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Intro to Aeronautics > Aeronautics > Flashcards

Aeronautics Flashcards

(48 cards)

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1
Q

How was the term aeronautics derived?

A

Aero – referring to flight

Nautics – referring to ships and sailing

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2
Q

How does NASA define aeronautics?

A

The science of atmospheric flight

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3
Q

What are the three types of lift?

A

Buoyant
Aerodynamic
Direct

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4
Q

What is buoyant lift?

A

When an object is less than the weight of the medium it is displaced in, it will experience a buoyant force
Done with hot air, hydrogen or helium

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5
Q

How does helium weigh compared to air?

A

Helium is 1/5 weight of air

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6
Q

How does hydrogen weigh compared to air?

A

Hydrogen is 1/7 weight of air

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7
Q

How are balloons manipulated?

A

By manipulating how hot the air is, various altitudes can be reached
No control surfaces
Used for recreation and adventure sectors

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8
Q

What are the two types of airships?

A

Blimps - Gas bags that maintain their shape through internal pressure of the bag
Dirigibles - Rigid frames with gas cells split throughout the aircraft
Controlled with engines and control surfaces

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9
Q

Advantages of LTA?

A

Most efficient type of lift
Versatile to design
VTOL capability
Some safety aspects (engine failure less consequence, and collision is absorbed by frame)

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10
Q

Disadvantages of LTA?

A 
Slow
Helium is inert but expensive
Hydrogen is cheap but flammable
Low alt limit
Public safety concerns
Wind issues
Large hangar spaces required
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11
Q

Cause of the Hindenburg disaster?

A

Lacquer used on the fabric ignited under static discharge with the mooring mast

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12
Q

What is a monoplane?

A

One wing structure

Lift generaated through aerofoils of the wing

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13
Q

What is a biplane?

A

Two wing design with aerofoils

De Havilland Tiger Moth

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14
Q

What is a triplane?

A

Three wings with aerfoil shapes

Fokker Triplane

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15
Q

What is a multiplane?

A

Multiple wings with aerofoil shapes

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16
Q

Advantages of aeroplanes?

A 
Design allows fastest out of the categories
Not alt limited (except by engine)
Long range
More efficient than direct lift
less wind effect
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17
Q

Disadvantages of aeroplanes?

A 
Limited design by shape
Cannot Hover
Can only go fast
Restricted view
Require runways
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18
Q

What theory is direct lift based on?

A

Newton’s third law - every action has an equal and opposite reaction
Aircraft generates a down forces, thus producing an upwards reaction

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19
Q

Purpose of main & tail rotors on helicopters?

A

Main - direct lift

Tail - at a tangent to counter the rotational effect of the main rotor (anti-torque)

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20
Q

Characterisitics of the chinook? CH47

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A

Counter rotating rotors to eliminate need for anti-torque tail rotor

21
Q

Largest helicopter in the world?

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A

Military Mi-26
90 Pax
20 tonnes of cargo

22
Q

What is a gyrocopter?

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A

Direct lift
Instead of having an engine power the top rotor directly, a propeller at the front or back will be powered and also provide rotation for the top rotor.

23
Q

Advantages of rotorcraft?

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A

Hovering ability
VTOL (Helos)
STOL (Gyros)
Wide view

24
Q

Disadvantages of rotorcraft?

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A

Fuel inefficient

Limited range & endurance

25
What is hybrid lift?
This is where lift is generated using a combination of two or more of the three types
26
Types of hybrids?
Gyrodynes - eurocopter x3 Tilt rotors - Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey Hybrid airships - Airlander 10
27
Four forces of flight?
Lift Weight Thrust Drag
28
Newtons first law?
An object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an external force. An object in motion will continue moving at a steady speed unless acted upon by an external force.
29
Newtons second law?
Explains how the velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to an external force.
30
Newtons third law?
The third law states that for every action (force) in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction
31
Factors affecting lift?
Density Velocity Surface area Co-efficient of lift
32
What makes up the co-efficient of lift?
Number to represent the lifting capability of the wing AOA Camber
33
What is lift?
Lift is a mechanical aerodynamic force produced by the motion of the airplane through the air. According to Bernoulli's Principle, the air passing over the top of an aerofoil or wing must travel further and hence faster that air the travelling the shorter distance under the wing in the same period but the energy associated with the air must remain the constant at all times. The consequence of this is that the air above the wing has a lower pressure than the air below below the wing and this pressure difference creates the lift.
34
Three primary control surfaces?
Aileron, Rudder, Elevator
35
Primary effects of control surfaces?
Pitch - Lateral axis Roll - Longitudinal Axis Yaw - Normal Axis
36
Purpose of trim?
Small tab on the edge of the control surface deflected into airflow to relieve control stick pressure
37
Effect of Flap?
Increase in lift - ability to fly slower while producing the same amount of lift Slower landing speed Shorter landing distance
38
Types of flaps?
Plain Split Fowler Slotted
39
What is drag?
Drag is a force acting opposite to the direction of travel | As air is a viscous fluid, when an aircraft moves through the air, resistance is encountered
40
Types of drag?
Induced Drag | Parasite drag
41
What is induced drag?
Product of an aerofoil generating lift, caused by rearward tilt of the lift vector Caused by wingtip vortices from downwash
42
How to reduce induced drag?
``` High aspect ratio (glider) Tapering towards wingtip Winglets (spanwise flow is blocked) Wing fences Washout (reducing the angle of incidence at the wingtip compared to the wing root.) ```
43
What is parasite drag? What is it broken up into?
Caused by shape/size of the aircraft’s surfaces. Interference, - conflicting air flows (reduced by blending and filleting) Skin friction - shear forces between layers of air Form - caused where a shape is not streamlined
44
What is the relationship between parasite & induced drag
As speed increases, Parasite will increase, lift induced will decrease
45
What is thrust?
Mechanical force generated by engines to move the a/c through the air Key is newtons third law
46
Most efficient way to produce thrust?
Propeller (spinning aerofoil)
47
Problem with windmilling prop?
Produces huge amounts of drag - feather to reduce
48
What would you do in a engine fail in twin engine a/c?
Bank into the good engine, 'raise the dead' reduces yawing moment

Intro to Aeronautics (5 decks)

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