Principles of flight Flashcards
Kts to Ms-1 conversion ?
x 0.5144
Kg to Lbs
x 2.2
G (Acceleration due to gravity) value ?
9.81 M/s2
Density units
Kg M3
Acceleration units
M/S2
Pressure Equation
Pressure = Force / Area
Pressure units (in PoF)
N/M2
Work done equation
Work done = Force x distance
Power is defined as ?
Rate of energy use
P= Force x Speed
Newtons 1st law
A body at rest or moving at a constant rate will remain so until acted upon by an external force.
Newtons 2nd law
The acceleration experienced by an object id proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to the mass. (F=MA)
Newtons 3rd law
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction
What is Air density affected by ? (Decrease)
Humidity increase
Temperature increase
Pressure decrease
Static pressure relationship with (pressure) altitude ?
Static pressure reduces as altitude increases
Density relationship with (density) altitude ?
Density increases as altitude decreases
What is static pressure ?
The pressure felt by an object due to the mass of the column of air the object is in.
Kinetic energy formulae
1/2 M V2
1/2 (rHo) V2
Dynamic pressure equation
1/2 (rHo) V2 (Where V is the TAS of the airflow)
IAS is a measure of what ?
Dynamic pressure
How is dynamic pressure measured?
Pitot-static system
(Takes static pressure away from total pressure)
Bernoulli’s theorem .. ?
In a flow of ideal fluid, the sum of pressure and kinetic energy remains constant
Pressure difference around an aero foil (Static pressures, so opposite to dynamic)
Relatively Low pressure above
Intense low pressure at the front on the surface above
Relatively High pressure below
Angle of attack is ? (2D flow)
Angle between the aero foils chord line and the direction of the airflow
A positively cambered aerofoil is when …
The mean camber line is above the chord line
Negatively cambered aerofoil is when …
The mean camber line is below the chord line
How to get the thickness ratio
Max thickness / Chord length
Stagnation point is ?
Point where no air moves at the front of the leading edge
Drag is …
The component of the total reaction which is parallel to the free stream flow, acting in the same direction
Lift is… ?
The component acting perpendicular to the free stream flow
The Centre or pressure is ? (CP)
The average point from where the aerodynamic forces act
What happens to CP on a cambered aerofoil when you increase AoA
Moves forward
What happens to CP on a symmetrical aerofoil when you increase AoA
The CP does not move
What happens to Flow velocity over the upper surface when AoA is increased
Increases, produces a greater pressure drop
Three main factors affecting the lift coefficient ?
AoA
Thickness
Camber
What is alpha Crit ? (ClMAX)
The AoA at which the wing stalls
Lift Co-efficient formula
L = 1/2 x p (rho) x V2 x S x Cl
IAS2 can be substituted in for (1/2 x p x V2) as IAS is already adjusted for density
Skin friction drag is ?
The result of shearing forces (moving) between layers of air within the boundary layer. Small and occurs all over A/C. (Below 99% of free stream)
Laminar boundary layer summary ?
Layers of air flow parallel with each other.
A few MM thick
Low energy- Separates more easily
Has low drag
Requires a smooth polished surface
Turbulent layer summary ?
Motion is random
A few Cm thick
High energy- delays separation
High drag
Likely on rough, unpolished aircraft
How can skin friction drag be minimised ?
Having a clean smooth surface. Repainting the A/C can help reduce it, but adds weight.
Transition point ?
Where boundary layer changes from laminar to turbulent
Separation point ?
Where boundary layer separates from the A/C surface, creating wake.
(Moves forward as AoA increases)
Taper ratio
Ratio of Wing tip chord / Root chord
Wing planform ?
The outline shape of the wings seem from above
Aspect ratio
Ratio of Wingspan / Average wing chord
Angle of incidence ?
Angle between chord line and longitudinal axis
Washout
The wing is twisted along its span to reduce angle of incidence from root to tip. Reduces chance of tip stall on swept wings.
Where is the most lift produced ?
Wing root
Sweep back is ?
Angle between lateral axis and where the wings are set back too
Longitudinal axis ?
Nose to tail
Rolls, controlled by ailerons on the wing
Lateral axis
Across the wings
Pitching, controlled by elevator on rear stabiliser
Normal axis
Top to bottom
Yaws, controlled by rudder
What is induced drag ?
The result of the lift vector being tipped backwards because the effective AoA is greater than the AoA
Tip vortices are strongest when the A/C is
Slow and heavy
How do tip vortices rotate ?
Towards the A/C
What happens to vortices as AoA increases
Difference in pressure between upper and lower surfaces increases, thus increasing the strength and size of the vortices
Flow direction below and above the wing (Spanwise flow)
Under - Towards the wing tip
Upper - Towards the fuselage
How is wake turbulence somewhat reduced ?
