabilizers of the MiG-15 are halfway up the tail. This is called a cruciform tail. Why did they put them there? Why not a T-tail or the normal tail where the stabilizers are on the fuselage? <Q> The tail position is a compromise which is influenced by these f...	By mounting the tail higher up on the swept vertical tail, its lever arm (in horizontal direction) can be increased without lengthening the tailpipe.
What happens if the gust alleviation system on an A380 fails? In an answer , a user linked to this video of the gust alleviation system (GAS) on an A380. This seems like a complex system with many moving parts—all the ailerons move completely independently. What happens if the GAS fail, if for instance two ailerons ...	Its hard to say, but generally speaking no, the direct failure of a single system would not be fatal. Failure means that the GAS will not add its additional deflections to the control commands from the pilots or the autopilot.
Can a wide body airliner land safely with a full fuel tank? Can a commercial double-aisle jet aircraft (e.g., 777, A330) land safely with a full fuel tank (minus the fuel spent on taxing and takeoff)? Has that ever happened? <Q> Can a wide body airliner land with a full fuel tank? <S> Yes! <S> But it is safer to la...	Yes, you can safely land with full fuel.
Why is there a pressure drop in the combustion section of a jet engine? This image, referenced in this question , shows in green the pressure value in a jet engine: The combustion section between compressor and turbine is where fuel is injected, mixed with air, and burnt. Why is there a pressure drop while combust...	The question you linked to contains the answer to your question: the small pressure drop in the combustor is caused by friction
Has there ever been a tail-dragger with retractable tail-gear? This comes from a slightly related question about drag from landing gear . A tail-dragger is the old-school layout of aircraft, particularly WW2-era fighters. It's also known as Conventional Landing Gear . The first two landing gear is usually retractab...	FLying Fortress is one example of an aircraft designed with a retractable tailwheel.
What is the preferred way to slow down an airliner on a long runway? EDIT: Another way to phrase the question is, given an extra long runway, does it make sense to substitute mechanical braking (which is the primary way to slow down in a typical situation) partially or completely with something else, to reduce brake ...	WHEEL BRAKES Wheel brakes contribute the most to aircraft deceleration on the ground.
Why are most runways made of asphalt and not concrete? From the little I know about vehicles in cities, nowadays concrete is preferred to asphalt for road construction as, while initially more expensive, concrete is supposed to be cheaper to maintain. From a recent reading I understand India also uses asphalt in mos...	The runways you have observed may be originally constructed using concrete but resurfaced using asphalt.
Why is water-contaminated fuel bad, but water-injection is not? A "wet" takeoff of a KC-135 with J57 engines—By USAF Photographer (USAF photo) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Why is water-contaminated fuel bad, but water-injection is not? The way I understand it, water-injection lowers the combustion temper...	Water in fuel will freeze, causing clogging of filters and nozzles, leading to the engine flaming out.
Why would a helicopter hold a 'nose-up' in hover? (The Grand Tour; episode 2) SAS unit fast roping from a Blackhawk. Why is the helicopter pitched-up? Actual scene footage have it like that for a few seconds while holding steady over a building. How come it's not flying backward? <Q> This screen grab is from a few sec...	Therefore the fuselage is designed to be pitched up in a hover so that during forward flight it is level or close to level with the airstream for efficiency, and to maximimize pilot visibility to the front, and passenger comfort during the forward flight portion of a flight.
How can you navigate "Writing" onto FlightRadar Plans? Sorry if the question title here is a bit misleading, the graphic here should explain all: I read a news story this morning about how a guy flying a Robin DR400 regularly creates inventive patterns in his flight tracks. Source The question is, how would the pil...	You would need a chart and the rest of your preflight planning kit; pilotage, 'I follow roads' and any of the other navigational aids mentioned in the other answers.
What is a flat rated engine? I've heard that a "Flat Rated Engine" is an engine where the power is reduced to keep the internal temperature within certain limits when the ambient temperature is above a certain point. Is that correct? How does it work? <Q> Yes, a flat rated engine (my familiarity is with gas turbines, b...	When an engine is Flat rated it means that an engine of high Horsepower rating is constrained to a lower horsepower rating.
