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. 1

    Time of flight experiment to distinguish muons from pions?

    If I wanted to design an experiment which would allow to distinguish muons from pions in the energy range from 200 MeV to 2 GeV, how would I do it in a simple way? Could I just use the Time of Flight experiment? What quantitative arguments can one make for the design of the detectors?
  2. T

    Double Slit--closing a slit while particle is in flight

    I'd like to understand the wave particle duality and how information traverses space further within the double slit experiment. Let's assume we have two slits, A and B. A is higher up then B, and an electron moves to the right through the slits and hits a final screen. While the electron is...
  3. T

    Left-Handed Pion: Direction of Flight vs Spin

    Can you have a left handed pion? i.e. it's spin is opposite to its direction of flight
  4. C

    Methods for Modeling 2d Rocket Flight

    I've formulated a method for modeling the flight of a rocket projectile. Can anyone read it over and point out any mistakes false assumptions, etc? thanks!
  5. K

    Hydraulic motor torque for a home-built flight simulator

    I am constructing a home built flight simulator and am using hydraulic motors with a arm attached to the motor spindle for movement. I need to know how much torque I would need in the motor to lift 1000 lbs. Also I need to know how fast the motor should be to move the weight 1 foot in 2 seconds...
  6. T

    In depth Mars flight trajectory studies

    Can anyone point me in the direction of any published scientific work involving the study of Earth to Mars flight trajectories? I am thinking of researching this topic for a project and I would like to know about the work that has already been done.
  7. hyteck9

    Can we achieve practical personal flight with current options?

    Hello to all, This is my first post, other than the introduction of course. I want to talk about personal flight options. I have searched in, and external to, this forum and understand there are various types of options currently available. However I'm not sure they are truly practical to...
  8. StevieTNZ

    News Air Asia flight from Indonesia to Singapore vanishes

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/64507189/air-asia-flight-from-indonesia-to-singapore-vanishes If it lost contact at 11.17am NZT, and it is now 6.12pm NZT, that is way over six hours that it has been missing.
  9. P

    Help with physics of flight paths?

    Hi all, If anything here is incorrect or confusing or seems trivially simple, I apologize: I'm not a physicist and created an account specifically to get help on this from some people who are! My question is this: Assume a plane has a constant airspeed and you wish to fly a circular pattern...
  10. S

    Does Euler Force Affect Flight Experiments on Earth?

    Hello! I am currently starting my thesis, and I would be pleased if you could help me. As it is an ficticious force for non inertial frame, the Euler force affects every movement measured from the surface of the Earth. But, it is related to the angular acceleration changes of our planet, so...
  11. S

    Best planetary composition for flight

    I am trying to figure out how to make a world where flight is a lot easier. How much easier could it be on a human (or near human) habitable world? Lower gravitational force might help although too low would presumably be untenable due to loss of the atmosphere? A higher pressure atmosphere...
  12. praveenpandiyan

    Calculating landing distance for Flight

    Homework Statement An a/c has an approach speed of45 m/s with descent angle of 7.1 deg. if the a/c load factor is 1.2 and constant deceleration at touch down is .25g (g=9.81).its total landing distance approx over a 15m high obstacle is Homework Equations R=v/g(n-1) Sa=(h-hf)/tan( teta)...
  13. R

    Moments Problem -- 2 friends carrying a crate up a flight of stairs

    Two friends are carrying a 200kg crate up a flight of stairs. The crate is 1.25m long and 0.500m high and its center of gravity is at its center. The stairs make a 45 degree angle with respect to the floor. The crate is also at a 45 degree angle so the bottom side of crate is parallel to the...
  14. Evo

    Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Lost in Test Flight; One Pilot Reported Dead

    Not good. http://www.weather.com/news/science/virgin-galactics-spaceshiptwo-reports-flight-anomaly-20141031
  15. HTT

    Solving a Flight Time with Wind: What to Calculate?

    Homework Statement One of my question asks that: How much longer is the flight from airport A to B with the wind as indicated than with no wind... I don't get its meaning. What do I need to solve for this question? Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
  16. jdawg

    How high will the projectile be at 5 km downrange?

    Homework Statement A projectile is fired with an initial speed of 500 m/s at an angle of elevation of 45°. When and how far away will the projectile strike? How high overhead will the projectile be when it is 5 km downrange? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Flight...
  17. collinsmark

    Kerbal Space Program - Duna Flight Math

    The Sands of Duna <Intermission (1/2)> An intermission of math. Skip this post (and the next) if you are not interested in the math. But since you are reading this on Physics Forums after all, there's a good chance you are interested. If so, read on. :smile: Collinsmark is not affiliated...
  18. M

    How to model the flight kinematics of an airplane with air resistance?

