Generating Lift
Airfoils As viewed as a cross-section, the upper surface of an airfoil has more camber (curve) than lower surface. A straight line from leading edge to trailing edge is referred to…
Forces of Flight
Lift Lift is an artificial force manipulated by pilot; it is generated through the wings, acts perpendicular to the relative wind and wingspan. The theoretical concept that summarizes the direction and…
Many Mysteries of Flight Remain
As anyone with a fear of flying will tell you, flight is a mystery. The fact that heavy planes full of people can stay aloft is incredible. Even experts admit…
Effect of Hypersonic Speeds
Recently, intense research has gone into the development of planes that can fly at hypersonic speeds, approximately five times or more than the speed of sound. At these speeds the…
A brief history of aerodynamics
Photo: Record breaker! Whether you're on land, air, or water, you can't break speed records unless you understand aerodynamics. This is the Railton Mobil Special, which became the first car to go…
Shock Waves
WHAT IS A SHOCK WAVE? When an airplane travels less than the speed of sound, the air ahead of it actually begins to flow out of the way before the…
Waves in the Air
WHAT HAPPENS AS AN AIRPLANE NEARS THE SPEED OF SOUND? As an airplane approaches the speed of sound, conditions around it begin to change. The air ahead of it starts…
Vortex Drag
WHAT ARE THOSE WHIRLS OFF THE WING TIPS? The spirals of air that trail off the tips of an airplane’s wings also contribute to drag. These wing tip vortices steal…
Friction Drag
WHAT IS FRICTION DRAG? Friction is the resistance that happens when two things rub together—like air against an airplane. Friction is partly what causes drag. HOW DOES FRICTION WORK? When…
Pressure Drag
WHY IS PRESSURE SUCH A DRAG? Air flowing past an object pushes harder against the front than the back. This difference creates a backward force called pressure drag. DOES DRAG…
