Aerospace
Breaking Down Take-Off: Critical Flight Parameters
Breaking Down Take-Off: Critical Flight Parameters Introduction This blog will summarise the procedures a pilot would follow for take off. We will discuss the necessary considerations for the pilot and factors which affect ground run distance to take off. Firstly, when the pilot calls ‘ready for departure’, there are several possible answers he could get […]
Smooth Transitions: The Role of Flight Controls in Climb
Smooth Transitions: The Role of Flight Controls in Climb Introduction The transition from takeoff to climb is a critical phase of flight that demands precise coordination of aircraft flight controls. During this period, pilots rely on control surfaces such as elevators, ailerons, rudder, and high-lift devices to establish a stable climb attitude while maintaining airspeed, […]
Mastering the Glide: How Aircraft Fly Without Thrust
Mastering the Glide: How Aircraft Fly Without Thrust Introduction Gliding flight demonstrates how an aircraft can remain airborne without engine thrust by efficiently balancing lift, drag, and weight. Whether in engine-out scenarios or in glider operations, understanding the principles of glide performance is essential for pilots and engineers alike. Factors such as glide ratio, angle […]
What Really Keeps an Aircraft Flying?
What Really Keeps an Aircraft Flying? Introduction In this blog we will identify the four main forces concerned with aircraft in flight. We will discuss the nature of these forces and deduce mathematical and descriptive definitions. If an aircraft is to be considered in straight and level flight then it will not be gaining altitude, […]
Decision-Making Tools Explained: Improving Engineering Project Outcomes
Decision-Making Tools Explained: Improving Engineering Project Outcomes Introduction When undergoing any design work there are a number of tools that can be used to provide a logical, systematic approach. This will help to set the project objectives which can then be used for idea generation, decision making, and identification of risks in the project. There […]
The Engineer’s Guide to Preparing a Design Specification
The Engineer’s Guide to Preparing a Design Specification Introduction A clear and well-structured design specification is the foundation of every successful engineering project. It translates customer requirements, technical considerations, and constraints into a precise, measurable set of criteria that guides the entire design process. By defining performance targets, materials, safety standards, and functional expectations, a […]
Taking Off Anywhere: STOL and VTOL Solutions Explained
Taking Off Anywhere: STOL and VTOL Solutions Explained Introduction Aircraft require a large distance in order to successfully take off. Similarly aircraft require large distances to be able to land safely. Removing these distances from the flight plan can be of great benefit, depending on the required mission of the aircraft. In order to reduce […]
Inside the Turn: Understanding Key Flight Parameters
Inside the Turn: Understanding Key Flight Parameters Introduction This blog will focus on aircraft performing turning manoeuvres, in particular, the forces acting upon the aircraft and how the turning action changes these forces. We will discuss the idea behind load factors and consider how the airspeed of the aircraft will change during these manoeuvres. If […]
Up and Over: Evaluating Flight Parameters in Pull-Up and Vertical Loop Manoeuvres
Up and Over: Evaluating Flight Parameters in Pull-Up and Vertical Loop Manoeuvres Introduction In this following blog we will analyse an aircraft performing a loop manoeuvre. Loops will be analysed using our previous definition of load factor and the basics of circular motion. If we are able to analyse the forces on the aircraft in […]
Designing with Integrity: A Practical Guide to Ethical Design
Designing with Integrity: A Practical Guide to Ethical Design Introduction Ethics is a very important topic in engineering, and it governs each decision you make as an engineer, both personally and professionally. In the UK, there is an organisation called the Engineering Council. (you can view their website here). The Engineering Council is the UK […]
What Really Happens in a Turn? Principles and Issues of Turning Flight
What Really Happens in a Turn? Principles and Issues of Turning Flight Introduction At first glance, a turn in an aircraft looks simple, just bank the wings and change direction. But beneath that smooth arc across the sky lies a carefully balanced interplay of aerodynamics, forces, and pilot control inputs. Turning flight is far more […]
How Aircraft Stay Balanced: Longitudinal Stability Made Simple
How Aircraft Stay Balanced: Longitudinal Stability Made Simple Introduction In this blog we will examine and analyse the principles behind stability of aircraft, we will explore what is meant by the term stability and discuss ways in which the design of aircraft are influenced. Generally speaking, the term stability refers to the ability of an […]
How Aerospace Structures Are Built: Components and Structural Layout
How Aerospace Structures Are Built: Components and Structural Layout Introduction Aerospace structures are engineered to withstand extreme loads, pressure changes, and environmental conditions while remaining as lightweight as possible. The structural design of an aircraft or spacecraft relies on a carefully arranged system of components that work together to provide strength, stability, and aerodynamic efficiency. […]
