Forces Acting on an Airplane in Flight Flashcards
What are the four forces acting on an airplane in flight?
1) Thrust
2) Drag
3) Lift
4) Weight
What is thrust?
Its the force that is exerted by the engine and its propeller(s). This pushes air back which causes a reaction or thrust to push the airplane forward
What is drag?
It is to go back or the resistance to the forward motion
What is lift?
Lift is the force to go upward. This makes sure that the plane stays in flight
What is weight?
It is the opposite of lift. The downward force due to gravity
What is EQUILIBRIUM?
equilibrium is the state the airplane is in when the thrust and drag are equal and opposite
What happens when the airplane is in the state of equilibrium?
The airplane will continue to move forward at the same uniform rate of speed
What is equilibrium referred to?
it refers to steady motion and not the state of rest
How is the state of equilibrium lost?
It is lost when either of these forces over power its opposing forces
What happens when thrust is greater than drag?
When thrust is greater then drag the airplane will accelerate or gain speed
What happens when drag is greater than thrust?
When drag is greater then thrust the airplane will decelerate or lose speed
Which forces are in equilibrium with each other?
lift and weight are equal and opposite of each other
drag and thrust are equal and opposite of each other
What happens when lift is greater then weight?
If lift is greater then weight the airplane will climb
What happens when weight is greater then lift?
If weight is greater then lift then the airplane will sink
