Interesting facts about modern aircraft for kids. Why are ashtrays installed on airplanes? There is nothing dirtier on an airplane than folding tables.

In any work, there will certainly be secrets that are not intended for prying ears. Aviation has always been surrounded by an aura of romance and mystery, which is why it is so interesting for us to learn about the "inner kitchen" of this area.

15. Pilots are not allowed to wear a beard.
Some airlines ban pilots from wearing beards. This is done in order to emergency the oxygen mask (pilots will need to wear it, as well as passengers) fit snugly to the face. And a beard can get in the way.

14. Airplanes are cool for your health.

According to the study, there is a link between the temperature and pressure in the aircraft and loss of consciousness caused by hypoxia. Overheated air in the cabin can provoke hypoxia. Therefore, the temperature is maintained at a lower level. Dress warmly when flying!

13. The plane never flies "directly" on the map

On some long flights, passengers are shown a map with the flight path. You can see that the plane does not fly directly at all, but in an arc. And sometimes even strange zigzags. The thing is that the Earth is a ball, and the map on the screen is flat. The second reason is the special requirements for flights, according to which the route is built so that the aircraft is always within the allowable flight time to the nearest airfield that can receive this type of aircraft in case forced landing. Also, weather conditions can affect the flight path.

12. It is better to wear strong closed shoes when flying.

Choose stable boots with good soles, because in the event of an emergency evacuation, you may find yourself standing on hot pavement or on thorny weeds in flip flops.

11. Pilots and controllers don't always communicate purely formally.

There is a tradition: dispatchers congratulate pilots on all holidays. Imagine, before Christmas, a pilot has 4 flights a day, and during this time about 2 thousand people wish him a happy holiday. “When the German national team became the football champion, all the air traffic controllers in the world congratulated our crew,” said Lufthansa pilot Antje Schaper.

10. A common person never be able to land a plane

In the movies, we are often shown how, due to the machinations of the villains, the pilots lose the ability to fly the plane, and then the game comes into play. main character- just a very capable guy on board. Unfortunately, in real life such a scenario is impossible. Even if this person is a genius, addicted to a computer simulator of exactly the same aircraft model, ready to follow instructions from the ground, he is likely to be let down by a banal aspect - stress.

9. Flight delays affect not only passengers, but also flight attendants.

The fact is that flight attendants receive their salary only for flying hours. The time spent on the ground is not reflected in their salary. The only thing the airline offers is a small compensation for every hour from the moment you arrive at the airport. So don't take it out on a flight attendant if for some reason your plane doesn't take off.

8. Pilots take turns going to the restroom.

When one of the pilots leaves for the restroom, a flight attendant must enter the cockpit and wait there for the return of the absentee. This is done in order to avoid an emergency situation. For example, this: one pilot got out, the door closed behind him. And the one who remained in the cockpit suddenly lost consciousness.

7. Airplane food tastes bad, and it's nobody's fault.

This is not the fault of the ground workers. The whole point is that high altitude our taste buds and sense of smell begin to betray us. Insufficient humidity, aircraft noise and low pressure play a big role in this.

6. Pilots communicate with flight attendants through an armored door.

Indeed, the cockpit has an armored door, and that one has a special code for entering. The code will work if the pilot does not take any action within 120 seconds after entering it. This is done in case everyone in the cockpit loses consciousness, for example, due to depressurization. In regular situations, the flight attendants call the pilots on the tube. And by the way, the flight attendant is obliged to call the pilots every 40 minutes during the day, and once every 20 minutes at night, to make sure they are working.

5. Most quiet places- near wings

The plane in the air resembles a swing. The most “bumpy” places are at the end of the cabin. Therefore, if you want to fly as calmly as possible and minimize shaking, sit in the middle, near the wings.

4. When a plane is hijacked, pilots have their own way of signaling airport workers.

Fortunately, such cases are extremely rare. And yet, if this happens, when landing, the pilots give a signal to the workers of the receiving airport through the mechanization of the wing. This is one way to let ground crews know that something extraordinary is happening on board.

3. Hard landings can be deliberate

Often hard landing- this is not a consequence of incorrect actions of the pilot, but a deliberate action in bad weather. If the runway is covered with a layer of water, the crew must land hard in order to “break through” this layer and prevent hydroplaning.

