1. Aerodynamics
Chapter 3
Aerodynamics of Flight

2. Figure 3-1. Balance of forces and moments.

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

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

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

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

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

8. Figure 3-7. The power-required curve.

9. Figure 3-8. Maximum level-flight speed.

10. Figure 3-9. Graph of drag versus TAS.

11. Figure 3-10. Graph of power versus TAS.

12. Figure 3-11. Speed stability.

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

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

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

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

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

18. Figure 3-15. Climb performance decreases with altitude.

19. Figure 3-16. A typical climb performance table.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

38. Figure 3-37. Load factor versus bank angle.

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

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

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

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

43. Figure 3-43. Constant-radius turn.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

51. Figure 3-51. Slipstream can lower stall speed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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