Within the realm of electronics, potting refers to the manufacturing procedure of filling an electronic assembly with either a solid or gelatinous compound. Potting compounds serve many roles, aiding high voltage assemblies with shock resistance, vibration resistance, mitigation of gaseous phenomena, and protection from moisture, water, and corrosive materials. With the ability to support sensitive components while also protecting the assembly from physical and chemical damage, potting compounds are a crucial part of electronic manufacturing. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most common potting compound types, allowing you to best understand their uses and importance.

With the use of internal combustion engines and their ability to ignite fuel-and-air mixtures, aircraft can achieve the pressure and force necessary to drive systems and create propulsion for the means of flight. To efficiently burn fuel-and-air mixtures at a proper rate, the ignition systems of general aviation aircraft often utilize what is known as a magneto. As one of the oldest components of general aviation, the magneto is capable of independently producing high voltages that serve to provide engine ignition through the use of spark plugs. To ensure that there is redundancy in the ignition system for the means of safety, many aircraft will have a dual magneto system, meaning that all magnetos and spark plugs are duplicated.

The average passenger might assume that the process of refueling an aircraft is roughly the same as that of a car. Insert the hose, pump the gas, and move on. However, aircraft are both larger and more complex than cars, making the fuel process more complicated. In this blog, we will explore the process of refueling an aircraft.

The magneto is one of the oldest components of general aviation, and it is an engine driven electrical generator that takes advantage of permanent magnets and coils in order to generate high voltage for firing the spark plugs of aircraft engines. Aircraft magneto devices are regularly found within piston aircraft engines due to their simplistic design and reliable operation, and they require no external source of power for their functionality. As a standard device that has long served aviation, understanding the functionality of the aircraft magneto is important for any pilot or aircraft engineer utilizing such equipment.

A capacitor is a type of electronic component that is capable of storing energy in the form of an electric field. As a passive component that features two terminals, capacitors are regularly implemented within circuits to add capacitance. With a variety of types existing across the market, capacitors can benefit a range of applications including energy storage, power conditioning, suppression and coupling, digital memory, and much more. To best understand what capacitors are and how they may be used for a particular system, it can be helpful to be aware of the most common types and their functionalities.

Aircraft are robust vehicles, allowing us to achieve heavier-than-air flight and traverse the world in speeds never before thought possible. As aircraft are faced with many stressors and extreme conditions during typical flight operations, their assemblies need to be heavily secured to maintain integrity and safety. While there are a number of methods to conjoin parts for an assembly, the aluminum alloys regularly used for aircraft structures make procedures such as soldering ineffective for robust attachments. Instead, many aircraft manufacturers rely on a number of rivet types to join aluminum structures together due to their ease of installation, high capabilities, and easier maintainability.

When constructing electronic equipment, resistors serve as components that provide electrical resistance. With their ability to adjust signal levels, reduce current flow, divide voltages, and more, resistors assist in operations and further ensure equipment protection from volatile current. As a common aspect of electrical networks, resistors may come in a variety of types in order to accommodate different system needs. In this blog, we will discuss the various common resistor components, allowing you to better understand their uses and applications.

Rebuild and overhaul are two terms frequently used to describe the condition of an aircraft part. In fact, the two are often used interchangeably. Because of this, people see rebuilt parts and overhauled parts as the same, and find themselves wondering why rebuilt units cost more. However, the truth of the matter is that rebuilt and overhauled parts are different, and refer to different levels of work performed. If a part is ‘overhauled,’ it means that it has been completely disassembled, examined, and parts have been replaced as necessary according to the manufacturer’s overhaul manual. If a part is ‘rebuilt’ it means that the part has been brought back to factory new conditions as per the manufacturer.

Aircraft spare parts management is a complex operation consisting of lead-times, stocking, supply chain management, and much more. As maintaining an inventory of spare parts can be costly and time consuming, having quick turnarounds and a smaller inventory can be useful for regulation. With a constantly changing world and industry, ensuring that you always are on top of optimizing your spare parts management with new and reliable practices can help you save money and time while ensuring that you always have what is needed quickly and efficiently.

WAAS and LPV are two important navigation tools used to supplement GPS in aircraft. WAAS, or Wide Area Augmentation System, is an air navigation aid developed by the Federal Aviation Administration to improve the accuracy, integrity, and availability of the Global Positioning System. LPV, or localizer performance with vertical guidance, are the precision GPS aviation instrument approach systems available without specialized aircrew training requirements. This blog will discuss both WAAS and LPV in greater detail.