2. During night landing the light is dimmed on purpose

This happens so that the passengers' eyes get used to the darkness. If there is an emergency situation, the light cannot be turned on, and people who are accustomed to the dark will better orient themselves in the night environment.

1. Oxygen masks calculated for only 15 minutes

The oxygen in the mask is only enough for a quarter of an hour, but do not panic: this time will be enough for the pilot to lower the plane to a height where you can breathe freely.

What fact surprised you the most? Will it affect the frequency of your flights? Share in the comments!

Since the time of the inventors of the Wright brothers, airplanes have changed a lot. Although according to official sources Aviation pioneer is the Brazilian designer Alberto Santos. Whoever owns the authorship, the first aircrafts made from wood and fabric. They looked nothing like the modern Boeing Dreamliner.

For several decades, science has received many advances in the field of aerospace engineering. New items change so fast that it becomes difficult to keep track of them. Next, we will tell you about curious facts that are not known to everyone.

The plane can withstand a lightning strike

Modern aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes, which are not uncommon. It is estimated that every aircraft on earth is struck on average by lightning once a year, or every 1,000 hours spent in flight. Nevertheless last time a bright flash of light struck an aircraft back in 1963. Since then, there have been no accidents involving the elements. Modern aircraft Constructed from aluminum, which is a good conductor of electricity.

There is no safest place in the cabin

Experts claim that safe places does not exist in the aircraft cabin. Although studies have been conducted that have found that passengers sitting in the middle of the tail section of the cabin, according to statistics, are more likely to survive crashes. However, there is a slight gap in percentage terms. Thus, fatal accidents in the rear of the aircraft are observed in 32 percent of cases, in the front - in 38 percent and in the middle of the aircraft - in 39 percent. However, it is never possible to predict which cause will cause an accident and which place will be the source of occurrence. Therefore, you can take off wherever you want, given that the plane is still considered one of the safest modes of transport.

Some airliners have secret pilot bedrooms.

On flights long distance crew members work continuously up to 16 hours a day. To help pilots fight fatigue, some planes are equipped with tiny bedrooms where you can take turns relaxing.

Aircraft wheel tires can be used for up to 500 landings

Wheel tires are designed to withstand a gigantic load of almost 40 tons. An aircraft can land at speeds approaching 300 kilometers up to 500 times before the tires need to be replaced. In addition, the aircraft wheel tires are inflated to 6 times the pressure used to inflate car tires.

Why does the crew dim the lights during landing?

On night flights, pilots use dim interior lighting during landing. This is done for security reasons. In the event of a disaster, the passengers' eyes will already get used to the darkness, and it will become much easier to evacuate. Imagine yourself in an unfamiliar brightly lit place with corridors and obstacles when someone turns off the lights and asks you to evacuate immediately. Most likely, you will instantly lose your orientation in space.

Flight does not require two engines

The thought of an engine failing at 10,000 meters is terrifying, but every commercial flight only one of them is enabled. Otherwise, they would only work at half their capacity. And this is not beneficial from the point of view of economy and operational mode. Each airliner engine is designed and tested with unforeseen emergencies in mind.

If the plane flies to long distance(especially across the ocean), it must have the appropriate FDA certification civil aviation. In fact, an airliner, having gained an acceptable altitude, can do without an engine at all for some time. The aircraft silently glide approximately 3 kilometers for every 300 meters above the ground. And this means that at an altitude of 10,000 meters it can fly as much as 100 kilometers without an engine.

Why are toilets equipped with ashtrays?

Smoking on airplanes has been banned for several years. But big-eyed passengers may spot ashtrays in the restrooms. This is done to prevent a fire, in case someone is not afraid of sanctions and decides to smoke. People prefer to violate anti-smoking policies in confined spaces. Therefore, it is better to put out a cigarette butt in an ashtray and be ready to part with a round sum.

The plane is the coolest, fastest, most comfortable and safest mode of transport. But the knowledge of many people about this aircraft end only in fear of him and flying.

We decided to fill the gap and present to your attention 20 interesting facts about airplanes that everyone should know.

1. Air pollution affects aviation safety

The more carbon dioxide released into the air, the more turbulence incidents can occur.

2. There is a man who ate a plane

This entertainer took Michel Lotito 2 years, during which he completely ate the Cessna 150 (including leather seats and tires).

