3.3 Aerodynamics of flight

• The physical properties of the atmosphere (temperature, pressure, density, humidity)
• The lower layers of the atmosphere (troposphere, stratosphere)
• The three axes of an aircraft and the motion about them (roll, pitch, yaw)
• The four forces of flight (lift, weight, thrust, drag)

• identify the physical properties of the atmosphere
• explain the characteristics of the lower layers of the atmosphere
• illustrate the axes of an aircraft
• demonstrate the motion of an aircraft about its axes
• evaluate the forces that act on an aircraft in flight

“What forces make an aircraft fly, and how is it controlled?”

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1. Aerodynamics of flight
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   The properties and layers of the atmosphere, the four forces that act on an aircraft (lift, weight, thrust, drag) and how they make it fly, and the three axes of an aircraft (roll, pitch, yaw) by which it is controlled.
2. The atmosphere aircraft fly in
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Why aerodynamics starts with air: the four physical properties of the atmosphere and the fact that they change with height.
3. Atmospheric temperature
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   How air temperature changes with height, the ISA lapse rate, and why hot air at a high aerodrome hurts performance.
4. Atmospheric pressure
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Pressure as the weight of the air above you, why it falls with height, the altimeter, and cabin pressurisation.
5. Air density and flight
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Density as mass of air in a volume, why lift and thrust need it, and density altitude at Kenyan aerodromes.
6. Humidity and flight
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Water vapour in the air: why moist air is slightly less dense, coastal versus dry Kenya, and the link to weather.
7. The troposphere
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   The lowest atmospheric layer: weather, most flying, falling temperature, and a high tropopause over equatorial Kenya.
8. The stratosphere and the standard atmosphere
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   The stratosphere as the calm layer above the weather, and how to identify both lower layers on an ISA chart.
9. The four forces of flight
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Lift, weight, thrust and drag named with directions and sources, and the idea that level flight is a balance, not zero force.
10. How a wing makes lift
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    The aerofoil, faster air and lower pressure above, downwash, angle of attack, and stall as the limit.
11. Weight and thrust
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Weight as gravity on structure, fuel and payload; thrust from propeller or jet; why light structure and enough engine both matter.
12. Drag and force balance
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Parasite and induced drag, streamlining, and evaluating the four forces in level flight, climb, descent and approach.
13. Aircraft axes and roll
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    The three axes through the centre of gravity, and roll about the longitudinal axis using ailerons to bank and turn.
14. Pitch and yaw
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Pitch about the lateral axis with the elevator, yaw about the vertical axis with the rudder, and coordinated use with roll.
15. How an aircraft is controlled
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    The inquiry answered in full: four forces in the atmosphere make it fly; three axes and their surfaces steer it.