The study of how forces and moments act on an aircraft to control its performance, stability, and movement through the air
. [1, 2, 3]
The Four Forces of Flight
Powered flight relies on four primary physical forces that act on an aircraft simultaneously: [1, 2]
Lift: The upward force created by the wings that overcomes gravity.
Weight: The downward force of gravity pulling the aircraft toward the centre of the Earth.
Thrust: The forward force produced by the engines or propellers to move the aircraft forward.
Drag: The rearward retarding force of air resistance opposing the aircrafts forward motion. [1, 2, 3, 4]
During straight and level flight, “lift equals weight thrust equals drag
Salary description
£50.00 - £60.00 per hour