Airplanes have revolutionalize the way we travel. Millions of the passengers travels everyday from one part of the world to another. But how does an airplanes fly ?. This is only possible because of the successful flight made by the wright brothers (Orville and Wilbur) on 17, December, 1903.
Today's airplanes uses the same principle which the wright brothers uses a century ago. Airplanes uses aerodynamic principal to fly, not only airplanes all the air transport like helicopter, glider, etc. Uses the same principle.
How do airplanes fly ?
Air is the key of making the airplanes fly. In order to make airplanes fly we just need to play with the air. One of the main thing that makes the airplanes to fly in the air is their wings, that are designed in such a way that when the air moves rapidly towards the wings then the wings throw the air down and thus, lift the plane up by overcoming the weight of the plane.
Their are 4 forces that are requires to make the airplanes fly -
- Lift - upward force created by wings.
- Thrust - forward force created by plane engine.
- Weight - downward force created by gravity.
- Drag - backward force created by motion of the airplane in air.
Lift
Lift force is generated by the wings of the airplane. Wings are designed in airfoil shape. Airfoil shape means wings are curved from the top and flat from the bottom.
Since the top of wing is curved, air on the top of the wing is high than the air on the bottom. According to the Bernoulli's principal, fast moving air have low pressure than the slow moving air. So, the air pressure at the top of the wing is lower than the pressure at bottom. This pressure difference creates the downwash (downward deflection of the air by the plane wings) and hence, lift the aeroplanes up in the sky.
Higher the speed higher will be the lift force, and lower the speed lower will be the lift force. In order to increase the lift force pilot as to either increase the speed of the plane i.e the thrust force or has to increase the angle of attack.
Since the top of wing is curved, air on the top of the wing is high than the air on the bottom. According to the Bernoulli's principal, fast moving air have low pressure than the slow moving air. So, the air pressure at the top of the wing is lower than the pressure at bottom. This pressure difference creates the downwash (downward deflection of the air by the plane wings) and hence, lift the aeroplanes up in the sky.
Higher the speed higher will be the lift force, and lower the speed lower will be the lift force. In order to increase the lift force pilot as to either increase the speed of the plane i.e the thrust force or has to increase the angle of attack.
Thrust
Thrust is a force that makes an aeroplane moves forward. Thrust can be archived using propeller or jet engine. But modern aeroplanes mostly uses jet engines.
Drag is a force opposite of thrust. Drag is a backward force that is generated when the aeroplane blocks the flow of air. This force can slow the plane down. You can feel drag when you are driving the bike, your body get pushed backward as the air rushes by.
Planes are designed in such a way so that less drag force is applied to the airplane. Thrust force must to enough to overcome the drag force.
Flaps & slat
Flaps and slats are used to generate more lift at the lower speed by altering the shape of the wings. And are mainly used during takeoff and landing of the airplane. These are located in the wings of the plane.
Aileron
Aileron are used to decrease or increase the lift force by moving it up or down. It is also located at the back end of the wings.
Rudder
Rudder acts as a steering device. It is located in the tail of the plane and is mainly used for horizontal control of the plane by moving it left or right. Plane can turn with his nose in a direction in which rudder is moved .
Elevator
Elevator is also located at the back of the tail of the plane and mainly used for adjusting vertical control of the plane by moving it up or down.
As the plane is speeding up, air flow over the wings increases which creates the lift force. When the speed of the plane is high enough, pilot activates the flaps and slats which further increases the lift force.
And when the airplane is ready for takeoff pilot move the elevator upward, which tilts the tail of the plane downward and then angle of attack increases (about 15 degree), which further increases the lift force and plane take off.
When the airplane is ready to land pilot activates the flaps, to slow down the plane to the appropriate speed and then successfully take off.
When the airplane reaches the ground, pilot has to increase the drag force to slow down the plane. Pilot archive this by using the mechanical breaking, spoiler, reverse thrust, etc. And thus, pilot is able to successfully land the plane.
Drag
Planes are designed in such a way so that less drag force is applied to the airplane. Thrust force must to enough to overcome the drag force.
Weight
Weight is a force opposite of lift. Weight is a downward force that pulls the airplane down towards the earth. Lift must be enough to overcome the weight force.
Their are different parts of the modern aeroplanes, which are used for takeoff, landing or changing the direction of the plane. Some important parts are :-Important parts of the plane
Flaps & slat
Flaps and slats are used to generate more lift at the lower speed by altering the shape of the wings. And are mainly used during takeoff and landing of the airplane. These are located in the wings of the plane.
Aileron
Aileron are used to decrease or increase the lift force by moving it up or down. It is also located at the back end of the wings.
Rudder
Rudder acts as a steering device. It is located in the tail of the plane and is mainly used for horizontal control of the plane by moving it left or right. Plane can turn with his nose in a direction in which rudder is moved .
Elevator
Elevator is also located at the back of the tail of the plane and mainly used for adjusting vertical control of the plane by moving it up or down.
How does plane takes off ?
In order for airplane to takeoff, plane has to increase the lift force to overcome the gravitational force, to increase the lift force pilot has to increase the speed of the plane by increasing the thrust force using the engine.As the plane is speeding up, air flow over the wings increases which creates the lift force. When the speed of the plane is high enough, pilot activates the flaps and slats which further increases the lift force.
And when the airplane is ready for takeoff pilot move the elevator upward, which tilts the tail of the plane downward and then angle of attack increases (about 15 degree), which further increases the lift force and plane take off.
How does an airplanes turn in air ?
Planes can turn left or right just by tilting the lift force left or right. To archive this pilot makes the use of rudder and aileron. Rudder is located at the horizontal tail of the plane, just by moving the rudder left plane moves his nose towards the left and vice-versa.
Aileron are located at the back tip of the aeroplane and are used to roll the plane. Just by moving the aileron of one wing up and another wing down, the lift force generated by one wing increases and another decreases which moves the one wing up and another down and hence, helps in rolling the plane.
In order to move plane to right direction, pilot moves the rudder to the right (which moves the nose of the airplane towards right) and moves the aileron of left wing down and aileron of right wing up (which makes the left wing go up and right wing go down). And hence, able the aeroplane to take safe right turn.
How plane land ?
In order to land the plane, pilot has to reduce the lift force than required to supports the weight. To archive this pilot reduces the speed of the plane by reducing the thrust force, as the speed decreases airplane will nose down slightly and begins to land. As the plane loses his speed, plane is ready for landing. Most commercial planes land at the speed of about 120 - 150 MPH.
When the airplane is ready to land pilot activates the flaps, to slow down the plane to the appropriate speed and then successfully take off.
When the airplane reaches the ground, pilot has to increase the drag force to slow down the plane. Pilot archive this by using the mechanical breaking, spoiler, reverse thrust, etc. And thus, pilot is able to successfully land the plane.
Why airplane can't stay in the air without moving ?
In order to make airplanes to stay in the air without moving, airplanes need a lift force to cancel weight and thrust to cancel drag. But airplanes cannot produce lift without moving because lift force can only be produce when fast moving air touches the wings.
Conclusion
I hope this article is useful for you and now you know how does an airplanes fly, and different aerodynamic forces that are applied to the plane while flying.
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