1 aerodynamics Flashcards
maximum glide range
A maximum lift-drag ratio, obtained by the aircraft being flown at its optimal angle of attack and corresponding minimum drag speed (VIMD), produces an aircraft’s maximum glide range.
the effect of weight on the glide range
The glide range does not vary with weight, provided that the aircraft is flown at its optimal angle of attack and speed for that weight, because the glide range is proportional to the lift-drag ratio, which does not vary with weight.
Therefore, if a heavy aircraft were flown at the correct angle of attack and speed, it would glide the same distance as a lighter aircraft. However, the heavier aircraft would have a higher airspeed than the lighter aircraft, and therefore, although it would glide the same distance, it would take less time to do so.
rate of climb/descent
the time an aircraft will take to either climb or descend from a given height. It is normally expressed in terms of feet per minute.
effect of weight on rate of descent
The heavier the aircraft, the greater its rate of descent.
an aerofoil
a body that gives a large lift force compared with its drag when set at a small angle to a moving airstream, e.g., aircraft wings, tailplanes, rudders, and propellers.
an aerofoil chord line
a straight line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of an aerofoil
mean chord line
the wing area divided by the wing span
mean chamberline
line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of equidistance on the upper and lower surfaces of an aerofoil.
angle of incidence
the angle between the aerofoil’s chord line and the aircraft’s longitudinal datum.
angle of attack
the angle between the chord line of an aerofoil and the relative airflow
dihedral
the upward inclination of a wing from the root to the tip
anhedral
the downward inclination of a wing from the root to the tip.
lift
the phenomenon generated by an aerofoil due to pressure differences above and below the aerofoil.
the formula for lift
½ R V2 S CL ½R = half the value of the air density V2 = airflow velocity squared S = wing plan area CL = coefficient of lift
coefficient of lift (CL)
the lifting ability of a particular wing. It depends on both the shape of the wing section (fixed design feature) and the angle of attack.
center of pressure
a single point acting on the wing chord line at a right angle to the relative airflow, through which the wing’s lifting force is produced. The position of the center of pressure is not a fixed point but depends on the distribution of pressure along the chord, which itself depends on the angle of attack.
direct lift control
elevator/stabilizer
high lift devices
- Trailing edge flaps (Fowler flaps) increase lift at lower angles of deflection.
- Leading edge flaps (Krueger flaps) and slats increase lift by creating a longer wing chord line, chamber, and area.
- Slots (boundary layer control) prevent/delay the separation of the airflow boundary layer and therefore produce an increase in the coefficient of lift maximum.
Drag
the resistance to motion of an object (aircraft) through the air
two major types of drag
Parasite and induced drag = Total drag Parasite = zero-lift = profile drag 1. Form or pressure drag 2. Skin-friction drag 3. Interference drag
Parasite drag and speed relationship
Profile drag increases directly with speed because the faster an aircraft moves through the air, the more air molecules (density) its surfaces encounter, and it is these molecules that resist the motion of the aircraft through the air. This is known as profile drag and is greatest at high speeds.
Induced drag and speed relationship
Induced drag is caused by creating lift with a high angle of attack that exposes more of the aircraft’s surface to the relative airflow and is associated with wing-tip vortices. A function of lift is speed, and therefore, induced drag is indirectly related to speed, or rather the lack of speed. Thus induced drag is greatest at lower speeds due to the high angles of attack required to maintain the necessary lift.
Minimum drag speed (VIMD) is the speed at which induced and profile drag values are equal. It is also the speed that has the lowest total drag penalty,
high-drag devices
- Trailing edge flaps (in high-drag/low-lift position)
- Spoilers
a. In flight detent, used as a speed brake
b. On the ground, used as lift dumpers - Landing gear
- Reverse thrust (ground use only)
- Braking parachute
wing-tip vortices
a rotating flow created when the high-pressure area on the bottom of an airfoil pushed around the tip to the low-pressure area on the top, which causes turbulence