ASAP AM Spares Blog

The importance of regular aircraft maintenance is not up for debate. Just as important as MRO are the tools that make it possible. While there are certainly a wide variety of highly-specialized tools used in aircraft maintenance, simple tools can often get the job done. General purpose tools include hammers, mallets, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and drivers. In this blog, we will discuss these tools and provide some explanation of what they are and how they work.

When constructing an aircraft, a plethora of components come together to form the various assemblies and structures that aid the vehicle in attaining flight. To achieve such complex structures that are able to withstand the various forces and stresses exerted on them during flight, highly robust components such as aircraft fasteners are used. Bolts in particular are fasteners that are used generously across aircraft assemblies, and there are various special purpose types that are implemented to fulfill specific needs and loads.

As aircraft continue to increase in weight and reach higher airspeeds, the need for better stopping power is also on the rise. Nowadays, many modern planes are unable to fully rely on aircraft brakes to sufficiently slow down within a feasible and safe distance. To aid in this endeavor, aircraft thrust reversers are implemented to help stop the aircraft during the touchdown process. In general, the two main types of aircraft thrust reversers that are used are mechanical blockage and aerodynamic blockage types.

For an aircraft engine to properly provide enough propulsion to sustain high altitude heavier-than-air flight, it requires specific mixtures of oxygen and fuel for combustion. To provide these mixtures, the aircraft utilizes a carburetor for creating the correct mixture ratios of fuel and oxygen needed for operation. As this process must be extremely accurate and precise to properly function and avoid risks, the aircraft engine carburetor is designed with advanced engineering to manage power settings, mixture control, temperature, and more. In this blog, we will discuss what an aircraft carburetor is, as well as how it provides optimal fuel to air mixtures for aircraft.

Aircraft are heavily used vehicles for worldwide travel. With over 5,000 aircraft in the air at any given moment and 2.7 million passengers in and out of United States airports in a single day, airliners have to meet quick turnarounds to keep up with busy schedules. During ground operations in between flights, cleaning and preparing the cabin for the next round of passengers is a pivotal process. From aircraft sanitization, restocking, and even security screening, there are many processes that must be quickly conducted to establish both safety and cleanliness for the many worldwide travelling passengers a day. In this blog, we will discuss how cleaning and sanitization is conducted, as well as what equipment and chemicals are used.

With a great amount of advancements made to aircraft hardware parts, more and more systems are beginning to rely on electricity for their functions. From aircraft small to large, the aircraft battery proves to be an indispensable asset for initiating the powering of the electrical system and other electronic aircraft parts. There are many different types of batteries designed for aircraft, and each have their advantages and disadvantages for the applications that they serve. In this blog, we will discuss the uses of aircraft batteries, as well as some of the common types found within aircraft electrical systems.

An important part of responsible aircraft operation is analyzing feedback from your instruments and making adjustments whenever necessary. A wide array of sensors are constantly monitoring the state of the aircraft’s flight equipment and systems as well as the flight conditions. This blog will explain each of the most important aircraft sensors in the aerospace and aviation industries.

A plain bearing, sometimes referred to as a bushing, is a mechanical component implemented to minimize friction between a rotating shaft and its stationary support pieces. They are usually made from soft metal or plastic and feature an oil film in order to support the rotating shaft on the much harder shaft journal. Plain bearings are manufactured in many types and have a variety of functions. This blog will serve to explain a bit about each type of plain bearing and their uses.

An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a small turbine engine installed near the rear of the fuselage and serves as an additional energy source in starting one of the main engines on an airliner or business jet. Though a number of airports in the United States restrict the operation of APUs (especially at night) due to the noise they produce, the majority of an APUs usage is on the ground, before take-off and after landing. In addition to its starting capabilities, APUs are equipped with an extra electrical generator that creates enough power to operate onboard lighting, galley electrics and cockpit avionics.

Radar is an acronym for Radio Detection and Ranging. At its simplest, an aircraft radar system consists of a transmitted radio signal aimed by an antenna in a particular direction, and a receiver that detects the echoes of any objects in the path of the signal. The transmitter consists of an electronic circuit that oscillates at a specific frequency, much higher than those used for TV or radio broadcasts. This signal is sent out in small bursts of electromagnetic energy, called pulses, through which the antenna produces a narrow beam. The distance between the target and the antenna is determined by the time it takes between transmitting the pulse and receiving the echo. Because the radar signal travels at the speed of light, which is constant, a radar system can easily determine how far away an object is and how fast it is traveling.