Why Planes Don’t Spin Out of Control: Lateral and Directional Stability Made Simple
Why Planes Don’t Spin Out of Control: Lateral and Directional Stability Made Simple Introduction Ever wondered why an aircraft doesn’t suddenly roll over or yaw uncontrollably while flying through turbulence? The answer lies in lateral and directional stability, the built-in aerodynamic features that help an aircraft stay balanced and pointed in the right direction. In […]
Breaking the Sound Barrier: How Supersonic Flight Changes Aircraft Stability
Breaking the Sound Barrier: How Supersonic Flight Changes Aircraft Stability Introduction What really happens when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier? As speed increases beyond Mach 1, airflow changes dramatically, shock waves form, pressure distribution shifts, and aerodynamic forces behave very differently from subsonic flight. These changes don’t just affect drag and lift; they significantly […]
How Aircraft Design Shapes Longitudinal Stability
How Aircraft Design Shapes Longitudinal Stability Introduction This blog will aim to link this to certain design features that aircraft use to improve their stability and mitigate the negative effects of disturbances. Dynamic Stability The dynamic stability of an aircraft simply describes how the aircraft behaves after the disturbance has taken place. The dynamic stability […]
Why Wings Flex: Understanding the Challenges of Aeroelasticity
Why Wings Flex: Understanding the Challenges of Aeroelasticity Introduction In this blog we will provide some insight into aeroelasticity and some of the issues it can cause with respect to stability and control of aircraft. Aeroelasticity is the branch of mechanics that is concerned with the interaction of fluids and solid flexible bodies. In our […]
International Standard Atmosphere Model in Aviation and Aerospace
International Standard Atmosphere Model in Aviation and Aerospace Introduction This blog takes a look into the structure of the atmosphere and how various parameters such as air density, temperature and pressure change with altitude. Air can be thought of as behaving like a fluid in the gas phase. Troposphere The Troposphere is the lowest part […]
Mastering Project Planning with Gantt Charts: A Practical Guide for Engineers
Mastering Project Planning with Gantt Charts: A Practical Guide for Engineers Introduction Effective project planning is essential for delivering engineering work on time and to a high standard. One of the most powerful tools for achieving this is the Gantt chart—a clear, visual planning technique that helps engineers organise tasks, allocate resources, and track progress […]
Critical Path Analysis: The Key to Efficient Engineering Project Planning
Critical Path Analysis: The Key to Efficient Engineering Project Planning Introduction Effective engineering projects rely on careful planning, clear priorities, and efficient use of time. Critical Path Analysis (CPA) is a powerful project management technique that helps engineers identify the most important tasks, the ones that directly determine the project’s completion date. By mapping task […]
From Sketch to Solution: Your Introduction to Engineering Drawings
From Sketch to Solution: Your Introduction to Engineering Drawings Introduction Drawings are important for all engineering projects. They are a vital form of communication between engineers, designers, manufacturers etc. all working to a common language. There are several ways of creating engineering drawing, however by far the most popular now is using CAD software to […]
An Introduction to Modelling Basic 3D Shapes in CAD Software
An Introduction to Modelling Basic 3D Shapes in CAD Software Introduction : What is CAD? CAD stands for computer-aided design and it has revolutionized the way that engineers, designers, and architects work. Computer-aided design involves creating computer models defined by geometrical parameters. These models typically appear on a computer monitor as a three-dimensional representation of […]
Engineering Design in the Real World: Constraints and Practical Implications
Engineering Design in the Real World: Constraints and Practical Implications Introduction : Engineering design rarely happens in a vacuum. While creative concepts and theoretical models provide the foundation for innovation, the transition from an idea to a working solution is shaped by a wide range of real-world constraints. Engineers must constantly balance performance, cost, materials, […]
From Metals to Composites: How Material Choices Shape Modern Engineering
From Metals to Composites: How Material Choices Shape Modern Engineering Introduction : Engineering materials form the foundation of every product, structure and technology we rely on today. From the strength of metals and the stability of ceramics to the flexibility of polymers and the advanced performance of composites, each material offers unique properties that make […]
Making Sure It Works: The Importance of Testing and Validation
Making Sure It Works: The Importance of Testing and Validation Introduction : Testing and validation are essential steps in ensuring that any engineering design or product performs exactly as intended. By rigorously checking functionality, reliability and safety, engineers can identify issues early, improve quality and build confidence in the final outcome. Whether developing a new […]
The Practical Guide to Producing a Technical Design Report
