Pilot's Life Blog

MARCH 15, 2024

Most Crucial Aircraft Components, From the Flight Crew to the Cockpit, Are in the Fuselage The body of an airplane is known as the fuselage. Pilots navigate the airplane forward in glass cockpits, which are located just over the aircraft’s nose. All of these primary control surfaces serve as a horizontal stabilizer for the plane.

Horizontal Stabilizer 52

Horizontal Stabilizer Aileron Air Traffic Control Lift 52

Airspeed Junkie

AUGUST 2, 2024

Cockpit and Avionics Sitting in the cockpit of a Cessna 172, one is immediately struck by the advanced Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite that dominates the instrument panel. First introduced in 2005, this all-glass cockpit revolutionized the flying experience for pilots by providing a comprehensive and intuitive interface.

Knot 98

Knot Cockpit Pilot Gross Weight 98

Vintage Aviation News

JANUARY 14, 2025

However, since Convair was also developing the XF-92 delta wing prototype for a future Air Force interceptor, the design team at Convair, led by Ernest Stout, proposed a new delta wing aircraft with retractable hydro-skis for takeoffs and landings, a watertight hull, and a single delta tail.

Cockpit 98

Cockpit Flight Deck Drag Stability 98

Vintage Aviation News

JULY 23, 2024

Smith) Another view of the wing center section and cockpit canopy at the crash site in 1993. image by Richard Mallory Allnutt) The Helldiver’s structure was substantially complete, with the area forward of the cockpit being the only significant section missing; the Navy had removed most of that area for analysis shortly after the crash.

Cockpit 130

Cockpit Drag Runway Pilot 130

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

(Nigel Hitchman) The story of the Breguet Deux-Ponts begins even before WWII, when Breguet Aviation began design work on the concept for a large four engine transport with two decks for passengers called the Breguet 760, which was based on the wings and tail assembly of the Breguet 730 flying boat.

Tail 59

Tail Cargo Stability Payload 59

Vintage Aviation News

JANUARY 6, 2025

The production model P-67 was also intended to be fitted with a pressurized cockpit, a novel concept for WWII fighters, and with an armament of six 37mm M4 cannons installed in the wings inboard of the engines, but these were not installed on the prototype. By May 11, Army Air Force pilots began evaluating the XP-67.

Gross Weight 98

Gross Weight Cockpit Pilot Airplanes 98

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

Wright State University) The original configuration of the Bell Model 68 was an open cockpit all-metal monoplane with fixed landing gear that was powered by two Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engines with thrust deflectors located at the aircraft’s center of gravity.

Thrust 59

Thrust Center of Gravity Descent Pilot 59

Ask the Pilot

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

One small hazard might’ve been broken material striking the rear stabilizers. Worst case would’ve been the slat breaking apart further, or detaching completely, unlikely as that might be, but even this wouldn’t crash the plane, so long as the stabilizers or tail weren’t struck and badly damaged. And so, here we are.

Stability 52

Stability Lift Runway Tail 52

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 11, 2025

Around this time, the USAAF was also developing its first jet fighters, but knew that all-jet aircraft at this time were short-ranged and burned fuel quicker than propeller-driven aircraft, and so the optimal design was to feature a propeller-driven engine in the front for long range performance and a jet engine in the tail for high speed in combat.

Thrust 52

Thrust Tail Jet Drag 52

Fear of Landing

MARCH 22, 2024

Gradually used to replace metals on parts of aircraft tails, wings, engines, cowlings, and parts of the fuselage, composites reduce overall aircraft weight and improve operational efficiency. Glass cockpits are in use on commercial, military, and general aviation aircraft, and on NASA’s space shuttle fleet.

Wind Shear 52

Wind Shear Airfoil Drag Airline 52

Flying Magazine

APRIL 30, 2024

Holding down the autopilot disconnect button allows you to maneuver past the ESP (electronic stability protection), and in this case, pitch up to a deck angle needed to induce preliminary stall buffeting. All versions come standard with a three-year, 1,000-hour spinner-to-tail warranty that rivals other new piston singles.

