An aircraft adheres to similar principles of flight that birds do — it must overcome gravitational forces to achieve lift. In its simplest definition, the wings of an airplane curve the flow of air around them in order to generate lift. The fuselage, or body of the airplane, is a long hollow tube which holds all the pieces of an airplane together. The fuselage is hollow to reduce weight. As with most other parts of the airplane, the shape of the fuselage is normally determined by the mission of the aircraft.

A pneumatic system can power a variety of important aircraft operations including aircraft landing gear, air conditioning systems, flight control systems, and more. Whether a high-pressure system of 3000 psi, or a low-pressure system of 1000 psi, pneumatic systems are an integral part of today’s aircraft technology. A wonderful example of the uses of a pneumatic system is in its application on a twin-engine commercial airplane.