Love's Detail
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Aviation Knowledge
A big part of being a great aircraft detailer is understanding what you are detailing. You don't have to be a pilot, but you do need to know the common parts, components, safety equipment, etc about an aircraft. Also, you should know the basics of how an aircraft functions, aviation alphabet, aviation terminology, etc. All of these things will help you perform you job better, more professionally and with a greater understand of why cleaning/maintaining an aircraft is so important. It's not just for looks!
This page will bring together important concepts, definitions, etc. that will help you become a better informed detailer. Use this and other sites I mention as a reference guide any time you need them. I plan to make a printable, convenient guide as soon as possible. Stay tuned for updates on this. I will have it downloadable on this page.
As always, if you have any suggestions, concerns, comments or questions please contact me at anytime.
Thanks,
J.T.L.
Definitions and Terminology
Components, Parts, Equipment Propeller: Rotating blades that pull the aircraft through the air. They work like wings only instead of lifting the aircraft they pull the aircraft forward. At least one but could be up to six. Jet Engine(Medium to Large aircraft): Size, shape and number of engines depends on size of aircraft. Generally two or more provide the necessary thrust to push the aircraft forward. Usually located behind, above or attached to the wings. Engine Compartment: Holds the engine. Also where you would check your engine oil, etc. Cabin: Enclose that usually houses the cockpit and passenger area. Fuselage: An aircraft's main body structure housing the flight crew, passengers, and cargo and to which the wings, tail and, in most single-engined airplanes, engine are Wings: airfoils that provide the aircraft with upward thrust or lift which allows flight. Winglets: A small, stabilizing, rudder-like addition to the tips of a wing to control or employ air movement Flaps: A movable, usually hinged airfoil (Mini wings) set in the trailing edge of an aircraft wing, designed to increase lift or drag by changing the camber of the wing or used to slow an aircraft during landing by increasing lift. Spoliers: (Sometimes called a lift dumper) is a device intended to reduce lift in an aircraft. Spoilers are plates on the top surface of a wing which can be extended upward into the airflow and spoil it. By doing so, the spoiler creates a carefully controlled stall over the portion of the wing behind it, greatly reducing the lift of that wing section AirBrake: are a type of flight control used on aircraft to reduce speed during landing. Air brakes differ from spoilers in that air brakes are designed to increase drag while making little change to lift, whereas spoilers greatly reduce the lift-to-drag ratio and a higher angle of attack required to maintain lift, resulting in a higher stall speed. Ailerons: The movable areas of a wing-form that control or affect the roll of an aircraft by working opposite one another. Slats: Perform the same function as flaps (that is, they temporarily alter the shape of the wing to increase lift), but they are attached to the front of the wing instead of the rear. They are also deployed on takeoff and landing. Stabilizer: The fixed part of a horizontal airfoil that controls the pitch of an aircraft; Also called the Horizontal Stabilizer. Fin: The fixed part of a vertical airfoil that controls the yaw of an aircraft; sometimes referred to as Vertical Stabilizer. Elevator: The movable part of a horizontal airfoil which controls the pitch of an aircraft. Rudder: The movable part of a vertical airfoil which controls the yaw of an aircraft. Conventional Gears: Having two main landing wheels at the front and a tail wheel or tail-skid at the rear as opposed to having a tricycle gear with three main wheels. Dorsal Fin: A lateral fin/rudder extension on the top of a fuselage. Ventral Fin: A fin/rudder extension on the bottom of a fuselage. Leading Edge: A line connecting the forward-most points of a wing's profile. When an aircraft is moving forward, it is that part of the wing that first contacts the air. Leading edge cuffs: A fixed aerodynamic device employed on fixed-wing aircraft to modify the airfoil used. They may be either factory-installed or, more commonly, an after-market modification. Static Wicks: a piece of metal connected electrically to the frame of the aircraft, with one or two spikes or needles on the end. It is housed in a fiberglass rod to insulate it from the airplane. Because the spikes concentrate the electric charge around them, and they are connected to the airframe, they allow the airplane to dissipate any static electricity it may build up out into the air. Pitot Tubes: A small tube most often mounted on the outward leading edge of an airplane wing (out of the propeller stream) (Larger aircraft located on the front of fuselage) that measures the impact pressure of the air it meets in flight, working in conjunction with a closed, perforated, coaxial tube that measures the static pressure. The difference in pressures is calibrated as air speed by a panel instrument. Also called Pitot-Static Tube. Static Ports: This is a component of the pitot tube which measures the static pressure. This area along with the pitot tube should be covered during the cleaning process. Together the difference in pressures is calibrated as air speed by a panel instrument Cowl, Cowling: A circular, removable fairing around an aircraft engine (generally radial) for the purposes of streamling or cooling. Fairing : An added streamlining structure or auxiliary member, most often of light metal, whose only purpose is to reduce drag. Fairings are not load-bearing and, therefore, are not meant to carry any principal air loads placed on the airplane structure. Static Wire: A clip-on wire used to ground an aircraft by drawing off static electricity, a potential fire hazard, during refueling. Chocks: Wedges that slide beneath the wheels of various aircraft to keep them from shifting or rolling away. Gear Pin: Locks the gear/wheel from moving until removed. Usually identified by a red flag. Radome: is a structural, weatherproof enclosure usually on the nose of the aircraft, used to protect an antenna. APU: Auxiliary Power Unit is a device on a vehicle whose purpose is to provide energy for functions other than propulsion. The primary purpose of an aircraft APU is to provide power to start