Billy Mitchell Milestone Test Aerospace Vocabulary Civil Air Patrol (CAP)

Vocabulary from all of the "key terms" sections of modules 1–7 of Aerospace Dimensions, plus some extras.

aero

pertaining to air

aerodynamics

relating to the forces of air in motion

aeronautics

the science of flight within the atmosphere

aerospace

a combination of aeronautics and space

air

a mixture of gases that contains approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases

aircraft

any machine that is capable of flying through the air; included are ultralights, airplanes,

gliders, balloons, helicopters, hangliders, and parasails

airplane

an aircraft that is kept aloft by the aerodynamic forces upon its wings and is thrust forward by a means of propulsion

airfoil

a component, such as a wing, that is specifically designed to produce lift, thrust, or directional stability

airport

a place on either land or water where aircraft can land and take off for flight

altitude

height above sea level or ground level expressed in units

aviation

the art, science, and technology of flight within the atmosphere

aviator

a person who operates an aircraft in flight

camber

the curved part of an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge

chord

a line drawn through an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge

downwash

the downward movement of air behind a wing in flight

drag

a force which slows the forward movement of an aircraft in flight

dynamic

forces in motion

gravity

the natural force pulling everything to Earth

leading edge

the front part of a wing or airfoil

lift

the upward force that opposes gravity and supports the weight of an aircraft

relative wind

the flow of air which moves opposite the flight path of an airplane

thrust

the force which moves an aircraft forward in flight

upwash

the upward movement of air ahead of the wing in flight

vortex

a spinning column of air that is created behind the wingtip as a result of air moving from an

area of high pressure on the bottom to an area of low pressure on top

wind

air in motion

Thrust

This is a force that pulls or pushes an airplane forward through the air, and it opposes drag.

Lift

This, also, is an artificial force because it requires a mechanical device to create the pressure changes discussed in Bernoulli’s Law.

Drag

Drag is a natural force that is common throughout all of nature, and is especially evident in flight.

Gravity

There is a natural force which pulls everything toward the center of the Earth. This is the force of gravity, and, on Earth, we speak of that force as being one “G.”

altitude

the height or distance above a reference plane (The most common planes of reference

used in aviation are heights above sea level and ground level. If it’s above average sea level, it’s

referred to “MSL,” or Mean Sea Level, and if it’s above ground level, it’s referred to as “AGL.”)

convection

fluid motion between regions of unequal heating

density

mass in a given volume (example: 12 eggs in a basket)

glide ratio

a mathematical relationship between the distance an aircraft will glide forward to the

altitude loss (If an aircraft has a glide ratio of twenty to one, and it is one mile above the Earth, it should glide 20 miles before landing.)

lapse rate

the average rate at which temperature decreases with an increase in altitude (The average lapse rate is 3 1/2°F per 1000 feet increase in altitude.)

soaring

the art of staying aloft by exploiting the energy of the atmosphere

stability

the atmosphere's resistance to vertical motion

thermal

a column of air that moves upwards

tow plane

usually a single

where it can be released

wave

a waving action with strong up and down motions started as air moves across mountain

ranges (Sailplane pilots can use the motion of this wave to gain altitude.)

altimeter

instrument to provide the height of the balloon above sea level

balloon

an aircraft that uses lighter

control

burner

the heat source for filling the envelope with hot air

buoyancy

to rise or float on the surface of water or within the atmosphere

crown

the top of the hot air balloon's envelope

envelope

the main body of the balloon, usually made of nylon, that is filled with lighter

gondola

a wicker basket, hanging below the envelope, used to transport passengers and propane tanks

gore

one of several vertical panels that make up the envelope

Montgolfier

the name of the two French brothers who created the first successful, manned, hot air balloon in 1783

parachute panel

located in the top of the balloon's envelope that allows it to be deflated (When a larger area of deflation is needed, some balloons are equipped with a rip panel.)

propane

a lightweight, low carbon fuel used in hot air balloon burners

thermistor

an instrument which measures the temperature within the envelope

variometer

an instrument to determine the rate of climb or descent; sometimes referred to as vertical velocity indicator

combustion

the chemical process of burning

combustion chamber

an enclosed container in which fuel and air are burned for the production of energy

compression

the act of making a given volume of gas smaller

cycle

a recurring series of events; the airplane engine has four cycles, intake, compression, power,

and exhaust

fuel

a chemical substance which is used as a source of energy; aircraft fuels include gasoline, kerosene, and propane

lean mixture

a mixture of gasoline and air in which there is less fuel and more air

magneto

an electrical generator that produces power when rotated

meter/metering

in terms of fuel for an engine, this is the process of allowing a precise amount of fuel to pass (An example would be a passageway that allows only so many molecules of gasoline to pass in a given unit of time.)

powerplant

a term which applies to the airplane engine and accessories

reciprocating

a type of engine that processes air and fuel by a back and forth movement of its internal parts

rich mixture

a mixture of gasoline and air in which there is more gasoline and less air than needed for normal combustion

stoichiometric

a ratio of fuel to air in which, upon combustion, all of the fuel is burned (In energy terms, it is 15 parts air to 1 part gasoline.)

stroke

in the example of an airplane engine, it is the movement of the piston to its limits within the combustion chamber

course

the intended path of flight, which is measured in angular degrees from true or magnetic north on a compass

FAA

Federal Aviation Administration, which is the regulatory authority for all aviation

flight profile

a standardized series of steps the pilot takes from take

FSS

Flight Service Station

heading

the direction that an airplane points with respect to true, or magnetic, north including any wind displacement; based on its longitudinal axis

noise abatement

a policy set forth by a governing body that controls the noise impact upon a community surrounding an airport

ramp

the airport’s “parking lot”

runway

a dedicated pathway for taking off and landing airplanes

runway heading

a number labeling a runway, which is based on corresponding degrees from true, or magnetic, north

segmented circle

a set of indicators, usually surrounding an airport’s wind sock, that provide traffic pattern information to a pilot in the air

taxi

ground movement of an airplane

taxiway

a passageway between the parking area and the runways of an airport

tetrahedron

a device that gives an indication of the landing direction at an airport

traffic pattern

a rectangular virtual path above an airport that facilitates the coordination of the flow of aircraft in the air

uncontrolled airport

an airport without an operating control tower

wind direction indicators

several types of devices that give a pilot an indication of wind direction

wind sock

a fabric tube that shows which direction the wind is from

ATC

air traffic control

beacon

a tower-mounted, large, rotating light located at an airport that gives pilots a guide to the type of airport and the airport’s location

controlled airport

an airport with an operating control tower

control tower

a structure that houses air traffic controllers

cartography

the art and science of creating charts and maps

chart

a projection, usually on paper, showing a body of land and other features, such as water, that gives information, usually in the form of symbols, graphs, or illustrations

latitude

a system of lines that run parallel to the equator, also known as parallels

legend

an illustration showing the symbols that are used on charts

longitude

a system of lines, known as meridians, between the north and south poles