NSN Supplies Blog

The aircraft hydraulic system is a critical element to a number of planes, allowing for pilots to operate landing gear, brakes, flaps, and other control surfaces with ease. As the system requires pressurized liquids that can transmit power through compression for functionality, a number of valves are needed in order to control speed, direction, and flow of fluids. Depending on the operation, a number of valve types may be utilized within a hydraulic system, and common valves include selector valves, sequence valves, check valves, shuttle valves, priority valves, quick disconnect valves, and hydraulic fuses.

Seals are used to prevent fluids from passing beyond a certain point and to keep air, dirt, or other particulates out of a system. The constantly increasing usage of hydraulics and pneumatics in aircraft systems has created a need for packings and gaskets of differing designs and functions to meet the needs of the speeds and temperatures to which they are subjected. Because no one type of seal is suitable for all installations, there are many different types of seal. Factors that dictate what type is necessary include the pressure at which the system operates, the type of fluid in the system, the metal finish and clearance between adjacent parts, and the type of motion it may be exposed to. Aircraft seals are divided into three primary classes: packings, gaskets, and wipers. This blog will explain all three, their types, and what differentiates them.

Gas bearings and seals are essential in aviation and auto maintenance because they help support the motor or engine of its vessel. The bearings in an aircraft, for instance, are designed to absorb shock as the plane touches the runway during landing and can also be used to manipulate a control surface such as ailerons. Aircraft bearings can help support and guide the rotating or sliding element of a machine and there are numerous types of seals that each help to reduce friction within a machine. For more information on bearings and seals, this article will provide a detailed explanation on how they work.

In the modern world, many aircraft create flight through the combustion of fuel and air mixtures within the aircraft engine. While these hot, rapidly expanding gases are what allow for aircraft to sustain heavier-than-air flight, it is critical that there is also a system in place to manage and expel them. With the aircraft engine exhaust system, combustion gases can be safely ejected from the plane, as well as used to power or drive various aerospace parts.

Federal Supply Class 3040 refers to Miscellaneous Power Transmission Equipment including shaft straight, lever manual control, parts kit linear ac, gearshafts, ball joints, actuating cylinders, and more. It is part of Federal Supply Group 30: Mechanical Power Transmission Equipment. The transmission system of an aircraft transfers power from the engine to the main rotor, tail rotor, and other critical parts during flight. This blog will explain some of the important transmission parts from FSC 3040 and provide some details on each of them.

While a decade ago the term “drones” would have been thought mostly of as the vehicles that are used for wartime operations, drones nowadays have taken on a whole new form. Whether for entertainment, business, or safety, drones play a role across many applications that are recreational, commercial, and beyond. In this blog, we will discuss the various roles that drones play, as well as the basic drone components and accessories that they use for their functionality.

A turbosupercharger is a system that is installed on an aircraft in order to supply compressed air for the carburetor or engine control unit. The installed turbosupercharger and components are externally driven, powered by a turbine wheel assembly that is fed exhaust gases from the engine to conduct operations. For this reason, such devices have donned the title “superchargers”, though superchargers specifically refer to those that are able to produce a manifold pressure that is above 30” Hg. A typical turbosupercharger contains a compressor, turbine, and bearing assembly, all of which may be similar to that of a turbocharger. In this blog, we will discuss the various parts of the turbosupercharger and their functionality, as well as the difference between turbosuperchargers and standard turbochargers.

The aircraft instrument landing systems (ILS) are pilot aid systems that help with the approach and landing of an aircraft during the final stages of a flight operation. During standard weather conditions, the aircraft landing system helps a pilot execute a precision landing by providing both lateral and vertical guidance across a number of technologies. By working together with the destination air traffic controller, the aircraft can utilize a landing course with the ILS. In this blog, we will discuss the various instruments that make up the aircraft instrument landing system that pilots rely on.

Aircraft fuel valves are an important tool to control the flow of fuel into the engine and provide the power behind flight. There are three common types of aircraft fuel valves in use in aircraft fuel systems: hand-operated fuel valves, motor-operated, ams solenoid-operated. This blog will explain each of them, their differences, and their functions.

When piloting aircraft, understanding the various aircraft flight controls is paramount to safe and optimal flying. From primary to trim controls, each one offers a different way of manipulating aircraft flight and direction, edging you towards your destination successfully. In this blog, we will discuss the different types of primary and trim control present in various aircraft.