What are the dangers of flying into thunderstorms?
What are the dangers of flying into thunderstorms?
Dangers of flying into thunderstorms:
Severe wind shear and turbulence (with a risk of structural problems, loss of altitude, loss of airspeed) Severe icing Hail Lightning strikes (with a risk of damage to electrical systems) Radio Communications and Navigation interference from static electricity in thunderstorms
Tell me, I was looking out the window and I saw white strokes coming out of the engines at cruising level, but I didn’t see it from an aircraft taking off, why is that and what is the difference?
Tell me, I was looking out the window and I saw white strokes coming out of the engines at cruising level, but I didn’t see it from an aircraft taking off, why is that and what is the difference?
Those are contrails.
The jet engine exhaust gases consist of carbon dioxide and water vapour.
At high altitudes the wator vapour gets released in a very cold environment. This can cause the air to be saturated with water vapour and then condenses. If cold enough the condense can freeze into white droplets. This forms the contrails.
Why do we calculate mass and balance?
Why do we calculate mass and balance?
To be within aircraft design limitations with regards to:
Structural limitations
Stability
Take-off and landing performance
How does an airspeed indicator work and which errors can an airspeed indicator experience?
How does an airspeed indicator work and which errors can an airspeed indicator experience?
The airspeed indicator uses part of the aircraft's pitot-static system to measure and compare the dynamic air pressure between air moving into the pitot tube and static air pressure measured in the case.
The ASI is calibrated to ISA at MSL and represents the dynamic pressure as indicated airspeed in knots per hour.
ASI errors can originate and vary from:
Instrument Pressure Density Compressibility Maneuver Blocked pitot static system
What is MDA?
What is MDA?
Minimum decent altitude (non-precision), the lowest altitude, expressed in feet above mean sea level to which descent is authorised on final approach or during circle-to-land maneuvering in execution of a standard instrument approach procedure where no electronic glideslope is provided.
If not visual between MDA and MAPt, a Go-around must be initiated.
Why do some airplanes have dihedral wings?
Why do some airplanes have dihedral wings?
Dihedral provides:
Lateral stability (during a roll) Wing clearance, wingtip to ground has more space
How does the all moving stabilator work on the Boeing 737 compared a fixed horizontal stabilizer of, for example, the Seneca?
How does the all moving stabilator work on the Boeing 737 compared a fixed horizontal stabilizer of, for example, the Seneca?
A moving stabilator allows for wider operating range of the control surface, which is of great importance in aircraft with a large range of operating speeds.
Compared to a fixed horizontal stabilizer, when trimmed, the moving stabilitor will produce less drag, reducing fuel consumption.
Do airplanes have an optimum C.G.? If yes, where is it?
Do airplanes have an optimum C.G.? If yes, where is it?
Yes, the closer the C.G. is to the rear limit, the less tail down force is required, which means less drag which results in less fuel burn.
What are the advantages of an all moving/variable incidence tailplane?
What are the advantages of an all moving/variable incidence tailplane?
This provides pitch manoeuvrability.
Longitudinal balancing by the trim system.
What is the difference between angle of attack and angle of incidence?
What is the difference between angle of attack and angle of incidence?
Angle of attack is the angle between the chord of the aerofoil and the relative airflow.
Angle of incidence is the angle between the chord and the aircrafts longitudinal datum.