3. Crocodile in a sports bag

One passenger on the plane tried to transport the crocodile in his duffel bag. The reptile managed to get out of the bag, after which the panic-stricken passengers rushed into the cockpit. Control was lost and the plane crashed. This story was told by a few survivors.

4. Please speak English

Exists international language air travel - English. All crew members working for international flights must speak English.

5. Windshield for the price of a BMW

A Boeing 747-400 cockpit windshield costs the same as a BMW car. And the price of the entire aircraft is $ 234 - 266.5 million.

6. Heinrich Kuby and Ellen Church

The first flight attendant (more specifically, a steward) was a man named Heinrich Kuby in 1912. Women of this profession first appeared only in 1930 (it was Ellen Church).

7. Special diet

Aircraft pilots are prohibited from eating the same food. This is done so that all pilots do not get poisoned at the same time.

8 Planes Can Fly Without Pilots

Planes can indeed fly without pilots. Theoretically, modern technologies allow it, but there is a prohibition to perform passenger flights no human pilots.

9. 280 kilometers of wiring

Inside a regular Boeing 747 there are 240-280 kilometers of wiring. This is one of the most large aircraft in the world. It is capable of carrying 568 passengers.

10. The longest military aircraft

The longest military aircraft is the C-5, which is the length of a 6-story building. The smallest aircraft is the BD-5 Micro, weighing only 162 kg.

11. Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart became the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

12. Bar Nunn

Bar Nunn is a city that was once an airport. In 1952 former airport The city of Casper was dismantled, after which a city was built on this site.

13. An-225 "Mriya"

The largest of aircraft in the world - transport jet aircraft An-225 "Mriya". It is almost the size of a football field.

14. The taste of tomatoes in low pressure conditions

Most people prefer to drink tomato juice on board an aircraft, even if they don't usually like it. According to the study, under low pressure conditions, the taste of tomatoes is felt much sweeter.

15. Aircraft tail

It is safer to sit at the tail of the plane than at the front. At the same time, the chances of surviving in the event of a disaster are 40% higher (according to Popular Mechanics data).

16. Black box

A black box doesn't always survive a plane crash. Sometimes when an airplane crashes, it is crushed by its weight.

17. Passenger turnover - 96 million passengers a year.

Every day, about 2 million people fly in the United States with approximately 30,000 flights. The busiest in the world is international Airport Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta - has an annual ridership of 96 million passengers.

18. Oxygen mask

An oxygen mask will help for only 15 minutes. This time is enough for the aircraft to descend to a height at which you can breathe comfortably.

19. 360 degree view

Soon there will be an aircraft in which passengers will have a 360-degree view. Airbus intends to put this aircraft into service in 2050.

20. It is forbidden to carry mercury on board.

Mercury is not allowed on board aircraft. Even the smallest amount of mercury is a big threat to the aluminum that aircraft are made from.

On December 17, 1903, an event occurred that can be considered the starting point in the history of aviation. It was on this day that the first controlled flight of a man took place on an apparatus heavier than air with an engine. Its creators were the brothers Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright. Interestingly, none of these talented inventors even graduated from high school. Prior to the hobby of designing airplanes, the brothers worked in their own bicycle workshop and shop, where they sold printing presses, bicycles, engines and other mechanisms. However, many experts believe that the main merit of the Wright brothers is not the first flight, the priority of which is disputed, but the discovery of three axes of rotation of the aircraft, which allowed the pilots to effectively control the aircraft and maintain its balance during the flight.

Military pilots at the dawn of aviation wore white silk scarves, which gave their image a share of romance and heroism. However, this tradition did not arise at all because of the love of beauty. Pilots during air combat I had to constantly turn my head 360 degrees to keep track of the constantly changing air situation. At the same time, their neck was rubbed literally to the blood with a hard uniform collar. Therefore, they began to wear a soft silk scarf around their necks.

There is perhaps no better known in the world passenger aircraft than the Boeing 747. At the time of its creation, this aircraft was the largest, heaviest and most spacious passenger airliner and remained so for 36 years. It was on an airplane of this model that a world record was set for the maximum number passengers carried in one flight. On May 24, 1991, during the transfer of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, the plane took on board 1,122 people. Initially, according to the plan, it was supposed to load 760 people on the plane, but the passengers turned out to be so light that it was decided to additionally load them. Interestingly, two babies were born during the flight, so there were more passengers at the destination airport than at the time of departure. For reference: Boeing 747 is designed to fly with 480 passengers on board.