Lowering a trailing edge flap
What is effective air flow ?
Is the effect of the wing modifying the direction of air flow. Creating a flow at an angle to the relative airflow.
What is ⍶ i
Induced AoA
What is ⍶ e
Effective AoA
How is form drag reduced ?
Streamlining
How is skin frication drag reduced ?
Ensuring a smooth polished surface
What is fitted to some A/C with no natural buffet to notify of a potential stall
Stick shaker
Tapered planform P + N
Decreases vortex strength
Good efficiency / used on high perf light A/C
Air will miss the horizontal stabiliser so no natural buffet.
Elliptical wing P + N
Chord length is mathematically varied to counter and increase is vortex strength.
Most efficient wing planform.
Whole wing will stall at once, causing a sudden and more severe stall
Swept wing P + N
Good at high speed
No natural buffet
Stalls first at wing tip, so high chance of a wing drop stall
Low efficiency at low speed
How is form drag reduced ?
Streamlining
Separation of Total drag
Induced drag + parasite drag
PD-
skin friction
Interference
Form
Induced drag is ?
A bi product of lift
Factors affecting induced drag ?
(Anything that makes the wing work hard)
Low speed
Banking
Pitching up
Increased load factor
A/C weight
Drag Equation
Drag = 1/2 x p x V2 x S x Cd
Induced drag is proportional to
ID ∝ 1/V2
Cdi & Cdp ?
Co-efficient of induced drag
Co-efficient of parasite drag
How to reduce induced drag ?
Tip modification -
Spilt
Blended
Tip tank
Wing modifications -
Wing fence
Vortilon
Strake
Notched leading edge
What do Tip and wing modifications do ?
Improve low speed characteristics
What does a vortex generator do ?
Draws in air from free stream flow and re-energises the boundary layer delaying separation, and delays the low speed stall
( It is not used for reducing induced drag)
Parasite drag is proportional to ?
Pd ∝ V2
How is parasite drag effected
Same as interference, skin friction and form drag
Total drag is ?
Induced and parasite drag combined
What happens if an A/C is speed stable after a speed disturbance ?
The A/C will tend to return to it’s original speed
Drag Vs mass
As the A/C gets heavier induced drag will increase
Vmd is ?
Minimum speed drag
Speed stable regions impact on drag in a gust ?
Drag increases
Speed unstable region impact on drag after a gust ?
Drag reduces
What has no effect on total drag curve ?
Dynamic pressure
A general purpose aerofoil is most efficient at ?
4° alpha
On Drag/TAS plot curve bottom inditcates ?
VMD
On Drag/IAS plot, bottom of the curve indicates what ?
VIMD
An increase in mass causes the drag curve to move ?
Up and right
On a Drag/TAS graph, how does the curve shift with altitude ?
The curve shifts to the right with increasing altitude.
Lift drag ratio ?
L : D
On a Drag/IAS graph how does the curve move with altitude?
All altitudes are the same with IAS, so it doesn’t move. (Drag and IAS are both based on dynamic pressure)
Only ignoring compressibility effects !!
What happens to drag curve with extension of flaps ?
Curve goes up and left
Vmd gets slower
Would also happen with landing gear and spoilers
Dirty and clean descriptors (wing)
Dirty- with flaps
Clean- without flaps
How does stalling occur ?
Airflow on the upper surface of the wing stops following and separates. This occurs when the A/C exceeds its critical AoA
Adverse pressure gradient is ?
A pressure gradient trying to make flow reverse direction (under the wings to upper surface)
As AoA increases it gets stronger.
Separation point moves forward
Stalling consequences
Reduced lift
Increased drag
CP moves aft (fwd on swept)
Nose pitches down (up on swept)
Struggle to maintain control (sluggish)
I commanded roll
Vs is ?
Current stall speed
Vs1g is ?
Stall speed when flying at 1g
Vs1 is ?
Stall speed in the given configuration
Vs0 is ?
Stall reference speed, used by low aspect ratio A/C
Load factor Vs stall relationship
n ∝ V2
High aspect ratio Vs stalling ?
If ⍶ crit is exceeded Cl drops fast, high rate of descent.
High AR gives better lift and lower alpha crit
Low AR Vs Stalling
Exceeding ⍶ crit only gives of small Cl reduction so you may not notice, risking a deep stall
Vsr is ?
A ‘pretend’ stall speed set by the manufacturer that warning and recovery systems are set too
Deep stall is when ?
The horizontal stabiliser is stalled, making it much harder to recover.
T-tail and swept wing A/C are more prone to deep stall
Deep stall protection ?
Stick pusher