While one of the most important aspects of aircraft design is how well it can fly, there is also great importance on how it can operate on the ground. When discussing a commercial airliner for example, such aircraft need to be able to safely land, takeoff, and taxi around a runway. To achieve this without having to constantly rely on other equipment, it is a standard for many aircraft to have wheels and tires for ground traversal. As there are numerous types of tires and wheels that may be featured on an aircraft, it can be useful to have a basic understanding of the most common types and how they are used.
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Flight controllers are an important element of drones, acting as the brain that monitors and governs everything that the vehicle does during an operation. In their most simplistic form, flight controllers are just a circuit board with various electronic chips attached. Nevertheless, the combination of intelligent electronics and software present in a flight controller makes the various capabilities of the drone possible. As such, it can be useful to have a basic understanding of how a typical flight controller works and is designed.
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While many people have seen airplanes flying in the dark, some may wonder what type of headlights these airplanes use to see well from a great distance. To the surprise of many, aircraft do not actually use headlights as would be seen on a standard automobile. Instead, they use landing lights to establish visuals while taking off and landing in place of headlights. These landing lights are powerful enough to help you see the airplane from almost 100 miles away and are ten times brighter than any regular headlights on a vehicle.
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