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Going Up and Going Down

Plane and Pilot

However, excess propulsive thrust, over that needed to maintain level flight, can be utilized to either increase speed or climb to a higher altitude. This climb speed is determined by minimizing the two sources of drag acting against the airplane. Although optimum, V Y is simply in the middle of a fairly broad lift-over-drag curve.

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Wingtip Vortices and Wake Turbulence

Pilot Institute

The exhaust coming out of aircraft engines looks pretty dangerous, generating huge amounts of thrust and pushing back tons of hot air. This horizontal component of lift is called Induced Drag. Its called induced drag since it only exists as a consequence of lift. If youre generating lift, youre stuck with induced drag as well.

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Everything You Need To Know About Ailerons

Pilot Institute

At first glance, ailerons look like ordinary hinged panels on the wings, but don’t be fooledthey’re important for keeping an aircraft both stable and maneuverable. But theres much more to ailerons than just rolling left or right. Or how do modern airplanes reduce dangerous effects like aileron flutter or adverse yaw?

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Tailless Aircraft: How Airplanes Fly Without a Tail

Pilot Institute

This setup makes the wing less efficient overall, but it can reduce drag, weight, and cost compared to using a separate tail. High aspect ratio wings reduce drag and improve performance during climb or slow flight. On the flipside, a decrease in aspect ratio will result in higher drag. Short, wide wings have a low aspect ratio.

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Mach Number Explained: What It Is and Why Pilots Use It

Pilot Institute

Lift, drag, and handling correlate well with IAS in the lower atmosphere. This type of wing redirects the shockwaves further aft on the wing, reducing drag. Ailerons can suffer from a phenomenon called “aileron buzz” or control reversal at high Mach. This is partly due to the steep rise in drag nearing M cr.

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Flying a Plane for the First Time: A Beginner’s Guide

Pilot's Life Blog

Understanding the Basics of Flight Principles of Flight: Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag Flying a plane for the first time requires a basic understanding of the forces that make flight possible. Thrust, produced by the engines, moves the plane forward, while drag, or air resistance, slows it down.

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The Role of Newton’s Third Law in Aviation

Pilot Institute

This principle is fundamental in generating lift, thrust, and maneuverability, allowing aircraft to fly. Thrust (how it moves forward). Thrust and Propulsion Systems A wing has to move fast enough through the air to generate lift effectively. That force is called thrust. Thrust relies on Newtons Third Law as well.