Principles of Flight
Chapter Overview
Lesson 1: Principles of Flight
 Lesson 2: The Physics of Flight
 Lesson 3: The Purpose and Function of
Airplane Parts
 Lesson 4: Aircraft Motion and Control
 Lesson 5: Flight Power
 Lesson 6: Aviation Innovation

Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Lesson Overview
The theory of flight
 Airfoils and flight
 Newton's laws of motion and aircraft design
 Bernoulli’s principle, airfoils, and flight
 The effect of relative wind on flight
 The effect of angle of attack on flight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfCRTeUzhSI
http://www.virgingalactic.com/
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Quick Write
What kinds of things do you think Chuck
Yeager had to learn to accomplish
all that he did?
What was the lowest and highest rank Chuck
Yeager held?
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Courtesy of US Air Force
The Theory of Flight
 Chinese
Book of Sui – AD 636
 Marco Polo’s man-lifting kites – 13th
Century
 Montgolfier Brothers first hot air
balloon – 1783
 First manned gliders – 100 years later
 Propeller-driven airplanes, jets,
astronauts to the moon – 20th century
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Airfoils
Help create the force for lift
 Can be wings or propeller blades
 Include leading and trailing edges and
cambers and chord lines

Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Adapted from NASA/Glenn Research Center
.
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Wind Tunnels

Help test models of new aircraft
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Reproduced from NASA/Glenn Research Center
Wind Tunnels, cont.
The Wright Brothers tested more than 200
wing shapes in a tunnel before the successful
1902 glider
 Researchers can carefully control airflow
conditions and measure the forces on an
aircraft model

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/nasa/2169-how-wind-tunnels-work-video.htm
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NASA
Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is aerodynamics?
Which edge of an airfoil is rounded? Which is
sharp?
What caused the Wright Brothers to develop
the wind tunnel?
After many experiments what was the
Wright Brothers able to do in an aircraft?
How many wing types did the Wright
Brothers test in designing their 1902 glider?
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Newton’s First Law of
Motion
A
body in motion
tends to stay in
motion in a straight
line, and a body at
rest tends to stay at
rest, unless an
outside force
causes it to stop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Wz5P0JdeU
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
© iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Newton’s Second Law of
Motion
 Force
= mass x acceleration, or F = ma
Newton's 2nd law states that the acceleration of an object is inversely
proportional to its mass. In other words, it is difficult to change the speed of
massive objects and it is easier to change the speed of smaller objects.
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Waiting for Credit line if needed
Newton’s Second Law of
Motion, cont.
 Force
= mass x acceleration, or F = ma
 You could use F=ma to calculate exactly
how powerful an engine would have to be
to supply enough pushing force to
accelerate for takeoff
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NASA
Newton’s Third Law of Motion
 “For
every action is there an equal and
opposite reaction”
 Jet propulsion is an example
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Courtesy of US Air Force
Bernoulli’s Principle
Increased airflow causes a decrease in air
pressure
 Air flowing over the curved upper surface of a
wing speeds up
 Increase in speed reduces pressure above the
wing and produces the upward lifting force

Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Reproduced from NASA Quest
Effect of Relative Wind
on Flight
Relative wind has both a speed and a
direction
 When a plane flies, relative wind blows in
nearly the exact opposite direction to the
plane’s direction

Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Reproduced from Civil Air Patrol
Effect of Angle of
Attack on Flight
If a plane alters pitch—
the up and down
movement of the plane’s
nose—the angle of attack
on its wings will change
 As angle of attack
increases, wings generate
more lifting force

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgT0EpEeOCY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6XofdlfJ0k
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Reproduced from NASA/Glenn Research Center
.
Critical Angle of Attack
 Point
at which a plane stalls—around 15⁰
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Reproduced from NASA/Glenn Research Center
Summary
The theory of flight
 Airfoils and flight
 Newton's laws of motion and aircraft design
 Bernoulli’s principle, airfoils, and flight
 The effect of relative wind on flight
 The effect of angle of attack on flight

Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Next….

