What is Flight: Definition and 363 Discussions

Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift associated with gliding or propulsive thrust, aerostatically using buoyancy, or by ballistic movement.
Many things can fly, from animal aviators such as birds, bats and insects, to natural gliders/parachuters such as patagial animals, anemochorous seeds and ballistospores, to human inventions like aircraft (airplanes, helicopters, airships, balloons, etc.) and rockets which may propel spacecraft and spaceplanes.
The engineering aspects of flight are the purview of aerospace engineering which is subdivided into aeronautics, the study of vehicles that travel through the atmosphere, and astronautics, the study of vehicles that travel through space, and ballistics, the study of the flight of projectiles.

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  1. A

    Simulate other lenses with Time of Flight (ToF) camera

    Hello, I have a small project in which I try to use a Time of Flight camera to detect movement in the Field of View. Now the current Field of View is really narrow (about 25° diagonal FoV), which is we I will have to simulate a bigger one. My professor did try to explain to me what changes...
  2. T

    Help with an Apollo space program flight simulation guide

    Hi all, This is my first time posting on this forum. I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question so apologies in advance. Perhaps someone could recommend a more appropriate forum for me to post this on. I'm working on creating documentation for a simulation. It's an Apollo...
  3. F

    Solving The Flight of a Ball: Examining Velocity & Time

    Homework Statement A ball is launched at 10 meters per second at an angle of 45 degrees above the horizontal. What was the duration of the ball's flight? What was it's highest point? When? What was the total distance traveled? Assume air resistance is negligible. Upwards and rightwards are...
  4. N

    Why hasn't gravity been solved for space flight

    I am no smart person like the rest of you, but I find it fascinating about how physics works. I am deeply motivated to know about how we would solve this problem about gravity and space flight. Would a particle accelerator be used to help solve this problem or am I way off base?
  5. thebosonbreaker

    B Is the lift generated by a hummingbird's wings an example of Newton's Third Law?

    Hello, I understand that Newton's laws of motion can explain how a hummingbird is able to hover in front of flowers. There is one question I have in particular, which is, Is the lift generated by the wings of the bird and its weight force an example of a pair of Newton's third law forces? They...
  6. K

    Lift coefficient of rocket at vertical flight

    Hi, I am looking into aerodynamic parameters for rockets (ogive nose, cylindrical body of different diameters, four fins at bottom) and have a question about the lift coefficient. If a rocket is launched vertically, with zero incidence angle and wind, would that result in a very small lift...
  7. S

    Programs Academic/Career Crossroads: Teacher to ME to Naval Flight officer....

    Hello. I am a teacher about to wrap up his fifth year in May. I started at the very bottom, teaching at risk and worked my way up with the help of my former teachers. I now teach AP Physics 1 and IB Mathematics SL. The whole experience has left me jaded. I gave it my all: my personality, my...
  8. mesa

    Is it legal to pack D2O in luggage for a flight?

    Hey guys, quick question, is it legal to pack about a liter of D2O in my suitcase (for check in baggage) on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Albuquerque? I have had surprisingly little luck figuring this out.
  9. F

    Quadrocopter Flight: Basic Criteria for Stable Flight

    Homework Statement In this task, the basic criteria that enable a stable flight of a quadrocopter are examined. Our quadrocopter consists of four horizontal propellers which are interconnected crosswise in a massless manner in the so-called + -configuration (see Fig. 1, right). In the center...
  10. D

    Flight Mechanics - Range and Payload calculations

    Homework Statement Assume that m(fuel, climb) = 1300kg is the mass of fuel required for the climb to the cruising altitude of 10,000m, independently of the take-off weight. Assume that the distance covered during the climb is always 100km. Consider the typical payload-range diagram shown and...
  11. J

    How does NASA achieve zero gravity on their zero gravity flights?

    Hi, Please could someone kindly explain how zero weightlessness is achieved in this aircraft. I have tried to use my own understanding and what I have read online. My ideas are: To experience weightlessness the plane must be in freefall so the only force acting on it must be gravity. Since...
  12. navierstokes

    Courses Aerodynamics and flight mechanics for control engineering

    I have a huge interest in aviation and aerodynamics, despite being an EE student. I took Fluid Mechanics courses as electives, and I'm learning some aerodynamics on my own. I was thinking if there is any field of work where the knowledge of both an EE and aerodynamics/flight mechanics would be...
  13. T

    Theoretical question about wingless flight with a flight pack

    What is the power to weight ratio required from a wingless augmented portable flight pack (jetpack) so that it can enable flight horizontally? Assume that the jetpack and the user both weigh 300 pounds combined.
  14. MattRob

    Flight Mechanics - Maximum Cruise Altitude

    So, I was helping someone with some science fiction stuff and got to poking into flight mechanics. So we've got a balance of lift and weight, and drag and thrust. The speed at which thrust and drag cancel determines the speed of flight. The speed of flight determines lift, and lift must cancel...
  15. K

    Can yaw motion still occur in a quadcopter in vacuum?

