Aerospace 1 Final Exam Study Terms

Who designed early flying machines based on bird flight?

Leonardo da Vinci

Who first achieved a manned hot air balloon flight?

Montgolfier Brothers (1783)

Who is known as the "Father of Aeronautics"?

George Cayley

What did the Wright brothers accomplish in 1903?

First controlled, sustained powered flight

Who inspired modern aviation with glider tests in the 1890s?

Otto Lilienthal

Who made the first solo transatlantic flight?

Charles Lindbergh

Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic?

Amelia Earhart

What is aeronautics?

The science of flight within Earth’s atmosphere

What are the four forces of flight?

Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag

How does Bernoulli’s Principle relate to flight?

Faster air over wing = lower pressure = lift

What creates thrust in an aircraft?

Propellers or engines pushing air backward

What is the angle of attack?

Angle between wing chord and oncoming air

What do ailerons control?

Roll (left/right banking) Longitudinal Axis

What does the rudder control?

Yaw (left/right nose movement) vertical axis

What do flaps do?

Increase lift and drag for low-speed flight

What does the center of gravity affect?

Aircraft stability and control

What are the main parts of an aircraft structure?

Fuselage, wings, empennage, landing gear

What materials are used in aircraft construction?

Aluminum alloys, composites, carbon fiber

Name three engine types in aviation.

Reciprocating, turbojet, turbofan

What does the altimeter measure?

Altitude via air pressure

What does the airspeed indicator measure?

Speed through the air (not ground speed)

What does the attitude indicator show?

Aircraft’s pitch and bank angle

What is GPS used for in aviation?

Satellite navigation and positioning

What happens to air pressure as altitude increases?

It decreases

What is the Mach number?

Speed of object divided by speed of sound

Name four speed regimes by Mach number.

Subsonic, Transonic, Supersonic, Hypersonic

What is air density and why is it important?

Mass of air in volume; affects lift and performance

What powers rockets in space?

Expelling high-speed gas using onboard fuel and oxidizer

What are the two main types of rocket engines?

Solid-fuel and liquid-fuel

Why do rockets use multiple stages?

To reduce weight and improve efficiency

What are some aerospace engineering specialties?

Aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, avionics

What do air traffic controllers do?

Coordinate aircraft to ensure safe and efficient flight

Name two major aerospace companies.

Boeing, Airbus

What does the FAA regulate?

Civil aviation in the U.S.

What is NASA’s mission?

Space exploration and aerospace research