Done – principles of flight

Next - physics of flight
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Reproduced from NASA/Glenn
Research CenterReproduced Center
The Purpose and Function
of Airplane Parts
Quick Write
If you had to design a wing for an airplane, what are
some of the questions you might ask?
List at least three
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Courtesy of NASA Langley Research Center (NASA-LaRC)
Lesson Overview






How the fuselage and wing shape correspond to an
aircraft’s mission
The types, purpose, and function of airfoil design
The role of stabilizers and rudders
The positions of flaps, spoilers, and slats on an
aircraft
How the airflow and airfoil affect flight movement
The purpose and function of propellers, turbines,
ramjets, and rocket propulsion systems
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Why do airplane parts such as wings
and fuselage vary in size and shape?
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Group Activity
Divide up in 3 teams
 Team 1 - The Fuselage - pg 36-37
 Team 2 - Wing Position, Parts and Size – pg 38-39
 Team 3 – Wing Angles and Winglets – pg 40-41

Draw pictures and add words to explain material
 Assign a team spokesman

Chapter 1, Lesson 3
The Fuselage
The fuselage is the aircraft body
 Fuselage vary in shape to fit the mission
 Fuselage must be strong enough to withstand
torque

Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Courtesy of USAF/CMSgt Gary Emery
Wing Position and Parts
 Wing
position
depends on
aircraft’s mission
 Main internal
parts are spars,
ribs and stringers
 Fuel tanks usually
part of wing
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Wing Size
Glider travels slow and has high-aspect wing
ratio and long wingspans
 Glider wings elliptical shaped to reduce
drag and result in long, slow flight
 Greater the aspect area the lower the
induced drag and greater the lift
 F-16 and space shuttle have low-aspect
ratio wings

Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Wing Aspect Ratio
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Wing Types
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Wing Angles
Dihedral angles give
aircraft roll stability
and level flight
 Large commercial
airliner wings have
dihedral angles
 Fighter aircraft have
anhedral angles

Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Modified from NASA/Glenn Research Center
Summary

How the fuselage and wing shape correspond to an
aircraft’s mission
 Fuselage
types
 Wing Shapes, Sizes, and Angles
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Aircraft Motion
and Control
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Ntr0OZ9es&list=PLIlxyInmt--h2fdR21TJt89L2atYLMS19
Lesson Overview
 The
axes of rotation and how the primary
flight controls work
 The effects of flaps on flight
 The effects of slats on flight
 The effects of spoilers on flight
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Quick Write
Colonel Lowe had the training, the experience,
and the ability to stay calm in the middle of
chaos. He used these qualities to rescue others.
What are some ways you can develop those
qualities in yourself?
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Courtesy of USAF/Don Lindsey
The Axes of Rotation
An aircraft rotates around its center of
gravity, the central point of threedimensional coordinate system
 Yaw axis (vertical axis) starts at the center of
gravity and runs perpendicular to wings
 Pitch axis (lateral axis) starts at the center of
gravity and runs from wingtip to wingtip

http://adamone.rchomepage.com/cg_calc.htm
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
The Axes of Rotation, cont.

Roll axis (longitudinal axis) begins at the
center of gravity, is perpendicular to the yaw
and pitch axes, and runs from nose to tail
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from NASA/Glenn Research Center
How the Primary Flight
Controls Work




Pilot works with control
surfaces to direct aircraft
yaw, pitch, and roll
Rudders control yaw or sideto-side motion of aircraft
Elevators control pitch or up
and down motion of aircraft
Aileron is a small hinged
section on the outboard
portion of a wing
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from NASA/Virtual Skies
Activity 1:
The Axes of Rotation
 View
animations on aircraft yaw motion,
pitch motion, and roll motion
 Fill in the blanks for each airplane’s
control system and axis of rotation
 Illustrate the axes of rotation, the primary
control surface, and motion direction on
the image provided
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Activity 1—Yaw Motion
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from NASA
Activity 1—Pitch Motion
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from NASA
Activity 1—Roll Motion
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from NASA
The Effects of Flaps on Flight