    I want to derive some equations for a 2-D airplane's motion, specifically when it lifts off and lands. Can someone show me where I can start and how I can use differential equations to develop equations like the speed/position of the airplane in its x and y components? Also, if anyone is...
  19. T

    Flight Control: No Yaw Control

    Regarding flight control for planes, there exist 3 axes: roll, pitch, and yaw. Something that I've been curious of recently is the ability to control a plane without direct yaw control. Let's go for an extreme example, imagine you only have control over a plane's pitch and roll. Although you...
  20. C

    Software that models atmospheric hypersonic flight

    Hi, I would like to model various projectiles and capsules being fired at hypersonic speeds by a coilgun or equivalent mass driver. Does anyone know of any programs that could simulate a launch or at least parts of the flight? (ie. setting the atmospheric density for a given region, calculating...
  21. T

    Calculating Power Needed for a Machine's Flight: Tips & Tricks

    For example, if it takes 60 watts of Power for a machine to fly, yet loses (for instance) 2.5 * 10^3 Joules of its energy because of the air resistance, what's the amount of "Power" that was really given in the first place? The time of flight for the machine is 30 minutes to get to the height...
  22. Greg Bernhardt

    News Malaysia Airlines flight crashes in Ukraine

    Very little information right now but we know it was a Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/17/world/europe/ukraine-malaysia-airlines-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 AP: Passenger plane shot down over Ukraine...
  23. M

    Calculating Lift-Drag Ratio of a Wing Under Flight Conditions

    Homework Statement "The lift gradient of a wing under actual flight conditions is 0.1179 per degree. Calculate the lift-drag ratio of the wing with an angle of attak of 3 degrees?" Given is: altitude=5000 m velocity=225 m/s wing area S=149 m2 wing span b=34.5 m span efficiency factor e1=0.82...
  24. Y

    Inmarsat analysis for missing flight MH370

    Initially the pings from Malaysian airlines flight MH370 could only determine the distance of the aircraft from the satelite based on round trip times of the pings sent at one hour intervals. Taking the fuel range and estimated speed of the aircraft into account this confined the possible...
  25. A

    Tracking flight 370 : Can we use satellite images to find it?

    I think we can find flight 370 if we have satellite images of the flight. The question is, do we have any such images of the actual flight as it was in progress? It was a clear night. Even if the images are low resolution, as long as the color of the plane is distinguishable from its...
  26. Greg Bernhardt

    News Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 crash

    I think this is a very interesting story. Let's get some discussion on it! http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/10/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/index.html At the moment CNN is reporting "Tickets linked to stolen passports for missing Malaysia flight were purchased by Iranian man, authorities say"...
  27. M

    Exploring Possibilities of Natural Human Flight

    How would you think natural human flight would be possible?
  28. N

    Ratio of flight times at angles 45degree +/- alpha

    Homework Statement Consider two projectiles launched on level ground with the same speed, at angles 45°\pm \alpha. Show that the ratio of their flight times is tan 45°\pm \alpha. The Attempt at a Solution projectile 1 launched at Θ = 45° + \alpha: vyf1 = vyi1 + gt tapex1 =...
  29. G

    What is a quick way to approximate flight time off a cliff?

    Hi, I'm basically trying to figure out if there's a quick way to approximate the flight time of something thrown downwards off a cliff. If you throw a projectile off a cliff with height H > 0 above the ground, there are 3 cases: v_y > 0 v_y = 0 (thrown horizontally off the cliff) v_y <...
  30. Z

    Zero Gravity Flight: Training Astronauts for Space

    Homework Statement ne of the methods used to train astronauts for the effects of "zero gravity" in space is to put them in a specially equipped plane which has been stripped of seats and fitted with padded walls. The pilot then takes the plane up to an altitude of typically 9300 meters and...
  31. E

    Find the time required for an airplane flight

    Homework Statement A small aircraft cruises at a speed of 80 m/s in still air. The plane is scheduld to fly to a destination that is 600 km due west on a day on which the wind is blowing at 18 m/s from south to north. It travels in a direction of 13 degrees SW. Find the time required for the...
  32. A

    Why Isn't My Ornithopter Generating Lift?

    i have designed and fabricated an ornithopter with flapping frequency of 4Hz and span of 1m... Actuation of wings is perfectly fine but it is unable to generate lift...what are the possible amendments should i do to make it fly...and it is a bit over weight i-e 700g...
  33. STEMucator

    What is the Velocity of a Disc Thrown at a 28° Angle to the Ground?

