What you will learn
- Explain how lift is generated and what causes an airfoil to stall.
- Predict how changes in weight, altitude, and configuration affect stall speed.
- Understand load factor limits and why maneuvering speed changes with weight.
- Recognize spin entry conditions and execute proper spin recovery.
- Apply stability concepts to understand CG effects on aircraft handling.
- Calculate the relationship between bank angle and load factor in turns.
Topics covered
The Four Forces
Lift, drag, thrust, and weight — how they interact in straight-and-level flight, climbs, descents, and turns.
Airfoils & Lift
Airfoil geometry, angle of attack, Bernoulli principle, Newton third law, pressure distribution, and the lift equation.
Drag
Parasite drag (form, skin friction, interference), induced drag, total drag curve, L/D max, and drag reduction.
Stability & Control
Longitudinal, lateral, and directional stability. CG effects, dihedral, sweepback, and control surface functions.
Stalls
Critical angle of attack, stall speed factors, power-on and power-off stalls, accelerated stalls, and stall recognition.
Spins
Spin entry, phases of a spin (incipient, developed, recovery), spin recovery procedures (PARE), and regulatory requirements.
Load Factor & Maneuvering
G-forces in turns, Vg diagram, maneuvering speed (Va), structural limits, and load factor in turbulence.
Turning Flight
Bank angle and load factor relationship, rate of turn, radius of turn, adverse yaw, and coordinated flight.
Ground Effect
How ground effect changes lift and drag near the surface, implications for takeoff and landing, and float during flare.
Prerequisites
- •No physics background required — concepts are explained from first principles.
- •Basic algebra is helpful for understanding equations and relationships.