World Best Travel

Aircraft Design For the 21st Century – Getting Well Engineered Purchases

By Scott Fank

When it comes to buying aircrafts for sale by dedicated vendors, knowing about your potential purchase makes a big difference. From design to ‘feature packages’, buyers want the low-down on an aircraft for sale, whether it’s brand new, or pre-owned.

Not all four-seaters are created equal, and when buying for a small airplane purchase, it’s important to keep a few essentials in mind.

Design for Best Fuel Use

As the major airlines are clamoring for relief from high fuel prices, small aircraft owners are sure to feel the burn, too. New technology and research are leading to design changes that can make airplanes more gas-efficient and diminish the volume of fuel burned.

When buying you need to know what the fuel source is, whether your plane has turbo capability, dragless wing design, or multiple tanks for storage safety. Look for features like these where airplanes for sale are advertised.

Features and Interiors

A buyer or window shopper for aircrafts for sale will want to know what the offered product looks like. A ride in a clean and cosmetically new-looking interior is a lot different than going up in a “work plane” with a grimy interior and dash. Buyers also want to check for features like GPS, advanced control options, and good lighting and seating.

Buyers also want a rundown on the avionics, from LED panels and dial controls to transponders and map displays, as well as speaker systems for communication with “the tower”.

All of the features contribute to the ride, and all of them will be part of inspection for a buyer looking at aircraft for sale online, in a “showroom”, or in printed ads.

Shopping for Aircraft

Airplane vendors bring a lot to the table in offering both new and used aircrafts for sale to their corporate and personal clients.

Shopping starts online, where buyers can view lists of avionics and features as well as interior screen shots while pricing Cessnas and other planes.

Well-educated and experienced staff at specific vendors usually specialize in getting customers into a Caravan or other model that fits their aviation needs.

For buyers looking to capitalize on airplanes for sale and remain on the cutting edge, visit J. A. Aero’s website: http://www.jaaero.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Fank

Airplane Acquisition – Getting Into the Air

By Scott Fank

Buying an airplane is a common goal; lots of avid fliers look for an airplane for sale online or in print publications. When buying an airplane, there are many factors to keep in mind, including the price.

Choosing a plane

Every airplane is different, and when you are shopping around for that perfect set of wings, you’ll want to evaluate many aspects of the craft.

Hardware and overall engineering is important; airplane buyers choose between propeller-driven planes or other crafts with jet engines.

Wing span, positioning and landing gear type are other features that those looking at airplanes for sale will look at in determining what kind of purchase is right for them.

Some planes also have additional features such as advanced fuel tank design or special controls.

Lots of buyers pay attention to the engine type, and some experts say buyers should favor engines that are still in production, as they may be easier to work with.

Condition

Airplane buyers will also look for any defects, especially in a used airplane. The body has to be free of excessive wear patterns or rust, and all avionics need to be in working order.

Buyers frequently do a “pre-buy inspection” that includes checking out all of the features of a plane inside and out, and even taking the plane up into the air to see how it handles. A trained mechanic can also check the interior systems and recommend any fixes or point out potential problem areas.

Paperwork

When buying an aircraft for sale on the “common market”, there are a number of record-keeping issues to wade through. If the prior owner has presented you with a log book and service records, that’s a great start. In addition to ownership details, there’s also getting insurance for you new vehicle.

When buying an airplane, buyers should be sure they can get a “clear title” by checking FAA records for any liens on the airplane. An airplane for sale with a compromised title is a shady deal: do the necessary research to determine the title is unencumbered by any liens or garnishments.

You’ll also need to provide for insurance through a select body of large aviation underwriters. Get an established agent to represent you to insurance firms that will get you comprehensive coverage for your craft.

Other Options

If buying an airplane for sale outright is too much of a burden, whether in terms of finances or practicality, a pilot can join up with aviation “clubs” offering perks of membership including “time-shared” crafts or flight hours.

Joint ownership is a powerful tool in the belt of those who want to get into the air. Joint ownership of an airplane helps with the paperwork issue, as clubs can function as a “hub” for dealing with the issues of ownership particular to large vehicle acquisitions. Joint ownership is also a less risky investment and easier on personal finances, and still allows amateur pilots to go up in the air when they are able to fit it into their schedules.