Pilot 111

Pilot Airplanes Approach Jet 111

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Remember that wings, propeller blades, and tail surfaces are airfoil-shaped. It most commonly forms on the leading edges of your aircraft, including the wings, tail, and horizontal stabilizer, as well as on the propeller blades and pitot tubes. Many aircraft have heated leading edges on the wings, tail, and propellers.

Pitot Tube 52

Pitot Tube Drag Lift Airfoil 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

The pilot is able to control the aircrafts roll by turning the control yoke or sidestick in the cockpit. What Is Aircraft Stability? Stability is the aircrafts tendency to maintain its attitude or orientation. This means that they have to be effective enough to counter the aircrafts inherent lateral stability.

Aileron 87

Aileron Weight-Shift-Control Rudder Longitudinal Axis 87

Vintage Aviation News

JUNE 10, 2024

That same day, 40467 was given the squadron code 19, which was applied in block letters to the engine cowling, landing gear covers, fuselage sides, and the vertical stabilizer, where it was underlined with a white bar. His wing tank and cockpit exploded.”

Cockpit 128

Cockpit Tail Pilot Stability 128

Vintage Aviation News

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

The Libeccio was of mixed construction, featuring a metal monocoque cockpit section attached to a welded steel tube fuselage frame covered in doped fabric, with wooden bars and panels on its top and bottom. 310 which featured a “stepless” plexiglass cockpit and two 700 hp Piaggio Stella P.XVI RC-35 radial engines.

Aileron 122

Aileron Tail Horizontal Stabilizer Cockpit 122

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 31, 2024

Photo by Colin Hunter] “Mostly XR987 had been rewired with new electrical cabling and upgraded cockpit instruments to a slightly more modern standard. ” ZK-RAJ after having its overhauled horizontal stabilizers reinstalled in late September 2024. ” XR987 on display at Classic Flyers NZ in February 2021.

Jet 105

Jet Cockpit Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes 105

Vintage Aviation News

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

137, showcasing the ventrally mounted vertical stabilizer. Unlike traditional aircraft, the Puffin’s vertical stabilizer and rudder were mounted below the fuselage rather than atop it, providing an unconventional, inverted look. Further stability on water was provided by two large floats beneath the outer interplane struts.

Stability 98

Stability Tail Aileron Rudder 98

Vintage Aviation News

JUNE 6, 2024

Like many aircraft of its day, the O3U Corsair was of tubular steel construction for the fuselage and tail stabilizers and the wings were made of wood, and all covered in fabric. The horizontal stabilizer and elevators of the O3U-3 were built over full scale Vought drawings.

Cockpit 98

Cockpit Horizontal Stabilizer Stability Tail 98

Vintage Aviation News

JULY 5, 2024

The tailfin was modified with additional area forward of tail plane, with a Meteor NF Mk.12-type 12-type fin giving more surface area for greater stability and to compensate for the extra fuselage length. This safety pilot handled engine starting, re-lighting and fuel control. feet this was the longest Meteor produced.

Cockpit 119

Cockpit Rudder Stability Pilot 119

Vintage Aviation News

FEBRUARY 6, 2025

A new, more capable aircraft was needed, and the Navy wanted an aircraft that had a long range, good stability, and a maximum speed of over 241 kph (149 mph). The aircraft had a tubular metal framework, with the engine cowlings and upper cockpit clad with aluminum, the rear covered in doped fabric.

Stability 52

Stability Tail Pilot Cockpit 52

Vintage Aviation News

JANUARY 23, 2025

Seeking to merge this breakthrough with a new design, he worked with Raymond Saulnier, co-founder of Morane-Saulnier, on a new design that became the Blriot XI, a tractor-configuration monoplane with a partially covered wooden box-girder fuselage with wire cross-bracing and a sparse open cockpit.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Horizontal Stabilizer Rudder Stability 52

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 8, 2024

This early design, also called the “Standard Seven,” featured a vestigial vertical stabilizer, ground adjustable propeller, and tight cowling that featured fairings for each rocker arm. It sported a supercharged 450 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior and an enlarged vertical stabilizer and rudder to match.

