Parts of an Aircraft

[audio:http://aviationenglishblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/04partsofanaircraft.mp3|titles=Parts of an Aircraft]

1. Read about the various major parts of an airplane, then proceed to Step 2

Although there are many aircraft designs flying today, most of them share a common assembly of major parts that all pilots should be thoroughly aware of. Ever since the early days of aviation, an aviator’s primary training included the fundamental knowledge of what each part is called, its function and where it is located.

Each major part of a fixed-wing aircraft serves an important purpose. For example, the propeller helps move the aircraft through the air via thrust. The wings are lifting bodies which help keep the aircraft airborne. The horizontal and vertical stabilizers contain vital control surfaces; and the fuselage is a major structural component containing crew and passenger areas.

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Countries and culture

Countries and culture

Aim

• Practice English skills in an aviation context
• Discuss cross-cultural communication
• Have fun!

A flight attendant will become familiar with a great number of countries and cultures over the course of her/his career, but the significance of this is more than just the interest value of visiting diverse geographical locations, witnessing different customs or meeting new people; for a flight attendant working with the public from all walks of life and from all over the world, having an understanding of cross-cultural communication is an essential part of the job.

Successful communication is important for reasons of both safety and service standards but there are more factors to consider than just getting the language right. Cultural differences may sometimes means the message is not received the way it is intended. Reasons for this include:

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Packing

Packing!

Aim

• Practice English skills in an aviation context
• Learn some packing tips and some new vocabulary
• Have fun!

When the cabin crew come striding through the airport, immaculately uniformed and groomed, you can be sure that none of them are carting luggage that’s bulging to the point of zips breaking, or a carry-on with a pair of shoes tied on to the outside!

And you just know that when they get to their destination they’re not going to be changing into crumpled clothing, or turning the contents of their bags out onto the hotel room floor in search of a pair of socks.

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Depressurization

[audio:https://inglesaviacao.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/16depressurization.mp3]

Depressurization – The Need, Types and Management

Depressurization is the reduction of air pressure in the cabin of an aircraft. Sudden depressurization can result from a failure in the pressurization system, a structural failure or can be initiated deliberately by a crew member of the aircraft.

Failure of the pressurization system is the most common cause of sudden depressurization. Malfunction of the engine or compressor, structural failures like incomplete or faulty sealing of doors, windows or cabin wall follow.

It is necessary to know why the cabin is pressurized in the first place to appreciate the importance of the task. Aircrafts fly at high altitude to avoid bad weather and turbulence. The air pressure at such high altitudes is extremely low and can make the human body uncomfortable. As the air pressure reduces, the pressure of the blood in the veins tends to rise and cause headaches, ear aches and other issues. It is essential to control the air pressure at such high altitudes to ensure that the human body stays comfortable. During landing the pressure is gradually lowered to match the air pressure outside.

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Health problems on board

• Learn some healthy tips specific to cabin crew while learning the terminology of illnesses cabin crew may face
• Have fun!

After health professionals, cabin crew must rate as one of the professions most exposed to communicable illnesses while on the job and, unlike doctors and nurses, there’s not much in the way of protection on hand, and no escape route!  Add to that the long, intensive hours worked and jet lag, how can flight attendants possibly boost their immunity and minimise sick days?

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Religions and Cultural Sensitivity

Religions and Cultural Sensitivity

A separate and explicit training of different religions and cultures is an essential part of the overall training for all airport officials and crew members and the reason for this is quite apparent. Airline staff and crew come across people from various nationalities and cultures and each of these have their own unique practices and requirements.  While the Jews may need kosher meals, some Hindus may want completely vegetarian fare. And food is not the only sensitivity that we are talking about.

Educating the airline crews about different religions and cultures is imperative for them to have a better understanding of how specific religions and cultures function. The need for the same is evident from an incident with a US Airways flight in Minneapolis where six Muslim Imams were ejected by authorities because passengers and crew found their prayer rituals unnerving.

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The Romance of Aviation

The romance of aviation

Aim

• Practice English skills in an aviation context
• Discuss the idea of the romance of aviation and practice listening skills
• Have fun!

Once, flying was about brave feats and privilege, and it carried an air of glamour and mystique. In the early days of both airplanes and cinema, wealthy aviators dated Hollywood starlets, and Hollywood continues to romanticise flying with films that glamorise the life of pilots, crew and even military aviators.  But is the aviator/flight attendant lifestyle as romantic as it looks?

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The story of the flight attendant

The story of a flight attendant

Aim

• Practice English skills in an aviation context
• Test your reading skills (level: easy)
• Have fun!

There’s a certain mystique about flight attendants, isn’t there? Watch heads turn as cabin crew walk by.  They’re elegantly uniformed, immaculately turned out, on their way to somewhere far away and seemingly having the time of their lives.  You can almost hear everyone wondering, ‘What’s it like for them?’

The average person is usually quite curious about what life is really like for flight attendants, what it feels like to wear that uniform, what really goes on among cabin crew, how many languages the flight attendant can converse in and how glamorous the lifestyle really is.

Click here to receive the REAL definition of a flight attendant!

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Ash Clouds

[audio:http://aviationenglishblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/14ashclouds.mp3|titles=Ash Clouds]TOPIC: Ash Clouds

Exercise #1: Read about the dangers of flying through ash clouds and how to handle such a situation.

This is an originally produced article and audio by Global Aviation English

In April 2010, Europe's skies remained largely closed for several days after a mass of volcanic ash which originated from Iceland blanketed the continent causing crippling flight delays. Due to the disruptions to air traffic, a major portion of 22,000 scheduled flights destined to take off from locations throughout Europe were cancelled. In fact, only 6,000 departed during the near weeklong event. The International Air Transport Association estimated the air traffic interruptions caused approximately $200 million in damage a day. Contrary to popular belief, flying through ash will not completely destroy an aircraft in seconds, but the abrasive particles will certainly cause great exterior and electrical damage to airplanes flying through the clouds over a very short period time.

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Parts inside the Aircraft

Parts inside the Aircraft

Flying can be an exciting as well as a jumpy and stressful experience for those flying for the first time. While you may be excited about travelling by air, there is also this lurking fear that you may not know what to do. Knowing what to expect as you enter the cabin can be reassuring.

When passengers enter the aircraft they are seated in what is called the cabin area. This area is divided into different sections for business and economy class passengers. The first row and the emergency exit rows are generally preferred by tall people who need more leg room. Front rows are also preferred by those who do not want a bumpy ride since the movement of the aircraft is exaggerated in the rear rows.

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