In any case, take time when thinking about buying an airplane for sale in your local classified section to see how it can be a win-win experience.

For further details about aircrafts for sale, visit J. A. Aero’s website: http://www.jaaero.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Fank

Aircraft Design For the 21st Century – Getting Well Engineered Purchases

By Scott Fank

When it comes to buying aircrafts for sale by dedicated vendors, knowing about your potential purchase makes a big difference. From design to ‘feature packages’, buyers want the low-down on an aircraft for sale, whether it’s brand new, or pre-owned.

Not all four-seaters are created equal, and when buying for a small airplane purchase, it’s important to keep a few essentials in mind.

Design for Best Fuel Use

As the major airlines are clamoring for relief from high fuel prices, small aircraft owners are sure to feel the burn, too. New technology and research are leading to design changes that can make airplanes more gas-efficient and diminish the volume of fuel burned.

When buying you need to know what the fuel source is, whether your plane has turbo capability, dragless wing design, or multiple tanks for storage safety. Look for features like these where airplanes for sale are advertised.

Features and Interiors

A buyer or window shopper for aircrafts for sale will want to know what the offered product looks like. A ride in a clean and cosmetically new-looking interior is a lot different than going up in a “work plane” with a grimy interior and dash. Buyers also want to check for features like GPS, advanced control options, and good lighting and seating.

Buyers also want a rundown on the avionics, from LED panels and dial controls to transponders and map displays, as well as speaker systems for communication with “the tower”.

All of the features contribute to the ride, and all of them will be part of inspection for a buyer looking at aircraft for sale online, in a “showroom”, or in printed ads.

Shopping for Aircraft

Airplane vendors bring a lot to the table in offering both new and used aircrafts for sale to their corporate and personal clients.

Shopping starts online, where buyers can view lists of avionics and features as well as interior screen shots while pricing Cessnas and other planes.

Well-educated and experienced staff at specific vendors usually specialize in getting customers into a Caravan or other model that fits their aviation needs.

For buyers looking to capitalize on airplanes for sale and remain on the cutting edge, visit J. A. Aero’s website: http://www.jaaero.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Fank

Attaining Your Pilots License

By James Bunter

Attaining your pilot’s license is no easy task, for there is a significant number of things that you must do, as well as a significant time commitment you must be willing to make, to be able to be up there flying. But, if you have dreamed of being a pilot, it should be worth the effort and time. If you are interested in obtaining your pilot’s license, below is the general guide to how to go through this process.

Locate a good flight training center. If you have any friends that are pilots, they can advise you on a good flight school. Often, they can either recommend their own school or direct you to a better one. It’s not difficult to make friends with other pilots. Pilots are generally very nice, friendly people. You will be welcomed into their extended family. Try asking around at a small airport and chances are good you’ll find plenty of answers from local pilots. If all else fails, search through your local phone book for flight universities.

Before you enroll in a flight school, check them out. There are many important things to know about a flight school, including how long they have been teaching pilots, the type of planes used for training, the age of the training planes, and how often the planes have had maintenance checks. The flight board requires that an airplane be inspected every 100 hours, but a reputable flight school will make these inspections more frequently. Ensuring that the flight school that you choose gauges their engine hour meters with Hobbs Meters may be a good choice. Instrumental in recording your accurate flight time, an engine hour meter will be used to record the time between the start and shutdown of your plane’s engine.

Complete your ground school training. It is very essential that you obtain ground school training and endure flight hours. Before you can get into the airplane, there are several topics you must cover in the classroom, which is what ground school is for. While some flight schools run ground school and flight training at the same time, most require you to finish ground school before you get any instruction in the air. Ground training will be defined by comprehending aerodynamics, airport protocol, and the basics of flying, while experiencing first hand tutorials on what it is to fly and how to ensure the safety of a plane. You will also be exposed to reading sectionals such as maps, radio frequencies, avionics, and the like. The written portion of your upcoming exam is taken from ground training.

