Understanding a Plane !!

Posted on the 03 September 2023 by Sampathkumar Sampath

How to understand a flying  aircraft ?!?

The Science behind flying is very complex to learn.   One needs to know about Aerodynamic angles that generate the aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the airplane. The projection is the aerodynamic axis called baricentric axis. If the pilot sees a relative wing velocity  coming from the right then the sideslip β is positive by definition. If the relative wind is in the plane of symmetry, i.e. β=0, the aircraft is in aerodynamically symmetric flight and the direction of V coincides with the direction.

The angle between axes  Xa & XB is  the aircraft body-angle of attack.  The angle of axes and the zero-lift line of the wing is the aircraft absolute angle of attack. In a climbing flight the airplane fuselage has an attitude   over the horizon. 

An aircraft flying with wings level in symmetric conditions, i.e. with zero sideslip, always keeps his symmetry plane vertical. Hence the four fundamental forces involved in symmetric flight, i.e. lift, drag, thrust and the weight vector, are always in the same vertical plane.


Forget all the above – just go and understand the plane i.e, stand below and look up to the skies to see the flight !

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
3.9.2023