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CCF > Principles of flight > Flashcards

Principles of flight Flashcards

1
Q

Aircraft can only remain airborne whilst…

A

Moving

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2
Q

How is lift generated?

A

By the aircraft’s wing

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3
Q

How is the top surface of the wing shaped?

A

Such that air which flows over the wing increases speed and reduces pressure

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4
Q

How is the bottom surface of the wing shaped?

A

Such that air which flows under the wing reduces speed and increases pressure

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5
Q

At what angle does lift act to the direction of air flow on the wing?

A

90 degrees

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6
Q

What is the point at which lift acts called?

A

The centre of pressure

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7
Q

Factors affecting lift:

A
  • An increase in airspeed results in an increase in lift
  • An increase in angle of attack results in an increase in lift
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8
Q

Airspeed is direction proportional to…

A

Lift squared

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9
Q

What is the critical angle for stalling?

A

15 degrees

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10
Q

Decreased air density leads to…

A

Decreased lift (this can be due to an increase in altitude, temperature or humidity)

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11
Q

What happens if lift is greater than weight?

A

The aircraft ascends

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12
Q

What happens if lift is less than weight?

A

The aircraft descends

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13
Q

What happens if lift is equal to weight?

A

The aircraft remains at level flight

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14
Q

What happens if thrust is greater than drag?

A

The aircraft accelerates

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15
Q

What happens if thrust is less than drag?

A

The aircraft decelerates

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16
Q

What happens if thrust is equal to drag?

A

The aircraft’s speed remains constant

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17
Q

Aircraft speed is directly proportional to…

A

Drag squared

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18
Q

What are the 3 axis through the centre of gravity?

A
  1. Lateral axis through wings
  2. Longitudinal axis along the aircraft
  3. Normal axis, up and down
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19
Q

What is pitching?

A

Nose of the plane up and down (elevators)

20
Q

What is rolling?

A

Whole plane to one side (ailerons)

21
Q

What is yawing?

A

Nose of the plane side to side (fin/rudder)

22
Q

What is stability?

A

The ability of an aircraft to return to level flight of its own accord without the pilot having to intervene, a result of good design

23
Q

Turbulence

A

Bumpy air can cause a wing to drop or nose to rise or fall

24
Q

What are dihedral wings?

A

Those with their lowest points at attachment to the body

25
Q

What are anhedral wings?

A

Those with their highest points at attachment to the body

26
Q

What are trimming tabs?

A

Extensions on the elevator, aileron and rudder to help to cancel out unwanted forces on the pilots joystick

27
Q

Airbrakes

A
  • Reduces lift and increases drag
  • Used when approaching landing
28
Q

Gliding angle

A

How far a glider can glide from a given height e.g. Viking is roughly 15km for 1km (weather dependent)

29
Q

What does spinning rotor blades in one direction cause?

A

Torque in the other direction

30
Q

What does the tail rotor do?

A

Counteracts force, preventing the helicopter from spinning out of control

31
Q

What is the rotor disk?

A

The area covered by the blades

32
Q

How can lift be increased in a helicopter?

A

By increasing the angle of attack

33
Q

How is lift generated?

A

By the Bernoulli principle

34
Q

How is lift distributed around the wing?

A

Uneven

35
Q

What accompanies an object when it moves through the air?

A

A “wake” of eddies and vortices which wastes energy

36
Q

How can we minimise drag?

A
  • Reduce protruding parts
  • Streamlining
  • Streamlining shapes to have a “finesse ratio” of between 3 and 4:1
37
Q

What are elevators controlled by?

A

Moving the joystick back and forth

38
Q

What are ailerons controlled by?

A

Moving the joystick left and right

39
Q

What is the rudder controlled by?

A

Rudder pedals

40
Q

What happens when the angle of attack is too great?

A

The airflow over the wing cannot meet the airflow under the wing

41
Q

What do flaps do?

A

Allow you to generate lift at lower speeds

42
Q

Lower stalling speed is…

A

Better

43
Q

Factors increasing stalling speed

A
  • More weight
  • Less power
  • Manoeuvres and steeper turns
  • Wind
44
Q

The gliding angle

A

How steep your descent is

45
Q

What does increasing or decreasing rotor speed affect?

A

Lift production

46
Q

What does the collective pitch lever do?

A

Changes the angle of the rotor blades

47
Q

What do the yaw pedals do?

A

Control the angle of the tail rotor blades

CCF (2 decks)

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