ASAP Aviation Supplies Blog

In the early days of aviation, pilots often had to rely on the slow speeds of aircraft, friction of tail skid, airfield surfaces, and other factors to slow down planes that were devoid of aircraft brake parts. After World War I, aircraft began to improve upon their wheel and brake systems, allowing for safer ground operations with better stopping power and times. With brakes, pilots obtained the ability to taxi around and steer more efficiently, opening up more opportunities for flight and safety capabilities.

When procuring parts and components for an aircraft hydraulic system, it can sometimes be difficult to decide between hoses or tubes. Both component types are very common to hydraulic assemblies, and each may serve a particular section well with their properties. Nevertheless, there are some advantages and disadvantages to using each as a component for an assembly, and understanding the differences between the two can help in making a well informed decision.

For the conjoining and securing of aircraft hardware parts and structures together, aircraft rivets and fasteners are used. Aircraft fasteners are simply hardware devices that are used to join two or more components together in a secure fashion, either permanently or non-permanently. There are multiple types of fasteners, such as rivets, pins, screws, nuts, bolts, washers, nails, and more. Rivets are a type of permanent fastener that consist of a cylindrical shaft that feature a head on one side and a tail on the other. For installation, a rivet is passed through the hole of the object it is to fasten, and then the tail is deformed as to form a second head on the other side, securing the components together. In this blog, we will discuss the various types and uses of rivets that are used within the aerospace industry.

When travelling long distances by aircraft, it is only a matter of time before you start wondering when the familiar airline galley cart will roll down the aisles to provide food and drinks. While your stomach may be happy enough once it has received food, your mind still may be wondering where and how all the food and drinks for an entire passenger flight are kept in such a small aircraft, and how it is all prepared and delivered to passengers. The aircraft galley and galley cart help the crew store, prepare, and provide nourishment for passengers, and their capabilities and efficiency are constantly changing and improving with the advent of newer technologies. In this blog, we will discuss the galley and carts of commercial aviation.

When ascending into higher elevations, air pressure gradually lessens and breathing can become more labored. At high enough altitudes, conditions of oxygen, pressure, and temperature can even become dangerous to humans. Due to this, aircraft have been specifically engineered to maintain a comfortably pressured environment for passengers during flight. This means that every component must be designed to withstand the difference of pressure on the inside and outside of the fuselage. While windows and structures remain permanently closed and/or sealed, the main doors are openable. Luckily for any worried passenger, their design specifically prevents any possible openings or malfunction during flight.

Lights are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the most important components of a functional aircraft. However, the lights are all over an aircraft, and each one of them serves an important purpose. Just as important as the lights themselves is their installation. Aircraft engineers must be up to the task of installing functional lights that don’t interfere with passenger comfort, aircraft utility, or safety. 

Aircraft have sophisticated electrical systems made up of a multitude of varying components, each with an important role. An average aircraft electrical system consists of a generator, battery, master switch, generator switch, bus bar, fuses, circuit breakers, voltage regulators, ammeter, and corresponding wiring. The generator’s purpose is to supply electric currents to the electrical system and maintain sufficient charge in the battery. The energy in the battery is used to start the engine and also provides a small supply of power in the event of a failure of the generator.

Electrical cables, or power cables, perform the vital task of transmitting electrical power from one device to another. Without them, power stations, computer networks, televisions, telephones, and all other kinds of electronic devices would not be able to function. What type of cable is used depends on requirements like size, configuration, and performance.

When talking about aviation, it can be easy to focus on the intricate, ‘flashy’ parts of an aircraft like the engines, controls, avionics. Etc. These are all undeniably vital for a functioning aircraft, but equally vital is the aircraft’s hardware, the humble nuts, bolts, screws, and rivets that hold the airframe together. There’s no point in designing and manufacturing the perfect engine for an aircraft, after all, uf substandard bolts will cause it to tear itself off of the fuselage, after all! According to the Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics General Handbook, aircraft hardware is “the term used to describe the various types of fasteners and miscellaneous small items used in the manufacture and repair of aircraft.”

Lighting is a critical part of ensuring an aircraft’s safety in low-visibility conditions, such as night or inclement weather. Numerous regulations placed by international conventions government agencies like the Federal Aviation Authority and the European Aviation Safety Agency dictate their placement, numbers, and brightness.