Advanced Theory of Flight Flashcards
Bigger Planes
- Increased momentum, stable approach essential, not as maneuverable, need good power management
- Larger weight and C of G range
- Long wheelbase
Faster Planes
- Requirement for low drag in cruise to maximize speed and minimize fuel consumption
- Decreased Drag results in decreased lift
- Power assisted controls to ease pilot workload (hydraulic, fly-by-wire)
- Better care required
Higher Planes
- Decreased air density, so lower drag, better fuel efficiency
- Jet engines are more efficient at higher altitudes
- TAS increases about 2% per 1000 ft
- No weather, little turbulence
- Unstable Environment
Multi Engine Theory
- Safer than single engine planes
- Plane loses 50% of thrust with an engine failure, as well as 80% of excess thrust
- Excess thrust allows plane to climb and accelerate
- Obstacle clearance will become an issue depending on density altitude and terrain
Graph
- Required Thrust vs Thrust available
Single Engine Service Ceiling
At Vyse, rate of climb decreases to 50 fpm
Single Engine Absolute Ceiling
- Maximum altitude attainable
- Vyse and Vxse are equal
Engine Failure - Pitch
- Air flow over the horizontal stabilizer reduced
- Negative lift reduced, nose will pitch down
- Must pull back on yoke to maintain altitude
Engine Failure - Roll
- Propellers push airflow over wings, causing lift in addition to the forward motion of the aircraft
- Aircraft will roll toward dead engine
- Not applicable to jets
Engine Failure - Yaw
Aircraft will yaw toward the dead engine since the operating engine is offset from the centre line of the aircraft
Engine Failure - Sideslip Condition
- Due to yaw force, ball will not be centered
- If use opposite rudder to centre ball, you end up flying sideways, with a LOT of form drag
Engine Failure - Zero Sideslip
- To eliminate the form drag, we bank 2-5 degrees into the operating engine
- The horizontal component of lift applies counter yaw
- “Split” the ball into the good engine
Engine Failure - Drag Factors
- Zero sideslip
- Full flaps (400 fpm)
- Windmilling prop (400 fpm)
- Extended Gear (100 fpm)
Engine Failure - Vital Actions
- Control the aircraft
- Max power on good engine
- Clean up drag
- Dead foot, dead engine
Minimum Controllable Airspeed (Vmc)
- As nose pitches up we get more yaw
- Eventually we will run out of opposite rudder travel
- Aircraft will then yaw uncontrollably
- Recover by reducing angle of attack and reducing power
- Could lose 1000’ in recovery
- Try to maintain “blue line” Vyse if trying to climb
- Vmc is shown as a “red line” on the airspeed indicator
- Vmc (IAS) will decrease with an increase in altitude
- Normally hit Vmc before Vs, but if we increase altitude, will hit stall speed first
Engine Failure - Vs (IAS)
- Will stay the same with an increase in altitude
- Altimeter readings and lift stay proportional
How Vmc is determined - Conditions
Increase in altitude or temperature lowers Vmc
How Vmc is determined - Power Setting
- Reduction in power would lower Vmc
- More power, more yaw
How Vmc is determined - Critical Engine Windmilling
Feathering reduces Vmc
- If feathered, rudder is more effective at counteracting drag
How Vmc is determined - Flaps and Gear
- Both reduce Vmc
- Gear acts like a rudder
- Flaps stabilize the aircraft
How Vmc is determined - C of G
Moving the C of G forward would reduce Vmc
How Vmc is determined - Bank
- Up to 5 degrees of bank (zero sideslip) reduces work load on rudder
- Vmc reduced 3 KIAS for each degree of bank
- Moire than 5 degrees of bank would reduce the total lift on the wings significantly
How Vmc is determined - Weight
Vmc will decrease with a heavier plane
How Vmc is determined - Critcial Engine
- One that is shutdown or failed
- If non-critical engine fails, Vmc is also reduced