Pass the medical exam. Passing your physical exam is the first requirement to being permitted to do any flying, including basic training maneuvers. The flight exam covers more than your basic physical. It also consists of a drug test, a blood test for health issues that could negatively affect your flying, and perhaps most importantly – an eye test. Yes, people with corrective lenses can still become pilots! However, a doctor must determine whether or not your vision is sharp enough to fly a plane without incident.

Log as many hours in the air as you possibly can. At the beginning of your training, you will spend many hours with an instructor, as the flight lessons will be mainly educational. You will learn many critical maneuvers, such as how to take off, how to stall, and how to land. It is imperative that you learn how to stall the plane because this will inherently train you on how to get out of a stall. Power on stalling and power off stalling are the two forms of stalls that you will need to become familiar with. When a stall occurs while the plane is at full throttle and taking off, this is referred to as power on stalling. Another form of stalling takes place in the landing sequence when the plane resides at a low idle, and it is referred to as power off stalling. You have to be prepared for all scenarios in the event of a malfunction, thus it is very important that you know how to deal with both types of stalling.

You will go through the process of learning how to execute a number of techniques including ground reference maneuvers during your flight hours. The successful execution of ground reference maneuvers entails locating an object, and then circling it 360 degrees in addition to maintaining your initial starting altitude and equidistance. During flight hours, you will learn how to read navigation panels and fly with and without instruments. After the basic training you will need to fly solo. At this time, you will be on your own to fulfill your needed amount of solo flight hours.

It is imperative that you approach your testing very seriously. You can begin the actual testing process upon the completion of your ground training and when all of your flight hours have been amassed and collected. In this step of the process, it is very important that you do very well in this area, and this is even more important if you are intending to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot. Without success on every test, you cannot hope to become a commercial pilot; however, you are permitted to take a test over again if you do fail it.

Your instructor usually recommends a facility where you will take your written test. The test will cover items from both your in-air training and ground school. If you pass the written exam, you’ll then be able to take the final exam: a flight with a certified examiner.

The flight examiner will be asking questions during the course of this test flight, and it is very likely that he or she will focus in on things that you may have erred on in the written portion. Among the tests you must pass are inspecting the plane prior to flight, flying proficiently according to your instructor’s commands, and landing the plane numerous times. If the flight examiner is satisfied with your performance, you’ll have passed your test and can expect your pilot’s license in the mail!

As a pilot and former aviation instructor, James Bunter is well versed in Avionics and other reconditioned avionics. He knows finding a good and reputable company for aircraft instrument service is important. That’s why he always goes to TGH when he needs to fix or replace his airspeed indicators, altimeters, or other aircraft navigational instruments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Bunter

Three Most Dangerous Landing Mistakes Pilots Make and How to Avoid Them

By Doug Daniel

Over-shoot, under-shoot, loss of directional control, wing tip strikes … are all symptoms of mistakes made BEFORE the pilot touches down. Mistakes that are easily to correct – but not necessarily in a way you might think.

I landed at the Nuttree Airport in a Cessna 172 in 1968. I felt pretty smug. It was a very smooth landing, one of those landings that you could hear but not feel. Then a wind gust picked me up and I landed a second time on a parallel taxiway. The pilot taxiing in the opposite direction was kind enough (or perhaps stunned enough or frightened enough) to hold short of a turn-off so I could move over to the parking apron. I couldn’t look him in the eye as we went past. Red-faced, I mumbled some excuses to my passengers that I didn’t believe. I had just made the three biggest (and most common) mistakes a pilot can make when landing.

Determined to never let that happen again, I spend a great deal of time in the intervening 40 years thinking about how to avoid these mistakes. The NTSB says that a full 45% of the weather-related accidents are caused by crosswinds and gusts. I believe it. It is time to introduce some little known techniques that help prevent these accidents. But first, we should look at their causes.

Landing too fast is caused by flying the approach too fast or trying to force the airplane on the runway before it is ready. The solution is to fly a consistent approach at the same airspeed, picking a safe projected glide point (or PGP), and controlling the PGP until you land. But hold the airplane a foot or so off the runway until the airplane nose has rotated up to the landing attitude. Hold that attitude until the airplane lands. That way you will land at the right speed.

