Planes – wing moving parts

In this installment we analyze the elements and parts móvile wing and that actúeven together, therefore they have been grouped together in this post

post writer by: Juan Matheus

Continuing with our specials on ¿becauseé airplanes fly?, We will continue entering the fascinating world téconical shape of the wing and its different pieces that make it partly equal or máIt is important that the aircraft's own enginesón.

ailerons, flaps, slats y spoilers

Flaps

In spañol is known as a high lift device but everyone refers to them as flaps. Unlike other items, These are not fixed and the pilot adjusts them according toún the requirements at different stages of the flight. It's likeún that you have observed that before takeoff and before landing, the pilot extends the flaps. They are pieces that areán designed to increase wing chord, the larger the wing area, greater supportón, During takeoff the greatest amount of lift is needed.ón available. The flaps can be located at different áangles. usually between 0 and 45 degrees, at intervals of 5 degrees.

Day física detrás of them is quite simple. Extended flaps produce more lift.ón at the same áangle of attack. If it increases the intakeópositive n under the wing. Let's think that it is a kind of barrier that “capture” más air at the bottom of the wing. Greater pressure differentialón, greater supportón. The air under the wing literally pushes the aircraftón up. This is especially necessary at takeoff and landing so it is during these stages of flight that the pilot uses them.. When taking off and landing, the speed of the planeón is much lower than the cruising flight speed for obvious reasons. and everything avión has a speed “stall” which loses supportón. It's hayóless is extremely dangerous and occurs in certain combinations by exceeding the lift coefficient.ón. I saw oneón commercial cannot begin his rise to a ávery steep angle because fallingía. Nevertheless, the flaps areán designñados to help the flight. So much soí than a grandfatherón commercial difíI could easilyíto take off without flaps because it's overíto the track and not getíat the speed necessary to rise.

Not everything is free and that increase in sustenanceón también comes withñado of greater resistance to movement. This is why in cruising conditions it will beíharmful and that is why they withdraw. We understand whyé They are necessary when taking off, ¿but whyé spaghettién to landing? Well, you need to land at a lower speed to be able to stop the plane.ón on track. Without the flaps an avión not beíwill not be able to make a landing at a reasonable speed nor will it be able toíto make a steep descent as usual. This causes the pilot to require different position combinations.ónumber of flaps / speed secún what you require in flight. On takeoff it is customary to deploy flaps until ¼ of his journey because after that actíeven like a brake instead of a help. Instead when landing, may require up to 40-45 degrees because you want to reduce the speed of the aircraftón but stay in the air.

Alerón

the wingón is another important elementísimo del wing. It is usually located inínea with the flaps, más towards the end of it. Es, like the flaps, a piece that is not fixed. That element is what allows you “Bend over” to an avión and not the timóhow can it beíto think. And once más, has an explanationón fíIt's pretty simple.

At school you probably saw a “Free-Body diagram” where is gráficates the forces that actúeven on an object. Hereí We have already talked about the main forces that apply to an aircraftón in flight. You probably remember tooén that a force can be decomposed into components. This is bábasically what happens when an airplaneón isá in flight. The lifting forceón that keeps the avión in the air suffers a “imbalance” when operating the ailerons. The horizontal component is responsible for turning while the vertical component keeps the aircraftón in the air. Báphysically if the pilot wants to turn left, the wingón left lowers and the right, goes up. They always operate together to generate that imbalance that generates a resulting force in the orientation.ón desired. Let's think about a rule that isá held at a fixed point in the middle. If we put weight on one side, the other side will rise. This is what happens with the spoilerón. It is not a turn similar to the one you make with a car when cornering.

Spoilers

Spoilers are very similar to ailerons and help to generate turns during flight.. It is a combinationóIt is the use of spoilers and ailerons that allows the aircraft to be balanced.ón at all times. Let us remember that an avión is a free body that has several degrees of freedom of motion. A car, for instance, Eastá attached to the floor and therefore its freedom of movement only occurs along an axis and not in all directions.

The spoilers can be differentiated because they are located in the upper part of the wing. East án designñados to generate a péloss in supportón in a controlled way. They help generate the descent and in turn actúalso helps brake the aircraft on the runway once it lands. You've probably seen them rise to what the avión touches land.

During the flight they prevent the aircraft from turning not only to one side or the other, but alsoén up and down. The turn of an airplaneón can'títo be carried out without the cabin tilting pronouncedáof mind.

The use of the ailerons allows the aircraftón one “banking” which makes the turn subtle and does not cause discomfort to the passenger.

SLATS

The slats are the equivalent of the flaps but these are located on the leading edge of the wing while the flaps are located on the trailing edge.. Su propósite is the same. The use of both helps to increase the área úuseful of the wing and by obtaining a greater surface area it can generate greater lift.ón during critical stages of flight such as takeoff and landing. It is important for the pilot to monitor the áwing angles of attack along with speed and surface area úto some extentún in-flight requirements. How can we see the designñor wing may be fixed but its profile, form and performance varíand segúnot required.

Pronto, the third part of this special.