Since the Wright Brothers accomplished the first powered flight in 1903, flying has become one of the widely used means of transportation in today’s world. Air travel has revolutionized the way people and goods get moved across the world. From short haul domestic flights to long haul international travel, flying has become indispensable for both passengers and goods. But have you ever thought about what goes into making a plane fly? Why does a plane remain airborne for hours, and what makes it possible for a massive aircraft to defy gravity? In this essay, we’ll discuss the principles of flight and different components of an aircraft that lead to its upward takeoff, constant flight and safe landing.
Principles of Flight:
To understand how planes fly, we first need to look at the principles of flight: aerodynamics and gravity. Aerodynamics is a branch of physics that involves the study of the motion of air and the interaction between the air and solid objects. The force that an aircraft generates to maintain flight is called lift. Lift is the upward force that opposes gravity. Gravity is the downward pull by the earth’s mass. When these two forces balance each other, the aircraft remains in a stable position, i.e., neither rising nor falling.
There are four fundamental principles of aerodynamics that allow an aircraft to generate lift and overcome gravity.
- Bernoulli’s Principle:
Bernoulli’s principle states that as the speed of a fluid (air) increases, it’s pressure decreases, and vice versa. The air flowing over the top of the wing is faster than the air moving underneath. Thus, the air pressure above the wing is less than the air pressure beneath the wing. The air underneath the wing wants to move to the area of low pressure above the wing, causing a lift.
- Newton’s Third Law:
Newton’s third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The wing of an airplane is designed to create a downward force called downwash. The downwash causes an opposite reaction known as lift to propel the aircraft upward.
- Coanda Effect:
The Coanda effect is the tendency of a fluid (air) to follow a curved surface. The air flowing over the wing follows its curved surface, which results in an upward lift.
- Effect of Angle of Attack:
The angle at which the wing meets the relative wind determines the amount of lift produced. As the angle of attack increases, so does the amount of lift produced. However, there comes a point where a further increase in the angle of attack results in a decrease in lift production.
Components of an Aircraft:
An airplane consists of several components that work in unison to keep it airborne and propel it forward. There are many parts to an aircraft, but some of the most essential components are:
- Fuselage:
The fuselage is the primary structural component of an aircraft that contains the cockpit, passenger cabin, and cargo hold. The fuselage connects the wings, engines, and tail of the airplane, providing stability during flight.
- Wings:
The wings generate lift and support the weight of the aircraft. The shape and size of the wings play a critical role in the plane’s performance. Thin and curved wings are more efficient than thick, flat wings in creating lift.
- Engine:
An engine is a device that converts fuel into energy to generate power. Modern airplanes use jet engines or turboprops to produce the necessary power to propel the aircraft forward.
- Landing gear:
Landing gear is the undercarriage that supports the plane during takeoff and landing.
- Control Surfaces:
Control surfaces are movable parts on the wings and tail that allow the pilot to control the airplane’s movement. These include ailerons, elevators, and rudder. The ailerons control the roll of the aircraft, the elevators control pitch, and the rudder controls yaw.
How Planes Fly:
Now that we’ve looked at the principles of flight and the components of an airplane let’s discuss how all of these parts work together to keep an aircraft in the air.
Takeoff:
The takeoff is the most crucial phase of an airplane’s flight as it requires maximum power and thrust to overcome the effects of gravity. During the takeoff roll, the plane accelerates down the runway, building up speed. Once it reaches the required speed, the pilot rotates the nose gear of the plane upwards, which results in an increase in the angle of attack of the wing. The wings then generate more lift than the weight of the aircraft, resulting in upward lift, allowing the plane to take off.
Climb:
After takeoff, the plane enters the climb phase, where it gains altitude. Once the required altitude has been reached, the pilot adjusts the angle of attack to a more efficient setting that allows the wings to produce enough lift to keep the aircraft airborne without losing speed. If the speed decreases, the wings stop generating lift, leading to a stall.
Cruise:
The cruise phase is where the airplane maintains a steady altitude and speed. During the cruise phase, the wings generate just enough lift to keep the aircraft airborne. The engines operate at maximum efficiency, providing the necessary thrust to balance drag and maintain the desired speed.
Descent:
The descent phase is when the aircraft loses altitude, and the plane prepares for landing. At this point, the pilot reduces the angle of attack, and gravity takes over, causing the aircraft to descend. The engines continue to provide power, but the plane maintains a reduced speed to allow for a safe and controlled descent.
Landing:
The landing phase is where the plane touches down on the runway. As the airplane approaches the runway, the pilot reduces the speed by lowering the flaps, increasing the angle of attack, and decreasing the thrust. The plane then descends towards the runway and reaches the ground, where the landing gear absorbs the impact of the touchdown. The pilot then uses the brakes to reduce the plane’s speed before it comes to a complete stop, concluding the flight.
Airplanes are marvels of engineering, and understanding the principles of flight and their components is key to understanding how they work. From the principle of lift to the different components of an airplane, understanding each part’s role helps us appreciate the complexity of modern-day air travel. Despite the many advances in technology, the principles of flight have remained unchanged, making air travel one of the safest and most efficient modes of transportation.