"Flight dynamics in aviation and spacecraft, is the study of the performance, stability, and control of vehicles flying through the air or in outer space."
The study of the stability and control of aerospace systems, including flight simulation and control systems.
Introduction to Flight Dynamics: Provides an overview of the fundamental principles involved in flight dynamics and control.
Aerodynamics: Covers the study of the properties of air and the behavior of objects moving through it.
Kinematics and Dynamics: Study of motion and forces acting on the object.
Aircraft Stability and Control: Understands the concepts of how an aircraft responds to the directional and control forces.
Aircraft Performance: Study of aircraft capabilities, fuel management, and prediction of flight performance based on theoretical models.
Flight Mechanics: The science of determining how an aircraft behaves in the air.
Flight Control Systems: Techniques developed to keep the aircraft stable, correct errors, and optimize aircraft operations.
Flight Control Techniques: The techniques developed to control planes in all aspects of flight, such as stabilization, pitch control, yaw control, and roll control.
Aviation Regulations: Regulatory control of air transportation, essential to ensure the safety and security of air travel.
Flight Testing: A series of testing and evaluations conducted on aircraft to prove or validate aircraft design, performance, and handling qualities.
Aerospace System Integration: Involves combining the hardware, software, and electronic components to make an aircraft operate according to design specifications.
Aircraft Design: Understanding the process of designing and building aircraft.
Computational Fluid Dynamics: Use of numerical analysis and computer algorithms in the study of fluid dynamics.
Structural Analysis and Design: Study of how aircraft structures are built and maintained.
Propulsion Systems: Study of the science of powering aircraft engines.
Aircraft Materials: Understanding of advance materials used in aircraft construction and engineering.
Flight Simulation: Simulation of an aircraft in a virtual environment to predict the aircraft's function in different scenarios.
Avionics: Study of electronic systems used in aviation, including navigation and communication systems.
Rotorcraft mechanics: Study of the operation, design, and performance of rotary-winged aircraft.
Human Factors in Aviation: Study of the reason behind human error in aircraft operation and methods to reduce human error.
Static Stability and Control: Defines the aircraft's ability to return to its original orientation after a disturbance, without any pilot inputs.
Dynamic Stability and Control: Describes the aircraft's ability to maintain stability during flight, by adjusting the control inputs to keep disturbances under control.
Longitudinal and Lateral Dynamics: Describes the motion of the aircraft along the longitudinal or vertical axis, and lateral or horizontal axis, respectively.
Aerodynamic Forces and Moments: Discusses the forces that act on an aircraft during flight, including lift, drag, and weight.
Flight Control Systems: Covers the technology and methods used to control the aircraft during flight, such as the autopilot, fly-by-wire systems, and manual control inputs.
Stability Augmentation Systems: Refers to systems used to improve the stability of an aircraft, especially in cases where it is inherently unstable or has adverse characteristics.
Attitude Control: Describes the methods used to control the aircraft's orientation during flight, often using gyroscopes and control surfaces.
Trajectory Control: Examines the methods used to plan and execute the aircraft's flight path.
Flight Dynamics Simulations: Includes the methods and tools used to simulate the behavior of an aircraft during flight, often using computer models.
Flight Testing: Describes the methods used to test and validate aircraft performance and aerodynamic characteristics, often using flight data gathered during flight testing.
"It is concerned with how forces acting on the vehicle determine its velocity and attitude with respect to time."
"For a fixed-wing aircraft, its changing orientation with respect to the local air flow is represented by two critical angles, the angle of attack of the wing ("alpha") and the angle of attack of the vertical tail, known as the sideslip angle ("beta")."
"These angles are important because they are the principal source of changes in the aerodynamic forces and moments applied to the aircraft."
"A sideslip angle will arise if an aircraft yaws about its centre of gravity and if the aircraft sideslips bodily, i.e. the centre of gravity moves sideways."
"Spacecraft flight dynamics involve three main forces: propulsive (rocket engine), gravitational, and atmospheric resistance."
"Propulsive force and atmospheric resistance have significantly less influence over a given spacecraft compared to gravitational forces."