Do pilots ever use the aircraft's ICAO 24-bit address when communicating with ATC? Do pilots know the unique ICAO 24-bit hexadecimal code for their aircraft? Do they ever give it directly to ATC? For example, to controllers who make the flight strips with destination, departure, type of aircraft etc. I know for a fact ...	Typically pilots do not know the 24-bit aircraft address of their aircraft. The 24-bit address is used by transponders for communication with Mode-S radars, ADS-B transmissions, by TCAS for tracking traffic and coordinating Resolution Advisories and by Data-Link communications.
What happened to this airplane at Lombok Airport? Last month I was on holiday in Indonesia and I had to take a flight from Lombok International Airport (IATA: LOP ). While I was waiting for boarding I noticed an airplane (wreck) next to the runway that was somewhat burned down at the front (fire?). The abandoned p...	It may be an old, decommissioned plane that they can start small fires in, and plan how to approach a plane, practice aiming their water cannons and putting the fires out.
What's the difference between feathering, and flapping in a helicopter? Aren't both methods used to increase angle-of-attack (AoA)? Blade flapping will change the blades level, while feathering will change the pitch, but if both increase AoA why not just use one method? <Q> Feathering <S> The collective pitch contro...	Increasing feathering / pitch generally increases the aerodynamic forces on the blades, which changes the flapping.
What is the correct phraseology for declaring a fuel emergency? If I am pilot, approaching my destination airport and realise that, after landing I will have less than 30 minutes of fuel remaining, how exactly should I express this when communicating with ATC? in ICAO rules in FAA rules in EASA rules For example...	The pilot-in-command shall declare a situation of fuel emergency by broadcasting MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY,
Could a turbofan have two adjacent fans? Is there any a point where it becomes possible/ideal to run two large front fans (side by side) powered from a 'single' core? Otherwise shoot this to pieces and explain the ways this is a bad idea. This inspiration for this question is from the design of some rocket motors whic...	Increases in reliability and greater power producing efficiency certainly has started a trend towards fewer, larger jet engines with bigger fans. Famous examples of aircraft which used a single engine and two "fans" would start with the Wright Flyer models, all of which had a single engine drive two propellers via bicy...
What would non-potable water be used for on an airliner? Airliners have potable water tanks and distribution systems for galley functions and such; of course, this water is used for any non-potable functions as well as it's what's available on a modern airliner. However, this question makes me wonder if there are ...	Now if we're talking about aircraft that DO use non-potable water then look no further than fire fighting aircraft that pick up water from lakes and rivers and dump it on wildfires.
Why do airlines retire the flight number after a crash? Perhaps it seems obvious, but I couldn't find a plausible reason why they do so other than that it evokes negative emotions among passengers and crew. Could there be other reasons to do so? For example, flight number MH370 was retired as a "mark of respect" for...	Retiring flight numbers after crash is mainly done to prevent the flight evoking negative emotions among future passengers.
Do laser Christmas lights have the same dangers as laser pointers aimed at planes? With new laser Christmas decorations like this one, a laser appears to shine in patterns on a house for a decorative effect. If this is aimed so that some of the beams miss the house and go over it into the sky, could they cause probl...	This power of laser is too weak to make a noticeable distraction beyond about 500 feet, so it would be unlikely to affect a plane.
What software is used for aerodynamic wing shape optimization? I can see lots of research articles around aerodynamic shape optimization of airfoils and wings like this MDOlab program. But all stuff like that don't seem to be available for a simple customer. Personally I've not seen where I can buy or download it. Th...	I'd also recommend looking at XFLR5 because that's what I see most people in the homebuilt experimental and radio controlled communities use.
Are there any known incidents of ejections by capsule? What are the survival chances? One hears of many stories of ejection seats but rarely of ejection by capsule. Probably because seats are so much more common. So are there any known incidents of ejections by capsule? F-111 was one such aircraft that had an ejectio...	One notable type was the Stanley Corp. Ejection Capsule . Yes, in the B-70 accident, one of the crew members escaped inside a capsule, but had part of one of his elbows shaved, as it was caught by the shell and cut on launching from airplane, and some backbone fractures on landing, as the parachute didn't work properly...
Why does the F-111 have a capsule ejection system rather than a conventional system? Following on from the questions F-111 emergency landing with no wheel; what is done to reduce risks when loosing a wheel? and Are there any known incidents of ejections by capsule? What are the survival chances? I wondered, what is...	It has to do with the realities of a supersonic ejection at high altitudes, which is usually fatal for unprotected aircrews, both from bodily trauma from exposure to a supersonic slipstream and the extreme low temperatures and pressures which would be encountered at typical cruise altitudes.
