Climbing & Descending Flashcards
What are the four forces acting on an aircraft?
Lift, weight, thrust and drag
What is equilibrium?
When all the forces are in balance and there is no acceleration.
I.e. L=W and T=D
What are the forces in a steady climb?
T>D and L
What balances out the horizontal weight component in a climb?
Excess thrust
What are the three types of climb?
BAoC
BRoC
Cruise Climb
Why use BAoC?
Max vertical distance for min horizontal distance
Used for obstacle clearance
How is BAoC achieved?
Speed for max excess thrust
Why use BRoC?
Max vertical distance for the min amount of time
How is BRoC achieved?
Speed for max excess power
Why is a cruise climb used?
Better forward visibility and better engine cooling
What happens if you fly faster or slower than BAoC speed?
Decreases excess thrust, reducing the angle of climb
What happens if you fly faster or slower than BRoC speed?
Decrease excess power available, decreasing rate of climb
Does wind impact rate of climb?
No
What impact does a headwind have on angle of climb?
Increases angle of climb
What impact does a tailwind have on angle of climb?
Decreases angle of climb
What impact does an increase in weight have on angle of climb?
Reduces angle of climb
What impact does an increase in weight have on rate of climb?
Reduces rate of climb
What impact does a higher or lower airspeed than prescribed have on angle of climb?
Reduces angle of climb
What impact does a higher or lower airspeed than prescribed have on rate of climb?
Reduces rate of climb
What impact does reducing power have on angle of climb?
Reduces angle of climb
What impact does reducing power have on rate of climb?
Reduces rate of climb
What do flaps do?
Increase lift and drag, typically more drag than lift
How do flaps impact angle of climb?
Reduces angle of climb
How do flaps impact rate of climb?
Reduces rate of climb
How does an increase in altitude impact angle of climb?
Reduces angle of climb
How does an increase in altitude impact rate of climb?
Reduces rate of climb
What is the angle of descent?
Angle between the flight path and horizon
What happens in a steady glide descent?
No thrust force to oppose drag. Need to reduce AoA to provide a horizontal weight component that opposes drag
How does a headwind impact the angle of descent?
Increases angle of descent
How does a headwind impact the rate of descent?
No impact
How does a tailwind impact the angle of descent?
Decreases angle of descent
How does a tailwind impact the rate of descent?
No impact
How does an increase in weight impact the angle of descent?
No impact
How does an increase in weight impact the rate of descent?
Increases rate of descent
What impact does a higher or lower airspeed than prescribed have on angle of descent?
Increases angle of climb
What impact does a higher or lower airspeed than prescribed have on rate of descent?
Increases rate of descent
How does an increase in power impact angle of descent?
Decreases angle of descent
How does an increase in power impact the rate of descent?
Decreases rate of descent
What impact does lowering flap have on angle of descent?
Increases the angle of descent
What impace does lowering flap have on rate of descent?
Increases rate of descent
What is windshear?
A sudden change in wind speed and/or direction
What does a sudden increase in headwind do?
Sudden increase in IAS and lift
What does a sudden decrease in headwind do?
Sudden decrease in IAS and lift (sink)
What does a sudden decrease in tailwind do?
Sudden increase in IAS and lift
What is ground effect?
Wingtip vortices can not fully develop near the ground and so induced drag is reduced
When is ground effect noticeable?
Within one wingspan of the ground
When is ground effect most significant?
During take-off and landing, but most significant at take-off
What happens to climb performance as the aircraft leaves ground effect?
Climb performance decreases
