How does an aircraft fly what are the forces acting on it?

An airplane in flight is acted on by four forces: lift, the upward acting force; gravity, the downward acting force; thrust, the forward acting force; and drag, the backward acting force (also called wind resistance). Airplane engine and propeller combination is designed to produce thrust to overcome drag.

What is ground effect when flying?

Definition. Ground Effect is the name given to the positive influence on the lifting characteristics of the horizontal surfaces of an aircraft wing when it is close to the ground. This effect is a consequence of the distortion of the airflow below such surfaces attributable to the proximity of the ground.

When does the ground effect occur?

Ground effect only begins to show up when you’re within one wingspan of the ground. But, it really reduces your drag when you’re within 20\% of your wingspan to the ground. At that height, your wing only generates 60\% of its normal induced drag.

How does a plane stop on the runway?

In an emergency, brakes alone can stop a commercial jet, but the heat produced may be enough to melt the plane’s tires, he says. Commercial jet transport aircraft come to a halt through a combination of brakes, spoilers to increase wing drag and thrust reversers on the engines.

Can take-off and landing be done simultaneously on a parallel runway?

If the minimum distance between each runway centre line is below 760m, the simultaneous operation for take-off and landing is not possible. Surveillance radar is capable of identification of aircraft within 2km or 1NM from the end of the runway Parallel runways may be used for independent instrument departures in the following configuration:

How do parallel runways affect pilots’ situational awareness?

Closely-spaced parallel runways may affect the pilots’ situational awareness or lead to their distraction or confusion.

How do air traffic controllers operate on parallel runways?

Air traffic controllers can use simultaneous operations on parallel runways following specific rules and depending of airport layout. The main objective of operations on parallel runways is to increase runway capacity and aerodrome flexibility.

How high should a runway be above the threshold?

The high side altitude should be 1000ft (300m) above the low side at least until 10NM (19km) from the threshold. Theoretical studies and practical examples indicate that maximum aerodrome capacities (take-off + landing) can be achieved by using parallel runways in a mixed mode of operation.