Understanding Airplanes - 10 Things All Pilots Should Know

An airplane flies on its wings. The wings produce a force that keeps the plane aloft, known as lift.

Lift opposes gravity and comes in various shapes and sizes. A jet plane has short wings while a glider has long wings. Most wings are designed to have camber, or curvature to enhance flight.

The word airfoil is also used to describe the curvature of the flight wing.

So with that out of the way, let's move on to our first topic:

Angle of Attack and Stalls

Everything that an airplane does in flight depends on the angle with which the leading edge of the wing meets the oncoming stream of air.

This is also called the angle of attack.

If you go too slowly while pulling the nose higher to try to maintain flight, the wing will stall. A wing can be stalled at any speed, including the airplane's top speed.

To accomplish a stall, all you have to do is to simply increase the angle of attack past its critical point, normally between 16º and 18º in a light airplane.

Gliders have no engine but they still are able to fly.

Their wings produce lift as a glider moves in the air just as the wings of a powered airplane do. Stalling the wing is what destroys lift not shutting off the engine power.

Stall Warning Devices

All modern airplanes have some sort of device to warn the pilot of an impending stall. The first is the aerodynamic warning that occurs when the entire airplane buffets, which is usually accompanied by the control wheel shaking in the pilot's hands.

Almost all airplanes have also an additional warning that is visual or aural. There is a sensor on the leading edge of the wing usually in the form of a little metal tab mounted upward, which moves and activates an electrical switch. This in turn, activates a horn in the cockpit or turns on a bright red warning light.

Again, thank you for signing up for this special mini-ecourse and I hope this installment has been informative for you! Your next installment will arrive shortly.