Do (did) powered airplanes exist where pilots are not in a seated position? Well... all is said in the title. I mean "traditional" powered airplane, with a cockpit and long flight capable, not a paraglider. Upright pilot or prone pilot would qualify.Likely experimental or military. Source The concept was once studi...	The Hiller Pawnee had the pilot in a standing position. The Horten gliders were flown in a prone position so the pilot would present a lower cross section.
Why are civilians not allowed to fly demilitarized US fighter jets? I have seen it is possible to fly demilitarized Russian fighter jets in the US. Why is it impossible to fly American demilitarized fighter jets? <Q> That's because US military is particularly concerned about chopping up its assets before civilians can ...	So basically, it boils down to the fact that the US military makes sure that the airframes won't fly again.
How is it possible to perform a rapid climb / tight loop without stalling? I'm still trying to get my mind fully around "Angle of Attack". This makes sense to me in the most basic situations, but when I start throwing more dramatic situations at it, my understanding breaks down... which means I don't really understand ...	The main difference is your speed, or so to say the excess power used for climbing.
Why does an airliner fuselage have a constant section over its length rather than a tear drop shape? It is usually stated than a tear drop shape is a good shape for aerodynamic efficiency: Adapted from Nasa On the other hand, fuselage on an airliner has most of the time a long cylindrical section with round/taper...	The shape was great aerodynamically, but it was expensive to build, it made it more difficult to ensure all elements have proper strength to withstand the pressurisation, every time they derived a larger version they had to redesign all frames and in operation it was not exactly convenient for loading either.
Can a helicopter carry a large airplane? I saw on YouTube a helicopter carrying an airplane. Is this possible, I mean is the maximum load compatible with the mass of this aircraft? <Q> If you look more closely, this "airplane" is only the husk of a Tupolev Tu-134 , a rather small airliner, and the helicopter is a Mi...	In Vietnam it was pretty common to remove crashed aircraft from the jungle using helicopters.
How can I find the CG of a model aircraft based on its dimensions? Given the dimensions and gross weight of an RC model aircraft, how can I find the center of gravity? Can I calculate it, or perhaps there's some way to approximate it? <Q> You cannot. <S> Assuming that by 'dimensions' you mean the values for length, w...	The center of mass will be along the centerline of the aircraft (usually by virtue of symmetry).
Where does turbine vane and blade cooling air come from? Some large jet engines have a high combustion temperature to increase maximum thrust. First vanes and blades of the turbine must be cooled to prevent them from melting. One method is to circulate cold air from the compressor inside the element and/or create a coa...	The Stage 1 nozzle is cooled by air extracted from the inner and outer combustion-liner cavities.
What is the function of variable inlet guide vanes in terms of pressure change? Nowadays in the turbofan Variable Inlet Guide Vanes are more and more used. My question is: which is their function in terms of pressure change? The question is very specific: I know that they allow to give the most proper direction to th...	They will accelerate the flow and therefore reduce the pressure at the vane outlet.
Is King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh actually very big? Apologies in advance if this is in the wrong place, there isn't a geography StackExchange so this was the next best option I could find. I've read multiple things about the huge size of King Khalid Internaional Airport (IATA: RUH, ICAO: OERK) in Riyad...	In terms of passengers per year, Riyadh's airport is relatively large, but nowhere close to the world's largest hub airports.
What aircraft fly faster than 250 knots indicated airspeed under 10,000 feet for safety reasons? 14 CFR 91.117 limits aircraft to 250 knots indicated airspeed below 10,000 feet, but 91.117(d) allows aircraft to fly a higher speed if the minimum safe speed is higher. What aircraft and aircraft conditions might require ...	Recognizing that some DoD aircraft performance requirements exceed 250 knots, the FAA issued an exemption to 14 CFR Part 91.117.
Does oxygen become less available during night-time? The following excerpt is from the FAA's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (page 7-37): Some people flying above 10,000 feet during the day may experience disorientation due to the lack of adequate oxygen. At night, especially when fatigued, these effec...	Night vision is one of the first things affected by reduced oxygen levels, and that effect is masked in daylight, but can become consequential at night.