    So I recently developed an interest in quad-rotors and was getting stated with its dynamics. I am particularly intrigued by the yaw motion of a quad-copter which comes into effect as a result of torques of the motors. When the motor torques are variable, we observe the yaw motion as result of a...
  16. T

    Is it possible for electric flight packs to exist like jets?

    In wingless flight packs, is it possible to replace jet / fuel engines with electric motors that fly in a similar way to jetpacks? Can electric motors also produce thrust required to lift a person upwards, enabling them to fly? If so, how would they work?
  17. Elena14

    Air resistnce in projectile motion decreasing time of flight

    If the air resistance causes a vertical retardation of 10 percent of value of acceleration due to gravity, then the time of flight of a projectile will be decreased by nearly? Take g=10m/s^2 My attempt: Only the vertical component of the projectile will be affected by changes in g I understand...
  18. A

    How high did my golf ball go? (I have time of flight straight up)

    Years ago, I made a golf ball launcher. It shot straight up at a 90 degree angle. From launch to landing only 2 feet from where it started, it took about 20 seconds before it was back on the ground. Is there a way to determine its maximum speed and height it reached? This has been bugging me for...
  19. R

    Plane in flight - Dynamics Question

    Homework Statement "Figure 5 depicts a 30 000 kg aircraft climbing at an angle θ = 15˚ when the thrust T = 180 kN. The aircraft’s speed is 300 km/hr and its acceleration is 2m/s2. If the radius of curvature of the path is 20 km (i.e., θ is decreasing), compute the lift and drag forces on the...
  20. Z

    NASA NASA Flight Tracking Station: The Guaymas Story (1967)

    NASA Flight Tracking Station: The Guaymas Story - 1967 Educational Documentary wdtvlive42 - Archive Footage Published on Apr 10, 2017 This film provides a detailed description of the operations of NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration's) manned flight tracking station in...
  21. Aashish sarode

    What are different terms of flight controllers?

    can anybody please tell me terminology of flight controller and it's specifications. Also, how these specs matter, like what is the effect of increase in Magintude or Frequency of different parameters which will help me buy a flight controller for a quadcopter. I want to build a FPV for racing.
  22. EthanVandals

    Finding Projectiles' Flight Times....

    Homework Statement Two projectiles are launched from the ground with initial speeds of 100 meters per second. One is launched straight up, the other at a 30-degree angle. How much time elapses between each's return to ground level? Theta = 30 g = 10 m/s Vinitial = 100 Homework Equations y =...
  23. M

    Short-period oscillations in different flight conditions

    Homework Statement In a lab experiment we ran the simulation of 3 different flight conditions into a program that produced graphs of the oscillations in them conditions and we have to do a comparison of the SPO (short period oscillations) characteristics for the 3 flight conditions which are...
  24. Astronuc

    Can supersonic flight be quiet?

    Quiet supersonic flight is an intriguing idea. Is it possible? We'll see perhaps this year. I'd be curious about the cabin noise, as well as the external noise. Spike Aerospace expands quiet supersonic aircraft development Engineering is on track for a first flight of a subsonic prototype of...
  25. N

    Difference in flight time for two planes with different velocity profiles

    Homework Statement ** sorry, answer in the book doesn't make sense ** A british concord and a French concord flew in opposite directions around the world, a distance of 40K km. The BC covered half its distance at 2500 km/h, and the other half at 1000km/h. The FC spent half its flight time at...
  26. A

    Question about suborbital flight and ballistic missiles

    Question on suborbital flight and ballistic missiles. When they are in space, past 100 km above the surface of Earth where there is little air, when it's in the ballistic arc, past apogee does it slow down when it drops or speeds up due to gravitational acceleration without drag? I Am talking...
  27. E

    Determining the sign of control derivatives

    I'm having quite a deal of trouble trying to figure this out. Say, for example, you wanted to have a statically stable aircraft. How do you determine what the signs (positive or negative) of the control derivates need to be for this condition to be satisfied ( CXα, CZα, Cmα, Cmq, CZδe, etc) ?
  28. V

    Muon decay in flight - distribution of distance

    Homework Statement The average lifetime of muons at rest is τμ0 = 2.2 μs. A laboratory measurement on the decay in flight of muons in a beam emerging from a particle accelerator yields an average lifetime of τμ = 6.6 μs, as measured in the lab frame Σ. (g) [3 points] Given a large ensemble of...
  29. J

    What is known about helical flight paths in bullets?

    I have a physics degree, I'm now retired and have taken up long range shooting as a hobby. When shooting at 600 yards, my spotters have noticed the contrail of my bullet follows a helical trajectory near the target. I shoot a 243 (6mm), 105 grain target bullet made by Berger at a muzzle...
  30. A

    Time of flight objects in air versus in vacuum

    Hello I needed to know a logical answer to the question that whether the time of flight of the objects in air increases or decreases as compared to vacuum? Why?
  31. UNCCME

    How are Flight Data Recorders built?

