Here you will find the basic makeup of external plane features and the specific functions of each part. The descriptions will describe what exactly the part does and how it maneuvers the plane in flight.
Propeller- A device with two or more blades that is powered by an engine, causing the plane to accelerate.
Engine Cowl- Covering of the engine, protecting from external damage and weathering.
Powerplant- Essentially the engine.
Leading Edge- Foremost edge of a wing, frontside of wing.
Trailing Edge- Backside edge of a wing, rear side of wing.
Cockpit/Cabin- Location of pilot, all controls located here.
Flap- Attached to trailing edge, used to enhance lift controls and change angle of descent for landing and takeoff purposes.
Aileron- Attached to trailing edge, used for lateral balance and stability.
Fuselage- Main body of the aircraft.
Empennage- Arrangement of stabilizing surfaces on the tail.
Vertical Stabilizer- A small, flattened projecting surface on an aircraft providing aerodynamic stability.
Horizontal Stabilizer- Horizontal tail wings that provide stability.
Elevator- Controls the aircrafts longitudinal direction by changing the pitch and balance.
Rudder- Used to control yaw and pitch, primarily for turning the aircraft.
Engine Cowl- Covering of the engine, protecting from external damage and weathering.
Powerplant- Essentially the engine.
Leading Edge- Foremost edge of a wing, frontside of wing.
Trailing Edge- Backside edge of a wing, rear side of wing.
Cockpit/Cabin- Location of pilot, all controls located here.
Flap- Attached to trailing edge, used to enhance lift controls and change angle of descent for landing and takeoff purposes.
Aileron- Attached to trailing edge, used for lateral balance and stability.
Fuselage- Main body of the aircraft.
Empennage- Arrangement of stabilizing surfaces on the tail.
Vertical Stabilizer- A small, flattened projecting surface on an aircraft providing aerodynamic stability.
Horizontal Stabilizer- Horizontal tail wings that provide stability.
Elevator- Controls the aircrafts longitudinal direction by changing the pitch and balance.
Rudder- Used to control yaw and pitch, primarily for turning the aircraft.
The picture above displays a basic plane, there are variations of aircraft that specialize in a specific task. The following are some of the many that will be covered throughout the website.
Bomber: Larger aircraft whose goal is to drop ordinance in form of bombs, torpedoes or more recently cruise missiles. Features usually include a gunner crew for protection. The bomber usually is slower and very poor maneuverability. Bombers fly at high altitudes to avoid fire from ground defense and other fighters. The bomber shown is a B-52 Stratofortress.
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Attack: Used for attacking ground targets with greater accuracy. They are more prepared to take fire from ground targets due to low flying levels. Attackers are faster than bombers and have greater maneuverability. However they are not designed for air-to-air combat, although most are equipped with air-to-air missiles for self defense. The aircraft shown is an A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog.)
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