The Diamond In the Sky - Article Example

The Diamond in the Sky Name: Reg No.: Course: University: Lecturer: Date: Part 1:  Introduction When planning to learn how to fly planes it calls for proper understanding and mastering of the subject content in aircraft analysis. Thus, it is important to understand the basic components that are in the aircraft’s cockpit. The information provided by the components in the aircraft cockpit enables the pilot to understand the flying requirements and condition of the flight. Thus, the pilot should be at a position to read analyze and understand the information in these instruments. Further, the pilot must learn to understand the instruments as they are arranged differently from different planes. The pilot must, in details learn to analyze and understand the basic six instruments that are most important in aircraft flying. These six components include attitude indicator, altimeter, airspeed indicator, vertical speed indicator, heading indicator and turn coordinator (Diston, 2009, 176). These components have a basic arrangement that takes a T arrangement format. Most aircrafts have the T arrangement of the instruments, with four flight instruments that are in a standardized T arrangement. At the top center is the attitude indicator, to the right side is the altimeter, to the left side is the airspeed indicator and under the attitude indicator is the direction indicator. Developments in aircraft flight instruments With evolving and development in technology, the turn indicator has become more or less important in the cockpit. The other five instruments remain important to all planes and they remain placed in the cockpits. Overtime, the arrangement of the instruments has been changing, thus it is important that one must learn to understand them fully. This way pilots may suite properly in any plane and understand the condition to control the flight. It is important that one familiarize with the instruments (Allerton, 2009, 32). For example, in glass cockpit, monitors display the flight instruments. Therefore, this shows that the flight instruments appear in different formats and the pilot must familiarize with the adjustments. Objectives Objective of the exercise is to: (a) Seeing if you can read the instruments correctly, which is confirmed by flying the route given, and (b) Interpreting and making sense of a huge amount of data. Main flight instruments All the flight instruments are found in the simulation plane (fig 1 below) used in learning and experimenting on the aircraft flight panel information. Figure 1: The simulation plane that we used Figure 2: the route that we did Using the route in fig 2, we achieved flight the simulation in learning, analysing and understanding the flight instruments in the simulator plane. Thus, following the route greatly helped in attaining the set goals and objectives to learn to read and analyse the flight instruments in the instrument panel. 1- Altitude Vs Time graph Graph 1: Altitude Vs Time graph At the start of the flight, the plane is at 0 altitude and 0 minutes. Thus as the plane ascends it raises its altitude up to the altitude 2500, at this point the plane settles by switching of the engine for some time. Further, the plane ascends to an altitude of 3500 where the engine is stopped for landing and after 5000 time it safely lands having completed the given track. 2- Velocity Vs Time graph Graph 2: aisrspeed Vs Time graph As the plane ascends, it flies at a changing speed, which reaches a maximum airspeed of 30 and a low of -10 at higher altitude. When the plane is ascending and the engine is running, it is at a positive velocity, while stopping the engine the plane moves at a negative velocity in relation to the airspeed. Thus, switching of the engine at altitude 3500 slows the plane at a negative velocity until it lands having completed the track. 3- IAS Vs Time graph Graph 3: IAS Vs Time graph As the plane ascends, it increases its indicated airspeed with increasing time until it reaches the altitude 2500. Thus, as the plane flies through the track the AIS changing overtime and switching off the engine bring the plane into a stop thus reducing its AIS with time (graph 3). 4-direction vs time graph Graph 4: heading vs time graph The direction of the plane varies with time and is greatly affected by the topography of the earth, which is indicated in graph 4. Thus, as the plane attains the higher altitude it maintains its direction as the pilot observes the given flight track coordinates. Therefore, graph 4, indicate the heading-time characteristic of the flight. Airfoils Misconceptions about lift The first miscomputation is about the shape of the wings it is perceived that they must be curved on the top and flat at the bottom. The first misconception is associated with the second one where people believe that air is required to pass above and below the wing in equal amount and time this is not true since upside down wing produces more lift than right side up wing. A third misconception is that velocity relative to the skin of the wing that produces lift. It should be pointed out that air has well defined velocity and pressure anywhere not only on the surface of the wing. Pressure and velocity can also be measured anywhere such as windmill. Pressure at a given point is determined by velocity at that point. The interaction between the wind and wing shape sets up circulation. Wings without airfoil can also produce circulation by rotating the paddle-wings. Airfoil and Lift Generation The figure below shows a sample wing of a small aircraft. The front area of the wing is rounded in shape and it is the leading edge. The narrow part is the trailing edge while the imaginary line is referred to as the chord, which joins the leading edge and the trailing edge. Lift is an artificial force manipulated by pilot, which is achieved through the wing. The wings act perpendicular to the relative wind and wingspan. The above figure shows a cross-section of the wing, the top area is called upper surface, which is more curved than the lower surface. The chord is the straight line from the leading edge to trailing edge. Pressure differences and ram air are the two processes that generate lift. Lift is based on the theorem of Bernoulli. Scientists discovered the phenomena and referred to it as Bernoulli’s Principle, which states that pressure of fluids decreases at points where the speed of the fluid increases as illustrated below. The