The Practical Guide to Producing a Technical Design Report Introduction : A solid Technical Design Report (TDR) turns a messy idea into a clear, reviewable plan your team can build with confidence. In this practical guide, you’ll learn what to include, how to structure it, and the common traps to avoid. so your design is […]
From Slide 1 to Sign-Off: Presenting Your Design with Confidence
From Slide 1 to Sign-Off: Presenting Your Design with Confidence Presenting your design The best and most common way to present your design is via a slideshow. A good slideshow should convey only the essential information, and be kept short and sweet. They should have a simple and professional manner to them, and not get […]
Who Sets Engineering Standards? A Guide to Key Standards Bodies
Who Sets Engineering Standards? A Guide to Key Standards Bodies Introduction Engineering standards don’t appear out of nowhere, they’re created, maintained, and updated by standards bodies that bring together industry experts, researchers, regulators, and manufacturers. In this guide, you’ll learn who these organizations are, what they publish, how standards get made, and how to choose […]
Compliance & Protection: CE Marking, Patents, and Copyright for Engineers
Compliance & Protection: CE Marking, Patents, and Copyright for Engineers Introduction Getting a product “working” is only half the job, getting it legally market-ready and properly protected is the other half. This guide walks engineers through the essentials of regulatory compliance (including CE marking) and the core IP tools, patents and copyright, so you can […]
Inside Airspeed Measurement: What Really Tells an Aircraft How Fast It’s Flying
Inside Airspeed Measurement: What Really Tells an Aircraft How Fast It’s Flying Introduction Airspeed is one of the most critical parameters in aviation, influencing aircraft performance, safety, and control. From basic pitot-static systems to advanced electronic sensors, accurate airspeed measurement underpins everything from takeoff calculations to flight stability. This blog explores the fundamental principles of […]
From Pressure to Position: How Altitude Is Measured in Flight
From Pressure to Position: How Altitude Is Measured in Flight Introduction Altitude measurement is fundamental to safe and efficient flight, providing pilots and onboard systems with critical information about an aircraft’s vertical position in the atmosphere. Traditionally derived from changes in air pressure, altitude measurement has evolved from simple barometric instruments to sophisticated sensor-based and […]
From Take Off to Landing: Understanding the Stages of a Flight
From Take Off to Landing: Understanding the Stages of a Flight Introduction Every aircraft journey follows a carefully planned sequence of events, from the moment the engines start to the final touchdown on the runway. While passengers may only notice takeoff, cruising, and landing, a typical flight is made up of several distinct stages, each […]
Evaluating Aircraft Performance During Climb
Evaluating Aircraft Performance During Climb Introduction The climb phase is one of the most critical segments of flight, where aircraft performance, safety, and efficiency are closely interlinked. During this phase, pilots and engineers must carefully evaluate key performance parameters such as climb rate, airspeed, thrust, altitude gain, and fuel consumption. Understanding how these variables interact […]
Aircraft Basics: Main Components and Standard Control Surfaces Explained
Aircraft Basics: Main Components and Standard Control Surfaces Explained Introduction In this blog we will identify the main components within an aircraft, more from the point of view of large external parts, more specifically, flight control surfaces. Flight control surfaces are simply physical devices that the pilot can control and adjust in order to change […]
The Backbone of Innovation: What Is Engineering Design Methodology?
The Backbone of Innovation: What Is Engineering Design Methodology? Introduction Everything man-made that you see around you from the largest road bridges, to the humble light switch can only be realised by great design. Design turns an idea into a useful artefact, the problem into a solution, or something ugly and inefficient into an elegant, […]
Can You Really Learn Engineering Entirely Online? Exploring the Modern Approach to Practical Engineering Education
Can You Really Learn Engineering Entirely Online?Exploring the Modern Approach to Practical Engineering Education One of the most frequently asked questions we encounter at iLearn Engineering® is: “Is it really possible to study engineering entirely online? How are the practical, hands-on elements addressed?” This question is not only valid but reflects a traditional understanding of […]
How to describe and analyse damped vibration problems involving a single degree of freedom?
How to describe and analyse damped vibration problems involving a single degree of freedom? In this blog, we shall review the mathematical analysis of single degree of freedom lumped parameter systems with damping. For more information about damping click here The damping constant, c, is analogous to the spring constant, k, with the difference being […]
How do we Analyse Simple Harmonic Motion?
How do we Analyse Simple Harmonic Motion? Many engineering systems consist of components which oscillate or vibrate in the presence of appropriate forces. This may be desirable or undesirable, or simply unavoidable. A theoretical understanding of the nature of vibration allows us to analyse and solve a wide range of engineering problems. In fact, many […]
What is Damping and Resonance?
