Basic Aerodynamics Principles Flashcards

What is the primary cause of induced drag on a wing?

Answer: Wingtip vortices created by pressure differential between upper and lower surfaces

Induced drag results from wingtip vortices that form because high-pressure air beneath the wing spills around the tip toward the low-pressure upper surface.

As angle of attack increases beyond the critical angle, what happens to lift?

Answer: Lift decreases rapidly as the wing stalls

Beyond the critical angle of attack, airflow separates from the upper wing surface, causing a sudden loss of lift known as a stall.

Which aerodynamic force acts perpendicular to the relative wind?

Answer: Lift

Lift always acts perpendicular to the relative wind, regardless of the aircraft's attitude.

What effect does increasing airspeed have on parasite drag?

Answer: Parasite drag increases with the square of airspeed

Parasite drag varies with the square of airspeed, so doubling speed quadruples parasite drag.

In steady, level, unaccelerated flight, which statement about the four forces is correct?

Answer: Lift equals weight and thrust equals drag

In straight-and-level unaccelerated flight, the four forces are in equilibrium: lift equals weight and thrust equals drag.

What is the relationship between air density and lift production at a constant angle of attack and airspeed?

Answer: Higher air density produces more lift

Lift is directly proportional to air density; denser air contains more molecules per unit volume, generating greater aerodynamic force on the wing.

Which statement correctly describes the camber of an airfoil?

Answer: The curvature of the mean camber line from chord line

Camber is the curvature of the mean camber line (midpoint between upper and lower surfaces) measured from the chord line.