Physics for aviation chapter 5

To help analyze aircraft motion and performance, the general equations of motion for an aircraft in flight must be established

These equations help expose fundamental performance characteristics during steady flight and some special cases of maneuvering flight, including turns and pull-ups

The four net (resultant) forces involved in the flight are the lift , weight , drag , and thrust , as shown in the figure below

The lift is given the symbol and, by definition, acts perpendicular to this flight path, i

, in the direction of the free-stream or flight path velocity,

The subject matter of physics includes mechanics, heat, light and other radiation, sound, electricity, magnetism, and the structure of atoms

Physics allows us to explain how engines work, both piston and gas turbine engines; how airplanes and helicopters fly; and countless other things related to the field of aviation and aerospace