Airplanes
One of the first things that is likely to be noticed during a visit to
the local airport is the wide variety of airplane styles and designs.
Although, at first glance, it may be seen that look quite
different from one another, in the long run their major components are
quite similar. These similarities lie in the fuselage, wing, empennage,
landing gear, and powerplant. The four forces of flight which all planes
have in common are lift, weight, thrust, and drag.
The fuselage serves several functions. Besides being a common
attachment point for the other major components, it houses the cabin, or
cockpit, which contains seats for the occupants and the controls for the
airplane. The ...
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are referred to as monoplanes, while
those with two sets are called biplanes.
To help fly the airplane, the wings have two types of control surfaces
attached to the rear, or trailing, edges. They are referred to as ailerons
and flaps. Ailerons extend from about the midpoint of each wing outward to
the tip. They move in opposite directions - when one aileron goes up, the
other goes down. Flaps extend outward from the fuselage to the midpoint of
each wing. They always move in the same direction. If one flap is down,
the other one is also down.
The empennage consists of the vertical stabilizer, or fin, and the
horizontal stabilizer. These two surfaces are stationary and act like the
feathers on an arrow to steady the airplane and help maintain a straight
path through the air.
The rudder is attached to the back of the vertical stabilizer. Used
to move the airplane's nose left and right. Actually, using the rudder and
ailerons in combination during flight to ...
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absorbs landing loads and supports the airplane on
the ground. It typically is made up of three wheels. The two main wheels
are located on either side of the fuselage. The third may be positioned
either at the nose or at the tail. If it is located at the tail, it is
called a tailwheel. In this case, the airplane is said to have
conventional landing gear.
Conventional gear is common on older airplanes, as well as on some
newer ones. It is desirable for operations on unimproved fields, because
of the added clearance amid the propeller and the ground. However,
airplanes with this type of gear are more difficult to handle during ground
operations.
When the third wheel is ...
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CITE THIS PAGE:
Airplanes. (2006, August 9). Retrieved November 29, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Airplanes/50472
"Airplanes." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 9 Aug. 2006. Web. 29 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Airplanes/50472>
"Airplanes." Essayworld.com. August 9, 2006. Accessed November 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Airplanes/50472.
"Airplanes." Essayworld.com. August 9, 2006. Accessed November 29, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Airplanes/50472.
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