Atmospheric Flight

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Gravity and Atmosphere
3. Atmospheric Pressure
4. Buoyancy
5. The Four Forces
6. Aerodynamic Lift
7. Drag
8. Propulsion
9. Trim, Stability and Control
10. Structure
11. A Word About Packaging
12. Summing Up Atmospheric Flight

Introduction

Sustained, controlled flight is possible due to such factors as forces that act on an airplane (weight, lift, thrust, and drag), control surfaces that change airflow affecting motion, and wing shapes and thickness. What makes all of these possible, though, are air molecules. Air molecules held within our atmosphere that are held around a planet or satellite by gravity.

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