Aerospace Dimensions Mod. 1 Flashcards
1
Q
Vocab: aero
A
Pertaining to air
2
Q
Vocab: aerodynamics
A
Relating to the forces of air in motion
3
Q
Vocab: aeronautics
A
The science of flight within the atmosphere
4
Q
Vocab: aerospace
A
A combination of aeronautics and space
5
Q
Vocab: air
A
A mixture of gasses that contains approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gasses
6
Q
Vocab: aircraft
A
Any machine capable of flying through the air (ie., ultralights, airplanes, gliders, balloons, helicopters, etc.)
7
Q
Vocab: airplane
A
An aircraft held aloft by the aerodynamic forces upon its wings and its thrust forward by a means of propulsion
8
Q
Vocab: airfoil
A
A component, such as a wing, that is specifically designed to produce lift, thrust, or directional stability
9
Q
Vocab: airport
A
A place on land or water where aircraft can take off and land for flight
10
Q
Vocab: altitude
A
Height above sea or ground level expressed in units
11
Q
Vocab: aviation
A
The art, science, and technology of flight within the atmosphere
12
Q
Vocab: aviator
A
A person who operates an aircraft in flight
13
Q
Vocab: camber
A
The curved part of an airfoil from its leaving to trailing edge
14
Q
Vocab: chord
A
A line drawn through an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge
15
Q
Vocab: downwash
A
The downward movement of air behind a wing
16
Q
Vocab: drag
A
A force which slows down the forward movement of an aircraft in flight
17
Q
Vocab: dynamic
A
Forces in motion
18
Q
Vocab: gravity
A
The natural force pulling everything to Earth
19
Q
Vocab: leading edge
A
The front part of a wing or airfoil
20
Q
Vocab: lift
A
The upward force that opposes gravity and supports the weight of an aircraft
21
Q
Vocab: relative wind
A
The flow of air which moves opposite the flight path of an airplane
22
Q
Vocab: thrust
A
The force which moves an aircraft forward in flight
23
Q
Vocab: upwash
A
The upward movement of air ahead of the wing in flight
24
Q
Vocab: vortex
A
A spinning column of air that is created behind the wingtip as a result of air moving from an area of high pressure on the bottom to an area of low pressure on top
25
Vocab: wind
Air in motion
26
What happened to Daedalus and Icarus?
Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but he was having too much fun to listen to his father. He ended up melting the wax that held his wings together, and fell to his death in the Aegean Sea.
27
What were the first true manned aircraft?
Around 1299 A.D., Marco Polo saw Chinese soldier, attached to kites, being used as military observers. These could be considered the first true manned aircraft.
28
What was the first true, manned, powered flight?
On November 21, 1783, Pilatre d’Rosier and Francois d’Arlandes flew over Paris for 25 minutes in a hot air balloon created by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier.
29
What are the two phases of bird flight?
The ground phase, where the bird starts moving forward fast enough to make air pass over its wings, and the lift phase, where said lift is generated the same way as in an airplane.
30
What is Newton’s Third Law of Motion?
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
31
What is the purpose of the cockpit and where is it located?
The cockpit is used for command and control and is typically on the front of the plane
32
What is the purpose of the fuselage and where is it located?
The fuselage is the main body of the plane. It holds it together and carries the payload.
33
What is the purpose of a winglet and where is it located?
A winglet is used to decrease drag. It is a vertical piece on the end of the wing.
34
What is the purpose of an aileron and where is it located?
Ailerons are used to change roll and are found close to the end of the wing, between the flaps and the winglets.
35
What is the purpose of the flaps and where are they located?
Flaps are used to increase lift and drag and are found on the wing, close to the fuselage.
36
What is the purpose of the vertical stabilizer and where is it located?
The vertical stabilizer is used to control the yaw of a plane and is located on the tail of a plane. It is the vertical piece sticking up from the tail.
37
What is the purpose of the rudder and where is it located?
The rudder is located on the vertical stabilizer and is used to change the yaw of the plane.
38
What is the purpose of the horizontal stabilizer and where is it located?
The horizontal stabilizers are located on the tail of the plane, sticking out like wings. They are used to control the plane’s pitch.
39
What is the purpose of an elevator and where is it located?
Elevators are located on the horizontal stabilizers and are used to change the pitch of the plane.
40
What is the purpose of the wings and where are they located?
The wings are used to generate lift and are found jutting out in the middle of the fuselage.
41
What is the purpose of the spoilers and where are they located?
The spoilers are used to change the lift, drag, and roll of the plane and are found on the wings, between the flaps and ailerons but closer to the leading edge of the wing.
42
What is the purpose of a turbine engine and where is it located?
Turbine engines generate thrust and are found somewhere along the wings, typically either under or inside them.
43
What is the purpose of the slats and where are they located?
The slats increase lift and are found on the leading edge of the wing.
44
What is angle of attack?
Angle of attack is how the pitch of the aircraft affects the lift generated.
