Each occupant of a turbine-powered aircraft is assumed to weigh 200 lb., thus allowing for stowed luggage and carry-on items. In the case of piston-engine airplanes, we assume each occupant weighs 170 ...

The first recognizable internal combustion engine was developed by Nikolaus Otto in 1861. Since then, the gasoline-powered engine has evolved immensely. However, the principles that underlie how ...

Piston-engined fighters ruled the roost for thirty years. A brutal survival of the fittest ensured a rapid evolution of these characterful machines; the final fighters were over six times faster and ...

In a world dominated by sleek jets and ultra-efficient turboprops, the roar of piston-engine propellers sounds like a blast from the past. However, some of these thunderous machines still roam the ...

From 1945 to 1955, a British aeronautical company called Napier & Son produced not just one but two versions of an intricate hybrid piston engine, which they named the Napier Nomad. The post-World War ...

If you've ever stood near a runway and watched planes take to the skies, you've probably also been awestruck by the sheer size of the engines that make it all possible. On large commercial planes, ...