SU 1 - Airplanes and Aerodynamics

Question 1

3 primary flight controls of an airplane:

Answer 1

1. Ailerons
2. Elevator (or stabilator)
3. Rudder

Question 2

Control surfaces attached to each wing that move in the opposite direction from one another to control roll about the longitudinal axis.

Answer 2

Ailerons

Question 3

Primary control device for changing the pitch attitude of an airplane, changing the pitch about the lateral axis. It is usually located on the fixed horizontal stabilizer on the tail of the airplane.

Answer 3

Elevator

Question 4

one-piece horizontal stabilizer and elevator that pivots from a central hinge point

Answer 4

Stabilator

Question 5

similar to the horizontal stabilizer but is located in front of the main wings

Answer 5

canard

Question 6

controls movement of the aircraft about its vertical axis

Answer 6

rudder

Question 7

Secondary flight controls of an airplane:

Answer 7

wing flaps, leading edge devices, spoilers, and trim systems

Question 8

attached to the trailing edge of the wing and are used during approach and landing to increase wing lift. This allows an increase in the angle of descent without increasing airspeed

Answer 8

Flaps

Question 9

high-drag devices deployed from the wings to reduce lift and increase drag. They are found on gliders and some high-speed aircraft.

Answer 9

Spoilers

Question 10

used to relieve the pilot of the need to maintain constant pressure on the flight controls. They include trim tabs, antiservo tabs, and ground adjustable tabs.

Answer 10

Trim systems

Question 11

The four aerodynamic forces acting on an airplane during flight are

Answer 11

Lift: the upward-acting force
Weight: the downward-acting force
Thrust: the forward-acting force
Drag: the rearward-acting force

Question 12

These forces are at equilibrium when the airplane is in:

Lift=Weight, Thrust=Drag

Answer 12

Unaccelerated Flight

Question 13

“the internal pressure of a fluid (liquid or gas) decreases at points where the speed of the fluid increases.” In other words, high speed flow is associated with low pressure, and low speed flow is associated with high pressure.

Answer 13

Bernoulli’s Principle

Question 14

the angle between the wing chord line and the direction of the relative wind.

Answer 14

angle of attack

Question 15

an imaginary straight line from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing

Answer 15

wing chord line

Question 16

direction of airflow relative to the wing when the wing is moving through the air

Answer 16

relative wind

Question 17

angle of attack at which a wing stalls remains constant regardless of weight, airplane loading, airspeed, etc.

Answer 17

critical angle of attack

Question 18

results whenever the critical angle of attack is exceeded

Answer 18

stall

Question 19

forms when the temperature of the collecting surface is at or below the dew point of the adjacent air and the dew point is below freezing.

Answer 19

Frost

Question 20

Frost on wings disrupts the smooth airflow over the airfoil by causing early airflow separation from the wing. This

Answer 20

Decreases lift
Causes friction and
increases drag

Question 21

What may make it difficult or impossible for an airplane to take off and should be removed before attempting to take off?

Answer 21

Frost

Question 22

the result of the interference of the ground (or water) surface with the airflow patterns about an airplane.

Answer 22

Ground effect

Question 23

The horizontal component of lift makes an airplane…

Answer 23

turn

Question 24

(left-turning tendency) is greatest at low airspeed, high angles of attack, and high power, e.g., on takeoff.

Answer 24

torque effect

Question 25

(asymmetric propeller loading) causes the airplane to yaw to the left when at high angles of attack

Answer 25

P-factor

Question 26

refers to the additional weight carried by the wings due to the airplane’s weight plus the centrifugal force

Answer 26

Load factor

Question 27

a multiple of the regular weight or, alternatively, a multiple of the force of gravity

Answer 27

Load factor (or G units)

Question 28

To determine the load acting on an airplane, multiply the load factor by

Answer 28

the airplane’s weight.

Question 29

have the indicated airspeed on the horizontal axis and the load factor on the vertical axis

Answer 29

Velocity/load factor charts