45
Which of the forces gravity, drag, lift, and thrust oppose each other?
Gravity and lift
Drag and thrust
46
What are the three axes on a plane?
The vertical axis, the lateral axis (wingtip to wingtip), and the longitudinal axis (nose to tail).
47
How many directions can a plane move in?
Three
48
How can a plane move based on its axes?
The vertical axis allows the nose to move left and right, the lateral axis allows the nose to go up and down, and the longitudinal axis allows the plane to roll left and right.
49
How does the nose of an airplane move left and right?
The rudder moves left and right, moving the airplane in the specified direction. To move the nose left, the rudder is pushed to the right, and vice versa.
50
How does a plane roll left and right?
The ailerons move opposite to each other, one up and one down. When the pilot wants to roll right, they will push the stick to the right and the right wing aileron will come up as the left one comes down, and vice versa.
51
How does the nose move up and down?
The elevators will move up and down, causing the plane to change pitch. When the pilot wants the plane to pitch down, they will push the stick forward, and the elevators will tilt down. Vice versa.
52
How do flaps work and what do they do?
Flaps down increase the wing area, resulting in more lift for slower flight and shorter takeoff distances. Flaps up increase drag, making the aircraft slow down faster for landings.
53
What does UAV stand for?
Unmanned aerial vehicle
54
What are two important UAVs?
The MQ-9 and the RQ-4
55
Vocab: altitude
Height above a reference plane such as ground level or sea level
56
Vocab: convection
Fluid motion between regions of unequal heating
57
Vocab: density
Mass in a given volume
58
Vocab: glide ratio
Mathematical relationship between the distance an aircraft glides forward and the altitude loss. (If an aircraft has a 20:1 glide ratio and is 1 mile above the ground, it should glide 20 miles before landing.)
59
Vocab: lapse rate
The average rate at which temperature decreases with an increase in altitude. The average is 3 1/2 degrees Fahrenheit per 1000 feet increase in altitude.
60
Vocab: soaring
The art of staying aloft by exploiting the energy of the atmosphere
61
Vocab: stability
The atmosphere’s resistance to vertical motion
62
Vocab: thermal
A column of rising air
63
Vocab: tow plane
A usually single engine plane that pulls a glider up from the ground to an altitude where it can be released
64
Vocab: wave
A strong undulating up and down motion started as air moves across mountain ranges. This can be used to gain altitude in a sailplane.
65
What are some differences between sailplanes and gliders?
Gliders have no engines, while sailplanes have small, retractable ones. Gliders are designed for shorter flights than sailplanes, which can stay aloft for hours using small thermals.
66
Vocab: balloon
An aircraft that uses a gas lighter than air for its lift, with no built-in means of horizontal control
67
Vocab: burner
The heat source for filling the envelope with hot air
68
Vocab: buoyancy
To rise or float on the surface of water or within the atmosphere
69
Vocab: crown
The top of the hot air balloon’s envelope
70
Vocab: envelope
The main body of the balloon, usually made of nylon, that is filled with lighter-than-air gas
71
Vocab: gondola (balloon)
The wicker basket that hangs below the envelope, used to carry passengers and propane tanks
72
Vocab: gore
One of several vertical panels that make up the envelope
73
Vocab: Montgolfier
The last name of the two French brothers who created the first successful manned hot-air balloon in 1783
74
Vocab: parachute panel
A panel in the top of the balloon's envelope that allows it to be deflated (When a larger area of deflation is needed, some balloons are equipped with a rip panel.)
75
Vocab: propane
A lightweight low-carbon fuel used in hot-air balloon burners
76
Vocab: thermistor
An instrument that measures the temperature within the envelope
77
Vocab: variometer
An instrument that determines the rate of climb or descent, sometimes called a vertical velocity indicator
78
What is a common temperature for the air in balloons?
212 degrees Fahrenheit
79
Briefly explain the history of hot air balloons.
In the early 1780's, brothers Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier started experimenting with hot air. They would fill small, lightweight bags with warm air and watch them take flight. Over time, these bags got larger. In 1783, they demonstrated their findings to King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, sending a sheep, a duck, and a rooster into the sky and then safely back down. A few months later, the first manned balloon flight flew over Paris for 25 minutes and landed safely 5 miles from the starting position.
80
How is the air in balloons heated?
Onboard propane burners send up thermals, which are caught in the envelope and make the balloon rise.
81
About how many people can a balloon carry?
Typically around 4, with some space left over for lightweight equipment.
82
Describe the basket of a balloon.
The basket, also known as the gondola, is made of wicker, with a leather scuff pad and hard wood on the bottom to protect it upon landing. The propane tank lies underneath the control panel. The superstructure holds the basket to the envelope, and contains a blast valve and twin burners to create thermals.
83
What makes up a balloon's instrument panel?
The instrument panel is made up of a vertical velocity indicator, or variometer, that indicates the rate of ascent and descent. A thermistor measures the temperature at the top of the balloon, and the altimeter measures altitude.
