Facing The Boarding Gate

The moment you hoped would never come has arrived: whether for business or pleasure, you’ve checked in, boarding pass in hand, passed through security, and now... alas... you have to get on that damn plane!

Bad Weather - Dealing With Mother Nature

        

Bad weather... perhaps one of the aspects of flying that causes the most concern! Let’s find out a bit more about how it is managed.

Air Traffic Control - Highways In The Sky!

     You’ve likely always heard that planes follow instructions from the "control tower"... but in reality, that’s a bit of a generalization. Things don't work exactly like that.

Additionally, you’ve heard the term "air traffic"—but do you really have any idea just how "crowded" the sky actually is?

Let’s clear things up a bit...

Airspace schematization

False Myths

      In my many years of commercial aviation, I’ve heard it all. I’ve summarized the most common myths of Homo passengeris right here!

We Are On The Same Team

We humans generally have a predisposition toward conspiracy theories whenever the opportunity arises...

In other words, if something negatively impacts our plans, even when we are given an explanation, we tend to think we're being lied to and that "there’s something bigger going on behind the scenes."

A Bird's Eye View

A slightly different post...
a series of pictures as a reminder that sometimes it is sufficient to look outside your window to forget about anxiety and fear!

Northern lights and a full moon  over the arctic circle

Medical Emergencies on Board

      
    It can happen that a passenger falls ill during a flight. Depending on the severity of the situation, the problem will be managed differently.

G-Forces: Why You Feel "Heavy" or "Weightless" During Flight

Even though you are sitting in a comfortable armchair during a flight, you have certainly experienced that unpleasant sensation of your body and "stomach" feeling "crushed" or "dropping" during aircraft maneuvers.

While passenger planes are designed to fly using slow, fluid movements to maximize comfort, there are laws of physics that simply cannot be avoided. 

A few numbers

    
    Have you ever wondered how much does an airplane weigh? Or how much fuel does it use while it flies?
Here are some numbers for you...

Jet Engines: Why Are They So Loud?

While the high-pitched whine from jet engines during ground maneuvers is mainly due to the movement of their mechanical parts (large masses rotating at very high speeds), the deep roar you hear during takeoff—when the engines are unleashing most of their power—is simply... air!

Odd Things You Might See on a Plane

There are many things that might leave you a bit puzzled when you take a flight… let’s look at a few!

Takeoff - What Happens Moment by Moment

Let’s talk, second by second, about what happens during the maneuver that takes tens—sometimes hundreds—of tons of technology into the sky, defying the laws of gravity.

Who Is Flying Your Plane? A Look Inside the Cockpit

Taking a flight means entrusting your life to those two people sitting way down there in the front, in a cramped cockpit filled with screens, lights, and buttons...

It’s fascinating, but at the same time, it can be a bit unsettling!

How can we be sure they are up to the task?

Headwind or Tailwind? How the Wind Shapes Your Flight

An airplane is a means of transport that moves through the air; as such, its flight is influenced in various ways by the wind..

Flying Through the Fog: Low Visibility Operations

At a large airport, even on those mornings when the fog is so thick you’d be afraid to get into your car, you will still hear planes taking off and landing.

But how do they do it?

The Go-Around: Why Planes Suddenly Climb Instead of Landing

You are on a plane that is finally on its final approach. You expect the wheels to touch the runway in the next minute or two... Suddenly, you hear the engines roar with power, you are pressed back into your seat, and you notice the nose of the plane pitch sharply upward.

What is happening?

The pilots are performing a "go-around". For some reason, continuing the landing was no longer deemed safe, so the maneuver is aborted. This is done quite abruptly to return the aircraft to a higher energy state as quickly as possible, since it will need to continue flying for a while longer.

The reasons for a go-around can vary:

• Severe Weather: Conditions at the exact moment of landing might include visibility that is too low, or winds that are too strong and unstable (windshear).
• Air Traffic Control Instructions: A controller might order a go-around because of something that suddenly made the landing unsafe, such as an obstruction on the runway (another plane that hasn't cleared yet, or a vehicle).
• Unstabilized Approach: To ensure maximum safety, the margins of error allowed by aviation procedures are extremely slim. If, shortly before landing, all parameters (speed, descent rate, configuration) are not perfectly correct, the pilots are required to abort the maneuver, even if a safe landing would still be technically possible.
• Sudden Technical Issues: An unexpected fault might require the pilots' full attention. In such cases, it is safer to return to a higher altitude to troubleshoot exactly what is happening before attempting the landing again with everything under control.