What is Damping and Resonance? In this blog we shall explore some of the fundamental concepts of vibration, with the aim of gaining an overall appreciation and understanding of resonance and damping without any mathematical treatment. All structures are flexible to some extent. Vibration is the inevitable consequence of a structure due to its flexible […]
A Quick Guide to Thermal Stress
A Quick Guide to Thermal Stress Thermal expansion and the resulting thermal stress are key concepts in engineering and physics. They describe how materials expand or contract when exposed to temperature changes. Understanding these principles is essential for designing structures and systems that can withstand environmental fluctuations without failure. What is Thermal Expansion? When materials […]
What is Bernoulli’s principle?
What is Bernoulli’s principle? In our previous article, we looked at ideal gas laws and how they can be used in engineering problems. In this article we’re going to look into Bernoulli’s principle and how it can affect engineering problems. Bernoulli’s principle Bernoulli’s principle is a fundamental law governing the motion of fluids. It relates […]
What are ideal gas laws?
What are ideal gas laws? In our previous article, we looked at how continuity can affect engineering problems. In this article, we’re going to look into what ideal gas laws are and how they can affect engineering problems. What are ideal gas laws? Ideal gas laws are a set of laws and equations that govern […]
How can continuity affect engineering problems?
How can continuity affect engineering problems? In our previous article, we looked at how heat and temperature can affect engineering problems. In this article, we’re going to look into continuity and how it affects engineering problems. What is continuity? If we consider a steady flow at velocity, v, of a fluid with a density of […]
How can heat and temperature affect engineering problems?
How can heat and temperature affect engineering problems? In our previous article, we looked at how pressure in fluids can affect engineering problems. In this article, we’re going to look into heat and temperature and how they affect engineering problems. Heat and temperature Heat is a type of energy, measured in Joules J. When heat […]
What is pressure in fluids, and how does it affect engineering problems?
What is pressure in fluids, and how does it affect engineering problems? In our previous articles, we looked at how to use various principles, such as moments of force, to solve engineering problems. In this article, we’re going to look into principles of fluids and how they affect engineering problems. Pressure due to height of […]
How do moments of force affect engineering problems?
How do moments of force affect engineering problems? In our last article, we looked at how we can apply principles of energy and power to engineering problems. Now we’re going to dive into how moments of force can be applied to engineering problems. Moments If we want to describe a force acting on a body, […]
How can we apply the principles of energy and power to practical problems?
How can we apply the principles of energy and power to practical problems? In our last articles, we looked at things like some of the forces that can affect engineering problems, and how we can solve problems involving distance and velocity. Now we’re going to look at how we can solve problems using the principles […]
What are the forces at a point that affect engineering problems?
What are the forces at a point that affect engineering problems? In our last article, we looked at how we can solve practical problems that involve distance and velocity. Now we’re going to look at forces at a point, what they are, and how they can affect engineering problems. Before we jump in, let’s check […]
How can we solve practical problems involving distance and velocity?
How can we solve practical problems involving distance and velocity? In our last article we looked at SI units, what they are and why we use them, giving us a solid introduction to Engineering Science. In this article, we’re going to see how we can solve some practical problems with engineering. Introduction to definitions Before […]
How can we describe SI units?
How can we describe SI units? If you’ve read any of our previous articles, you’ll see that we dive into various engineering topics, such as mechanical resonance or deflection of cantilever beams. In this article, we’re going to learn all about SI units, standard engineering prefix notation, and how we can describe them. Introduction to […]
The Four Fundamental Forces that Enable Aircraft to Fly
In this article, we will identify the four main forces concerned with aircraft in flight. We will discuss the nature of these forces and deduce mathematical and descriptive definitions
Flight Mechanics of a Typical Aircraft Flight
Flight Mechanics of a Typical Aircraft Flight. This article will give a brief overview of a typical flight of an aircraft
How do we Measure Airspeed and Altitude of Aircraft?
Measuring the airspeed and altitude of an aircraft it is not as simple as you might first think, and requires the consideration of a...
What are Flight Control Surfaces?
This section will identify the main components within an aircraft, more from the point of view of large external parts, more specifically,
Engineering Projects – The critical path
Following on from our last article on engineering projects - planning for success (catch up here), this article expands on project...
Engineering Projects – Planning for success!
Being an engineer is much more than just performing calculations and making drawings. In the real-world, professional engineers are...
Aircraft Design – Aerofoil and Wing Design for Preliminary Aircraft Design
Part 2 of 3 of our Aircraft Design series. In this 20-minute video you will learn about aerofoil and wing design. If this video interests...
Aircraft Design – How to use Wing and Thrust Loading in your designs
This 18-minute video is the first tutorial in our new aircraft design series. The topic is how designers use thrust loading and wing...
Engineering Materials…What ‘stuff’ is made from
Engineering can be defined as the application of science and technology to create or produce something of use. In order to ‘produce’...