Aircraft in the MIlitary

Did you know planes are not only used for travel and recreation? They are also used in the military as part of the Air Force, Army and Navy. Airplanes or jets are very useful in many ways.  They transport goods, weapons, soldiers, and can also be used for staging an attack. 

 The engines in the jet fighters today have a thrust that is so large that the plane is able to go fast enough to break the sound barrier.  Today's military aircraft are much larger, and have more weapons, controls, and are a lot better at navigating the enemy.  They can also carry a lot more than they could when they were first starting to be used.

One of these high-tech jets is known as the F-15 Eagle. This jet can travel at 1,875 mph. and has a thrust of 23,450 pounds per engine!  The thrust-to-weight of the engine is high, making the acceleration and maneuverability high.  The navigation systems, weaponry, and other technology is very complicated, making this jet extremely deadly.

You can learn more about aircraft in the military at http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/index.asp.

Airplanes Used for Transportation

Modern Airplane

The most common type of airplane is a commercial transport plane.  They give people a way to get somewhere a lot quicker than if they were to drive or travel by boat.  One of the first passenger planes was known as the "Tin Goose," and was flown by United Airlines.  It could hold 12 people and only travel at 110 mph.  Planes today hold many more people and our flight has accommodations to make our journey as comfortable and safe as possible, as well as a lot quicker.  If you would like to find tickets to experience this for yourself you can find some links on the side of the page



"Tin Goose"

The Basics of a Successful Flight

A lot of math and physics goes into getting a plan to fly.  To get it in the air, you must make sure that your lift while taking off will be greater than the gravity pushing it down.  You must also make sure the thrust will be strong enough to resist the drag.  The elevators are also a big part and need to be upward to take off.

Once it is in the air, you must know how to work the ailerons.   If you don't know how to do this you will run into a major problem because you won't be able to tip the airplane, helping it turn.  The rudders are help keep your plane under control.  The direction of the end of the rudder is the direction the nose of the plane will go (i.e. left rudder causes nose to head to the left).

When you are ready to land the airliner or slow it down you need to know how the elevators operate.  You need to point the elevators downwards.  This will cause the plane to be pointed down and you will be headed towards earth.  Obviously, you cannot land and continue at the speed you were traveling at once airborne.  This is where the flaps come in handy.  They add surface area and resistance to the drag, slowing you down.

As you can see, flying a plane is not as easy as a lot of people think it is.  These are not the only things you need to know to fly an airplane but they are some of the basics. Physics and planning go into because without extensive training, you could get into a serious accident.  For more detailed information click here.