Failing to cross control in a crosswind leads to ground loops, being blown off the side of the runway (the MOST common cause of accidents in the United States), wing tip damage, or, in my case, flying over the infield and landing on a taxiway. To put it simply, cross controlling is using the rudder to keep the long axis of the airplane parallel to the long axis of the runway and using the ailerons to keep the airplane positioned over the runway. This guarantees that you will keep the airplane moving straight down the runway after the wheels touch.

Quit flying the plane before the plane is through flying is one of the most dangerous mistakes that a pilot could make. Its cause is lack of concentration. Its solution is good flying habits.

I was lucky at the Nuttree. If the crosswind had been coming from the opposite side, I could have been blown into a canal. Remember that just because the main gear is on the ground does not mean that there is no ‘fly’ left in the airplane. Also remember that if you keep the airplane just above the runway until it absolutely, positively will not fly any more, then it will an unusually strong gust to put it in the air again.

It is easy to be lulled into the bad habits that lead to these mistakes. When the wind is gentle and the runway is long, all will be forgiven. So the question is: how to keep these bad habits from developing?

I want to tell you about two exercises that have helped pilots more that I could have ever imagined. They are the ‘very slow Dutch roll’ and the ‘controlled projected glide’ point. Neither is difficult or dangerous. Both simplify and strengthen any pilot’s ability to land.

The very slow Dutch roll is a simple exercise done at a safe altitude. It teaches two very important skills. First the pilot learns to continuously move the stick and rudders to control the airplane as conditions change, and second, the pilot learns how to cross control the airplane in the most extreme circumstances.

Here is how to do a very slow Dutch roll. Pick a point on the horizon and hold it steady as you change the angle of bank, airspeed and flap configuration. Maintain constant altitude. Change your bank very slowly. Continue to increase the angle of bank until either the aileron or the rudder is pushed to its limit. This is the angle of bank for the maximum crosswind that the airplane can handle. The cross controlled airplane slowly accelerates to the side for a minute or two. During this time, the pilot must move the flight controls continuously as the airplane accelerates to the side – an unanticipated benefit of this exercise.

Let me tell you about the projected glide point or PGP. When you approach the runway your eye will naturally gravitate toward a point on the runway that does not move in your field of vision. The phenomenon is much like when you are on a collision course with another airplane: it stays still in your field of vision but just gets bigger. Well, there is always a point on the ground where exactly the same thing happens. This is the point that you would glide to if you never made that last little flair to land. This is an extremely valuable concept that can save you many hours of landing practice. I never heard another flight instructor talk about it but I am sure that many pilots use this technique.

You can control the PGP with power and drag while keeping the airspeed constant. To move the PGP closer to you, reduce the engine’s power or increase the airplanes drag – usually with flaps. To move the PGP away from you, increase the engine’s power or decrease the airplane’s drag.

Use the two concepts together to make consistent, safe landings. Once established on final, use the center line of the runway as your reference point for very slow Dutch rolls. Use the ailerons to position the airplane on the extended centerline, the rudder to keep the long axis of the airplane parallel to that extended centerline. Move the PGP to the same place every time. I recommend the runway threshold. Consciously continue cross controlling until the airplane slows to a taxi.

These two simple techniques will get you to the same place on the runway every time in a landing configuration that compensates for crosswinds or gusts until the airplane is going so slow that you can taxi to parking.

Doug Daniel, respected flight instructor and author, recently wrote Flying Secrets, an extraordinarily popular e-book, operates a website for interacting with fellow pilots. If you want to learn more ways to refine your flying skills and get a *free report* on how even a PC-based flight simulator can help you fly better, ask his experts a question or just get the free report, click here now => http://FlyingSecretsRevealed.com/flying_questions/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Daniel

The Three Skills to Land an Airplane

By Doug Daniel

There are just three fundamental skills you need to know to land an airplane safely and consistently. They are airspeed control, projected glide control, and controlled slow flight. You can learn each separately. But you use them all to land safely and consistently.

The most fundamental and easiest to learn is airspeed control. You should start with it. Then you should master slow Dutch roll thoroughly at various airspeeds, aircraft configurations and angles of bank. Concurrently you can learn to control the projected glide point while maintaining a constant airspeed. Airspeed control and projected glide control bring the pilot to the right place at the right airspeed to start the transition from the approach glide to the landing phase.

