9 Amazing Airplane Fun Facts: Discover the Surprising World of Aviation!

1. Aluminum: The Rockstar of Airplanes

Airplanes are like a heavy-metal concert where aluminum is the definite headbanger: composing approximately 80% of the materials used in aircraft construction, aluminum's lightweight and rockin' strength make it the ultimate metal maestro for aerospace engineering, while other band members like carbon-alloy steel and titanium play the supporting roles.
Source => monroeaerospace.com

2. Higher Altitudes = Smoother Ride

Next time you're jetting through the sky, remember this: the higher you go, the smoother it gets! Much like a tipsy limbo dancer at a wedding, airplanes can avoid all kinds of bumps and jiggles by simply reaching for the heavens: Flying at higher altitudes reduces turbulence because thin air creates less drag on the aircraft and allows air traffic controllers to suggest different altitudes to dodge air pockets and strong winds.
Source => travelandleisure.com

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=> Fun Facts about Airports

3. Rainforest Inside a Soviet Airfield

In a twist straight out of Indiana Jones' playbook, the world's largest indoor rainforest has found a surprisingly chilly home: within a former Soviet airfield in Germany! Tropical Islands Resort's Aerium houses over 50,000 plants from 600 different species and features a one-kilometre-long walking path, an indoor Tropical Sea three times the size of an Olympic swimming pool, and a 200-metre-long sandy beach with water slides and whirlpools for adventurers who prefer water wings to bullwhips.
Source => twistedsifter.com

4. Fasteners: The Cufflinks of Aviation

If an airplane were a well-dressed gentleman, fasteners would undoubtedly be the three million cufflinks and buttons that keep its ensemble intact: In the world of aviation, a Boeing 747 aircraft is meticulously constructed using over 3 million fasteners, which hold together its 6 million parts, including wings and fuselage, ensuring a perfectly safe and dashing flight.
Source => lbmjournal.com

5. Orange is the New Black (Box)

If an orange-a-licious black box seems too fruity to be real, think again: Flight data recorders, known as "black boxes," are actually painted bright orange to stand out among debris after an accident, their name stemming from WWII-era British aircraft that housed secretive electronics in non-reflective black containers.
Source => plansponsor.com

6. The Original "Trolley Dollies"

Next time you're on a plane, spare a thought for the OG "Trolley Dollies" who didn't just roll out the tea and biscuits, but could also push a plane into a hangar: Ellen Church, the first flight attendant in 1930, had to be a nurse, pilot, and meet requirements such as being single, under 25, weighing less than 115 pounds, and standing shorter than 5 feet 4 inches tall. Besides serving passengers, these "sky girls" had to handle luggage and even assist in fueling the planes!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Knitting an Airbus A380

If knitting an Airbus A380 could get you into the Guinness Book of World Records, you'd need nerves of steel, a whole lotta time, and endless balls of yarn: The world's largest commercial jet boasts over 100,000 wires, spanning a mind-bending 530 kilometers or 330 miles, all performing 1,150 distinct functions and making it Airbus's most intricate marvel of engineering.
Source => nytimes.com

8. Pigeon Post: The OG Air Mail

Long before "air mail" was delivered by winged messengers in Hogwarts, feathery carriers had their heydey in the realm of Muggles: During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, pigeons played a crucial role in communication between the besieged city of Paris and the outside world, successfully carrying 150,000 official and 1 million private messages, making it the largest and most successful pigeon post service in history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Pilots and Altitude: Measuring in Feet

When pilots aren't just winging it and using "plain" English to communicate: the standard unit of measurement for their altitude and elevation is actually the foot, not the meter! And, they rely on flight levels to mark altitude above the transition level, generally situated at a lofty 4000 feet above sea level.
Source => skybrary.aero