What is a Fuselage?
The fuselage forms the body of the aircraft to which the wings, tail, engine and undercarriage are attached
What do Wings do?
Wings are designed to generate lift and are desinged to be exposed to loads well in excess of the total weight of the aircraft
What is an Empennage?
The tail assembly, usually made up of a fixed horizontal and vertical stabiliser, and movable control surfaces.
Name the Possible Control Surfaces Found on a Fuselage
Speed brakes and canards
Name the Possible Control Surfaces Found on an Empennage
Rudder, elevators, trim tabs, ruddervators
Name the Possible Control Surfaces Found on a Wing
Flaps, ailerons, trim tabs, slats, spoilers, winglets
What are Ailerons Used for?
Ailerons are used to roll the aircraft around the longitudinal axis
What is the Rudder Used for?
The rudder is used to control aircraft yaw around the vertical axis
What are Elevators Used for?
Elevators are a control surface on the horizontal stabiliser used to control aircraft pitch around the longitudinal axis
What are Trim Tabs?
A tab that can be used to trim out holding force and ease the task of the pilot
What are Flaps?
Flaps are used to extend the surface of the wing, to provide greater lift and greater aircraft control at slower speeds. Generally used for takeoff and landing
What are Slats?
A slat is a small auxiliary control surface that directs relatively high velocity air into the boundary layer to re-energise it.
What are Canards?
A canard is a fuselage mounted horizontal surface that is located forward of the main wing to provide longitudinal stability and control. It may be a fixed, moveable or variable geometry surface and may or may not incorporate control surfaces
What do Winglets do?
Winglets improve efficiency of a fixed wing aircraft by reducing induced drag resulting from lift-induced wing tip vortices
What are Ruddervators?
Ruddervators are two fixed tail surfaces which act as both horizontal and vertical stabilisers. They perform the function of both rudder and elevators.
What are Speed Brakes?
Speed Brakes are surfaces that are used to reduce speed rapidly during landing or manoeuvring
What is the Centre of Gravity?
The centre of gravity is a balance point that all aircraft controls act around. Its position is dependant on the weight and postion of all aircraft parts and any load the aricraft carries
List the Axis of Movement
Longitudinal Axis (Roll), Lateral Axis (Pitch), Vertical Axis (Yaw)
What is Pitch?
Pitch is movement around the lateral axis and is controlled by the elevators
What is Roll?
Roll is movement around the longitudinal axis and is controlled by the ailerons
What is Yaw?
Yaw is movement around the vertical (also known as the normal) axis and is controlled by the rudder
What Does the Control Yoke do?
Controls aircraft roll by pivoting left and right at the top of the control column, and controls aircraft pitch by swinging forward and aft from a point at the base of control column
What are the Effects of the Rudder Pedals?
When the rudder pedals are deflected in a direction, it deflects the rudder in that direction, which controls aircraft yaw around the vertical axis
What is the Function of a Door?
A door is designed to seal itself closed as the aircraft climbs and pressure differential increases. A plug door is often seen on aircraft with pressurised cabins, and this type of door prevents itself from being opened on a pressurised aircraft
