Passengers might have seen them, pilots verify their presence during the pre-flight check: the static dischargers. Those simplistic looking devices faithfully perform their function during every flight and yet their working principle all too often remains obscure. This article is aimed at changing that. While it does involve some math in the middle-section, it is worth sticking with it to the end, where you will find real-world operational examples!

Back at flight school, we all learned about the “30 ft-Vmcg-rule”. While that might get you through the ATPL exam, it does not provide the necessary understanding of the implications that certification requirements have on the daily operation of aircraft. This article aims to do exactly that: Provide a summary of Vmcg certification aspects and demonstrate how they affect daily operation.

This article covers the typical TAWS architectures on transport aircraft, and demonstrates, why knowledge is key.

This article aims to highlight benefits and caveats of mixing AOA-derived information in to a speed tape.

A description of different methods to make flight control computers more resilient against misleading sensor data.

Design considerations for speeds above VMO/MMO.