While pilots are required to learn how to conduct an emergency descent during their flight training, it is a procedure that many hope to never have to execute in real situations. Nevertheless, there is always a chance that an issue may occur, forcing the need for an emergency descent even if in a nonoptimal area. As such, it is crucial that pilots are well familiar with the basics of emergency procedures, and are aware that different aircraft have varying steps and configurations for such operations. In this blog, we will provide a basic overview of emergency descent procedures for single-engine piston aircraft, those of which are the type that most pilots will train in.

Reciprocating engines have long served aircraft with their ability to transform pressure into a rotational motion with the use of one or more reciprocating pistons. Also known as piston engines, such internal combustion engines have seen constant development over the the past century with new and advanced models superseding their predecessors through improved designs and efficiencies. In this blog, we will discuss the common types of aircraft reciprocating engines that have been developed over the years, allowing you to best understand the differences between each.

The flight data recorder, often referred to as a black box, is an electronic recording device that may be implemented within an aircraft for the means of registering flight pertinent data that is used to investigate accidents and incidents. Modern flight recording systems actually consist of two separate devices, those of which are the flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). Both of these instruments record different parameters, and they have both seen significant improvements over the years for their capabilities and design. As flight recording devices are paramount for increasing the safety of aircraft to prevent future accidents, understanding their functionality and use is crucial.

Aircraft towing is a standard procedure for moving a plane on the ground, and it is commonly used to transport aircraft to and from gates, hangers, and around the flight line. There are multiple benefits for towing an aircraft, ranging from fuel savings to increased safety as towing crews may have better visuals around an airport to avoid collisions. Towing requires special equipment to ensure safety and reliability, and the equipment used will often depend upon the size of the aircraft, its landing gear, and other characteristics.

Cache memory is a chip-based computer component that enables efficient retrieval of data from the computer’s memory. Cache memory acts as a temporary storage area that the processor can easily retrieve data from. This temporary storage area is known as the cache and is more easily-accessible than DRAM memory - the computer’s main memory source. Cache memory is sometimes called CPU memory as it is typically integrated directly into the CPU chip or placed on a separate chip with an independent bus interconnect with the CPU. This means cache memory is physically closer to the processor, making it more accessible to the processor and increasing efficiency.