Flight 101

Introduction

Did you ever wonder what makes things fly? When you're sitting on a passenger jet on your way to visit family and friends -- or just off to that exotic destination for a much-needed getaway, did you ever look through the clouds and down at the land or sea 35,000 feet below wondering -- how am I staying up here?

It all has to do with the functions and principles of aerodynamics. In this course, we will learn about what enables a plane to stay up in the sky. We will learn about the forces acting on a body to allow it to take to and remain in flight.

Aerodynamics is the branch of dynamics that considers the motion of air and other gaseous fluids, and the resulting forces actings on solids moving relative to such fluid. These motions and forces act on such simple flying bodies as a kite or a ball, to such larger, more complicated bodies as an airplane or space vehicle.

There are various types of behavior resulting from aerodynamics depending on velocity range (slow speed, high speed, supersonic, hypersonic). which depend on the size and shape of the object and whether it is large, small or complex 3D solid, as well as the physical properties of the fluid such as density and viscosity, similar to types of gasoline we use in our cares.

There are four primary elements acting on objects or vehicles in motion. These are lift, drag, thrust and moments.

Lift is the aerodynamic force acting at right angles to the direction of motion of the object. It is produced by the interaction of the moving object and the fluid.

Drag is the aerodynamic force resisting the motion of the object through the fluid.

Thrust is the aerodynamic force produced in the direction of motion and is required to overcome drag, enabling the forward flight of the vehicle.

Moment is the aerodynamic movement produced by out of balance forces. Since an object or vehicle has no solid structure to support it in the air, a balance is required and all forces must act through the same point which is typically the center of gravity of the object.

This course is designed for learning, comprehension, and enjoyment of a general audience. A rigorous technical or math background is not required, although some previous mathematics or science knowledge may be helpful. This is for the beginning student who is awe-inspired and curious about the act of flight, and for the intelligent, equally curious member of the public who realizes that aerodynamic knowledge is both important and fascinating.

Perhaps, it will even inspire in the student an increased desire to learn more about the field and pursue further education and training.

Aerodynamics have lead to our understanding the real boundaries of motion in the atmosphere of our planet. As a result of this knowledge, man-made vehicles have taken to flight not only above our earth in the sky, but also in space.

Without aerodynamics, planetary exploration probes such as Voyager, Galileo, and Magellan would not have been possible. Neither could we have gone to an eventually landed on the Moon.

This course will give an outline of the scope of aerodynamics and those physical characteristics of the air which define the type of motions commonly observed.

Students will also be exposed to an overview of aerodynamics through history.

Important contributors such as Leonardo da Vinci who correctly concluded that it was movement of the wing relative to the air and the resulting reaction that produced the lift necessary to fly; the first flying machine to carry man constructed by the Montgolfier brothers from France in 1783; Sir George Cayley, an Englishman, who was considered as the father of modern aerodynamics; Otto Lilenthal, a German who successfully designed and flew gliders, proving the concept of heavier-than-air flight; Dr. Samuel Pierpont Langley who designed small steam-powered airplanes; and the Wright Brothers who flew their gasoline-engine-powered flyer, right up to the modern day Space Shuttle.

Lessons

Click here to see course syllabus