The largest aircraft in the world is the An-225 "Mriya" - a transport jet aircraft of extra-large payload developed by OKB im. O. K. Antonova. It was designed and built in the USSR at the Kiev Mechanical Plant in 1984–1988. On March 22, 1989, the An-225 flew with a load of 156.3 tons, in which 110 world aviation records were simultaneously broken. And in August 2004, a new record was set, which has not yet been broken: An-225 transported a cargo weighing 250 tons from Prague to Tashkent with an intermediate landing in Samara.

The largest accident in the history of civil aviation in terms of the number of victims occurred, surprisingly, on the ground. A KLM Boeing 747-206B and a Pan American Boeing 747-121 collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport. As a result, 583 people died. The cause of the accident was a chain tragic accidents, the first link of which was the explosion by terrorists of the movement for independence and autonomy canary islands bombs in largest airport Canary Islands Las Palmas. As a result, it was closed, and all flights were redirected to Los Rodeos airport, where confusion arose.

Around the world every day passenger aircraft more than 3 million people fly. On a typical day, every 2 seconds, one plane takes off or lands somewhere. More than 5 billion people are transported by plane every year. Nevertheless, statistics report that only 5% of the world's population has ever flown on an airplane.

Many people are afraid of flying, but statistics show that air travel is the most safe view transport. According to ICAO ( international organization civil aviation), there is only one incident per million departures. The probability that a passenger boarding a plane will die in a plane crash is approximately 1/8,000,000. This means that if a passenger boards a random flight every day, then he will need to fly as much as 21,000 years to definitely die in a crash .

You can find out other interesting facts about the world around us.

Did you know it?

What is the likelihood of a plane crash? One hundred thousandth of a percent :)

25,000 aircraft fly every day.

You cannot open the aircraft door while the aircraft is in flight. After all, the so-called barometric relay is built into the door lock. The castle is simply blocked.

The black box is not really a box shape. It looks like a ball. And he's not black at all. It is usually red or orange in color to make it easier to find in an accident.

It turns out that the speed jet aircraft equal to the speed of the tsunami wave.

The word plane appeared a very long time ago. Oddly enough, but then there were no planes. It turns out that this was the name of a self-propelled ferry, which “floated itself” under the force of a river jet.

Aviation has grown by as much as 90 percent since 1990!

Some planes during flights heat up so much that they can stretch as much as 30 centimeters!

Flush the aircraft toilet only when you get up from the toilet, otherwise you may be sucked.

Among wealthy people Lately it has become fashionable to fly combat jet fighters! Moreover, this service is provided officially. For example, a half-hour flight to a height of 22 km (into the stratosphere) costs $17,000. Although you can just ride on a MIG-29 fighter for $ 8,000

The largest aircraft created in Ukraine is the Antonov An-225. It can carry 250 tons and fly at a speed of 800 kilometers per hour.

In 1914, the first passenger (commercial) flight in history took place, after 5 years (in 1919) an airplane appeared, carrying out passenger flights with a bathroom on board.

After World War II, the islands Pacific Ocean the cargo cult spread. Aborigines build replicas of wood and straw runways, airports and radio towers. The cult members believe that these buildings will attract transport planes (which are believed to be spirit messengers) filled with cargo (cargo).

Over the past 20 years, fewer than 200 people have died due to bird strikes worldwide. The vast majority of cases with human casualties occur in small and super small aircraft.

In the 1960-70s, the Spiral aerospace system was developed in the USSR, consisting of an orbital aircraft, which was supposed to be launched into space by a hypersonic booster aircraft, and then by a rocket stage into orbit. For testing, an analogue of an orbital aircraft was designed, equipped with a chassis with ski-plate supports. Once during the tests, the thrust of the engines was not enough to budge these skis along the unpaved strip. It was decided to bring two trucks with watermelons, which were evenly smashed over a distance of 70 meters. This provided the necessary glide and the aircraft was able to start and accelerate.

According to statistics, three out of a hundred people suffer from aerophobia - a panic fear of flying on airplanes. It's a shame, because without this method of transportation it is impossible to visit so many corners of the globe.

The largest ekranoplan (plane-ship flying over water) is the Russian KM created in 1964, which was called the monster of the Caspian Sea. Its carrying capacity is 500 tons. Max speed 600km/h. After several crashes, the project of this "flying truck" was completely stopped.

