Performance and Limitations Flashcards
Adverse Yaw
The elevated wing will create more lift but also more drag, causing the nose to be pulled to the elevated wing’s side, slipping the elevator in the opposite direction in an “adverse” yaw.
Empty Weight
All of the airframe and it’s component minus fuel, oil and payload.
Gross Weight
The weight of the aircraft, payload, and its components.
What characteristics will an overloaded aircraft demonstrate
1) Longer takeoff and landing roll
2) Higher stall speed
3) Lower Cruise speed
4) Reduced climb performance
5) Lower ceiling
6) Less maneuverability
What effects does a Forward Center of Gravity have on the plane
1) Higher stall speed
2) Higher AoA
3) Slower cruise speed
4) More stability alongside the longitudinal access
Elements of Aircraft Performance
1) Take off and climb performance
2) Cruise
3) Payload
4) Range
5) Fuel burn/endurance
6) Ceiling
7) Stability
What can affect an airplane’s performance during takeoff and landing
1) Density altitude
2) Surface wind
3) Runway surface
4) Weight
5) Upslope/downslope of runway
Density Altitude
Pressure altitude adjusted for non-standard temperature. Basically the vertical distance above sea level at which the airplane “thinks” it is performing.
Pressure Altitude
The altitude when the barometer is set to 29.92.
True Altitude
The altitude in feet above sea level.
Absolute Altitude
The distance above the ground. The height of the plane Above Ground Level (AGL).
What are the four main control surfaces?
1) Rudder
2) Elevator
3) Ailerons
4) Trim tabs
Airfoil
Anything that reacts to the relative wind and generates meaningful lift. Propellor, flaps, vortex generators, wings, etc.
Factors that affect lift and drag
1) Wing size
2) Wind
3) Weight
4) AoA
5) Airframe shape
6) DA
What is Load Factor and why is it important?
Ratio of the load the wing can handle to the actual weight of the airplane and its contents. This is important because:
1) to avoid overload of the aircraft structure
2) increased load factors raises the stall speed
Maneuvering Speed
The speed at which it is safe to manipulate a single flight control to full deflection upon one axis maneuver in less than stable air. The airplane will stall before load factor reaches a potentially hazardous level for the airframe if up to maneuvering speed is maintained.
Where do spins occur? How to recover from a spin
Occur mainly:
Turning Base to final
Go around when leaving flaps extended and nose trimmed down
Go around when flaps are extended from landing to up, causing an abrupt sink and a aft stick reaction from the pilot.
Steps to recover:
Power to idle
Neutral aileron
Full opposite rudder
Stick forward
Ground Effect
Caused by a reduction in drag as the aircraft nears the ground, a phenomenon where the air surrounding the wing becomes reduced/blocked by the ground. This happens at a height roughly within 1/10th of its wingspan to the ground.
The problems with ground effect
1) On landing: the reduction in drag can cause the airplane to float, extending the landing roll or causing the pilot to want to force the airplane down on a hard landing
2) On takeoff: the aircraft might produce enough lift to become airborne, but prior to having enough energy to perform a steady climb.
Centrifugal Force
When an aircraft turns, the vertical lift becomes horizontal, and in order to maintain altitude and vertical lift, back pressure is applied. This creates a vertical lifting force, and a centrifugal force in the opposite direction, as newton’s law dictates every action has an equal, opposite direction.
Why does a heavier aircraft increase takeoff and landing roll?
1) More friction and drag on the surface
2) More speed is required to maintain the AoA, thus a longer roll
3) Slower acceleration (there is more mass needed to initially move)
Service Ceiling vs. Absolute Ceiling
The service ceiling is where the rate of climb of the aircraft is negligible, roughly 100 ft/min. At an aircraft’s absolute ceiling, the plane will not climb at all.
What is the maximum take-off weight? What is the maximum landing weight
MTOW: 2646
MLW: 2535
