In our last blog post, we took some time to dive into the fascinating things about airplanes and flying in them. After we got started, we couldn’t help but continue to look up interesting facts associated with planes and flights. So, today we are going to continue to cover some of the fun facts that you would not believe are associated with flying. We certainly had a hard time believing some and others we thought were so cool, how could we not share? Without any further ado, let’s continue to learn about the crazy cool world of airplanes and flight.
Fast as Can Be
If you have a need for speed, there’s a good chance that you love flying! Not only is it the mode of transportation that will get you to your final destination in the shortest amount of time, but it’s also the mode of transportation that reaches the highest speeds.
While a majority of the reason that flying is so fast is because there’s no need to worry about things like traveling over and through mountains or backtracking to get on the road that actually leads you to your destination, it’s also just a speedy method of transportation. When you consider the amount of distance that is traveled in some extremely short periods, it’s not surprising when you hear that most planes are traveling anywhere between 460 to 575 miles per hour.
As if those numbers weren’t surprising enough, you might be shocked to find out that the time spent in the air is not the only time that the plane is traveling incredibly fast. During takeoff and landing planes are going anywhere between 150 and 200 miles per hour. When you consider how close you are to the ground and the speed at which you’re traveling, it makes sense why so many people get a little nervous or queasy during these parts of the flight.
Only Paid for Air Time
When flights are delayed, or you’re wondering what’s taking so long for the plane to take off, it’s easy to get angry and frustrated with the staff on the plane. Though it might be easy to come to the conclusion that this is just extra time that they’re banking on, the reality is that the crews on airplanes are only paid for the time that they are actually in the air.
So the next time that you get a little bit angry because you’re running behind schedule or your flight has been delayed, remember that it’s very rarely the fault of the crew. They’re humans just like you and deserve respect.
Red Light, Green Light
If you’ve ever looked up at the night sky, there’s a good chance that you’ve seen both red and blinking lights. Though there’s no way to prove that it’s not extraterrestrial life signaling us, it’s much more likely that these lights are actually the red and green lights that are placed on the wings of airplanes.
In order for pilots to see and recognize other aircraft at night, lights are placed on the wings of the plane. There is a red light on the left wing and a green on the right. The primary reason different lights are used is so pilots can recognize which way the plane that they’re looking at is facing and which direction it’s traveling.
That Tiny Hole in the Window Has a Purpose
Window seats are one of the most desirable options when choosing a seat on a flight. If you’ve ever sat by the window, you may have noticed that there is a small hole in the airplane window. While it may seem like an accident or a completely random design, this tiny hole actually holds a purpose!
Though these holes may seem small in size, they actually have a pretty big job. They were put there to regulate the cabin pressure. That being said, it’s good to understand the overall design of airplane windows to fully grasp how these holes get put to use. For starters, there are three different levels of acrylic paneling on the standard airplane window.
The exterior panel is used to keep any of the elements out while also maintaining the cabin pressure. The second pane is there as a fail-safe option, which is absolutely necessary when you consider how high in the air you are. That tiny hole that you see was added to help regulate the pressure so that the middle pane would remain intact until it’s absolutely needed.
Pretty fascinating when you consider how much thought went into this design.
ParkDIA is a Pro at Parking
We said it in our last blog post, and we’ll say it again, we are far from pros when it comes to flying. Though we are entirely fascinated by all of the fun and interesting facts that we’ve come across, we know that this is something that needs to be left to the pros. Your vehicle, however, is something that our team is entirely capable of taking care of.
When you’re heading out of town, be it for a weekend or a month, you can count on ParkDIA to have a parking spot for you. We offer both covered and uncovered parking options for you to take advantage of when you’re traveling. Just browse our DIA parking services and rates and select the one that suits your needs. If you need any additional assistance or information, the ParkDIA team is always here to help.