Control airspeed with the elevator; fine-tune airspeed with power, flaps and landing gear. Monitor airspeed with the airspeed indicator, and then adjust your pitch attitude with the elevator to change your airspeed. If you add to the airplane’s drag, you will be forced to pitch down to maintain constant airspeed. The opposite is true, as well. If you add power, you must lift your nose some, and so forth. Once you have learned to control your airspeed in various flap, landing gear, and power settings you are ready to move on to controlling either your projected glide point (PGP) or mastering slow Dutch rolls (SDR).

Controlling PGP is only slightly more difficult than controlling airspeed. During a constant airspeed approach, you will see a point on the ground that is staying absolutely still in your field of view. This is where you would be if you continued your approach glide. This is your PGP. If you keep your airspeed steady, your PGP will move farther away from you when you add power and it will come closer to you when you reduce the engine’s power setting. More drag brings PGP closer; less drag pushes it away. There is really not much to controlling PGP, but when a pilot runs off the far end of the runway almost certainly poor PGP control, poor airspeed control, or both was the problem. You have to control them both to arrive at the right place and the right airspeed to execute a good landing.

Ironically, once you have flown the proper approach, you no longer need to control either airspeed or PGP. A new set of skills is required to execute the landing itself. Fortunately you can learn most of these skills with one exercise conducted at a nice comfortable attitude. You learn it by doing SDR in slow flight and in a landing configuration.

Pick a point on the horizon, hold it steady, and very slowly change your angle of bank without letting the point move. Repeat this exercise while transitioning from an approach glide to level slow flight. Add power as required to maintain a constant altitude while keeping that point steady. Now you are ready to start landing practice.

You learned how to keep the airplane from turning left or right in various angles of bank while flying in a landing configuration at speeds just above a stall by practicing SDR. This is a very good description of the technique used to land an airplane. If you have a simulator, you don’t need an instructor. That is the nice thing about simulators; you botch up and try again. Airplanes are not so forgiving.

In either airplane or simulator, here is how to learn to land. You have successfully flown the approach so you are about one wing span above the runway, over its center line and at just the right airspeed. From now on PGP and airspeed need not concern you. Looking forward and from side to side like you were driving on the open road, you start raising your nose to slow the airplane’s descent. Using your rudder pedals you keep the nose pointed at the far end of the runway. Using your ailerons you keep the airplane centered over the runway. Use your pitch attitude first, and then throttle, to keep the airplane off the runway.

You are NOT going to land! This is just an exercise. The objective is to get as close to the runway, at as slow airspeed as possible, without touching it. You are now doing that SDR in level slow flight that you did earlier. Just to prove you have mastered the situation, slide the airplane from side to side just above the runway without touching but as close as you can get. Be certain that you continue to keep the airplane pointed at the far end of the runway and the airplane’s body parallel to the runway. As you approach the end of the runway, smoothly apply full power and execute a go around. Each time you do this, fly the airplane as slowly as you can. Keep that stall warning screaming. It is really a fun thing to do.

As you develop skill with this maneuver, try touching the runway but without landing. Touch it very gently but at as low a speed as you can. At some point you will realize that you could just touch the runway very gently at a very slow airspeed, then close the throttle and you will land. Easy, wasn’t it?

Doug Daniel, long time flight instructor, invites you to visit http://www.FlyingSecretsRevealed.com/flying_questions/ for more flying articles like this one. You may also feel free to contact Doug by visiting his website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Daniel

Private Pilot License Cost

By Frederick Longe

There are a lot of factors that will determine what a Private Pilot License (Certificate) will cost you. The first things you want to think about are:

1: Airplane Price Per Hour

2: Flight Instructor Price Per Hour

Depending on where you are in the country these rates can be dramatically different. These two rates will be the most important factors however, there are other factors that can dramatically increase your cost. I will give you some examples of things you want to look at.

1: The Flight School Itself: You need to poke your nose around the community and see what is going on. You will want to ask people who recently got their Private Pilot License and ask them how much it cost and how many hours they ended up having.

