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Basic Aerodynamics
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Lift
Lift is the force that acts in an upward direction to support the weight of an aircraft. It is created by the difference in air pressure on the upper and lower surfaces of the wings.
Thrust-to-weight Ratio
The thrust-to-weight ratio is the ratio of thrust generated by the engines to the weight of the aircraft. High ratios indicate high performance and the ability to accelerate quickly.
Laminar Flow
Laminar flow is characterized by smooth, constant fluid motion in parallel layers, with little or no disruption between the layers.
Wing Loading
Wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. It is a measure of the weight that each unit area of the wing supports and affects the lift required for flight.
Turbulent Flow
Turbulent flow is a type of fluid flow with chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is characterized by eddies, swirls, and other instabilities.
Induced Drag
Induced drag is the part of drag that is created by the production of lift. Higher lift generation can increase induced drag, which is strongly dependent on the aspect ratio of the wing.
Stall
A stall occurs when the smooth airflow over the airplane's wing is disrupted, and the lift degenerates rapidly. This is caused by exceeding the critical angle of attack.
Drag
Drag is a force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object moving with respect to a surrounding fluid. It opposes an aircraft's motion through the air.
Parasite Drag
Parasite drag is the drag that acts on an object when it is moving through a fluid and is not associated with the production of lift. It includes form drag, skin friction, and interference drag.
Airfoil
An airfoil is the shape of a wing or blade (of a propeller, rotor, or turbine) or sail as seen in cross-section.
Bernoulli's Principle
Bernoulli's Principle states that an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a decrease in the fluid's potential energy. It is essential in explaining how lift is generated over an airfoil.
Thrust
Thrust is the force which moves an aircraft through the air. It is generated by the engines, propelling the aircraft forward.
Vortex Generator
Vortex generators are small aerodynamic surfaces added to an aircraft wing or control surface to delay flow separation and maintain effective control during high angles of attack.
Reynolds Number
The Reynolds number is a dimensionless quantity that is used to predict flow patterns in different fluid flow situations. It is defined as the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces.
Angle of Attack (AOA)
The angle of attack is the angle between the oncoming air or relative wind and a reference line on the airplane or wing called the chord line.
Pressure Coefficient
The pressure coefficient is a dimensionless number which describes the relative pressures throughout a flow field in fluid dynamics. It is often used in the design of aerodynamic surfaces.
Wave Drag
Wave drag occurs due to the formation of shock waves around an object moving at high speed through a fluid such as air, particularly when approaching or exceeding the speed of sound.
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio of a wing is the ratio of its span to its mean chord. High aspect ratio wings have long spans and short chords, which can reduce induced drag.
Mach Number
The Mach number is a dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of speed of an object moving through a fluid and the local speed of sound.
Boundary Layer
The boundary layer is the layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of a bounding surface where the effects of viscosity are significant.
Shock Wave
A shock wave is a type of propagating disturbance in a fluid that moves faster than the speed of sound. Shock waves form a steep pressure and temperature rise and are associated with supersonic flight.
Yaw
Yaw is the rotation of an aircraft around its vertical axis. The motion is controlled by the rudder and is used to change the direction the aircraft is pointing without altering its pitch or roll.
Center of Pressure
The center of pressure is the point on the airfoil where the total sum of pressure forces is considered to act, theoretically causing no change in pitch.
Roll
Roll is the rotation of an aircraft around its longitudinal axis. The motion is primarily controlled by the ailerons and is used to bank the aircraft to the left or right.
Pitch
Pitch is the rotation of an aircraft around its lateral or transverse axis. This motion affects the aircraft's angle of attack and is controlled by the elevator.
Dynamic Pressure
Dynamic pressure is the kinetic energy per unit volume of a fluid particle. It represents the fluid motion's contribution to the total pressure and is defined as where is the fluid density and is the fluid velocity.
Adverse Yaw
Adverse yaw is the tendency of an aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of a roll due to the differential lift and induced drag of the wings. It is counteracted with the use of the rudder.
Ground Effect
Ground effect is the increased lift and decreased aerodynamic drag that an aircraft's wings generate when they are close to a fixed surface such as the ground or water.
Area Rule
The area rule states that an aircraft's transonic drag will be minimized if the cross-sectional area distribution along the length of the aircraft changes smoothly. This concept is used in the design of aircraft to reduce drag at high speeds.
Camber
Camber is the curvature of the airfoil's upper and lower surfaces. The camber affects the lifting characteristics of the wing, with a greater camber typically providing more lift.
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