Airplane Facts | Facts about Airplanes

Isn't the term "the whole 9 yards" related to football?

The term "the whole 9 yards" came from WWII fighter pilots in the Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the .50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all
their ammo at a target, it got "the whole 9 yards."

What did he mean "bye bye miss american pie"

The airplane Buddy Holly died in was the "American Pie." (Thus the name of the Don McLean song.)

What is the "blackbox" recorder for?

An airplane's "blackbox"' is a device which records conditions and events on an air vessel. A "blackbox" is actually orange in color to make it more visible in the wreckage.