Structural Assembly and Rigging Explanations Flashcards
What are vortex generators?
They are small airfoil sections usually attached to the upper surface of a wing.
They appear like two small rectangular pieces of sheet metal attached to the wing in a slight v shape with a gap separating the two pieces.
What is a boundary layer?
An area where the friction caused by the air flowing past a surface disrupts and slows down the airflow itself.
It is not deep, maybe .02 to an inch thick, but it is important.
Interestingly, without an boundary layer, the air would flow around an airfoil perfectly smoothly and there would be no drag.
What does it mean for the boundary layer to separate?
As the airflow reaches past the peak of the airfoil near the midsection of the wing, the boundary layer begins to separate from the wing surface.
For example, this is why rain-droplets can sometimes remain undisturbed on the rear window of a car, as no airflow is really acting upon them.
Vortex generators can be installed to delay this from happening.
What are trailing edge flaps?
They extend the camber of the wing for greater lift and slower flight.
They allow control at low speeds for short field takeoffs and landings.
What are leading edge flaps?
They extend the camber of the wing for greater lift and slower flight. Allows control at low speeds for short field takeoffs and landings.
They hinge downward and/or forward from the front edge of the wing.
What are slats?
They extend the camber of the wing for greater lift and slower flight. Allows control at low speeds for short field takeoffs and landings.
They hinge downward and/or forward from the front edge of the wing.
They differ from leading edge flaps primarily in the simpler construction.
What are slots?
They direct air over the upper surface of the wing during high angle of attack. They lower the stall speed and provide control during slow flight.
They are located on the leading edge and extended outwards changing the angle of attack.
What are speed breaks?
They hinge upwards off the upper side of the wing to reduce speed through increased drag and reduced lift.
What are anti servo trim tabs?
Unlike most other types of tabs, antiservo tabs are designed to increase rather than decrease the amount of force required to move a control surface.
This is done mainly in smaller aircrafts to avoid over-controlling an aircraft’s pitch.
They are directly linked to the control surfaces, moving when the control surfaces is moved.
What are balance trim tabs?
They assist in moving the control surfaces, and are directly linked to the control surfaces, moving when the control surfaces is moved.
What is a servo tab?
It is a tab designed to operate the primary control surfaces, not just reduce the force needed to do so.
What are spring tabs?
They are like balance tabs, but become enacted in high speed flight.
What is a universal propeller protractor?
it’s a protractor that looks like a 360 degree circle with a balance in the middle. It can measure angles directly between any two planes of any number of planes.