Aircraft have primary and
secondary control systems
Rudders, elevators, and ailerons
are primary control surfaces, they
make aircraft controllable and safe
to fly
Flaps, slats, and spoilers are
secondary control systems, they let
the pilot maintain more control
over aircraft’s performance
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Courtesy of US ARMY/SSgt S. Patrick McCollum
Types of Flaps
Wing flaps come in four
varieties
 Plain flap is the simplest; it
attaches at the trailing edge of
wing, and increases camber
and lift when deployed
 Split flap is hinged under the
wing’s trailing edge and
rotates down to help generate
lift and increase drag

Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Types of Flaps, cont.
Slotted flap sits in a groove
carved into the underside of
the wing’s trailing edge and
generates more lift than
plain and split flaps
 Fowler flap uses metal tracks
to slide backward and pivot
down; it increases lift by
greater camber and wing
area

Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Flap Types
Split Flap
Plain Flap
Fowler Flap
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
The Effects of Slats on Flight
Slats generate more lift; aircraft use
four types of slats
 Fixed slot doesn’t move or increase
wing camber
 Movable slats slide along tracks
 Leading edge flaps increase lift and
wing camber and decrease the size
of the nose-down pitch
 Leading edge cuffs are slipped onto
a wing’s leading edge

Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Moveable slat
Leading edge cuff
Leading edge flap
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
The Effects of Spoilers on Flight
Spoilers are small, flat
plates that attach to the
tops of the wings with
hinges
 Raising spoilers on both
wings slows aircraft in any
phase of flight
 Raising spoilers on only
one wing causes a rolling
motion
Chapter 1, Lesson 4

http://youtu.be/ov24HFgLFMc
Reproduced from of NASA/Glenn Research Center
Summary
 The
axes of rotation and how the
primary flight controls work
 The effects of flaps on flight
 The effects of slats on flight
 The effects of spoilers on flight
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Next….

Done – aircraft motion and control

Next – flight power
Chapter 1, Lesson 4
Courtesy of NASA/Jim Ross
Flight Power
Lesson Overview, cont.
 How
the different types of jet engines
work
 The role of reversers and suppressors
used in jet aircraft
 Reaction engines
 The development of new engine
technology
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Team Activity

Create poster of assigned engine type (pages 69-84)








Research sources and describe how the engine works, and
why the engine is suited for the aircraft’s purpose
Draw engine and label major parts
Provide examples of aircraft using this engine and why it is
suited best for its application
Internal combustion (reciprocating) engine
Turbojet
Turbofan
Turboprop
You may use lab computers to
find more data for your poster.
Ramjet and Scramjet
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
The Characteristics of Internal
Combustion Engines



Internal combustion engines
turn propellers which
generate thrust
Combustion process—
chemical energy converts to
mechanical energy
The piston compresses fuel
and air before combustion;
then is forced back down the
cylinder following combustion
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Glen Research Center
Reciprocating Engines




Internal combustion engine is a
reciprocating engine
Back-and-forth movement of the
pistons produces mechanical
energy
Most small aircraft have
reciprocating engines
Parts include cylinders, pistons,
connecting rods, a crankshaft,
crankcase, intake and exhaust
valves, and spark plugs
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Intake Stroke—First Stroke

Piston moves down, intake
valve opens, drawing air and
fuel in at constant pressure

Provides great deal of surface
area that reacts quickly with
the oxygen in the air
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Johnson Space Center
Compression Stroke—
Second Stroke



The piston reaches the bottom,
the intake valve closes, sealing
the cylinder
Volume decreases, the piston
compresses the fuel-air mixture,
raising temperature and
increasing pressure
Gas particles are close together,
can react quickly when ignited
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Johnson Space Center
Power or Ignition Stroke—
Third Stroke





