The Pre-Flight Briefing - Pilot Shop Blog

Today, gas turbines are the most widely used form of propulsion, but there are different types and variations of this engine.

Modern gas turbines can generate tens of thousands of pounds of thrust or mechanical horsepower, allowing aircraft to travel faster, farther, and better than ever before.

In this article, you'll learn about the four main turbine engine types: turbojet, turboprop, turbofan, and turboshaft.

Aircraft engine oil is a powerhouse. It cushions moving parts, manages heat, seals combustion chambers, cleans contaminants, and guards against corrosion. These six functions are fundamental to keeping engines performing in tip-top shape.

Let’s get to the details behind the purpose of engine oil.

Have you ever wondered how does a prop plane work? It's hard to believe that an airplane's propeller blades, which are much smaller than the aircraft itself, can generate enough force to move and lift and aircraft into the air. But there are certain fundamental aerodynamic principles at play that make this all possible.

In this guide, we'll explore how propellers work, their design, and the aerodynamic principles that make them so effective.

As pilots, we often focus on the technical aspects of our job, like testing the engine during the run-up process. Understanding a particular engine type and how it works can greatly benefit a pilot. In this guide, we'll take a deep dive into turboprop engines and piston engines.

The mixture control is what can help to maximize the performance of your aircraft. Learning more about carbureted engines can help if you trying to manage your fuel economy, and avoid engine damage.

In this guide let’s explore how mixture controls impact your engine’s performance and what you need to know about fine-tuning the fuel-air ratio for various conditions.

The Pitot-static system powers critical flight instruments like the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and VSI, but in general aviation aircraft, it's more prone to failure due to limited redundancy. Failures caused by ice, debris, or human oversight can lead to misleading readings and dangerous situations. This article explores how to identify and prepare for these scenarios.

Radial engines powered some of the most legendary aircraft in history. They have such a unique design which provides high power, durability, and reliability. The classic look of these aircraft engines made them a staple in aviation before jet engines took over.

Let's take a moment to understand how these engines work and why they were so widely used.

Starting an aircraft is usually simple, but in warm weather or after a quick shutdown, vapor lock can make it challenging. This occurs when fuel in the lines vaporizes, preventing the pump from delivering liquid fuel to the engine. If not managed, it can lead to hard starts—or even engine failure.

This article covers everything you need to know to understand and prevent vapor lock.

If you've ever wondered how does a jet engine work, in this article, you’ll learn about the workings of jet engines, explore how they have evolved, and take a look at the different types powering planes today.

Lets get started!

If you’re designing an aircraft that travels at speeds capable of generating sustained flight, it only stands to reason that you would build in some sort of means of stopping said craft when it returns to the ground, right?

The “squawk sheet, “gripe sheet,” or “aircraft discrepancy log” as it is more officially titled is intended as a communication tool to pass vital aircraft performance concern information between pilots and maintenance engineers.

Talk of the air conditioning systems on aircraft can be enough to make a germaphobe squirm. With all the urban legends of getting sick after flying, and the thought of breathing stale air onboard commercial passenger jets, planes’ AC systems have developed a bad reputation in some circles. It can be hard to sort out the fact from the fiction, so today we will set the record straight and share all the details you need to know about aircraft air conditioning systems including how it works and how clean it really is.