The Physics of The Physics of FlightFlight

Dan SullivanDan Sullivan

What is flight?What is flight?

Process by which Process by which an object achieves an object achieves sustained sustained movement through movement through the air by the air by aerodynamically aerodynamically generating liftgenerating lift

Mechanical Mechanical flight=the use of a flight=the use of a machine, called an machine, called an aircraft, to flyaircraft, to fly

How does flight occur?How does flight occur?

4 important forces 4 important forces to account for while to account for while flying:flying:– Thrust: T=v (dm/dt)Thrust: T=v (dm/dt)

Aircraft’s engines Aircraft’s engines generate thrustgenerate thrust

– LiftLift Air passes Air passes

over/under airfoil over/under airfoil (aircraft’s wings)(aircraft’s wings)

– DragDrag ResistanceResistance

– WeightWeight GravityGravity

Forces of Flight, Pt.1Forces of Flight, Pt.1

Thrust: Reaction force, generated in aircraft by Thrust: Reaction force, generated in aircraft by engines drawing in massive amounts of air. engines drawing in massive amounts of air.

The air is then compressed inside the engine, and The air is then compressed inside the engine, and rapidly escapes out of the back of the engine.rapidly escapes out of the back of the engine.– Newton’s 2Newton’s 2ndnd, 3, 3rdrd laws laws

Forces of Flight, Pt.2Forces of Flight, Pt.2 Lift: created when air Lift: created when air

interacts with airfoil interacts with airfoil (wing) and deflected (wing) and deflected downward. Force downward. Force created by the created by the deflection creates deflection creates equal, opposite equal, opposite upward force (N’s 3upward force (N’s 3rdrd))– At slower speeds, At slower speeds,

aircraft employ flaps, aircraft employ flaps, which increase surface which increase surface area and lift, and help area and lift, and help prevent stalling prevent stalling

Forces of Flight, Pt. 3Forces of Flight, Pt. 3

Drag: Force that Drag: Force that resists the resists the movement of a movement of a solid through airsolid through air– Friction created Friction created

by plane passing by plane passing through the airthrough the air

Weight: Weight: gravitational gravitational force on object, force on object, in this case, an in this case, an aircraftaircraft

How does an aircraft move?How does an aircraft move?

3 Axes of movement3 Axes of movement– Roll: AileronsRoll: Ailerons

Controls banking Controls banking motions of aircraftmotions of aircraft

– Pitch: ElevatorPitch: Elevator Controls angle of Controls angle of

attack (up, down attack (up, down movement)movement)

– Yaw: RudderYaw: Rudder Moves plane laterallyMoves plane laterally

– When yawing, outside When yawing, outside wing has greater lift, wing has greater lift, causes turncauses turn

BibliographyBibliography

http://en.wikipedia.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org

www.airliners.netwww.airliners.net

www.jetphotos.netwww.jetphotos.net

http://www.av8n.com/physics/img48/yaw-pitchhttp://www.av8n.com/physics/img48/yaw-pitch-roll.png-roll.png

www.flightlevel350.comwww.flightlevel350.com

““The Miracle of Flight”The Miracle of Flight”-Stephen Dalton-Stephen Dalton