NSN Sourcing Blog

In modern air travel, passenger safety and comfort take precedence during all stages of flight. One crucial aspect of this equation is the quality of air inside the airplane cabin. Contrary to common belief, the air circulating within the confines of an aircraft is not simply recycled or stale air. In fact, the aviation industry employs a sophisticated system to ensure a continuous supply of fresh air, ensuring a pleasant and healthy environment for all onboard.

From early biplanes to modern commercial airliners, airplane design has come a long way to accommodate more weight, reach higher speeds, and carry out increasingly complex maneuvers. One such advancement in recent years has been NASA’s development of the spanwise adaptive wing (SAW). This design has planes able to adjust wingtips for greater maneuverability for a wide range of plane types. As such, they have become useful mechanisms for creating lighter, quicker planes. To learn more about SAWs and their associated advancements, read on as we discuss how this innovation is allowing for even more capable aircraft.

Vision-based control of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft is the primary way in which pilots navigate aerial vehicles. To fly an aircraft reliably, without the need for human intervention, there is another system in place. The automatic flight control system (AFCS) is part of an aircraft’s avionics that includes electronics for communications, navigation, collision avoidance, and weather.

Marine engines are the powerhouses of water-based vessels, serving to generate the propulsion necessary to move. Marine engines are faced with a tough job, carrying out the combustion of fuel for power while also operating in an environment surrounded by water and contaminants. As a result, marine engines regularly face wear and tear during use, necessitating maintenance and inspection on a regular basis. The maintenance process for a marine engine will often vary, ranging from management of the engine cooling system to cleaning out clogged fuel filters. To help you better plan for possible maintenance endeavors, we will discuss the basic care required for marine engines and the costs associated with them.

Modern-day aircraft are continuously being improved and changed, ensuring that safety and efficiency is maintained. Aircraft cockpits in particular have seen many improvements, including the switch from conventional CRT displays to liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. To better understand how much impact this has on the aviation industry, this blog will cover LCD panels, their characteristics, and their advantages.

Cotter pins are staple aircraft hardware devices used to assemble aircraft components together safely. In this article, we shall learn more about the purpose of these pins and how they are used in conjunction with other aircraft components.

Pressure transmitters are common components that are used in various industries, serving a number of important roles. Before introducing you to such a versatile instrument that is in wide use across today's industries, let us first discuss the terms transducer and transmitter. Of course, many will say that both the terms are the same, and both can be used interchangeably. However, when you perform research for these two terms, you will get a wide range of results. As such, it is important to be aware of the typical definition of each.

Whether propeller assemblies are present on aircraft or marine vessels, such assemblies serve to convert engine power into thrust. For aircraft in particular, engine power is transferred to the propeller blade assembly through a rotating shaft, allowing for a large mass of air to have its velocity increased as the propeller twists through the atmosphere. For a propeller to optimally serve an aircraft and produce ample thrust, it must act with high efficiency to mitigate the amount of power loss between the engine and blades. In this blog, we will discuss the common factors that have an effect on propeller efficiency, and how it can be bolstered for reliability.

In the maritime and aviation industries, there are countless applications for hoses and lines that are used daily. The fuel, hydraulic, and electric lines that serve marine vessels and aircraft can vary in length and width, but they all share one feature: they must be stored safely. This blog will discuss the different types of hose reels which have long been used to safely and efficiently store hoses and cables.

A piston engine is a powerful apparatus, capable of harnessing the pressure of combusted fuel-and-air mixtures to generate a rotational movement. In order for proper combustion and operations, piston engines require minimal loss, efficient heat transfer, and much more. With a metallic split ring known as a piston ring, the gaps between the piston and the cylinder wall may be sealed for the protection of the engine assembly and its performance. There are also multiple types of piston rings, each of which may be implemented in varying areas of the assembly to provide different functions.

While marine vessels are less constricted in their range of operation as compared to other forms of travel such as automobiles, there are still plenty of rules and guidelines that should be followed to maintain safe operations on the open water. Similar to the traffic lights and stops that dictate how we drive, buoys, beacons, and lights are the primary navigation tools that assist vessels in their operations. Such items can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, many having distinct meanings that can be very useful for proper navigation. In this blog, we will provide an overview of the buoys, beacons, and lights that serve marine navigation, allowing you to better understand how to conduct safe operations on the open water.

