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#44: Turbojets and turbofans

The jet engine revolutionized air travel in the 1950s, and since then jet engines have only gotten more reliable, more efficient, and more powerful. This is due in part to the switch from turbojets to turbofans. In this episode, I discuss what turbojets and turbofans are, and the important differences between them.

#43: Carburetors

What was in auto engines 50 years ago, is in piston aircraft engines today. It’s not always true but it certainly feels true often. Only in the last 30 years or so has carburetion been supplanted by fuel injection in aircraft engines. In this episode I will introduce you to the purpose of carburetors, what they do and how they work, and talk about a few different types of carburetors.

#42: Formation flying and TACFORM

Flights of military aircraft always fly in formation. Flying in formation offers significant tactical advantages when in a combat area, and helps maintain cohesion of the flight when not. Learn about how military aircraft fly in formation, the different types of formations used, and how they deal with contingencies.

#41: Low-frequency radio ranges

Low-frequency radio ranges are a simple form of instrument navigation that hasn’t been around since the 1970s. And while it’s comparatively primitive today, it was revolutionary in the 1920s, demonstrating that for the first time airplanes could be navigated by instruments alone. Learn about how LRR stations worked, and how LRR approaches were charted and flown.

#40: Types and hazards of icing

Ice is nice in cold drinks but can be a real hazard to airplanes. When supercooled water droplets freeze and create ice on the wings, an aircraft can suffer loss of lift and control. Learn about where and why ice forms, and why it’s such a big deal to the pilots who fly through it (and try to avoid it).