    I am curious as to the components of FDRs that allow them to sustain such g-forces and immense heat. Surely it's not just a steel box filled with paraffin wax. What alloys are used? what shapes are used in internal construction to prevent crushing/penetration? What do they insulate with and how...
  32. kdrdgn07

    Engineering I need Russian sources (Aerodynamic and Flight Mechanics)

    Hi guys. I need ur suggestion. Firstly, (I got to say that I'm new about this topic) I'm studying mechanical engineering and It's my first year. I've never learned about fluid mechanics or termodynamic or differantial equations before but I'm dealing with Aircrafts especially UAV. I've read...
  33. VMP

    Energy fighting in combat flight sims

    Hello everyone, I have a question regarding energy fighting. Suppose you're flying a plane and you want to boom and zoom a target that is lower than you, flying at similar velocity. What is the optimal* way of diving and then zooming up again. *optimal wrt energy conservation. I'm aware of the...
  34. StevieTNZ

    News EgyptAir Flight 804: 66 Missing After Plane Disappears

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/80184227/live-blog-egyptair-flight-ms804-disappears Note the above link is a blog about the ongoing situation. "Plane most likely crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, says Egypt's civil aviation agency." is currently the Breaking Headline on stuff.co.nz...
  35. Borek

    Mechanics of Flight: RC Model Turning Issues

    OK, this is just a seriously looking subject to a probably trivial question. I am trying to learn to fly an RC model (Bixler 2, training/beginner level which I assume means "stable, easy to fly"). What is happening is that when I use ailerons to list the model and turn, it turns but then starts...
  36. liometopum

    Professor's airplane math leads to flight delay

    This was too funny to not share. Numerous agencies are picking up the story, but just in case:Professor's airplane math leads to flight delay An Ivy League professor said his flight was delayed because a fellow passenger thought the math equations he was writing might be a sign he was a...
  37. 1oldman2

    SpaceX Flawless Falcon Flight (SpaceX)

    http://spaceflight101.com/falcon-9-jcsat-14-launch-success/ Good show!
  38. majid hussain

    Safe flight capsule for commercial airliners

    How can we bring stability to a safe flight capsule which is ejected at an altitude of 30000 feet in a commercial aircraft during disaster??
  39. Timizorzom

    Paper Plane Distance Experiment: Power & Energy Calculation

    Hi, I'm doing an experiment to get my silver CREST award, in which I've created a mechanical paper plane thrower. I have thrown various types of plane, but all with the same design. The thrower uses a 9V battery, but is more like 6 now. The thrower has two motors, each which take 70mA. The...
  40. R

    Why phone to switch off in flight mode?

    In flights during landoff or takeoff they say to keep the phone in flight mode and then switch off so as to not interfere with the aircraft signals. But why should we switch off if keeping the phone in flight mode? Flight mode disables cellular and wifi networks.
  41. R

    Some seat numbers missing on flight

    Why some row numbers like 13 ( know the reason of unlucky number), 18, 19, 20, 21, 32, 33 and 42 are missing on flights?
  42. R

    Checking the names of other passengers on a flight

    If we have booked a ticket on a flight and want to check who are the passengers traveling onboard , can we check online through the flight's website? Or are there security concerns for international as well as domestic flights? If yes what harm it does to get only a name ( We are not requiring...
  43. S

    The Physics of dragon flight possible

    So let's take a dragon, not a godzilla sized one because I'm trying to be realistic.. but say horse sized, roughly 1 ton in weight, or something about wolf sized so about 150 lbs They have 2 wings, 1 tail, 2 legs, 2 arms, and a head... because headless dragons are no fun. how large would the...
  44. R

    Find height, range and time of flight for projectile motion

    Homework Statement Homework Equations kinematics. a=F/m The Attempt at a Solution 100cos(70)=342 100sin(70)=393.7 X=1/2(-9.8)t^2+100t; t=0. t=20.4
  45. Necronox

    How can the lift produced by animal wings be calculated?

    Firstly, I'm new to these forums, and I'm not sure what the prefixe in creating this thread is supposed to be... (i'm assuming it is to judge to question's level)? saw some threads without prefixes but i can't post one without... maybe i missed a stickied thread or a readme? Alright, so, first...
  46. Bill_Nye_Fan

    Realistic air velocties regarding a wing while in flight

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  47. 8eou8elisi

    Pressure Impulses during Supersonic Flight

    Hey Everyone. I am new to this forum, so first of all greetings to everybody. What are your thoughts on the below idea..? Is it possible to make the pressure impulses created by a Supersonic Aircraft to travel faster than the speed of Sound? I know that the pressure impulses during a Supersonic...
  48. G

    Time of flight of projectile motion

    Homework Statement Why the time of vertical motion and horizontal motion of the projectile are the same ? I couldn't understand it. Could someone explain it ? Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
  49. Eltahawy

    Medical Flight Mode: Reducing Mobile Radiation?

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  50. TCups

    Precession of an air rifle pellet in flight

    Unlike firearm projectiles, air rifle pellets have evolved to a generally typical diabolo configuration. For reference, see: http://www.photosbykev.com/wordpress/2009/01/20/air-rifle-pellet-database/ The initial shape was described as like that of a badminton shuttlecock, and "skirt" at the...
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