    Homework Statement A disc is thrown at a 28° angle to the ground. It landed 39.8m away. a) What is the velocity of the disc? b) How long was the disc in the air? Homework Equations ##θ = 28°## ##\vec{Δd}_H = 39.8 m [F]## The Attempt at a Solution a) I was thinking I should use the...
  34. D

    Looking for Star Wars-like flight physics

    I was wondering if I could get a critique of the following pseudo-physics to explain why my sci-fi story includes dogfights in space. I don't want to totally ignore the impossible physics, but I'm looking for something simple. No hardcore sci-fi fan is ever going to buy it anyway. And, yes, it's...
  35. S

    Flight control surface authority question.

    Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out what formula I would use to find the authority a flight control surface (not a wing) would have when deflected. I've been searching and searching for information, but if anyone has done some similar calculations, the help would be greatly appreciated!
  36. CFDFEAGURU

    What to do on a long airline flight?

    All, I have to fly from Pittsburgh to San Francisco next month and I am not a comfortable flyer. My phone battery will only last about 2 hours (in aircraft mode of course) and my lap top battery lasts about 10 minutes. I am an avid reader so that might help. Any suggestions of books that...
  37. R

    MATLAB Frisbee flight in Matlab, can't run (Input argument x is undefined)

    Frisbee flight in Matlab, can't run (Input argument "x" is undefined) I'm trying to use a frisbee flight simulation made by Sarah Hummel, but I'm having a hard time running it in Matlab. I get the first message when I press run in the program and the one in red when running in the...
  38. P

    Modelling flight path of a golf ball

    Is there an equation in which you can model the flight path of a golf ball? I know there must be as there are plenty of "Golf Ball Flight Simulators". Does anyone know of this equation? Would be quite helpful to me.
  39. E

    Where can i find Aircraft Flight Data?

    Hi all i am a student doing my thesis on the aircraft performance. However, i am in a need of actual flight data to validate my work. The parameters i am looking at are the range, fuel usage, velocity and altitude. Does anyone know where can i access to those data of any flights or any types...
  40. D

    MHB Derivative of the flight path angle

    Why is this true? $$ h = rv_{\perp} = r(r\dot{\nu})\Rightarrow\dot{\nu} = \frac{h}{r^2} $$ Look at the last page http://www.mathhelpboards.com/f49/orbital-mechanics-notes-3682/#post16317 to see a visualization.
  41. I

    Has anyone played a flight simulator that has also studied physics?

    Before you took high school physics, you all probably used your everyday experience to guess how the universe around you worked. For example: you probably guessed that everything eventually came to a stop. But then you learned Newton's laws and you realized that everything maintains constant...
  42. D

    MHB Flight path angle concept question

    Can a flight path angle be 356 degrees?
  43. T

    Can Ionocraft Technology Be Practically Applied in Modern Engineering?

    As a tenth grader with electronics on the mind, ionocraft is probably one of the most interesting topics I have run across(besides the Casimir effect; that, I believe, is quantum physics). But, what I am truly interested in is whether or not it is possible, with the use of technologies such as...
  44. B

    Horizontal flight without wings

    Just curious as I saw a movie of one on TV I'm trying to understand how a cruise missile can fly? I can understand action v reaction in a rocket pushing against the mass of the earth I can understand winged flight and air pressure holding the craft up I can inderstand a hovercraft using...
  45. T

    Is flight without moving parts possible?

    As a tenth grader with electronics on the mind, ionocraft is probably one of the most interesting topics I have run across(besides the Casimir effect; that, I believe, is quantum physics). But, what I am truly interested in is whether or not it is possible, with the use of technologies such as...
  46. D

    Realistic space flight simulator iOS

    Hey everyone, I've been looking for a space flight simulator to play around with that simulates real physic, or at least as much as possible...and I came across http://www.space-simulator.com the other day. They say the physics and the orbital mechanics is 'real', but I'm no expert so how...
  47. R

    Flight of a badminton shuttlecock

    I have been playing badminton for several years now. I noticed that players choose different rated speeds of shuttlecocks depending on local weather conditions. A few years back I made an analysis on the influence of effect of air temperature and humidity on the flight of a badminton shuttle...
  48. A

    Could a man hold sustained flight using sound?

    I was reading an article on Acoustic Levitation http://science.howstuffworks.com/acoustic-levitation2.htm and near the end it said This got me thinking about the character Banshee from X-Men Who's power, as described by the X-Men wikia is Now I understand that this is not the same thing as...
  49. Y

    Principles of Flight - Heavy aircraft vs Light aircraft

    Hey guys, I'm no physicist so thought I'd ask the experts! A friend asked a question which got me thinking... Question was: why do heavier aircraft take longer to slow down than lighter aircraft? It may help if you have knowledge of the principles of flight but I was struggling to come up...
  50. P

    Altitude change in straight flight

    Hi, Assume an aircraft starts flying to east with zero pitch and roll, would this aircraft slowly move away from Earth surface due to Earth being a sphere ? Or would changing gravity direction or some other factor cause this aircraft to fly an arc like path which is parallel to underlying...
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