Surprising facts about airplanes

🕗 3 minutes | May 28, 2024 | Text Kamil Wrzosek

Aviation is a fascinating field, filled with intriguing facts. Why are airplane windows round? What abbreviations and terms are commonly used in aviation? What are the longest routes flown by our Dreamliners? You'll find the answers to these questions—and many more—in this article!

It all comes down to aircraft design. In the early days of commercial aviation, airplanes had square windows.

However, square windows couldn’t withstand pressure differences and structural stress as well as rounded windows. Curved edges distribute stress more evenly, making them safer and more durable.

If you look closely, you'll notice that most airlines use white as the primary colour for their aircraft. But why?

• White reflects sunlight, preventing the aircraft from overheating.
• White paint is lighter than other colours, reducing aircraft weight.
• Less paint means less fuel consumption and lower operating expenses.

Many airlines now opt for minimalist liveries with fewer colours, further optimizing efficiency.

If you're a LEGO fan, you'll love this fact! While the largest LEGO set consists of over 11,000 pieces, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is made up of 2.5 million parts—each one catalogued and meticulously assembled.

Ever noticed a tiny hole in the window while admiring the view from your seat? This small feature serves an important function.

Each airplane window consists of three layers—inner, middle, and outer. The hole in the middle layer helps equalize cabin pressure with the outside air, preventing stress on the outermost layer.

For over a decade, our LOT Polish Airlines Dreamliners have been soaring across the globe. Here are the longest flights ever operated by our Boeing 787s:

✈️ Top 3 Longest Routes:

• Buenos Aires – 12,347 km (charter)
• Lima – 11,608 km (charter)
• Asunción – 11,459 km (charter)

🕒 Longest Flight Duration:

• Tokyo – Warsaw: 16 hours

On long-haul flights, such as those to North America and Asia, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has a hidden crew rest area known as the Crew Rest Area.

Located above the passenger cabin, this space is equipped with beds, allowing flight attendants and pilots to rest between services.

Ever wondered how large winglets are when looking out the window?

On the Boeing 737 MAX 8, the total height of the Split Scimitar Winglet is 2.90 meters (9.51 feet)!

Aviation is a vast and dynamic industry, and it has its language! Pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and ground crew communicate using specific aviation terminology and abbreviations. 

• Boarding Process – The procedure of passengers entering the aircraft.
• Codeshare Agreement – An agreement between airlines allowing passengers to fly on one airline with a ticket issued by another. This makes global travel more seamless.
• ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) – The expected time the flight will reach its destination.
• Gate – The departure point where passengers board their aircraft via a jet bridge or bus.
• Jet Lag – The fatigue and time zone disorientation experienced after long-haul flights.
• Jumpseat – A foldable seat used by crew members during takeoff and landing.
• UM (Unaccompanied Minor) – A child traveling alone, under the supervision of the airline’s crew.
• PAX (Passenger) – The aviation abbreviation for passenger.
• Hub – An airline’s main airport hub, where most of its flights are connected. For LOT, this is Warsaw Chopin Airport.
• Star Alliance – The largest airline alliance in the world, uniting 25 global carriers.
• IATA (International Air Transport Association) – The organization responsible for standardizing airport and airline operations worldwide. IATA also assigns airport codes.
• CAVOK (Clouds and Visibility OK) – A term indicating clear skies and good visibility, commonly used by pilots and air traffic controllers.
• MCT (Minimum Connecting Time) – The shortest possible time required to transfer between flights.
• No-Show Passenger – A traveller who fails to board their booked flight.
• Charter Flight – A flight booked by a travel agency, rather than a regularly scheduled airline service.
• Deadheading Crew – Crew members travelling as passengers to another city to begin their shift.