In many cases you will see much more than the flashy clean flight school. I know of many Flashy High Dollar Flight Schools that once you get out into the aviation community, you will want nothing to do with them. You may find many of the people you talk to ending up with an excessive amount of hours and may have had up to six instructors. I know this first hand since many of those students come to me half way through their training. This is one reason I always tell people to take some time and research and come up with a plan first.

There are on the other hand many flight schools that are concerned about their students and are willing to work with students to get them licensed in a cost effective manner. You just have to find them.

2: The Flight Instructor: If your instructor is not a good teacher your chances of getting your private pilot license in a cost effective manner get slimmer. You need to look into this. Other factors that have to do with the flight instructor is their aviation game-plan. If they are a good flight instructor that cares about his/her students you can plan with them and get things done in a cost and time effective manner. If you have an instructor that is just trying to get to the magic hiring number for an airline, your flight training will be compromised and you can plan on spending a lot more money.

3:Books and materials: In most cases you can get home study courses for about $200 or so. Some schools will require you get their $500 DVD packages. I have always told students to do what is best for them. All of the courses out there cover the same material taken from the official FAA publications. The material that is used for your practical test is the FAA publications.

4:Examiner Fees: This part most flight schools don’t even mention at all. Once again depending on where you are in the world, this price can vary a lot. One part of the country you may find a private pilot flight test for $200 but in others like here in phoenix it will around $400.

A few of these factors put together can make the difference between a happy safe confident Private Pilot and a frustrated student pilot. If you are on a tight budget and have been saving for a long time, these factors will make a difference.

Planning this out is the most important thing you can do. In order to pass the Private Pilot License flight test you need to be proficient. Depending on the rates, instructor, and Flight School You Choose, $8,000 – $9,000 is a realistic budget and finishing at 45-50 hours is realistic.

The Planning process is the most important part. There are many delays that can happen, weather, maintenance and people getting sick.

For Explaining this I break the Private Pilot License Cost down into four parts. I do this so you can understand each phase of training. Then we will add it all up and you can see were the expenses are coming from. I break everything down in the following manner:

-Private Pilot License Books and Materials Cost
-Private Pilot License Pre-Solo Pilot Training Cost
-Private Pilot License Post- Solo Pilot Training Cost
-Private Pilot License Flight Test Preparation Cost

Private Pilot License Cost

Each one of these areas has a cost. It is easier to understand when you have everything broken down in front of you. Planning for the Private Pilot License is the most important thing you can do.

About the Author: Frederick Longe has been flying since 1985. He has owned many airplanes and owned a flight school in Mesa, Arizona . He has logged over 9,000 Hours of flight instruction alone. In 1998 Longe was awarded one of the first Master CFI Designations in the country by the National Association Of Flight Instructors. Frederick Longe also has Two Degrees in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

You can find his book Airfreddy’s Guide on Learning to Fly at the link below:

Airfreddy’s Private Pilot License Manual

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frederick_Longe

Inside an Aircraft and Its Parts

By Ajeet Khurana

When most of us think of an aircraft we think of the outside of the plane that has the wings, the windshield, the engines, and propellers. On the inside of a plane most of us think of the cockpit and the main cabin, but all of these places are made up of many different parts.

There are many parts and pieces that create an aircraft and when you own or fly a plane you know that some of these pieces need to be replaced from time to time. Like any sort of moving object, pieces wear out or simply don’t operate or look cosmetically as good as they once did. When parts wear out and need to be replaced the whole aircraft isn’t obsolete, instead parts must be purchased and then installed on the plane.

As you might have assumed, there are many different parts of an aircraft that may or may not need to be replaced during the lifetime of the plane. When most of us think of an airplane part we think of the seats, the seatbelts, the carpet, overhead bins, and the little fold out tables.

While these are just cosmetic additions to an aircraft they are some of the pieces of the plane that wear out quite quickly and need to be replaced. Most commercial airlines have thousands of replacement pieces for each of these things and they can just swap them out as needed.

Then there are the exterior parts of an aircraft that many of us think of such as the propellers, engines, wings, windshield, and tires. These are the parts of the aircraft that deal with the elements, and because of this they are often repaired and replaced as needed. All planes, especially commercial variants, are inspected to ensure that they meet minimum safety requirements.

