Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 10-32.
A plane is dynamically stable if deviations from the equilibrium orientation die out
over time.
The moment time history shown in Figure 10-33, on the other hand, represents a dynam-
ically unstable airplane in that the magnitude of the moment oscillations increase over time.
Figure 10-33.
A plane is dynamically unstable if oscillations get larger and larger.
Summary
In this chapter, we took our knowledge of Newtonian mechanics, kinematics, and projectiles
into the wild blue yonder and learned about the physics of flight. We studied the four basic
forces that act on an airplane—lift, drag, thrust, and gravity—and learned how to evaluate
these forces. Some of the other things we saw include the following:
•
What an airfoil is and how its shape generates the lift that keeps an airplane in the air
•
What aerodynamic stall is and how it can be corrected
•
The moments that are generated due to lift and how they affect the stability and trim of
an airplane
