Theory of Flight

Submitted by: Darren Rebato Montallana

Submitted to: Sir. Glen Emanuel Gumtang
Aerodynamics of flight is the study of forces and the resulting motion of objects through the
air. Studying the motion of air around an object allows us to measure the forces of lift, which
allows an aircraft to overcome gravity, and drag, which is the resistance an aircraft feels as it
moves through the air. Everything moving through the air including airplanes, rockets, and birds
is affected by aerodynamics. Thrust, drag, lift, and weight are forces that act upon all aircraft in
flight. Undestanding how these forces. This chapter discusses the aerodynamics of flight how
design, weight, load factors, and gravity effect an aircraft during flight.
Thrust - The forward force produced by the powerplant/ propeller or rotor. It opposes or
overcomes the force of drag.
Drag – A rearward, retarding force caused by disruption of airflow by the wing, rotor, fuselage,
and other protruding objects.
Lift – Is a force that is produced by the dynamic effect of the air acting on the airfoil, and acts
perpendicular to the flight path through the center of lift and perpendicular to the lateral exis. In
level flight, lift opposes the downward force of weight.

Axes of Movements. To control this movement, the pilot manipulates the flight controls to
cause the aircraft to rotate about one or more of its three axes of rotation. These three axes,
referred to as longitudinal, lateral and vertical, are each perpendicular to the others and
intersect at the aircraft centre of gravity. Motion around the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis and
the vertical axis are referred to as roll, pitch and yaw respectively. The primary flight control
surface for controlling roll is the ailerons, for pitch the elevator and for yaw, the rudder. Rotation
around one axis may induce an uncommanded rotation around a second axis. In this case,
simultaneous use of the associated flight control surfaces is required to maintain coordinated
flight. Three types of rotaion is.