Flight Mechanics

COURSE CONTENT

The lectures involve

• The implementation of the flying aircraft
• The indicated and the true airspeed of a steady flying aircraft
• The excess of power and the height gaining rate
• The dynamic analysis of a turning aircraft
• The minimum drag velocities and the maximum level flight altitude
• The static and the dynamic stabilities of an aircraft
• Some aspects of longitudinal stability
• The forces acting on an airplane and the influence coefficients for a stability point of view.
• Design approach for the turbomachines (Euler equation, cascades, radial equilibrium)

LEARNING OUTCOMES

THE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOLLOWING A SUCCESFUL COMPLETION OF THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS WILL INVOLVE ::

• Knowledge: The students are introduced to the forces acting on an aircraft in various flight senarios, e.g. level flight, upwards, gliding and turning. The steady level flight is the reference scenario. The aircraft energy variations are related to the velocity changes. Optimum velocities and maximum altimeter are established on the energy levels of the aircraft. Gliding maximum range is established as well as the the maximum height gaining rate. The lifting and landing distances on the airfield are established from a force analysis. The second part of the course discusses the stability aspects of the aircraft by transferring the vehicle representation to that of an assembly of beams. Longitudinal static and dynamic stability scenarios are discussed in the final stages of the lectures.
• Skills: The students will develop skills associated with various aspects of an aircraft flight scenario by completing a design project on a real aircraft performance and its corresponding stability.

Capabilities: The above combination of knowledge and skills will be demonstrated by completing the requirements of a design project.