Interesting Facts About Airplanes and Aviation
When the Wright brothers designed the first airplane in 1903, they couldn't have imagined that the aviation industry would become an incredibly profitable business 100 years later. Moreover, aviation has made a huge leap forward. While the Wright brothers' plane flew only about 35 meters, a modern Boeing 787 can fly over 16,000 kilometers on a single tank of fuel.
Interesting Facts About Airplanes and Aviation
- High Altitude Door Opening: If the door of an airplane cabin suddenly opens at high altitude, it could cause people to be literally "sucked" out due to the pressure difference between the cabin and the outside. However, opening the airplane door in flight is practically impossible due to the same pressure difference.
- Fuel Capacity: The Boeing 747 can carry about 230,000 liters of jet fuel, which weighs about 180 tons.
- Contrails: The contrail left behind by airplanes consists of water vapor. A thin contrail indicates low air humidity and clear weather, while a thick, longer contrail can be an early sign of a storm.
- Survival Chances: According to a study by Popular Mechanics, passengers sitting at the rear of the plane have a 40% higher chance of surviving an accident compared to those sitting in the front rows.
- Fuel Efficiency: Aircraft like the Airbus A380, Boeing 787, ATR-600, and Bombardier C Series use less than three liters of jet fuel per 100 passenger-kilometers, which matches the efficiency of most modern compact cars.
- Air Filtration: The air on airplanes is filtered using the same technology as in hospital air filters, making it almost free of microbes.
- Fuel Dumping: In case of an emergency landing, the pilot may decide to dump fuel from the wing tanks to reduce the airplane's weight. This is rare, and the fuel usually evaporates before reaching the ground.
- Turbulence Detection: Airplane radars cannot detect turbulence, which can occur in both clear and bad weather.
- FAA Evacuation Requirement: The FAA requires that any airplane can be evacuated within ninety seconds. This time frame is based on the fact that in one and a half minutes, flames can engulf the entire plane, and in four and a half minutes, the plane can burn completely.
- Autopilot Use: Autopilot is typically engaged for most of the flight. The computer can make more precise adjustments, leading to fuel savings, except during turbulence. Autopilot is generally not used during takeoff and landing, although it can be.
- Pilot Pay: Most airline pilots are paid only for the time spent in the air, not for the time spent getting to the airport, completing flight tasks, or waiting for takeoff clearance.
- Antonov An-225 Mriya: The cargo jet Antonov An-225 "Mriya" is the largest airplane in the world, almost as large as a football field. It was originally built to transport shuttles.
- Airbus A380: The largest passenger airplane in the world is the Airbus A380, a double-decker jet with four engines that made its first flight on April 27, 2005.
- Boeing 767 Air Intake: The Boeing 767 sucks in so much air during flight that it could fill a Goodyear blimp in about seven seconds.
- Smallest Jet: The smallest jet in the world is the BD-5 Micro, with a wingspan of 4 to 6.5 meters and a weight of only 160 kg.
- Mercury Danger: Mercury is considered the greatest threat to any airplane and is not allowed on board. Even a small amount of mercury can severely damage the aluminum from which most airplanes are made. Aircraft exposed to mercury are usually quarantined.
- Fastest Plane: The fastest airplane in the world is the Lockheed SR-71. This supersonic reconnaissance aircraft holds the speed record (3,530 km/h) for almost forty years.
- Control Tower Windows: The windows in airport control towers must be angled precisely fifteen degrees to reduce the possibility of glare.
- Aviation Language: English is the international language of aviation. All controllers and pilots on international flights must speak English.
- CO2 and Turbulence: The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to a rise in turbulence incidents. Many experts believe that global climate change will further increase the number of turbulence cases in the near future.
- FAA Turbulence Statistics: According to the FAA, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to airline passengers and flight attendants in non-fatal accidents. Each year, an average of fifty-eight people in the United States are injured if not wearing seat belts during a flight.
- Crash Statistics: Studies show that 80% of aviation accidents occur within the first three minutes after takeoff and the last eight minutes before landing.
- Boeing 747-400 Windows: A windshield or window frame of a Boeing 747-400 costs as much as a BMW car.
