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    6.aircraft Stability

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    thebackdoorhq

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    6.aircraft Stability

    Uploaded by

    thebackdoorhq
    2 views2 pages

    Original Title

    6.Aircraft Stability

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    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    2 views2 pages

    6.aircraft Stability

    Uploaded by

    thebackdoorhq

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Aircraft stability.

    An airplane in flight constantly faces disturbances such as turbulence, gusts, and wind shifts,
    which can alter its path, pitch, or roll.

    How the airplane responds to these disturbances is determined by its stability, and its ability to
    return to straight, level flight without pilot intervention.

    Types of stability.
    ​ Static stability refers to an airplane's immediate response to a disturbance. If the
    aircraft tends to return to its original position right after being displaced, it has
    positive static stability.
    ​
    ​ Dynamic stability describes the airplane’s long-term behavior after a disturbance.
    ​
    ​ A dynamically stable airplane will return to its original flight path after a series of
    progressively smaller oscillations.

    Stability classifications.
    Stability can be classified as positive, neutral and negative.

    ​ Positive stability. The airplane returns to its original position after being disturbed.
    ​ Neutral stability. The airplane neither returns to nor moves further from its
    disturbed position.
    ​ Negative stability or Instability. The airplane moves further away from its original
    position when disturbed.

    An airplane with positive stability is easier to handle and can fly hands-off. However, high
    stability can reduce maneuverability, while instability can lead to dangerous oscillations,
    potentially causing a stall or dive.

    Longitudinal stability.
    Longitudinal stability concerns pitch and is achieved through careful aircraft design. Airplanes
    are typically designed to be slightly nose-heavy, with the center of gravity (CG) ahead of the
    center of pressure (CP).
    ​ This arrangement ensures that in the event of an engine failure, the airplane
    naturally pitches downward into a stable glide.

    Key factors affecting longitudinal stability are as follows.

    ​ Horizontal stabilizer. Located at the rear of the airplane, the stabilizer counteracts
    the nose-heavy design by generating a downward force that balances the
    airplane.
    ​ Center of gravity: A properly placed CG ensures stability. If the CG is too far
    back, the airplane may pitch upward excessively, making control difficult or even
    impossible.

    Lateral stability.
    Lateral stability involves roll control and is achieved through several design features.

    ​ Dihedral angle. The upward tilt of the wings improves lateral stability. When one
    wing dips, air flows at a higher angle of attack over it, increasing its lift and
    restoring the airplane to level flight.
    ​
    ​ Sweepback. A swept-back wing presents a longer leading edge to the airflow
    when one wing drops, increasing lift on the lower wing and correcting the roll.
    ​
    ​ Keel effect: Particularly in high-wing airplanes, the lower center of gravity acts
    like a pendulum, stabilizing the airplane when disturbed.

    Directional stability.
    Directional stability deals with the airplane's yaw around its vertical axis. The key component
    here is the vertical tail surface, which acts like a weather vane, keeping the airplane aligned with
    the airflow.
    ​ If the airplane yaws, the airflow strikes the vertical tail from the side, forcing the
    airplane back to its original course.

    Sweepback also aids directional stability. When the airplane yaws, the outer wing encounters
    greater airflow, generating more drag and pulling the airplane back into alignment.

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