As the piston nears the top, a surge of
current is sent to spark plug
The Spark ignites the compressed fuelair mixture
Fuel rapidly combines with oxygen and
produces carbon dioxide gas and water
vapor
Hot gases force the piston down turning
the crankshaft
The crankshaft turns the aircraft
propeller
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Johnson Space Center
Exhaust Stroke—
Fourth Stroke
Piston reaches the bottom and
starts back up the cylinder, the
exhaust stroke begins
 The exhaust valve opens,
residual heat is released, and
pressure returns to
atmospheric conditions
 The piston pushes waste gas
out of the cylinder

Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Johnson Space Center
Turbojets
Engine is an open tube that burns fuel
continuously
 Main parts: compressor, combustion
chamber, turbine, inlet, shaft, and nozzle
 Large air mass enters the inlet and is drawn
into a rotating compressor

Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Turbofans




Modified turbojet engine - has additional turbine to turn
a fan at front of the engine
Two-spool engine; one powers compressor, other turns
the large fan
Air from large fan enters the engine core, where fuel
burns to provide some thrust
90 percent of the air bypasses the engine core; as much
as 75 percent of the total thrust is from bypass air
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON0sVe1yeOk
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Turboprops
Hybrid of a turbojet and a propeller engine
 Has a turbojet core to produce power but with
two turbines
 First turbine powers the compressor; the second
turbine powers the propeller

Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Ramjets
Ramjets work with another power source for
initial thrust, such as a rocket
 Operates by combusting fuel in a stream of air
compressed by aircraft’s forward motion
 Airflow is subsonic, less than the speed of sound

Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Johnson
Space Center
Scramjets
 Scramjets
overcome
the speed limitation
 It is a supersoniccombustion ramjet
 Needs another engine
or vehicle to accelerate
it to operating speed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHRwgf4px9w
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA's Dryden Flight
Research Center
Thrust Reversers
Diverts thrust to the opposite
direction of the aircraft’s motion
 Clamshell reverser forms a
shield at the back of the nozzle,
deflects exhaust so it no longer
produces forward thrust
 Cascade reverser is a series of
airfoils with a high degree of
camber that opens, to change
the airflow’s direction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNRXAHasFvk

Courtesy of Dan Brownlee
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Noise Suppressors





Laws regulate how much noise an aircraft
can make
Flow of exhaust creates much of the racket
Chevron noise suppressor has teeth cut in
nozzle’s edge to reduce noise
Corrugated noise suppressor has ridged
nozzles; breaks noise in a large exhaust
flow
Ejector-type noise suppressor directs
surrounding air so it mixes with the highvelocity exhaust to reduce noise
Copyright © Boeing. All Rights Reserved
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Activity 3:
Jet Engine Characteristics
 View
the various animations of a jet engine
to observe the parts and their functions
 Label
the parts and provide a short
description of characteristic
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Activity 3: Engine
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Glen Research
Center
Activity 3: Compressor
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Glen Research
Center
Activity 3: Turbine
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Reproduced from NASA/Glen Research
Center
Reaction Engines
Reaction engine develops thrust by its reaction
to a substance ejected from it
 Operates according to Newton’s third law of
motion
 Rocket engines are also reaction engines

http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Courtesy of NASA
The Development of
New Engine Technology


Aerospace engineers are working on new engine
technologies that cut fuel use and reduce emissions
Geared turbofan engine reduces fuel consumption,
emissions, engine noise, and operating costs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy4A-z2WKhw
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Courtesy of NASA/Glenn Research Center
Thrust Vectoring
Thrust vector engine has nozzles that turn to
redirect thrust; lets aircraft maneuver with
greater precision
 The aim of this technology is maneuverability,
not fuel efficiency

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRgcC9eqEJg
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Courtesy of NASA/Glenn Research Center
Summary, cont.
 How
the different types of jet engines
work
 The role of reversers and suppressors
used in jet aircraft
 Reaction engines
 The development of new engine
technology
Chapter 1, Lesson 5
Aviation Innovation
Lesson Overview
 The
latest topics of aviation research
 The use of remotely piloted aircraft
 The most recent innovations in aircraft
design
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Hypersonic Aircraft—
The Hypersoar



