Aircrafts and aerodynamics
Airplane Parts
[edit | edit source]The main parts of an aircraft are:
- the fuselage,
- the wings,
- the horizontal stabilizer,
- the vertical stabilizer,
- the landing gear, and
- of course the engine(s)
Control Surfaces: Right and Left Aileron, Elevator, Rudder, and Trim Tabs
Aircraft Forces
[edit | edit source]Four Forces on an Airplane
[edit | edit source]The four forces which act upon an aircraft in flight are:
- Lift
- Drag
- Thrust
- Weight
- Lift acts upwards at right angles to the airflow through the center of pressure. In simple terms, Lift is perpendicular to the Relative Wind.
- Drag is the backward force which opposes the forward motion of the aircraft and acts parallel and in the reverse direction to the aircraft movement.
- Thrust is the forward propulsive force provided by the engines.
- Weight is the total weight which acts vertically downwards through the center of gravity.
- Lift<up and down>Weight
- Thrust<forward and back>Drag
Aerodynamics
[edit | edit source]Pressure
[edit | edit source]Resources
[edit | edit source]NASA's Beginners Guide to Aerodynamics - Supplement your of study aerodynamics at your own pace and to your own level of interest. Some of the topics included are: Newton's basic equations of motion; the motion of a free falling object, that neglects the effects of aerodynamics; the terminal velocity of a falling object subject to both weight and air resistance; the three forces (lift, drag, and weight) that act on a glider; and finally, the four forces that act on a powered airplane. There are many interactive pages designed to illustrate aerodynamics.
Aerodynamics Lesson - Gold Seal Master CFI trainer Robert Still video presents basics of Aerodynamics in an easy to understand format.
See How It Flies - Free online book (in HTML format) running through aerodynamics and techniques for flight.
Wikipedia Aircraft - A definition of Aircraft and examples of various types of aircraft.
Wikipedia Aerodynamics - Technical overview of aerodynamics and the physics of flight.
FAA Aircraft - FAA information on Registration and Certification of Aircraft, Advisories and Guidance, Regulations and Policy, Forms, and Technical Information. Includes a searchable database of aircraft registered in the US.