What is the difference between Service Ceiling and Absolute Ceiling?
Service Ceiling is the height at which the maximum rate of climb reduces to 100 fpm. Absolute Ceiling is the height at which the rate of climb is reduced to zero [...]
Is endurance greater at sea level or at 10,000 feet?
Endurance decreases with altitude and therefore is greater at sea level.
What effect does weight have on the range of an airplane?
Weight will reduce the range of your airplane. Added weight will require more lift. More lift means more induced drag. More drag means more power is necessary and consequently greater fuel [...]
What are the types of DRAG acting on an airplane?
Types of drag acting on an airplane: Parasitic Drag interference drag skin friction form drag Induced Drag
What is the Angle of Incidence?
The Angle of Incidence is the angle between the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the plane. Not to be confused with the angle of attack. The [...]
What is Aspect Ratio?
Aspect ratio is SPAN divided by AVERAGE CHORD. For example: Wing span = 40.5 feet Avg. chord = 6.3 feet Aspect Ratio = 40.5 / 6.3 Aspect Ratio = 6.42 Keep [...]
What are the 4 basic forces that act on an airplane?
Lift: acts perpendicular to the relative airflow Drag: acts parallel to the relative airflow Weight: acts toward the centre of the earth Thrust: acts in the direction of motion
What is Angle of Attack?
Angle of Attack is the angle between the chord line and the relative airflow (sometimes called relative wind). All wings will stall when they reach the critical angle of attack [...]
What is the CHORD of a wing?
Chord is an imaginary straight line drawn from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
What is the CAMBER LINE and how does it relate to CAMBER?
The camber line is an imaginary line that runs through the centre of the wing, from leading edge to trailing edge. It remains equal distance from the top of the [...]