Is there a convention for type of switch used and where? In most cockpits, you'll find the full gamut of switch types in use. Toggle, rocker, push-button and more. Each has their own "feel" and might be used for different situations. Is there any convention for what type of switch is used in a cockpit, and where/for w...	As far as I know, there are no strict conventions for this and this is why you see most aircraft types equipped with their own panels and cockpit design.
Is there a commonly recognized placeholder airline name? I'm wondering if there is a common placeholder name for an airline , either implying a legally disclosed or fictional entity, which is frequently used? For instance, I've seen the terms containing 'widgets' used very often in an economics context. John Doe is ...	At least within certain communities, Acme is a generally recognized placeholder name for airlines. If the generic airline is not associated with a particular market,an alternative is to use a placeholder geographical name:Utopia Airlines or Air Ruritania for a national-scale airline,Podunk Airlines for a local operatio...
How much of the landing runway is mine? If I am cleared to land a couple of miles on final, may I use the entire runway to the departure end, or do I have to comply with "taxi instructions" the tower controller might give me like "turn right at taxiway foxtrot," while I am still concentrating on safely completing the l...	The runway is yours and yours alone until you clear it one way or another.
Is it legal to use handheld radios to listen to aviation frequencies in the USA? Is it legal to use handheld radios to listen to (general aviation) airport frequencies in the USA? Can I go to an airport with a handheld radio and listen to their frequencies? <Q> USC 47 301 in general is all about "transmission of energy...	Your receiver must comply with USC 47 302a , the law that says, "you can't interfere with other equipment".
What will the pilot do if all the airspeed indicators fail? Are there any alternate instruments to indicate the airspeed in case of pitot tube failures? <Q> What you normally have is an unreliable airspeed procedure . <S> This generally says that you should, depending on phase of flight, maintain specific pitch, set s...	The ATC could give you updates on your speed. Some aircraft have angle of attack indicator, but most don't even though they have the sensor and use it for stall warning.
Has a fixed-wing aircraft ever been built that featured multiple turbines powering a single propeller? Has a fixed-wing aircraft ever been conceived, prototyped or built that features multiple turbines powering a single propeller? The concept of a twin-engine aircraft with a single propeller is intriguing to me. Pictur...	The LearAvia LearFan 2100 used two separate PT-6B to drive a single pusher propeller through a common gearbox. The Fairey Rotodyne probably counts, depending on your definition of "single rotor".
At what point is a turbine powered ducted propeller considered a turbofan? Turboprop Propellers can be ducted for extra thrust. What are the criteria for determining that the engine is no longer a ducted propeller design, but a turbofan? Does there have to be a type of blade design, a fully separate nacelle/pod, numbe...	The difference between a ducted propeller and a turbofan is mainly determined by the difference between a propeller and a fan.
What priority if any is given to Emergency Services in flight clearance? When requesting takeoff/landing and route clearance is any priority given to Emergency Services IE air ambulances, firefighting rigs, S&R etc. I'm assuming even though these services rise to the level of life or death, they are not treated with th...	The FAA's ATC orders section 2-1-4 has a list of aircraft operations that should be given priority, including emergency service flights, but an aircraft in distress always has the highest priority:
Why are the top speeds for jet engines higher than for propellers? I realize turbines are more efficient than piston engines, but if that were true, then why don't turbo-props reach jet speeds? <Q> The thrust of a propeller is proportional to the inverse of airspeed, while the thrust of a pure turbojet is roughly const...	Turbofans are more similar to propeller engines, so here the thrust goes down over airspeed, and more so for higher bypass ratios .
What is the fuel consumption of an aircraft in a holding pattern? I am doing a research about fuel cost when an aircraft is about to land. they may be asked to be hold due to the traffic congestion at the runway. consequently they consume extra fuel. My question is how I can estimate the cost per minute or second being...	To answer based on some data I had correlating aircraft in confirmed holding patterns (not speed-restricted en-route delays) vs. high altitude cruise, the short answer was: they use more - mostly because they were in low-speed manouevring, with flaps set.
From which ATC station is push-back clearance requested? When parked at the gate that requires a push-back onto the taxiway, from which ATC station is the push-back clearance requested? Is this the ground or apron station, or is that still departure clearance delivery station (as they better know the slot times, etc.)?...	If a pushback is done onto a taxiway which is a part of the maneuvering area, the aerodrome control tower must approve this first.
