Airplanes

Ailerons

Located on airplanes' wings - move in opposite directions (up/down) - used in making turns

Airplane

Vehicle, heavier than air, engine-powered, travels by lift & thrust

Cockpit

Space in fuselage for pilot & passengers

Elevator

Part of the tail - horizontal - causes the plane to move up & down - nose moves in the SAME DIRECTION as the elevator

Flaps

Located on airplanes' wings - move in same direction - closer to fuselage than flaps - help slow down the aircraft

Fuselage

Central body of aircraft - contains crew, passengers, & cargo

Horizontal Stabilizer

Horizontal surface at the rear of the fuselage - balances the aircraft

Landing Gear

Located underneath the fuselage - wheels & tires - support the aircraft while it is on the ground

Propeller

Rotating blade on the front of the airplane. Engine turns propeller; propeller PULLS the aircraft through the air

Rudder

Located on tail - movable verticle section - controls side-to-side (lateral) movement
The aircraft moves in the OPPOSITE direction of the rudder


Wings

Attached to fuselage - provide lift - support the weight of the aircraft

Forces of Flight


Click Here for More NASA's Airplane Info Sie
Click Here for the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum

Lift

This force OPPOSES the weight of the aircraft, & keeps the plane in the air.
It is caused by air flowing OVER the top of the wing, creating lower pressure above the wing.


Drag

This force SLOWS the forward motion of the plane. The shape of the airplane & the wing cause DRAG on the aircraft.

Gravity

This force pulls down on the aircraft.

Thrust

This force is created by the engine and moves the aircraft FORWARD.

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