Real-Life Communication
Wendy Boyes is a civil aviation safety inspector. "Communication is a priority in this field. Being able to communicate both orally and in writing could save lives," she says.
She adds that keeping good records on company audits is important because it helps them understand and correct their weak areas.
"Another part where communicating is important is that we are dealing with a lot of difficult people. If you start butting heads, it makes it a lot more difficult to work together. It is important for them to be able to see how and why we have certain systems in place and for them to want to use them."
Aircraft inspectors know airplanes inside and out. And they know what makes them fly. Read the report on the four forces that help airplanes fly, then answer the questions that follow.
The Forces of Flight
When you see airplanes fly overhead, do you ever wonder how such large, heavy objects can stay in the air? You know they have engines, wings, and instruments that help them fly, but did you know there are four aerodynamic forces that are necessary for a plane to stay aloft?
You know it would be impossible for a plane to fly without wings, but why? They don't flap like birds' wings do. The reason wings are necessary is because they help planes achieve lift. That is the force pushing up on an airplane.
If you take a close look, you'll notice that the tops of wings have more curve than the bottoms. As a result, air moves over the top of the wing faster than it moves underneath. This fast moving air is low pressure and the slower moving air underneath the wing is pushing harder (high pressure).
Since the air underneath is pushing up harder than the air over the wing is pushing down, it is creating lift.
You might think airplanes aren't affected by gravity once they are in the air, but they are. Gravity is still pulling on them. This force is weight. Flight is possible when the force of lift is equal to the weight of the airplane.
Of course, an airplane doesn't magically lift off the ground when wind blows over the wings. They must have the force of thrust. That is something that propels the plane forward. This could be a propeller or a jet engine. When you throw a paper airplane, you provide the thrust with your hand.
The wind that pulls back on an airplane and slows it down is called drag. This is the force you feel when you run, skate or ride your bike. The air pushing against you is drag. Just as lift must equal weight, thrust must equal drag for a plane to fly.
Next time you see an airplane in the sky, think of these four forces and the important part they play in flight.
Questions:
- What are the four aerodynamic forces that help planes fly?
- How is lift created?
- What creates the force of weight?
- How much lift is necessary to make an airplane stay up?
- What is thrust?
- What is drag?
- How much thrust is necessary for an airplane to fly?