ASAP NSN Distribution Blog

Flight simulation has grown significantly in recent years, with advanced hardware enabling enthusiasts and professionals alike to experience the complexities of piloting without ever leaving the ground. One critical piece of hardware for any serious simulator setup is a yoke, which is designed to replicate the control columns found in real aircraft to give users a more immersive flying experience. In this blog, we will explore some of the best flight simulator yokes available on the market, breaking down their distinctive features and benefits.

An alternator charging system plays a vital role in keeping your vehicle’s battery charged while providing power to electrical systems as the engine is running. A malfunctioning alternator can lead to a drained battery, dim lights, and a host of other electrical problems that are best avoided altogether where possible. This blog will provide you with essential troubleshooting tips for alternator charging system issues, ensuring that you can diagnose and address problems effectively.

In the aviation industry, turbofan engines are the workhorses that power a vast majority of commercial and military aircraft. Within this realm, two predominant types of turbofan engines have emerged as frontrunners: direct-drive turbofans and geared turbofans. These two engine designs are fundamentally distinct in their construction and operation, each offering unique advantages and disadvantages. In this blog, we will delve into the key differences between direct-drive and geared turbofan engines, shedding light on their inner workings and how they impact the world of aviation.

Since their introduction in the late 1930s, jet engines have revolutionized the world of aviation, continuing to propel aircraft to greater speeds and heights. In all, these remarkable machines come in a variety of types, each with its own unique characteristics and applications. However, four primary types stand out—turbojet engines, rocket engines, turbofan engines, and turboprop engines—all of which we will be exploring in greater detail below.

Despite having become a normal part of life for countless people, many of us are still unfamiliar with several of the primary components that make up a typical plane. While it can be hard to define which are the most important, there is no doubt that the engine is a key element in what defines an aircraft. However, like any other key component, the engine only operates as effectively as it does because it is supported by various other parts. In this blog, we will be looking at the engine mount and exhaust parts, two major devices that keep the engine running effectively and prevent the risk of serious damage and catastrophe.

Alternating current (AC) generators are devices which convert mechanical energy to alternating electrical energy, and they are constructed of a wire coil which spins in a magnetic field. These generators utilize slip rings in order to create alternating current, as opposed to direct current generators which employ direct current. Powered by steam turbines, gas turbines, and internal combustion engines, AC generators are utilized in a variety of applications. These generators are commonly found in power plants, sailboats, electric scooters, bicycles, wind turbines, and small hydropower plants; they function by converting high-pressure gas streams into lower-pressure gas streams.

Despite the fact that air conditioners continuously filter and cool the same air, air is not the only fluid involved in the cooling process. In fact, air conditioners are more complex systems than many people realize. Using phase change reactions from a refrigerant, air conditioners rely on a cycle of circulation and condensation before evaporating the cooled air we rely on back into our homes. In order for these systems to function properly, you will need a reliable compressor to allow for heat removal and refrigerant reuse. For your better knowledge, this blog will explore the function of an air conditioner compressor.

When operating a turbopump, it is important that you are able to increase the pressure of fluids without causing them to vaporize in the impeller, resulting in various performance losses and issues. In order to effectively raise pressures while ensuring proper operations, one would need to utilize what is known as an inducer. Generally coming in the form of axial types, inducers are placed downstream from the turbopump, ensuring that cavitation is avoided, inlet pressure is lowered, and higher turbopump rotational speeds are permitted. Cavitation is a dangerous issue where vapor bubbles within fluids collapse, causing damage to the impeller, degradation, and potential catastrophic failure.

The term “drive” in the realm of motor technology is often used to describe systems that include a motor, and these assemblies are able to conduct operations with multiple operating speeds. There are various types of drives as well, AC drive, with variable speed drive, and variable frequency drive systems all being unique types. While motor drives are crucial for the standard operations of many systems and assemblies, some may not quite be aware of what they are and what they exactly do. As such, we will discuss motor drives in more detail in this blog, allowing you to have a better grasp of their roles and types.

Many rookie pilots may be surprised at how their aircraft reacts when they engage the ailerons during a turn. If they are making a right, they may wonder why the aircraft suddenly pivots to the left at first. To understand why this happens, this blog will cover adverse yaw in detail, allowing you to become familiar with this phenomenon.

Aircraft brakes provide a critical stopping function during landings, enabling planes to stop within the length of the runway. They also stop aircraft during rejected takeoff events, which are attempted takeoffs that are canceled before aircraft lift off from the ground due to engine failure, tire blowout, or another type of performance malfunction. When aircraft are parked, brakes prevent any type of movement. They also limit aircraft speed during taxiing and can even aid in steering the aircraft on the ground by applying different levels of braking force on the left and right side brakes.