During these inspections many things may be found to be in disrepair and they then are grounded until the faulty or worn out aircraft parts can be replaced or repaired.

There are a lot of parts of an aircraft that will become faulty or simply become outdated that will need to be replaced during the life of the aircraft. Some of these things include audio panels, autopilots, HF radios, radar altimeters, storm scopes, transponders, weather radars, and more.

Many pieces of the actual aircraft frame will need to be replaced, as well. Just like your car or any other moving piece of equipment, there are a lot of little parts and pieces that wear out and need to be maintained.

When an aircraft part needs to be replaced, an aircraft owner or commercial airline needs a parts dealer. Most commercial airlines keep stock of the typical parts that need to be replaced or repaired, but they get these parts from the parts dealer. These parts dealers have pieces ranging from very small to very large, and depending on the dealer that you go to, you may find that they specialize in one or two aspects of aircraft parts instead of having any part for any aircraft.

Generally you will find that aircraft parts dealers will specialize in one type of aircraft, allowing you to easily find the dealer and the parts that you need.

Visit us for Fuel system actuators, Fuel control for aircraft engines, and Aircraft engine nozzles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ajeet_Khurana

Why Cross Control?

By Doug Daniel

There are two ways to know if a crosswind is too strong. One is to land and see if you skid off the side of the runway or ground loop. The other is to cross control the airplane before landing to see if you can align the airplane with the runway. I prefer the second technique.

When you use your rudder to align the airplane with the runway and the ailerons to move the airplane laterally over the runway, you are cross controlling the airplane. This is a technique not used often in flight, but a very useful one to master.

Some pilots advocate flying wings level in a crosswind and kicking the rudder pedal vigorously the instant before touchdown to get the airplane pointed in the right direction. I have even seen this technique described in how-to-fly books. This seems to be one of those ideas that sound good but does not hold up. With this technique, you just don’t know if you can get the nose pointed down the runway until you land, nor do you know if the crosswind will blow you off the runway before you’re on the surface and under control. So if your life insurance is paid up and you don’t have an aviation exclusion clause, you might try the old kick-and-hope trick.

There is an exception. If you are flying a nose wheel equipped airplane with lift-killing spoilers – which means you are flying a heavy airplane, not a light plane – then you can deploy the spoilers fully the instant you touch down and let the plane swivel toward the far end of the runway. I would refer you to that now famous Lufthansa crosswind landing. Its URL is youtube.com/watch?v=z42fchrzhHY. As you can see, even that technique requires some rather precise timing. I have seen some videos of the A380 and some B474s successfully using this technique. They were flown by multi-thousand hour test pilots. I cannot recommend the technique for someone flying a light plane.

Passengers find cross controlling disconcerting. All of us like the floor to be directly beneath us and the seat to feel level. Cross controlling to align the wheels with their direction of travel requires that the upwind wing go down and that the pilot press – sometimes vigorously – on the downwind rudder pedal. Suddenly the floor tilts and the seat sits at an angle. This is all very upsetting to the passengers. What to do?

I recommend practicing entering the cross controlled state just as you start to raise the nose to land. This is the optimal technique and only requires slightly more skill than the procedure I describe a little further on. The wing loses lift when it is cross controlled, raising the airplane’s stall speed a little. If the airplane cannot be cross controlled enough to get the airplane properly aligned, applying power immediately and returning to a wings-level, coordinated flying condition will lower the stall speed again and get the airplane climbing. With the wheels now pointed off the side of the runway, a botched go-around could be disastrous.

This technique minimizes the passengers’ exposure to cross controlled flight. Nevertheless, it is better to have a disconcerted passenger than a bent airplane. So if you are not the compete master of the cross control at the last minute technique, cross control while you are still in your pre-landing glide.

If you cross control when you are a hundred feet above the surface, you have enough time to see if the airplane can be aligned with the runway before you have to start concentrating on the landing itself. If not, then you have enough time to smoothly transition back to wings level and execute an un-hurried go-around. This technique is the easiest and safest. But it is the most disconcerting to the uninitiated. So let your passengers know before you do it, that this is a quite necessary and safe procedure.

An important point here is that you should keep cross controlled all the way through the landing and during the roll out.

