The Physics of Flight

Ancient Dreamers

Legends of flight attempts date to 2000 B.C.

Many believed flying was for the mythical gods Others tried to copy bird flight-unsuccessfully

Chinese invented kites about 1000 B.C.

17th century A.D. kites carried soldiers aloft

Leonardo da Vinci, 15th century Italian artist

First recorded scientific study of aeronautics Experimented to prove feasibility of mechanical flight Drew sketches and plans to construct flying machines

Ancient Dreamers
Leonardo da Vinci Daedalis & Icarus

Italian artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci (14521519) gathered data on the flight of birds and developed concepts of the propeller, the parachute, and heavier-than-air craft.

The Quest for Flight

By 17th Century, ancient ideas inspired scientific theories and experiments Characteristics of the atmosphere and the discovery of gasses and properties led to lighter-than-air balloon experiments Airships needed power and direction control Glider flying increased the understanding of flight forces, wing geometry & controls

Definition: Aerodynamics
branch of fluid mechanics that deals with the motion of air and other gaseous fluids, and with the forces acting on bodies in motion relative to such fluids

Aerodynamics is a

Bernoullis Principle

According to Bernoullis Principle, as the velocity of a fluid increases the pressure exerted by the fluid decreases.

Air Flow Past a Wing

The air speed is greater over the upper surface, as indicated by the closer streamlines, the air pressure is lower there and the wing is lifted

When the wing is angled upward, air deflected from its lower surface provides additional lift. If the angle is too great, turbulence reduces lift and increases drag.

Powered Flight Breakthrough

Experiments showed basic ingredients of flight are: sufficient power, lift , control Wrights successfully applied theories of lift and drag to practical use in powered gliders Progress (and a conventional designs) came with lighter materials and drag reduction

Breakthrough
The Main Events

Sir Hiram Maxim

power, lift, control

Wright brothers Glen Curtiss

Improved designs, promoted aviation

December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Wilbur and Orville Wright made the world's first successful powered, free, controlled, sustained flights in a heavier-than-air craft.

World War I
The Main Events

War speeds up technology development Airplane speed, loads increased Large manufacturing base developed

Congressional medal of Honor winner Captain Eddie Rickenbacker went on to be a pioneer in civil aviation, too

After the War

Veteran pilots kept interest alive Commercial aviation catches on Dramatic design advances Beginning of rocket flight Invention of the jet engine

Four Forces of Flight

Lift Weight Thrust Drag

Source: NASA Glen Research Center

Forces on an Airplane

Lift
Lift is an aerodynamic force Lift must exceed weight for flight Generated by motion of aircraft through air Created by the effects of airflow past wing The top of an airplane wing is curved, so that air has to travel further to reach the trailing end of the wing. Therefore, the air on the underside of the plane is exerting more pressure, causing the plane to lift.

Weight

Weight is not constant

varies with passengers, cargo, fuel load decreases as fuel is consumed or payload off-loaded

Direction is constant toward earths center May be assumed concentrated at the center of gravity

Drag
An aerodynamic force Drag is also called air resistance.

the force that pulls the plane backward.

Two broad drag classifications
Parasite drag: drag created by airplane design Induced drag: by-product of lift generation

Acts through the center of pressure

Thrust
Forward-acting force opposes drag Direction of thrust depends on design Propulsion systems produce thrust Equal to drag in straight, constant speed flight

Stability
Center of Gravity Center of Pressure Longitudinal Stability Lateral Stability Directional Stability

Definition: Aeronautics

design and construction of aircraft and The theory and practice of aircraft navigation

Aeronautics is the

Definition: Aerospace Engineering

closely allied to aeronautics and aeronautical engineering but Includes the study and development of rocket engines, satellites, and spacecraft

Aerospace engineering is

Activities and Exercises

Build gliders for flight control experiments Worksheets