pressure of a gas (air in this case) decreases at points where the speed of the fluid increases. It can be said that at places where there high speed flow of fluid there is low pressures and low flow speed is associated with high pressure. This principle was further explained using fluid flow in a pipe. A pipe had varied cross-section area with one being narrow and the other wide. At a wide section there is high pressure since the fluid is moving slowly while pressure reduces at narrow edge because of high speed flow of the fluid. The lift in aircraft uses this phenomenon to the wigs of an aircraft an airfoil. The air flow above the wing is meant to increase based on the design of the airfoil which decreases pressure above the wing. Concurrently, the pressure below the wing increases because of slow flow of air below the airfoil. Lift is produced by the combination of decreased pressure above and increased below. Lift varies based on the angle of attack. Angle of attack is the angle between the relative wind and chord line. A greater the angle the greater the lift generated since the distance of air flowing on the upper camber increases. Drag The aerodynamic force that opposes an aircraft motion through air is referred to as drag. This force is generated by every part of the aircraft. Drag is generated by the interaction of aircraft body parts with the fluid either liquid or gas. It is a mechanical forces since there is contact between two bodies (airplane and air) unlike other forces such as gravitational or electromagnetic field (Sokolowski, and Banks, 2011, 102). The differences in velocity between the fluid and solid object cause drag. Drag has magnitude and direction since it is a force, as illustrated in the above figure drag acts in an opposite direction to the direction of the aircraft while lift acts perpendicular to the motion. Skin friction is one of the sources of drag between the air particles and surface of the aircraft. This friction further depends on solid surface and fluids factors where a factor that causes them to have high friction is also examined. If the solid surface of the plane is smooth and waxed, then less friction while viscosity is an important factor in air friction (Lee, 2005, 76). Drag can also thought to be an aerodynamic resistance to the motion of the object through the air. Drag form is the shape of the aircraft which is the source of drag. Induced drag is an additional drag caused by the generation of lift. The induced drag is generated due to pressure differences from the top to the bottom, which causes distortion at the wing tips. Wave drag and ram drag are other types of drag forces (Pater & Lissauer 21). Shock waves are produced once the aircraft’s speed reaches that of the sound. The formation of shockwaves results into a drag called wave drag. Ram drag is generated when stream air is slowed down as it is being brought into the aircraft resulting from the engines and cooling inlets. Parasitic drag is the force generated by other parts of aircraft that do not take part in generating lift such as the rivets; tires etc. parasitic drag is in three forms as form drag, skin-friction drag and interference drag (McClamroch, 2011, 89) . Form drag is generated by front areas of an aircraft; skin-friction drag is caused by the air passing over the aircraft surfaces while interference drag is caused by the interference of airflow between parts of an airplane. Boundary layer The figure below shows the boundary layer, it can be described by looking at the two of airflow during flight. Laminar and Turbulent of airflow, the tow are kept apart by a point of separation where angle of attack is increased. Boundary layer is generated by the vortex generators, which are placed perpendicular to the wings with the aim of meeting laminar flow that comes above the wing with angle attack. Figure 3: Boundary layer The above figure shows the boundary layer which is formed by vortex generator. Wingtip vortices The figure below shows wingtip vortices which are circular patterns left behind by the wings which were generating lift. Wingtip vortices are also referred to as lift-induced or trailing vortices since they are produced at wing tips. When the wing flies at a positive angle attack, there is a pressure difference between the lower and upper parts of the wing surface whereby there is low pressure above the wings compared to the pressure below the below. Air always moves from high pressure to low pressure forming a path towards aircraft wingtips where there is low resistance. This movement causes air to form a whirlpool referred to as vertex. Conclusion In conclusion, planes usually must follow a given track. Therefore, failure to follow the track becomes tragic to any given flight. In addition, for such flight to be successful the plane must have instruments that indicate its position, condition, direction, speed, height above the sea-level, and deviation parameters (Hancock, 2008, 182). Thus, it is important that the pilots to have acquaintance with the instruments in case one fails they can safely land the plane in a given track without any casualties and with ease. Further, in understanding the planes and the flight parameters it is important to learn the operation and the way airfoils work. Thus, in order to understand the basics under which the plane flies, the pilots needs to understand the airfoils. In addition, the pilots must be able to determine to position at which the aircraft/plane wing should be when he/she is turn the plane. Moreover, with airfoil knowledge one is able to determine the position at which the plane/aircraft can fly at constant speed. References Allerton, D., (2009) Principles of Flight Simulation. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 32 Diston, J., (2009) Computational Modelling and Simulation of Aircraft and the Environment: Volume 1 - Platform Kinematics and Synthetic Environment. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Hancock, P., (2008) Human Factors in Simulation and Training. New York: CRC Press. Lee, A., (2005) Flight Simulation: Virtual Environments in Aviation. London: Ashgate Publishing. McClamroch, H. (2011) Steady Aircraft Flight and Performance, New Jersey, Princeton Sokolowski, J.A. and Banks, C. M., (2011) Principles of Modeling and Simulation: A Multidisciplinary Approach. New York: John Wiley & Sons. University Press. Warren F. P., (2004) Mechanics of Flight, New York, John Wiley. Read More

