In the world of travel, we have come to rely on tried-and-true hacks to make our journeys easier. It does not matter whether we are booking accommodation or looking for a place to eat. One way or another, we will seek ways to make our lives easier by relying on something that has worked for other travellers. But did you know that most of the travel tips we rely on come from the world of aviation engineering? Let’s share some of these secrets with you and explain why they work like a gem.
Travel Hacks from Aviation Engineers
While fun, travelling can be quite stressful. But with these borrowed aviation-engineering hacks, your future travels will feel like a walk in the park.
Shock Isolation for Your Fragile Items
Did you know that you should not pack fragile items, such as laptops, directly against the wall of your suitcase? Doing so puts them at risk of damage from vibrations, shocks, or even direct impact. To avoid this, add a layer of softer materials, such as clothes, around the fragile items to ensure they absorb most or all of the shock. This idea stems from the engine stand, which is designed to protect engines during storage and repairs. This stand, which you can learn more about on website, comes with a damped spring system that ensures that the engine does not suffer damage even if the stand gets bumped. This way, airlines can protect millions of dollars in assets with a simple protective mechanism, which you can also replicate when packing your items.
Stability Maintenance for Your Baggage
It takes a lot of work for aviation engineers to design aircraft that remain balanced during flights without tipping over. And much of this revolves around the strategic placement of parts. For instance, they position the fuel tanks in the plane’s wings, which lowers the plane’s centre of gravity, ensuring it remains centred during flight. Ultimately, this plays a vital role in reducing energy consumption because the plane’s engine does not have to work so hard to keep the plane in the air and the correct flight path.
You can do the same thing with your luggage. So, how exactly do you lower the centre of gravity? It is as easy as packing your heaviest items at the bottom and in the centre of your suitcase, near the wheels. Think of items such as shoes, heavy coats, weights, and so on. The closer these are to the bottom, the more balanced your suitcase will feel and the easier it will be to wheel, which saves you a lot of energy while also preventing the suitcase from tipping over.
Humidity Control for Altitude Adjustment
People on long flights often arrive at their destinations feeling tired, even if they are still in the same time zone as their home. Well, it turns out that this fatigue has a lot to do with cabin conditions. You see, older plane models use aluminium in their construction, and this material is known to corrode over time if exposed to high levels of moisture. So, these planes often have very low cabin humidity, which is why their air may feel quite dry. Newer plane models, on the other hand, use composite materials, which can withstand higher humidity, and they can tolerate up to 15% without risking corrosion. We have the aviation engineers to thank for this innovation.
But since you cannot always tell which plane you will board, aviation engineers advise travellers on older planes to use saline nasal sprays every two hours on long flights. This way, you can keep your mucous membranes moist, which will not only help you feel more comfortable but also go a long way in protecting you from viruses in the cabin.
