Dictionary of Aerodynamics
By Students’ Academy
Copyright@2011Students’ Academy
Smashwords Edition
Chapter 1
A
Aeronautical
Aeronautical is related to the scientific study of flight
Aeronautics
Aeronautics refers to design, construction, mathematics and mechanics of aircraft and other flying machines.
Aeronautics also refers to theory and practice of aircraft navigation
Aerostat
Aerostat refers to an aircraft, such as a dirigible or balloon, which is lifted because of buoyancy rather than from wings or rotors.
Aerostat also means a moored balloon flown in a semi-permanent manner.
Aerostatics
Aerostatics is the term which is generally used in the study of Physics. It refers to the study of gases in equilibrium and of balloons or aircraft in varying atmospheric conditions
AFC
The full form of AFC is Automatic Frequency Control. (radio technics)
AFC also means Adult Foster Care
AFC refers to American Football Conference
AFC is also the short form of Additional Finance Charges
After
Within a ship it refers to at or towards the stern of a ship
Its adverb is aft, thus; "The gun is mounted aft"
Abaft is the related preposition.
Example: "The gun is abaft the forward gun".
Afterburner
After burner is a device in the engine of an aircraft; it injects fuel into the exhaust system to increase the thrust.
Aileron
Aileron refers to the hinged part on trailing edge of an airplane wing; it is used to control lateral turns.
Air brake
It is the alternate spelling of Airbrake which means a kind of brake mechanism that operates with the help of air pressure.
Air corridor
Air Corridor refers to a predefined route, or series of routes, in which a commercial or military aircraft must fly.
Aircraft
Aircraft is a vehicle capable of atmospheric flight due to interaction with the air, such as buoyancy or lift.
Airfoil
Airfoil refers to a structure which is particularly shaped and designed to produce lift when moving in air.
Airfoil also refers to a wing of an aircraft.
Airframe
Airframe refers to the main body and structure of an aircraft (without powerplant)
Air hole
Air Hole is any kind of a hole in any surface that allows air or other gases to pass, especially an opening in the surface of a frozen lake etc
Air hole also means air pocket, the term often used by the pilots when they drop their altitude suddenly in the absence of air.
Air hole also refers to the blowhole of a whale
Airplane
Airplane means a powered aircraft with fixed wings used for transportation of humans and goods; for amusement or entertainment; and in warfare.
Airship
Airship is a kind of flying machine; it is lighter-than-air aircraft that can be propelled forward through the air as well as steered.
Airspeed
Airspeed refers to the speed of an aircraft relative to the air through which it is flying.
Airspeed indicator
Airspeed Indicator is an instrument that displays an aircraft's current airspeed.
Airstrip
Airstrip means the aircraft landing field, usually with only one runway and basic facilities.
Altimeter
Altimeter is an apparatus for measuring altitude
Altitude
Altitude refers to the height measured from sea level up to any given point
Altitude is the distance measured upwards
Angle of attack
Angle of Attack refers to an angle between the chord line of an airfoil and the airflow over it; one of the determiners of the amount of lift produced by an airfoil.
The Angle of Attack also refers to the angle between a mid-sail and the direction of the wind.
Angle of incidence
Angle of Incidence is the angle that a straight line, ray of light, etc., when it meets a surface, makes with a normal to the surface at the point of meeting.
Angle of Incidence is the angle, usually fixed, between the chord line of a wing or horizontal stabilizer and the axis of the fuselage, measured at the root. In UK it is called the Angle of Attack.
Artificial horizon
Artificial Horizon is a kind of instrument that displays the pitch and roll of an aircraft in flight by comparing its attitude to a gyroscopically-maintained indication of the flat horizon line.
Aspect ratio
Aspect Ratio is the ratio of an object's longest dimension to its next-longest dimension.
It is also the ratio of width to height in a flat surface or 2-dimensional abstract construction, such as an image, character, or pixel.
Athodyd
Athodyd is a simple jet engine that consists of essentially of a tube with a means of delivering fuel and ignition into the tube. It can only be started in a fast airflow. This engine is expected to be able to provide cruising speeds at Mach numbers of around 5 to 7 (5 to 7 times the speed of sound).
Attitude
Attitude refers to the position of the body or way of carrying oneself.
Attitude refers to the orientation of an aircraft or other vehicle relative to the horizon, direction of motion etc.
Autogiro
Autogiro refers to an aircraft in which lift is provided by unpowered rotating wings and thrust is provided by a conventional propeller
Automatic
Any machine that has an automatic transmission.
Autopilot
Autopilot refers to a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being.