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Technology and curiosities from the world of aeroplanes

HANGARS

How were the hangars born? To answer this question, it’s interesting to start with the etymology of the term ‘hangar’. It’s very likely that the word came from the Frankish haimgard, which means ‘enclosure annexed to the house’. Do you remember the aviation pioneer Louis Blériot. Well, during...

WINDY LANDING

Take-off – cruise – landing. We don’t need to explain the meaning of these words to you, our expert AvGeek readers. Today we are talking about landing in the wind, one of the most complex landing conditions, according to our pilots. Perfect landing condition is...

HOW DO AIRCRAFT HOLD DOORS WORK?

Why don’t we all admit it? Even though it may seem a bit daft, we’ve all wondered at least one in our lives what would happen if the aircraft hold door opened while the plane was flying. Well, the good news is, it’s impossible!...

THE LIFE OF A PILOT. INTERVIEW WITH FIRST OFFICER GRIGORY SHEVANDIN

Working as a pilot is a rewarding profession. FLIGHT is a superpower that shortens geographical distances and overcomes gravity. Through technology, humans are capable of overcoming the forces of nature. The possibility of flight touches at the heart of what it means to be human. We...

BOARDING ON THE LEFT

AirDolomiti_Imbarco
If you’ve come across this section of our blog dedicated to flying, we’re sure you love airplanes. You may even be a frequent flyer. If that is the case, sorry for this short piece of obvious information: passengers board planes on the left-hand side....

AEROPLANE MAINTENANCE

Before you go on a road trip by car, it’s a good idea to do a few safety checks. Engine oil level, tyre pressure, brake condition and the correct functioning of the lights are top of the check list for all responsible drivers. In aviation,...

A CERAMIC COATING COULD MAKE THE HYPERSONIC PLANE A REALITY

Heat has always been the main obstacle to the development of hypersonic aircrafts. Travelling at Mach 5 generates ultra-high temperatures well above 300°C and, up until now, materials subjected to this type of heat have literally disintegrated. But all this is about to change....

HOW DO GLIDERS FLY?

If you love flying, you’ll know that you don’t always need an engine to fly. Just like boats, planes can also fly using sail power. And that’s exactly how gliders fly. Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft, also called aerodynes, with a highly tapered fuselage and extremely long...

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

AirDolomiti_deicing
Heavy snowfall has its charms. Flying over the Dolomites, we wouldn’t expect anything else. But sometimes, heavy snowfall brings with it gridlock, temporary bus and train cancellations, issues in towns and cities and for those who have upcoming travel plans. So… How do aeroplanes behave when...

AIRCRAFT LIGHT

le luci degli aerei
How many times during a nice evening outdoors have you squinted up at a little light in the sky and asked yourself ‘is that a star or an aeroplane?’. It takes a few seconds to work it out. As you focus on that distant...