A futuristic concept aircraft
capable of traveling at Mach 10
Besides saving time, would burn
liquid hydrogen, a clean fuel
Could have many uses: move
passengers and cargo, deliver
satellites to space, or bomb
enemy targets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMnMaS2t57Y
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Reproduced from the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory/DOE
New Fuels—Hydrogen Fuel Cells

In 2008 Boeing flew a small motor-glider powered
by hydrogen fuel cells

Fuel cells are electrochemical
devices that convert hydrogen
into electricity and heat

They do not produce any of the typical products of
combustion; they exhaust only heat and water
http://www.airbus.com/innovation/eco-efficiency/design/fuel-cells/
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Copyright © Boeing. All Rights Reserved
New Fuels—Biofuels




Researchers are exploring the use of biofuel, fuel made
from plants
AF’s goal is to obtain 50 percent of its domestic fuel
requirement using alternative fuel blends
February 2011, the AF certified the C-17 Globemaster
fleet for flight operations using a biofuel blend
Air Force — the biggest consumer of fuel at $7 billion a
year — is pressing forward with its goal of using a 5050 blend of traditional and alternative fuels to meet its
domestic fuel requirement by 2016.
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Noise Reduction
NASA researchers are tinkering with a
metallic foam made from
stainless steel to install
around engines
 Most foam would catch fire from
engine heat; metallic foam solves that
problem
 NASA is crafting a plan for noise-reduction
strategies 10, 20, and 30 years out

Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Courtesy of NASA
Air Traffic Control




At any time 5,000 airplanes—civilian and military—
are in the air over the US
Air traffic is expected to grow 50 percent by 2025
FAA is working on new technologies to improve air
traffic efficiency and safety; a plan called NextGen
uses satellite technology
NextGen would allow planes to fly closer together,
take more direct routes, and be aware of their
position relative to other aircraft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpS4fPDQDUE
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Continuous Descent Approach
When planes land, they follow an arrival
path that is not very efficient
 NASA’s continuous descent approach allows
planes to coast during the final flight stages,
using less power
 NASA is researching a system called Efficient
Descent Advisor, a tool for air traffic
controllers

Chapter 1, Lesson 6
The Use of Remotely
Piloted Aircraft




Another area of research is the unmanned aircraft
system (UAS) or unmanned ariel vehicle (UAV)
US military and intelligence services
use UASs for reconnaissance and
combat
Autonomous refueling will be the
next big leap forward in UASs
The Phantom Ray, a stealthy, jet-powered UAS
was introduced in 2010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znwU_4lLoGE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEqBvvvSgK0
Courtesy of NASA/Jim Ross
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
RQ-4 Global Hawk
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Aircraft Comparison
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Engine Removal
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Pint-Sized UAV Developments
The AF uses micro-UAVs in Iraq and
Afghanistan to gather information about the
enemy
 BATMAV weighs only a pound yet carries a
camera; it can send images to the person
controlling it
 RQ-11B Raven has an infrared camera for
night operations
 Nano-UAV (invisible to the naked eye) is part
of the AF’s image of the future

Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Incorporates lightweight
composite materials into its
design
 Its carbon fiber is also more
resistant to corrosion than
previous composites
 Dreamliner is the next big thing
in passenger airliners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIv1ke_A4A4
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
Airbus A380 Superjumbo Jet
May be the biggest
commercial airliner on the
market, yet it also sports
green features
 Double-decker aircraft that
can carry anywhere from
525-853 passengers
 Tremendous fuel capacity,
it can fly 9,550 miles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzU5HrZjb1I
Chapter 1, Lesson 6
© Tim Jenner/ShutterStock, Inc.
Summary
 The
latest topics of aviation research
 The use of remotely piloted aircraft
 The most recent innovations in aircraft
design
Chapter 1, Lesson 6