A lot has been said and written over the years about crosswind landings. It all boils down to having your wheels pointed in the same direction you are traveling before you touch down and knowing if you can while you have enough time, altitude and airspeed to easily make a safe go-around.

Douglas Daniel, long time flight instructor, invites you to visit at http://www.FlyingSecretsRevealed.com/flying_questions/ for more flying articles like this one. You may also feel free to contact Doug by visiting his website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Daniel

How to Book Airfares to Avoid Problems

By : Don Nadeau

Most people focus on saving money while booking airfares, but may not focus enough on how to avoid potential problems with connecting flights.

Here are several tips to keep in mind when you book your flights.

Pad your connections

Pad your connection time, especially when there very few flights you can take if you miss yours.

In the U.S., airlines are operating fewer flights and filling these flights with more passengers. This means more flight delays, as it takes a fuller airplane additional time to board and deplane. Airports have also become more congested and spread out.

Yet, in many cases, the minimum connecting times allowed between flights have not changed for years. If you’re booking flights with connecting times of 30 – 40 minutes or so at airports like Chicago O’Hare, you’re drastically increasing the chances that you will miss your connection. And even if you barely make it, your checked luggage may not make that flight.

This may not matter much if you’re flying into Chicago and connecting into New York’s LaGuardia Airport early in the day, as there usually are lots of other flights available through the day if your incoming flight is late.

But, it matters a lot if you’re connecting into Billings, Montana late in the day at Salt Lake City, when there are no more flights to Billings that day if you miss your connection.

And, it matters even more if you’re connecting to an overseas point, where you may find only one flight available on that route each day. Your missed flight may bag you a 24-hour wait, or a trip via a far-less-direct routing.

Common airline rules for connections

For flights within the U.S., most airlines allow you to take any available connection within four hours. In many cases, you don’t have to book the shortest connecting time to get the lowest fare.

For international destinations, you may be allowed to book any available connection within 24 hours, depending on the airline. This means that if you’re flying from Dallas to Cape Town, you don’t have to reserve an uncomfortably short 45-minute connection, instead of a much safer two- or three-hour one.

Using Priceline and Hotwire tickets

When you use Hotwire and Priceline, you don’t usually get to choose your connecting times for the cheapest fares.

Nevertheless, if you find that your connecting times seem too short, some airlines, such as United, will allow you to stand by for earlier flights on the same day when using tickets from Priceline or Hotwire. There’s no guarantee that you will get on an earlier flight, but you’ll still have your original confirmed reservation if you don’t.

On your departure day, call or check online for an earlier flight on the same airline that has seats available to your connecting airport. You can also check to see if there are nonstop flights on the same airline available to your final destination that leave earlier than your reserved departure time. For tips I’ve given for flying standby, see the link in the bio box of this article.

Avoid changing airlines

Expedia.com especially tends to display budget prices that involve traveling three or even four different airlines on the same day. These low rates are actually a collection of cheap individual fares, which can be very tempting to book.

However, in most cases, you significantly increase your chances of problems each time you connect to a different airline, making limited savings just not worth it. Here are some aggravations you could encounter:

The airlines may operate from different buildings that are not close together.

They may refuse to transfer checked luggage.

But, most importantly, they may claim NO responsibility whatsoever if you miss your connection to the other airline. This can become a very serious problem because budget fares tend to be non-refundable with heavy penalties for changes, or with no changes allowed at all.

For example, if you miss your connection from United to Southwest, which never allow each other’s flights on the same ticket, Southwest Airlines will charge you the full difference between your advance purchase fare and the much higher same-day ticketing fare for that leg of your trip. You can’t stand by. (United is kinder – if you miss your connection from Southwest to United, you’ll be allowed to stand by for a United flight on that same day at no extra fare, in most cases. Still, standby is not as good as a confirmed seat.)

Using more than one airline (with more than one ticket) for the same trip may be tempting when traveling overseas, because of the potential savings. But, be very careful when setting up these trips. In the bio box at the bottom of this article, see the link on how to save using separate tickets.

In summary, pad your layovers and keep your trips as simple as possible, and they will usually be trouble free.

Good luck for a smooth and pleasant trip!

Article Source : http://www.123article.org