Fixed-wing aircraft

Fixed-wing aircraft

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air craft whose lift is generated not by wing motion relative to the aircraft, but by forward motion through the air. The term is used to distinguish from rotary-wing aircraft or ornithopters, where the movement of the wing surfaces relative to the aircraft generates lift. In the US and Canada, the term airplane is used, though around the rest of the English speaking world, including Ireland and the other Commonwealth nations the spelling 'aeroplane' is more common. These terms refer to any fixed wing aircraft powered by propellers or jet engines. The word derives from the Greek αέρας (aéras-) ("air") and -plane.^[1] The spelling "aeroplane" is the older of the two, dating back to the mid-late 19th century.^[2] Fixed-wing aircraft may be manned or not; they may be large or tiny; every fixed-wing aircraft is open to being scale modeled by perhaps a smaller or larger mimic fixed wing aircraft. Many fixed-wing aircraft may be remotely controlled or robot controlled.

Aircraft instruments

Instruments provide information to the pilot. They may operate mechanically from the pitot-static system, or they may be electronic, requiring 12VDC, 24VDC, or 400 Hz power systems.^[3] An aircraft that uses computerized CRT or LCD displays almost exclusively is said to have a glass cockpit.

Basic instruments include:

• An airspeed indicator, which indicates the speed at which the aircraft is moving through the surrounding air.
• An altimeter, which indicates the altitude of the aircraft above the ground or above mean sea level.
• An attitude indicator, sometimes called an artificial horizon, which indicates the exact orientation of the aircraft about its pitch and roll axes.

Other instruments might include:

• A Turn coordinator, which helps the pilot maintain the aircraft in a coordinated attitude while turning.
• A rate-of-climb indicator, which shows the rate at which the aircraft is climbing or descending
• A horizontal situation indicator, shows the position and movement of the aircraft as seen from above with respect to the ground, including course/heading and other information.
• Instruments showing the status of each engine in the aircraft (operating speed, thrust, temperature, and other variables).
• Combined display systems such as primary flight displays or navigation displays.
• Information displays such as on-board weather radar displays.

Propeller aircraft

Smaller and older propeller aircraft make use of reciprocating internal combustion engines that turns a propeller to create thrust. They are quieter than jet aircraft, but they fly at lower speeds, and have lower load capacity compared to similar sized jet powered aircraft. However, they are significantly cheaper and much more economical than jets, and are generally the best option for people who need to transport a few passengers and/or small amounts of cargo. They are also the aircraft of choice for pilots who wish to own an aircraft.

Turboprop aircraft are a halfway point between propeller and jet: they use a turbine engine similar to a jet to turn propellers. These aircraft are popular with commuter and regional airlines, as they tend to be more economical on shorter journeys