Rudder 85

Rudder Stability Airplanes Aileron 85

Vintage Aviation News

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Modifications to the cockpit included rocket motor selectors and switches that were installed just forward of the standard throttle box while the rocket gained its own throttle just aft of the standard throttle for the General Electric J47 turbofan.

Ceiling 98

Ceiling Pilot Stability Tail 98

Vintage Aviation News

OCTOBER 24, 2024

The tail section, minus horizontal stabilizer, came from a crashed TF-104G that was found in an Ontario, California junkyard. The horizontal stabilizer came from a wrecked F-104G. The cockpit side panels came from the first production F-104A that crashed in 1956.

Horizontal Stabilizer 124

Horizontal Stabilizer Airplanes Approach Thrust 124

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 10, 2023

More refined than its 1909 Military Flyer predecessor, it was the first Wright design to feature an elevator on the tail rather than a canard, it added wheels to eliminate the need to launch from a rail, and it had a more powerful engine. A rotor on the tail controlled pitch. A replica 1910 Wright Model B aircraft.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Tail Cockpit Rudder 52

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 18, 2024

A narrow catwalk passes between the V, allowing crewmembers to pass between the cockpit and radio room as they hold onto a woven rope to keep from slipping into the bomb bay and possibly out of the aircraft (if the doors are open). The tail gunner manned twin.50s, The inboard bomb rails form a V.

Airplanes 105

Airplanes Descent Pilot Stability 105

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

True, a slightly higher aspect ratio wing was desired, which in turn required a larger vertical tail and thus a little extra mass, but the size, approximately 20% larger than a Widgeon, was set. The Mallard—it’s a trike—has a tail stinger because it otherwise falls on its tail when loading.”

Airplanes 79

Airplanes Rudder Knot Aileron 79

Vintage Aviation News

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Using the new Bonanza as a basis for this design, there was some talk of adding the Bonanza’s V-tail on the aircraft before that was abandoned in favor of a more conventional vertical and horizontal stabilizer design. The result was the Model 45, the aircraft that would become the T-34 Mentor.

Horizontal Stabilizer 98

Horizontal Stabilizer Jet Pilot Stability 98

Vintage Aviation News

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Using the new Bonanza as a basis for this design, there was some talk of adding the Bonanza’s V-tail on the aircraft before that was abandoned in favor of a more conventional vertical and horizontal stabilizer design. The result was the Model 45, the aircraft that would become the T-34 Mentor.

Horizontal Stabilizer 98

Horizontal Stabilizer Jet Pilot Stability 98

Plane and Pilot

DECEMBER 16, 2024

Planespotters note the F2’s separate ailerons and flaps, conventional tail. Out back, theres an entirely new tail. The previous CTs had a stabilator for pitch, where the new F2 uses a more conventional elevator and fixed horizontal stabilizer.

Airplanes 98

Airplanes Rudder Aileron Crosswind 98

Aerotime

JANUARY 15, 2025

Sporting tail numbers 28000 and 29000, the VC-25As have been transporting heads of state for the US since 1987. The upper deck houses the communications center and cockpit, while the 4,000 square feet of floor space on the main deck is configured for presidential duties.

Cargo 252

Cargo Ferry Flight Tail Horizontal Stabilizer 252

Vintage Aviation News

DECEMBER 7, 2024

After making its first flight on February 5, 1943, it was lost just three months later on May 4 when a piston rod shot through the aircraft and the cockpit filled with smoke. The second XP-63, 41-19512 running up on a snowy day in 1943 (USAF photo) The second XP-63, 41-19512, did not fare any better. Test pilot Gustav E.

Airfoil 52

Airfoil Pilot Stability Tail 52