Cable cutters, bolt cutters, and diagonal cutting pliers are popularly used tools designed to cut through thick, heavy-duty wiring, metals, cables, and more. With such capabilities, cutting tools are available in a wide range of types, each designed for different purposes. Depending on the task at hand, different cutting tools also offer varying advantages.

When it comes to aircraft engines, turboprops and piston engines are the most common types. Apart from being a popular choice in the aviation industry, the other common factor between both is their use of propellers to generate thrust. Where turboprops use turbines spun by exhaust gasses to spin the propeller, piston engines utilize crankshaft rotation to achieve the same action.

As our understanding of lift and aerodynamic principles are constantly improving and changing, the design of aircraft wings has evolved. With wind tunnel technology and computer software aiding in the development of wing design, we have acquired a comprehensive understanding of lift and how to achieve it through aeronautical engineering. Since the primary operation of an aircraft determines the shape of its wings, it is easy to see how just a few degrees of difference can affect aircraft performance.

Supersonic flight has proven to be a powerful tool for both commercial travel and military operations. Unfortunately, it creates an extremely loud sonic boom that disturbs residents on the ground and puts military missions at risk by reducing their stealth component. As such, engineers have spent countless hours developing methods to reduce the noise associated with sonic booms while also researching how to eliminate the phenomenon entirely. In this blog, we will discuss current strategies being tested while also examining future solutions.

As many industries move towards implementing a more sustainable approach to product design, there is a newfound emphasis on exploring which materials and lean manufacturing strategies could aid in reaching that goal. One field that has historically had problems reaching sustainability goals is aerospace. Between the cost of raw materials, manufacturing, and fuel, the aviation sector faces significant and unique challenges in reducing its carbon footprint. In this blog, we will discuss a novel material management approach that many companies are adopting in order to achieve sustainability goals.

Commonly found within boats and aircraft propellers are mechanical devices that provide propulsion. They typically consist of a revolving shaft with two or more angled, radiating blades that exert linear thrust in both fluids and air. It is important to note that the propeller is not just made of a fan with blades. In fact, it has many different parts that make up the assembly, offering maximum efficiency to the craft it is mounted to.

Airspeed provides critical information to the aircrew about aircraft safety conditions during flight. Aircraft are expected to maintain level flight without exceeding certain speeds or flying under the standard limit. If the aircraft is going too slow, the aircraft may stall. Alternatively, if the aircraft is going too fast, the pilot risks structural failure. As such, an aircraft airspeed indicator is an integral part of the aviation industry. In this blog, we will cover the inner-workings of an aircraft airspeed indicator and its importance.

Within the realm of aviation, the fuselage is the structure which will contain the crew, passengers, and cargo. Additionally, fuselages also act as a connection point for the cockpit, wings, tail, and other various structures to be attached. Over the years with significant aircraft engineering development, a number of fuselage designs have come about. As each type differs in materials used and general design, it can be beneficial to have a basic understanding of each.

When attempting to transfer steam, water, coolant, hydraulic air, or other media types through piping and rotating systems, devices known as rotary joints or rotary unions are used. A rotary union is a type of rotary sealing device, capable of bridging the gap between a fixed pipe and a rotating equipment piece. While rotary unions are often relied on for the transfer of various media, they also serve to seal the passage between the stationary piping or tubing and the rotating element. In this blog, we will discuss the design and functionalities of rotary joints and unions, allowing you to better understand how they serve fluid applications.

Hose clamps, also referred to as hose clips, are tools that are used for maintenance applications related to automobiles, plumbing, and various appliances. In such applications, the hose clamp is installed on an assembly in order to attach, secure, and seal a hose onto a fitting. As there are multiple hose clamp types, sizes, and quality grades, it is important to understand the differences between each in order to find what is the best fit for your given needs.

For an aircraft to achieve and sustain flight as we are familiar with today, they require some method of producing propulsion and thrust. For aircraft that need high amounts of combustion and force to drive their systems, gas turbine engines prove to be the most widely used types. With the turboprop engine in particular, the combustion of fuel-and-air mixtures is harnessed to drive propellers, unlike other gas turbine types. From business jets to military attack aircraft, turboprop engines prove very popular for a variety of aerospace applications. To best understand their usefulness for certain aircraft, it can be very beneficial to first be aware of their design and functionality.