Figure 1: The simulation plane that we used Figure 2: the route that we did Using the route in fig 2, we achieved flight the simulation in learning, analysing and understanding the flight instruments in the simulator plane. Thus, following the route greatly helped in attaining the set goals and objectives to learn to read and analyse the flight instruments in the instrument panel. 1- Altitude Vs Time graph Graph 1: Altitude Vs Time graph At the start of the flight, the plane is at 0 altitude and 0 minutes.

Thus as the plane ascends it raises its altitude up to the altitude 2500, at this point the plane settles by switching of the engine for some time. Further, the plane ascends to an altitude of 3500 where the engine is stopped for landing and after 5000 time it safely lands having completed the given track. 2- Velocity Vs Time graph Graph 2: aisrspeed Vs Time graph As the plane ascends, it flies at a changing speed, which reaches a maximum airspeed of 30 and a low of -10 at higher altitude. When the plane is ascending and the engine is running, it is at a positive velocity, while stopping the engine the plane moves at a negative velocity in relation to the airspeed.

Thus, switching of the engine at altitude 3500 slows the plane at a negative velocity until it lands having completed the track. 3- IAS Vs Time graph Graph 3: IAS Vs Time graph As the plane ascends, it increases its indicated airspeed with increasing time until it reaches the altitude 2500. Thus, as the plane flies through the track the AIS changing overtime and switching off the engine bring the plane into a stop thus reducing its AIS with time (graph 3). 4-direction vs time graph Graph 4: heading vs time graph The direction of the plane varies with time and is greatly affected by the topography of the earth, which is indicated in graph 4.

Thus, as the plane attains the higher altitude it maintains its direction as the pilot observes the given flight track coordinates. Therefore, graph 4, indicate the heading-time characteristic of the flight. Airfoils Misconceptions about lift The first miscomputation is about the shape of the wings it is perceived that they must be curved on the top and flat at the bottom. The first misconception is associated with the second one where people believe that air is required to pass above and below the wing in equal amount and time this is not true since upside down wing produces more lift than right side up wing.

A third misconception is that velocity relative to the skin of the wing that produces lift. It should be pointed out that air has well defined velocity and pressure anywhere not only on the surface of the wing. Pressure and velocity can also be measured anywhere such as windmill. Pressure at a given point is determined by velocity at that point. The interaction between the wind and wing shape sets up circulation. Wings without airfoil can also produce circulation by rotating the paddle-wings.

Airfoil and Lift Generation The figure below shows a sample wing of a small aircraft. The front area of the wing is rounded in shape and it is the leading edge. The narrow part is the trailing edge while the imaginary line is referred to as the chord, which joins the leading edge and the trailing edge. Lift is an artificial force manipulated by pilot, which is achieved through the wing. The wings act perpendicular to the relative wind and wingspan. The above figure shows a cross-section of the wing, the top area is called upper surface, which is more curved than the lower surface.

The chord is the straight line from the leading edge to trailing edge. Pressure differences and ram air are the two processes that generate lift. Lift is based on the theorem of Bernoulli. Scientists discovered the phenomena and referred to it as Bernoulli’s Principle, which states that pressure of fluids decreases at points where the speed of the fluid increases as illustrated below. The pressure of a gas (air in this case) decreases at points where the speed of the fluid increases.

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