Aerodynamic Capabilities, and Importance of Environmental Factors Affecting Aircraft - Term Paper Example

The designing of an aircraft is dependent upon the airworthiness certifications which Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains (Drury & Lock, 1991). The variability of the material used, continuous loading, static strength, fatigue, damage tolerance, flutter, quality control, flammability, maintenance, lightning protection, and impact damage are integral airworthiness considerations that determine the safety of the aircraft for flying (Ibid.). The aircraft design system should cater to these airworthiness considerations for a safe flight.
Additionally, the aircraft design needs to cater to the aerodynamic capabilities like weight, lift, drag, and thrust factors. For instance, when the aircraft is taking-off, the thrust pulls it forward and if the design of the aircraft is such that it is increasing the weight of the overall aircraft, it will have to face increased drag as well as weight that will slow it down from climbing (Drogoula, Kinnerslyb, Roelenc & Kirwana, 1992). Similarly, when the aircraft is landing, the increased thrust from the crosswinds or parallel winds can damage the equilibrium of the aircraft and the design of the aircraft should be one that balances it (Commo & Parker, 2012). Apart from winds, the temperature and pressure also affect the performance of the aircraft therefore, the design should be one that is not affected by these environmental factors (Drezner, Smith, Horgan, Rogers & Schmidt, 1992).