Basic Theory of Flight Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the factors affecting lift?

A

Velocity, surface area, shape of airfoil, and angle of attack

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2
Q

How does the angle of attack affect lift?

A

The greater the angle of attack, the more air displaced. With a greater angle of attack, the air has farther to go over the top of the airfoil. This increases the camber of the airfoil

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3
Q

How does the shape of airfoil affect lift?

A

The more camber an airfoil has, the faster the air moves over the top part and the less pressure the air has, so the greater the lift

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4
Q

What are the 4 airfoils on an aircraft?

A

Rudder, wings, elevators, propeller

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5
Q

What is a venturi?

A

A system for forcing the acceleration of air by constricting it in a cone shaped tube. In the constriction the velocity increases and the pressure decreases.

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6
Q

What is the term used to express the curve of the wing?

A

Camber

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7
Q

What is the angle of attack?

A

The acute angle between the chord line of the wing and relative wind. It affects the lift and drag of an aircraft.

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8
Q

How can pilots increase lift?

A

Fly faster, change the camber of the airfoil, change the surface area, change of angle of attack

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9
Q

How do ailerons work aerodynamically?

A

They change both the camber and angle of attack, which changes lift

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10
Q

In which direction does lift act?

A

Perpendicular to the relative flow and perpendicular to the span of the airfoil

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11
Q

In which direction does the elevator create lift?

A

On the underside

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12
Q

In which direction does the rudder produce lift when flying?

A

To the side

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13
Q

What are the four forces acting on an aircraft in flight?

A

Lift, weight, thrust, drag

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14
Q

In which direction does weight act?

A

Towards the centre of the earth

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15
Q

What is thrust?

A

Force that propels the aircraft

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16
Q

What are the sources of thrust?

A

Propellers, jet engines, turboprops

17
Q

What is drag?

A

Resistance to forward motion

18
Q

In which direction does drag act?

A

Parallel and opposite to the aircraft’s direction of travel

19
Q

How does velocity affect parasitic drag and induced drag?

A

Parasitic drag increases with velocity, induced drag decreases with velocity

20
Q

What is form drag?

A

A type of drag that is dependent on the shape of the aircraft

21
Q

How does the shape of an aircraft affect form drag?

A

Bodies with a larger cross section will have higher form drag than bodies with a thinner cross section

22
Q

What is skin friction drag?

A

A type of drag that arises from the friction of air against the surface of the aircraft

23
Q

What is interference drag?

A

A type of drag generated by the mixing of airflow streamlines between different aircraft components (e.g the wing and the fuselage)

24
Q

What is induced drag?

A

A type of drag that is the by product of lift. It is created by the interference between air on the top and bottom of an airfoil

25
Q

What are wingtip vorticies?

A

Circular patterns of rotating air left behind a wing as it generates lift

26
Q

What factors affect the intensity of wingtip vorticies?

A

Aircraft size, speed, and wing flap & landing gear configuration

27
Q

Where is the best place to touch down when landing behind an aircraft which has just taken off?

A

Prior to the point where the large aircraft took off

28
Q

Where is the best place to touch down when landing behind a large aircraft that just landed?

A

Beyond the point where the large aircraft touched down

29
Q

What is minimum drag?

A

The point of intersection of induced drag and parasitic drag

30
Q

Through which point can all the lift on an airfoil be said to be acting?

A

Centre of pressure

31
Q

What are the various forms of parasitic drag?

A

Interference drag, skin friction drag, form drag

32
Q

What is downwash?

A

When air is deflected downward by the underside of the wing

33
Q

In which direction is wind deflected off the wing?

A

Downward

34
Q

How does Newton’s Third Law affect flying?

A

When air is deflected downward by the underside of the wing, the wing is pushed up by a counter force (lift) equal to the force it took to deflect the air downward

35
Q

Which parts of an aircraft can be used to change the camber of an airfoil?

A

Ailerons, flaps, elevator, rudder

36
Q

Which part of an aircraft can be used to change the surface area?

A

Fowler flaps

37
Q

Which parts of an aircraft can be used to change the angle of attack?

A

Elevator, flaps, rudder, ailerons