In 1970, the Yak-40 aircraft were put into operation. For all the time, 1011 such aircraft were produced in the Soviet Union, 125 were sold abroad. During all this time (since 1970), 123 accidents occurred with Yak-40 aircraft, due to which 780 people died.

The Asian highland nation of Bhutan has only one airport with concrete pavement. runway— Paro. It is located at an altitude of 2235 meters, surrounded by five-thousander mountains and is considered one of the most difficult in the world. Only eight pilots worldwide are certified to land at this airport.

You are more likely to die in a car crash on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash, and you are three times more likely to be killed on the street than you are in a crashing plane.

The American reconnaissance aircraft SR-71 Blackbird has gaps in its skin at normal temperatures. In flight, the skin heats up due to air friction, and the gaps disappear, and the fuel cools the skin. But in a normal state on the ground, the aircraft loses, albeit in small quantities, fuel through these slots. For this reason (and also to reduce takeoff speed by saving mass), only a small amount of fuel is initially refueled into the aircraft, and refueling occurs already in the air.

The Boeing 767 has about 3 million 100,000 parts. By the way, parts are made all over the world: parts of the fuselage are made in Japan, the central parts of the wings - in Southern California, flaps - in Italy.

The busiest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This airport has 5 runways. The longest runway is 3.6 km long. Since 2009, carrying 88,032,086 passengers, it has been holding the position of the busiest airport in the world for 10 years.

More than 10 million flights depart annually.

The flight length (their very first) of the Wright brothers is less than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.

During World War II, Allied pilots flying over tribal areas were advised to carry a rope in case of a forced landing. The rope, as if by chance, had to be taken out when the natives approached and made figures like “cat's cradle” out of it. It really helped the pilots a few times.

85% of air crashes occur in third world countries. The most disadvantaged regions remain Africa, some Asian countries (Indonesia) and Latin America. A number of airlines from these countries are included in the "black list" of the EU, and they are prohibited from operating in the airspace of the EU countries.

In the German bomber of the Second World War, the Junkers Ju-87 was provided with a siren, which was activated by the flow of incoming air. She howled loudly during a dive and was intended to psychologically influence the enemy.

Once during a flight in the Boeing cabin they saw ... a mouse. Because of the gray rodent, the crew had to make emergency landing and disembark all passengers. There was a danger that the mouse would gnaw through some cable. As a result, 200 passengers spent the night at the airport hotel, and the crew spent the whole night catching mice with cheese and mousetraps. But they couldn't do anything! Then they brought a few cats that easily coped with the mouse.

Large Jumbo-Jet airliners use more fuel in one intercontinental flight than Formula 1 does in an entire season.

The language spoken and identified by all pilots (of any nationality and strange affiliation) on international flights is English.

The Swedish company SAAB was founded in 1937 and at first produced only military aircraft. Only two of the SAAB engineers had driver's licenses.

The record wingspan - 98 meters - belonged to the American aircraft Hughes H-4 Hercules. More precisely, it was a wooden flying boat for the transport of goods. It was built during the Second World War, but made only one flight at a height of 21 meters, after which it was sent to the museum.

The highest altitude that the plane climbed -37,650 m. In 77, it was reached Soviet pilot on the plane of Mikoyan Design Bureau.

Every day, at least one plane is struck by lightning. Since the fifties of the last century, aircraft have been equipped with a lightning rod.

The largest number of passengers transported by a civil aircraft in one flight is 1087 people. This happened in a Boeing 747 during the evacuation of refugees from Ethiopia in 91. With the armrests raised, four chairs fit 6 people each. By the way, 3 babies were born on board during the flight.

The Soviet T-4 supersonic bomber was developed as an effective weapon against American aircraft carriers. When flying at an altitude of up to 24 km, he could reach a speed of 3000 km / h, so that enemy radar stations did not have time to direct an anti-aircraft missile at the plane. Such technical requirements required several extraordinary solutions from the designers, among which was a deflectable bow. At extreme altitudes and speeds, the nose was raised to reduce drag, and the pilot could only control the aircraft using instruments, but during takeoff and landing, the nose deviated and provided an overview. And in case of an emergency failure of the bow of the T-4, it was equipped with a periscope retractable above the cockpit.