the main engines ,but is also used to keep electronic equipment running inside without using the larger, louder main engines. Further information on specific parts, components and definitions can be found on the reference section below. | Aviation Alphabet (Also known as NATO phonetic alphabet) A = Alpha N = November B = Bravo O = Oscar C = Charlie P = Papa D = Delta Q = Quebec E = Echo R = Romeo F = Foxtrot S = Sierra G = Golf T = Tango H = Hotel U = Uniform I = India V = Victor J = Juliet W = Whiskey K = Kilo X = X-Ray L = Lima Y = Yankee M Mike Z = Zulu Aircraft Registration and Tail Numbers An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies an aircraft. In accordance with the Convention on International Civil Aviation all aircraft must be registered with a national authority (FAA in the United States), and they must carry proof of this registration in the form of a legal document called a Certificate of Registration at all times when in operation Because airplanes typically display their registration numbers on the aft fuselage just forward of the tail, in earlier times more often on the tail itself, the registration is often referred to as the "tail number". In the United States, the registration number is also referred to as an "N-number", as it starts with the letter N. A list of other country codes can be found here. How does an aircraft work? HowStuffWorks.com has an excellent breakdown of how an aircraft works and is easy to understand with animations, videos and pictures to reference different concepts. Please take the time to look this information over and bookmark for furture reference. Nasa also has a great website devoted to aerodynamics and more. Check it out here. You can also try here. Airport/FBO Terminology (Definitions Courtesy of Wikipedia, Dictionary.com) General Aviation: That portion of civil aviation which encompasses all facets of aviation except air carriers holding a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Civil Aeronautics Board and large aircraft commercial operators. FBO(Fixed Base Operator): A commercial operator supplying fuel, maintenance, flight training, and other services at an airport. Runway(RWY): A strip of land on an airport, on which aircraft can take off and land. Taxiway: A path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. Airport Terminal: is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from airplanes. Airport Ramp: the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. You may spend a lot of time here. Air Traffic Control (ATC): Communication with aircraft to help maintain separation. They ensure that aircraft are sufficiently far enough apart horizontally or vertically for no risk of collision. ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival ETD: Estimated Time Of Departure FAA: Federal Aviation Administration; Agency of the US Department of Transportation that controls air traffic. Its responsibilities include regulating air transportation, aviation safety, requiring airports and airlines to provide anti-hijacking security, and conducting aviation research. The agency is also responsible for investigating aeroplane accidents. CPA: The Civial Air Patrol is the volunteer, non-profit auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. Its three missions are to develop its cadets, educate Americans on the importance of aviation, and perform live-saving humanitarian missions, such as search and rescue or emergency aid missions. The Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program is a great opportunity for aviation enthusiastic young people to start flying. APU: Auxiliary Power Unit is a device on a vehicle whose purpose is to provide energy for functions other than propulsion. The primary purpose of an aircraft APU is to provide power to start the main engines ,but is also used to keep electronic equipment running inside without using the larger, louder main engines. EPA: Environment Protection Agency; an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and with safeguarding the natural environment . Lineman: A line technician (commonly known as a line tech, ramp rat or lineman) is someone who works on an airport ramp at a fixed base operator(FBO). Their technical responsibilities include coordinating ramp operations and aircraft movement via radio, marshalling, fueling, towing aircraft, operating ground support equipment, servicing aircraft potable water and lavatory systems, checking and maintaining proper aircraft engine oil and tire pressure levels, sampling aviation fuel for quality control, conducting deicing operations, and performing runway inspections. Marshalling: Aircraft marshalling is a method of visual signalling between ground personnel and pilots on an airport, aircraft carrier or helipad. Marshalling is a one-on-one visual communication and a vital part of aircraft ground handling. GPS: Global Positioning System. A navigation system that utilizes satellites. Itenerary: The entire trip listed point by point with departure times and arrival times, passenger lists, FBO's, and details about each leg. Leg: The segment of the flight from one point to the next. A trip usually has at least 2 legs, and possibly more. Live Leg: A flight with passengers onboard. Deadhead Leg: A flight with no passengers. Usually a repositioning flight. Short Leg: Usually a very small distance that does not allow the airplane to climb to an economical operational altitude, so a fee is charged to compensate for higher fuel burns and operational costs. You can find these and many more terminology/definitions that will be useful to add to your vocabulary and you most certainly will run across them eventually. Check out the reference section below for more terminology and definitions. Aviator Slang If you want to understand some aviation lingo, pilot chatter, etc. then check out this site. You'll be talking like a aviator in no time! Helps with understanding just what is going on during radio chatter! Fun too! |
References
All the places I gathered my information presented here. Please review these website further as they have a wealth of knowledge I simply do not have room for here.
Thanks again
JTL
General Reference
http://www.wikipedia.com/
International Code of Signals, United States Edition, 1969 Edition (Revised 2003), Chapter 1, pages 18-19, 148
United States Aircraft Registry Search
International Code of Signals, United States Edition, 1969 Edition (Revised 2003), Chapter 1, pages 18-19, 148
United States Aircraft Registry Search
Terminology/Definitions