Essay- Lift and Drag Assignment
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Dec 6, 2023
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Essay: Lift and Drag Assignment
Daniel Berger
Liberty University
AVIA305: Airplane Aerodynamics (D03)
Professor Peter Spahr
November 5, 2023
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In the study of aviation, it is important that pilots understand the aerodynamic factors of
the aircraft. This knowledge is important for pilots to comprehend on the ground before entering
the cockpit. Understanding the aircrafts attitude and the correct input to compensate for the
aircrafts energy to use to our advantage and not only get the most out of the performance and
stability but also to fly safely. This knowledge should be taught at entry level to student pilots for
private pilot training.
From the very beginning pilots are taught the basic common laws and principles of
motion, these include Newton’s basic laws of motion and Bernoulli’s principle. Newton has three
main laws of motions, first law states, “every object persists in its state of rest or uniform motion
in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed on it.” Newton’s
second law states, “force is equal to the change in momentum per change in time. For a constant
mass, force equals mass times acceleration.” Newton’s third law describes, “for every action,
there is an equal or opposite reaction.” All of Newton’s laws are used to study and understand
aerodynamics, however, some laws have a greater need for review such has the third law which
involves left turning tendencies. Although Bernoulli’s principle came about half-century after
Newton’s laws they are just as important, “an increase in velocity of a moving fluid (liquid or
gas) increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases.” This is important to help understand what
happens as the air passing over the curved top of the airplanes wing.
Increasing the airspeed of an aircraft will increase the lift component. Increasing the
camber will evidently increase the lift at the given angle of attack and result in generating lift.
This is a result of the relative wind hitting the wing below the chord line with the difference
being the angle of attack. Then based on the center of pressure this will cause a lifting action,
resultant force, and drag. “Drag is the component of the aerodynamic force that is parallel to the
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relative wind and retards the forward motion of the aircraft” (Badick p.97).
There are two basic
types of drag, induced and parasite. “Induced drag is the least understood type of drag, but it is
the most important, especially in the critical low‐speed region of flight. It is called the drag due
to lift because it occurs only when lift is developed. Induced drag occurs because the distribution
of lift is not uniform across the wing as it varies from the wing root to the wingtip.” (Badick
p.98). Whereas parasite drag is the forces that work to slow an aircraft’s movement. There are
three types, form drag is the aircraft’s shape and form, interference drag is the intersection of
airstreams created from turbulence restricting smooth airflow, and skin friction drag is the
resistant from the surface no matter how smooth making contact with the air. As airspeed is
increased induced drag is decreased and parasite drag will increase, as induced is generated from
lift and parasite is a product of airflow on the aircraft’s surface.
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References
Badick, Joseph, R. and Brian A. Johnson. (2021).
Flight Theory and Aerodynamics
. Drag, 97.
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9781119772415/epubcfi/6/24[%3Bvnd
.vst.idref%3DAc05]!/4.
Badick, Joseph, R. and Brian A. Johnson. (2021).
Flight Theory and Aerodynamics
. Induced
Drag, 98.
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9781119772415/epubcfi/6/24[%3Bvnd
.vst.idref%3DAc05]!/4.
U.S. department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration.
Pilot’s Handbook of
Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK).
Chapter 4- Principles of Flight 4-5 (97-524).