Aerodynamics Chapter 3 Aerodynamics of Flight

Figure 3-1. Balance of forces and moments.

Figure 3-2. Indicated airspeed varies inversely with angle of attack.

Figure 3-3. At a constant angle of attack, a lighter airplane must fly slower.

Figure 3-4. Same power–lighter airplane has a lower angle of attack and flies faster.

Figure 3-5. The thrust-required or drag curve.

Figure 3-6. Both low speed and high speed require high thrust.

Figure 3-7. The power-required curve.

Figure 3-8. Maximum level-flight speed.

Figure 3-9. Graph of drag versus TAS.

Figure 3-10. Graph of power versus TAS.

Figure 3-11. Speed stability.

Figure 3-11. Same IAS (and lift) at a higher altitude means higher TAS.

Figure 3-11. A zoom and a steady climb.

Figure 3-12. The four forces in equilibrium in a steady climb.

Figure 3-13. Maximum angle climb, maximum rate climb, cruise climb; use the one that suits the situation.

Figure 3-14. Fly at the correct climb speed for best performance.

Figure 3-15. Climb performance decreases with altitude.

Figure 3-16. A typical climb performance table.

Figure 3-17. Wind affects the flight path achieved over the ground.

Figure 3-20. “Thrust required” and “thrust available” versus TAS.

Figure 3-21. Climb gradient may be less with flaps extended.

Figure 3-22. “Power required” and “power available” versus TAS.

Figure 3-23. Flying the incorrect airspeed reduces excess thrust and angle of climb.

Figure 3-24. Flying the incorrect airspeed reduces excess power and rate of climb.

Figure 3-25. In a glide descent, a component of weight counteracts the drag.

Figure 3-26. A smaller L/D ratio (increased drag) results in a steeper glide.

Figure 3-27. Angle of attack versus L/D ratio.

Figure 3-28. The flattest glide is achieved at the maximum L/D ratio.

Figure 3-29. Steeper glide angle with flaps extended.

Figure 3-30. The best glide angle is the same at all weights (maximum L/D) but the airspeed must be lower at lower weights.

Figure 3-31. More ground is covered gliding with a tailwind and less with a headwind.

Figure 3-32. “Air distance/altitude” is the same ratio as “lift/drag.”

Figure 3-33. By banking, the tilted lift force has a horizontal component which provides the centripetal force.

Figure 3-34. The centripetal force pulls a body into a turn.

Figure 3-35. The steeper the bank, the greater the lift force required from the wings.

Figure 3-36. The steeper the bank angle, the greater the g-forces.

Figure 3-37. Load factor versus bank angle.

Figure 3-38. A steep level turn requires increased lift.

Figure 3-40. Percentage increase in stall speed versus bank angle.

Figure 3-41. A standard-rate turn requires a steeper bank angle at a higher airspeed.

Figure 3-42. Turning performance is increased at low airspeeds.

Figure 3-43. Constant-radius turn.

Figure 3-44. A steeper bank angle at constant speed increases turn performance.

Figure 3-45. An airfoil reaches its maximum lifting ability at the critical angle of attack.

Figure 3-46. Turbulent flow over the horizontal stabilizer.

Figure 3-47. The stall occurs at the same stall angle in all phases of flight, but not necessarily at the same speed.

Figure 3-48. Stall speed increases with load factor.

Figure 3-49. Relationship between stall speed, load factor and bank angle.

Figure 3-50. Stall speed is a function of weight.

Figure 3-51. Slipstream can lower stall speed.

Figure 3-52. Examples of stall speeds in different situations.

Figure 3-53. Built-in washout causes the wingtip to stall later than the root.

Figure 3-54. The boundary layer over a flat surface.

Figure 3-55. The boundary layer over the wing’s upper surface.

Figure 3-56. The flight path in a spin.

Figure 3-57. The airplane in a stable spin to the left.

Figure 3-58. Close to the stall, reduced lift and increased drag on a dropping wing cause autorotation.

Figure 3-59. Lift and drag effects on a dropping wing.