DontWorryFlyHappy!

Clear Air Turbulence: When the "Invisible Sea" Gets Rough

We would all love for every flight to be "smooth as silk," but unfortunately, you may encounter conditions that literally make the cabin tremble—almost as if a giant hand had grabbed the plane and started shaking it like a rattle. You look out the window, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky! What is actually happening?

Fire on Board: The Real Danger and Why You Are Part of the Solution

This topic deserves a post of its own because it is perhaps the most dangerous thing that can happen on an aircraft. If you are aware of the risks, you can become an active participant in ensuring it never happens on your flight.

Why Are There Two Pilots? Understanding Flight Crew Roles

Why do commercial flights have two pilots? And why sometimes three or four?

First of all, let’s clarify that any modern airliner can be managed by a single pilot, and all pilots are trained to do so in case of necessity. However, safety regulations mandate that the flight deck must be operated by two pilots simultaneously. 

How does it work exactly?

Wing Flex: Airplanes Bend but Don’t Break

If you are a keen observer, you will have noticed that the moment the plane lifts off the ground and begins its flight, the wings curve upward. On some aircraft, this is quite subtle, but on larger planes, the wingtips can "rise" by several meters!

Let's Talk About... Fuel

   What kind of "gas" do planes use? Where are the tanks located? And how do we decide exactly how much we need for a flight?

Pressurization: Breathing Miles Above the Earth

An airliner—especially one equipped with jet engines—must fly at very high altitudes, typically between 9,000 and 14,000 meters (approx. 30,000 to 45,000 feet), to minimize fuel consumption and cover long distances efficiently. At these altitudes, the atmosphere is much thinner than at ground level, and it would be impossible to breathe. This is why airplane cabins are pressurized.

Jet Engines: How Those Big "Barrels" Work

Have you ever wondered how they work, and what is inside those big "barrels" hanging under the wings of your plane? How can they move such a massive beast at such high speeds?

Struck by Lightning: Why It’s Not as Scary as It Seems

You’ve probably wondered what happens if, while flying near a thunderstorm, the plane happens to be struck by lightning…

Well, the answer is… almost always, nothing!

Is the Plane Ready? How Pre-Flight Checks Work

How do pilots check, before a flight, if an aircraft is fit to do its job?

First of all, you should know that all commercial aircraft are built in such a way that a failure or malfunction of one system does not compromise flight safety, because there is always a "backup" system.

Heavier Than Air

Have you ever wondered how such a massive "beast" can overcome gravity and take to the skies?

The subject is very, very complex, but let’s try to discover the main concepts of Aerodynamics together in an extremely simplified way. This science is the foundation of everything that flies, from paper planes to the largest aircraft in the world.

Propellers vs. Jets: Don't Panic!

If your flight route is very short, you might encounter an unusual surprise at the boarding gate: a plane with propellers instead of jet engines. Should you panic?

Strange Noises and Sensations: What’s Actually Happening?

Let’s talk about the unusual sounds and feelings you might experience during a flight...

Safety Briefing: The Things You (Almost) Never Listen To

When you travel by plane, from the moment you enter the airport until you arrive at your destination, you are bombarded with instructions, rules, and information... so much so that you probably "filter" most of it out and don’t even notice it anymore.

Landing: The Art of Coming Back to Earth

Landing, along with takeoff, is one of the most delicate phases of flight. Essentially, it is a maneuver that allows an aircraft to dissipate all its energy until it comes to a complete stop on the ground.

Depending on the aircraft's weight, weather conditions, and the state of the runway (dry, wet, snowy, etc.), more or less space will be required.

Across the Oceans: How Long-Haul Flights Work

If you’ve ever taken a flight from one continent to another, you’ve surely asked yourself a lot of questions about the route and how emergencies are handled. 

Let’s shed some light on the subject…

The Cabin Zoo: Who’s Sitting Next to You?

The following lines describe some typical behaviors of the average passenger. It doesn’t have much to do with the fear of flying, but I wanted to include it anyway; perhaps on your next trip, you’ll recognize yourself in one of these stereotypes—or you’ll definitely spot one of them and crack a smile!