How do aircraft fly?
Aircraft are designed to fly through the air using principles of aerodynamics. In this article, we will explore the basic physics of how aircraft fly, including the four forces of flight, the Bernoulli Principle, and the different types of lift.
Four Forces of Flight:
To understand how an aircraft flies, it's essential to first understand the four forces of flight. These are:
- Lift - the force that holds the aircraft up in the air
- Weight - the force of gravity that pulls the aircraft down
- Thrust - the force that propels the aircraft forward
- Drag - the force that opposes the forward motion of the aircraft
In order to fly, an aircraft must generate enough lift to overcome its weight and enough thrust to overcome drag. The amount of lift and thrust required depends on the size and weight of the aircraft.
Bernoulli Principle:
The Bernoulli Principle is a fundamental concept in aerodynamics that explains how air flows over a curved surface. It states that as the velocity of a fluid (such as air) increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases.
In the case of an aircraft wing, the top surface is curved while the bottom surface is flat. As air flows over the curved top surface of the wing, its velocity increases, causing a decrease in air pressure. At the same time, the air flowing over the flat bottom surface of the wing moves at a slower velocity, creating higher pressure.
This difference in pressure between the top and bottom of the wing generates lift. The lift force is perpendicular to the direction of the airflow and is responsible for holding the aircraft up in the air.
Types of Lift:
There are four main types of lift that are generated by an aircraft:
Bernoulli Lift - as described above, this is the lift generated by the difference in air pressure over the curved and flat surfaces of the wing.
Newtonian Lift - also known as deflective lift, this is the lift generated by the angle of attack of the wing. The angle of attack is the angle between the wing and the oncoming airflow. By increasing the angle of attack, the wing can generate more lift.
Ground Effect Lift - when an aircraft flies close to the ground, the air between the wing and the ground is compressed, increasing the pressure and generating additional lift.
Induced Lift - when an aircraft generates lift, it also creates vortices or whirlwinds of air at the wingtips. These vortices produce a downwash that generates additional lift.
How an Aircraft Flies:
Now that we understand the four forces of flight and the different types of lift, let's take a look at how an aircraft flies.
During takeoff, the pilot increases the thrust from the engines, which propels the aircraft forward. As the aircraft gains speed, the airflow over the wings increases, generating lift. At the same time, the angle of attack of the wing is increased, generating additional lift.
Once the aircraft has enough speed and lift, the pilot rotates the nose of the aircraft upward, which causes the aircraft to climb into the air. During the climb, the pilot adjusts the pitch of the aircraft to maintain a constant altitude and airspeed.
During level flight, the pilot adjusts the angle of attack of the wing and the thrust from the engines to maintain a constant speed and altitude. The pilot also uses the ailerons, elevators, and rudder to control the roll, pitch, and yaw of the aircraft.
During descent and landing, the pilot reduces the thrust from the engines and adjusts the pitch of the aircraft to maintain a safe descent rate. As the aircraft approaches the runway, the pilot reduces the airspeed and flares the aircraft to slow down and gently touch down on the runway.
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