HOW FLIGHT WORKS

Take-off

Take-off is the first step towards flying the aircraft. In order for a jet aircraft to take-off, it must first release its wheel brakes. The second step is powering up the engine to maximum speed to start moving down the runway. Once the aircraft has reached a decent take-off speed, usually 100 to 200 miles an hour depending on the type of aircraft, the pilot will pull back on the control device causing the elevators to shift upwards. This causes the airflow to push on the top of the elevators and force the back of the wing down causing the aircraft to lift off the runway nose first. Now that the takeoff is complete we move to the phase of flight, elevation.

Elevation

Elevation is the process of an aircraft increasing its altitude. This is what makes it possible for the aircraft to increase its altitude to maintain a level line of flight. Once the plane has taken off, the pilot must make the aircraft climb in order to reach crusing altitude. Like before, in the take-off, the pilot will pull back on the control device to start the climb. The elevators will again go up, and the flow of the air will push the aircraft upwards. Continuing this procedure, the pilot will keep climbing until he or she has reached the cruising altitude suitable for the type of aircraft. Now that we have reached our cruising altitude, let's investigate why we are moving so smoothly through the air.

Bernoulli's principal

The following information came from a man named Bernoulli who developed a theory about flight in the mid 1700's. This principle stated that lift, the force that supports an aircraft, is generated by different pressure over the top and bottom of the wing. The air that flows over the curved wing of an airplane has a longer distance to travel than the air flowing under the wing. The air on the top of the wing has to travel faster because of the increased distance, thus creating a lower pressure. On the other hand, the air that is traveling on the under side of the wing is traveling slower so it creates a higher pressure. With the lower pressure on the under side, and the higher pressure on the top side, you get a combination that produces lift which keeps the airplane flying. With a better understanding of how flight works, let's move to the next phase, controls.

Controls

Ailerons The ailerons are located on the back of both aircraft wings. The ailerons are controlled by moving the control device to the right or left. When the control device is to the left, the right aileron will be shifted upwards and the left aileron will be shifted downwards. This will cause the aircraft to rotate around its horizontal axis to the left.
Elevators An aircraft's elevators are located on the two horizontal fins on the back of the plane. They are controlled by moving the control device forward and backwards. When the control device is pulled back the elevators both shift upwards causing the plane to climb and vice versa.
Rudder An aircraft's rudder or rudders are located on the vertical tail fins. Each tail fin has one rudder. The rudder is controlled by the aircrafts rudder pedals located on the floor of the cockpit. There are two pedals and each one turns the rudder a different way. If the pilot pushes down of the right rudder pedal the rudder will shift to the right side causing the plane to yaw, or "slide", to the right along its vertical axis.

When all three of these controls are used simultaneously, the aircraft will turn and climb or dive very smoothly. No one control dominates another and an aircraft must have all three in order to fly