Cowlings are removable covers that are used for aircraft engines in order to reduce drag and increase cooling for temperature control. Despite their importance for the overall performance of the aircraft, cowlings are often structures that are not given the attention they deserve. When one needs to install a cowling on their aircraft for a repair or for the first time, it is crucial that the cover is shaped to the installation or adjusted to optimally fit. As such, proper cowling installation should always be carried out.

When piloting an aircraft, the altimeter is an indispensable instrument for safe and efficient operations. Altimeters are used to determine the altitude of an aircraft in comparison to sea level. In order to garner such readings, the instrument relies on various parts and components that allow it to measure pressure. As altimeter readings are consistently used for flight planning, flight operations, and may require fixes for errors, understanding how the altimeter functions is crucial for any pilot.

Even the most responsible and frugal aircraft owners understand that owning an aircraft will never be inexpensive. Despite this, there are many steps you can take to minimize the need for expensive repairs, especially with your propeller. Regular inspection and preventative maintenance will not only increase the service life of your propeller, but also save a significant amount of money over time. This blog will cover five things you can do to protect your propeller and extend its operational life.

The marine diesel engine is an advanced apparatus, allowing for the combustion powered operation of vessels on water. Generally, a marine engine may either be inboard or outboard, meaning that the engine may be implemented within the hull of a boat or mounted upon the hull itself. Regardless of which type of diesel engine is present on a marine vessel, many share the same components and systems that allow them to operate efficiently.

Just like an aircraft, automobile, or any other vehicle, a boat will inevitably need repairs after certain intervals. Repairs will usually require the ship to dock, but depending on the severity of the repairs, they can also be done at sea assuming a support vessel has the necessary equipment, parts, and repairmen capable of carrying out the task. There are three categories of marine repair: electrical and mechanical repairs, marine engine repairs, and emergency response repairs. This blog will explain each type and what they entail.

Whether there is the unveiling of new gadgets, different airplane models, or flying vehicles, the world is excited and enthusiastic about the eventual fate of flying, which is the reason so many eyes are intently following the advancement of the E-Fan, the main airplane fueled by electrical power. A two-seat trial airplane, created via Airbus Group and accomplices, the E-Fan is the primarily 100% electrical airplane. With its first flight early this year, in half a month time it will be uncovered which company will be manufacturing the airplane.

Across all machine design seals, the O-ring remains the most common type for a variety of reasons. O-rings are fairly inexpensive to produce, simple to manufacturer, highly reliable, and provide for quick installation. Because of this, the O-ring is used in many different applications and provides for a number of uses. In this blog, we will discuss what O-rings are, some of their various types, and their shelf life.

There is a lot of choice for consumers shopping for engine lubricant. If you’re in the market and looking, you can come across many choices including engine oil, gear case drive lubricants, liquid spray lubricants, and drive lubricant, engine tuners, fogging oil and much more. If you need a proper lubrication system for your marine diesel engine, read on below for a brief overview of what your engine will need and which products can provide the best results for you.

Before deciding whether or not you need to repair any broken propeller for your boat, it is important to first establish if replacing would be a better option as opposed to doing propeller maintenance work. You can figure this out simply by asking yourself if the propeller kept your motor in the correct rpm range. Did the boat using the propeller accelerate well? Did you notice vibrations from the propellor when taking out the boat? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then a replacement might be better than trying to repair the propeller.

With the advent of lighter, higher RPM engines for marine vessels, engines have faced less ability to absorb vibrations that come with operation. With Marine engine mounts, boats can work to dampen the amount of vibrations caused by the engines, while also ensuring that the engine is secured to the vessel correctly. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of marine engine mounts for vessel engines.

The end of summer marks the close of boating season, so as the days shorten and the nights turn colder, owners of boating vessels take this grace period before the chill fully sets in to prepare their vessels for a long winter. Aside from just simply storing away their boats, there is more that needs to be administered in order to ensure the functionality of a boating vessel for future seasons. Doing less could leave your boat vulnerable to damage and costly repair work.

The motor is obviously one of the most important considerations in a boat’s design, determining the boat’s speed, maneuverability, center of balance, and maintenance needs. There are two choices in where a boat’s motor is placed, either an inboard configuration, or an outboard configuration. In this blog, we will break down the differences between the two designs, and their respective advantages and disadvantages.