It is possible for an airplane to get infested by animals? Is it possible for an airplane to become infested by animals like mice or rats? Is it possible for them to survive? Do airliners do anything to prevent a scenario like this? Has it ever happened before? <Q> Yes, I have personally worked on multiple aircra...	I have also heard stories from many pilots and mechanics of finding birds nests—for example in engine intakes or the empennage—and of rodents chewing into or through electrical wiring. For any animal stowing away on a pressurized aircraft operating at high altitude I should think the low oxygen partial pressure and tem...
How does the V-22 Osprey share engine power between its rotors? I learned through a comment on this question about multiple engines powering a single propeller that the V-22 Osprey can power both rotors from a single engine, or use both engines to power a single rotor. What are the mechanical systems that make this...	Each engine drives its own rotor and the connecting shaft.
Why do ATC instructions to change level include the words "climb" or "descend"? ATC instructions to change level include the words "climb" or "descend" depending on the direction of the vertical maneuver. For example, "Descend to 2500 feet" or "Climb to FL70". For comparison, instructions to turn to a specific heading...	Therefore adding the instruction "climb/descend" offers an additional layer of security, because the pilot would never descend when instructed to climb (and vice versa) and the pilot is able to detect an instruction mismatching the flight level, i.e. "climb to FL240" when already at FL320 (taking the example in your qu...
What are the pros and cons of having a side-stick versus a centered control stick in a fighter aircraft? The Eurofighter Typhoon features a centered control stick: While for example in the F-16 the stick is on the right side panel: I find the latter configuration much more natural/ergonomical. Especially since the ...	Center mounted sticks are useful for maintaining positive control of the aircraft while operation some cockpit system on the right consoles and flying with your left hand. With a side stick only thing that is getting aggressive is your wrist flexors! As far as size and weight are concerned, both center mounted and side...
Can an experienced airplane spotter identify planes only by sound? I come from a background in railroad watching, and often times one can identify the maker of a railroad locomotive purely by sound. Maybe not the exact model of locomotive, but at least what type of diesel engine is in the locomotive. Although there...	Yes it is possible, although it is kind of hard to prove it over the internet. Generally the type of engine (propeller / turbo-fan / turbo-prop etc.) is quite easy to distinguish as they make very different sound.
What are the costs of 1 hour flight in modern low-cost airlines? Thinking about "low cost" airlines that often tickets of about 40 Euros for 2 flight hours, I was wondering how these companies can cover their costs. Considering for example EasyJet that fly with Airbus A319 (150 seats), with a unique cost of about 90 m...	For the low-cost model there's an article called The true cost of flying revealed , which uses a 154-passenger A320 for its figures.
When is the descent clearance requested from ATC? Is there a rule / Standard Operating Procedure as to when request the descent clearance during cruise flight? Something like one minute before reaching the Top of Descent point? <Q> Whether there are any formal policies for when to request descent will depend on the air...	From a controller point of view, I will expect you to request descent when you are ready for it - so a minute or so before reaching your top of descent point.
What is flight inspection, as provided by Cobham Aviation Services? At about midnight, I saw a small plane (a Diamond Twin Star ) take off from Heathrow, on flightradar24. It then proceeded to fly in irregular loops around North London, at low altitude, 1700ft. The plane had registration G-COBS, and seems to be owned ...	It may seem unusual, but it is actually a very common procedure, done regularly as part of national and/or international aviation standards, and every time there is a significant change to ground infrastructure which may affect Nav Aids signals.
How long does it take for an FAA licence to be delivered? Would anyone have an idea how how long it takes for a licence to be posted out. The airmen search tells me my ATP processing was completed at some point last week. So the licence has been finalised. Do they post the licences straight away and do they use Fedex...	The FAA does list what license applications are being processed on their website under airmen Certification so you can get a general idea of when you will receive your license in the mail.
Is there a definition of light/medium/heavy aircraft? I'm surprised this hasn't been asked before but I couldn't find it by searching. For separating arriving aircraft, ICAO PANS-ATM-Doc 4444 Air Traffic Management refers to aircraft as "LIGHT", "MEDIUM" or "HEAVY" but I cannot find any definition of what makes an ...	LIGHT (L) — aircraft types of 7,000kg or less.

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