Engineering Technolgy Flashcards
When was the first successful human flight?
1903
Describe aerodynamics-
Aerodynamics is how air interacts with solid objects, as well as the forces that act upon aircraft and spacecraft in flight.
Who was Wernher Von Braun?
Famous aerospace engineer whose well know project was the Saturn V rocket that sent Apollo 11 to the moon.
How do engineers test components of a new aircraft or spacecraft?
By placing a scale model of the craft in a wind tunnel, flying scale models of the aircraft, & flying components of the new aircraft on board other aircrafts.
What are wind tunnels?
Tools used by engineers to investigate how air flows around a solid object.
Who designed and built the 1st wind tunnel? Where? And when?
Francis Wenham and John Browning England 1871
How does a wind tunnel work?
By simulating the movement of an aircraft through air at different speeds.
What are the advantages of a wind tunnel?
-ability to control airflow -engineers can observe and photograph exactly what is happening -tests can easily be repeated -tests are safer -can be used to measure air pressure
What did Osborne Reynolds discovery in 1883?
That scale models could accurately predict the flow of fluids around larger or smaller objects.
True or False? Wind tunnels models must have exactly the same shape as the full scale vehicle that they are simulating.
True
Describe high speed wind tunnels-
-They have a very small diameter, this is Because air is forced through a smaller opening its speed increases.
What is Aerospace engineering?
Branch of engineering that studies the design and construction of aircraft and spacecraft.
What is Bernoulli’s Principle?
As a volume of air passes through a small diameter tube pressure decreases and speed increases.
What can be used to measures air flow in a wind tunnel?
-Tufts of string placed all over the surface of object. -fog injected into the flow of air around object
What do Computational Flow Dynamics (CDs) allow engineers to do?
much faster testing of Aircraft and spacecraft designs in many different configurations and conditions.
What is the best way to test how an aircraft or spacecraft with handle?
Fly it
What do flying models of aircrafts or spacecrafts help us to validate?
The data produced by wind tunnels and computer simulations.
What is the fuselage?
Aircraft body
What are Large wind tunnels used for?
Subsonic speeds
What is free-flight?
Uncovered and uncontrolled.
Describe a flying wing aircraft design-
-have no fuselage or tail -engines crew, landing gear and all other parts are inside wing.
What is advantage of the flying wing?
- has much less draget which means it can fly farther with less fuel.
What is the disadvantage of the flying wing?
Wings are unstable because of their lack of tail.
What did Jack Northrop work on?
The flying wing. He wanted to build large flying wing aircraft.


