Climbing And Descending Flashcards
(23 cards)
Zoom climb
- When the aircraft trades its speed for altitude.
- Temporary
Steady speed climb
- Prolonged climb
- Steady speed and rate
- Increase in power and AoA
What vectors can the weight vector be divided into.
- W1
- Rearward component of weight (RCW)
Lift acts…
Perpendicular to the flight path
Maximum rate of climb
Determined by the excess power available.
- AKA “Vy”
- The greater the excess power available, the greater the rate of climb
- The maximum rate of climb speed can be found at the greatest surplus/gap between the PA and PR curve
Maximum angle of climb
Determined by the excess thrust available over drag (thrust required).
- The greater the excess thrust available, the greater the angle of climb.
- Maximum can be found at the greatest surplus/gap between the thrust available and the drag curves.
Normal climb speed (enroute)
- Speed is higher than Vx and Vy
- Compromise between speed and rate of climb
- Higher climb speed aids in engine cooling and better forward visibility
Power applied in the climb
The less power applied, the smaller the excess of power available over power required = reduced aircraft climb performance.
Airspeed in the climb
- A recommended speed is set for the best climb performance. Any deviation will reduce the performance.
Flap/undercarriage extension in the climb
- Increases power required
- Increases drag
Weight in a climb
- Increasing the aircraft’ weight will decrease the climb performance
Altitude in the climb
- Power available reduces, power required increases
- Decreases aircraft performance
Wind in the climb
- Headwind = steeper angle of climb
- Tailwind = lower angle of climb
Temperature in a climb
- Anything above ISA, performance is decreased
Manoeuvring in a climb
- Uses available excess power
- Reduction in climb performance
Two methods of descending
- Glide
- Power on
Glide descent
- Throttle is fully closed, not thrust is being produced
- Propeller is windmilling, which produces drag
Power on descent
- Some power from engine, less power than that is required for a level flight
Forces in a glide
- Weight - pulls aircraft straight down
- Lift acting perpendicular to the flight path
- Resultant of lift and drag vector s= total reaction
- No thrust
- There is a forward component of weight which acts parallel to the flight path and is equal and opposite to drag
Forces in a power-on descent
- Thrust allows the pilot to have more control over the rate of descent
- More shallow
Glide angle and gliding range
- Gliding at the shallowest glide angle possible
- Determined by the lift to drag ratio
- High L/D ratio results in a shallow glide
- Low L/D ratio leads to a steeper glide angle and shorter gliding range
- Deviating from the recommended airspeed will result in a steeper glide angle,, and reducing gliding range
Effect of weight
- Increase in weight, requirement for lift increases
- More force driving the aircraft down, higher rate of descent
Effect of wind
- Rate of descent stays the same
- Steepness or shallowness of descent changes
