User ratchet freak

93 votes

Why might an airliner fly a large U-turn before landing?

landing wind

answered Oct 13, 2017 at 9:06

65 votes

Why isn't airport relocation done gradually?

airport airport-operations

answered Apr 8, 2019 at 12:41

56 votes

Why was Concorde never sold as a private business jet?

aviation-history concorde private-jets

answered Nov 13, 2018 at 12:20

48 votes

How do PAPI lights work?

runways papi

answered Jun 1, 2014 at 12:33

47 votes

Accepted

Why has the A340 not been fitted with only three engines?

etops airbus-a340

answered Jun 9, 2017 at 14:34

44 votes

Why are the Boeing 737 nacelles odd shaped?

aircraft-design jet-engine boeing-737 nacelle

answered Jul 22, 2014 at 14:10

43 votes

Why are safety demonstrations done while taxiing?

safety airliner

answered Sep 30, 2015 at 10:08

41 votes

Accepted

How did aviation industry come to know about the drastic difference in air pressure in high altitude?

airliner high-altitude

answered Aug 3, 2015 at 12:57

40 votes

Why are pilots asked to provide a reason for a go-around?

safety air-traffic-control commercial-operations go-around

answered Jul 13, 2015 at 15:42

40 votes

Accepted

Why don't planes use pulsejets?

aircraft-design pulsejet

answered Dec 29, 2015 at 15:31

36 votes

People in a rollercoaster or falling elevator feel the rapid descent, so why don't pilots in the cockpit?

medical aircraft-physics g-forces human-factors af447-accident

answered Jan 4, 2019 at 10:28

33 votes

Accepted

Can a helicopter really fly with rotors going this slow?

helicopter airspeed rotorcraft spins

answered Apr 10, 2016 at 11:59

33 votes

Accepted

Aircraft pilot's seats: what is the notch for?

aircraft-design cockpit

answered Feb 5, 2015 at 18:15

31 votes

Accepted

What do winglets do to increase aircraft performance?

aircraft-design aircraft-performance winglets

answered Mar 7, 2014 at 20:05

31 votes

Can a wide body airliner land safely with a full fuel tank?

commercial-aviation fuel-tanks fuel-dumping

answered Nov 18, 2016 at 12:53

30 votes

Accepted

Why are vertical stabilizers always at the rear of an airplane?

aircraft-design aerodynamics

answered Nov 30, 2014 at 12:04

28 votes

Accepted

What happened to the blades in this picture?

propeller

answered Sep 30, 2015 at 23:15

27 votes

Would an 8% reduction in drag outweigh the weight addition from this custom CFD-tested winglet?

aircraft-design aerodynamics winglets

answered May 10, 2019 at 11:28

27 votes

Accepted

Why safe take off weight exceeds the safe landing weight?

landing weight-and-balance

answered Aug 16, 2014 at 15:01

27 votes

Accepted

How are off-wing jet engines transported?

jet-engine aircraft-maintenance

answered Aug 26, 2014 at 9:33

26 votes

How can the breath of a pilot be recorded?

cockpit-voice-recorder cockpit

answered Mar 27, 2015 at 12:43

25 votes

Accepted

Can commercial aircraft dump luggage or cargo mid-air?

cargo fuel-dumping

answered Feb 26, 2015 at 13:28

23 votes

Accepted

What determines in which direction a runway is used?

runways

answered Sep 29, 2014 at 19:26

22 votes

Accepted

Aircraft emergency oxygen: how hard do I pull on the mask?

safety

answered Dec 6, 2014 at 21:38

22 votes

Accepted

Can the wheel brakes hold an airliner in place if its engines are at full thrust?

airliner aircraft-systems braking

answered May 3, 2015 at 1:45

22 votes

Why aren't airliner windows aligned with their seats?

aircraft-design windows

answered Jul 13, 2015 at 22:54

22 votes

Accepted

Why is luggage required to be loaded in containers?

airliner baggage-handling-system

answered Aug 6, 2015 at 9:15

21 votes

Accepted

Why does the Harrier jet have four landing gears?

military landing-gear harrier

answered May 19, 2015 at 10:58

21 votes

Accepted

Why does a helicopter need cyclic control rather than just tilting the whole main rotor?

aerodynamics helicopter

answered Feb 18, 2015 at 16:39

20 votes

How does Boeing park several airplanes on a single runway at Paine Field?

airport boeing taxiing aircraft-manufacturer

answered Dec 9, 2014 at 9:53

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237 Answers

Why might an airliner fly a large U-turn before landing?

Why isn't airport relocation done gradually?

Why was Concorde never sold as a private business jet?

How do PAPI lights work?

Why has the A340 not been fitted with only three engines?

Why are the Boeing 737 nacelles odd shaped?

Why are safety demonstrations done while taxiing?

How did aviation industry come to know about the drastic difference in air pressure in high altitude?

Why are pilots asked to provide a reason for a go-around?

Why don't planes use pulsejets?

People in a rollercoaster or falling elevator feel the rapid descent, so why don't pilots in the cockpit?

Can a helicopter really fly with rotors going this slow?

Aircraft pilot's seats: what is the notch for?

What do winglets do to increase aircraft performance?

Can a wide body airliner land safely with a full fuel tank?

Why are vertical stabilizers always at the rear of an airplane?

What happened to the blades in this picture?

Would an 8% reduction in drag outweigh the weight addition from this custom CFD-tested winglet?

Why safe take off weight exceeds the safe landing weight?

How are off-wing jet engines transported?

How can the breath of a pilot be recorded?

Can commercial aircraft dump luggage or cargo mid-air?

What determines in which direction a runway is used?

Aircraft emergency oxygen: how hard do I pull on the mask?

Can the wheel brakes hold an airliner in place if its engines are at full thrust?

Why aren't airliner windows aligned with their seats?

Why is luggage required to be loaded in containers?

Why does the Harrier jet have four landing gears?

Why does a helicopter need cyclic control rather than just tilting the whole main rotor?

How does Boeing park several airplanes on a single runway at Paine Field?